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Saturday, 02.04.2012 |
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Product Details
Notes
INTRODUCTION
the writer's struggle is an overrated con and a self-fulfilling prophecy
think of writing not as a special talent, but as a purposeful craft
don't try to apply all the tools at once, focus on improving one aspect at a time
PART ONE - NUTS AND BOLTS
TOOL 1: BEGIN SENTENCES WITH SUBJECTS AND VERBS
keep the subject and verb close together when clarity is important
also put them near the beginning of the sentence when possible
move the subject and verb later to create suspense or build tension
when revising, try moving the subject and verb to the beginning or end
TOOL 2: ORDER WORDS FOR EMPHASIS
put stronger words at the beginning and end of sentences
hide the weaker informational stuff in the middle
same thing is true for paragraphs, start and end with power
when revising, try reordering sentences for more power at the start and end
TOOL 3: ACTIVATE YOUR VERBS
voice is different than tense, tense is when the verb happens
voice is the relationship between subject and verb, who does what
active means the subject performs the action of the verb
passive means the subject receives the action of the verb
linking verbs are neither active nor passive, like the forms of "to be"
cut these verb qualifiers:
sort of, tend(s) to, kind of, must have, seem(s) to,
seemed to, could have, used to, begin(s) to, beginning to
TOOL 4: BE PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE
use passive verbs to call attention to the receiver of the action
like when something is happening to a character, or the person is a victim
active verbs move the action and reveal the actors
always apologize in the active voice, passive avoids responsibility
the verb "to be" links words and ideas
when revising, watch out for over-active verbs
these can sound like cheap adventure stories or romance novels
don't overuse unique active verbs or they'll lose their power
TOOL 5: WATCH THOSE ADVERBS
cut adverbs and express everything with a stronger verb instead
only use adverbs where the meaning of the verb is changed
an example is "she smiled sadly," which is the opposite of what's expected
TOOL 6: TAKE IT EASY ON THE -INGS
it may be better to have a simple past or present verb than a progressive verb
-ing adds a syllable, which can slow down the pace
it also creates rhyme, which can sound tacky
when revising, if a passage is difficult to read or write, look for too many -ings
TOOL 7: FEAR NOT THE LONG SENTENCE
write what you fear
length can make a bad sentence worse, or a good sentence better
put the subject and verb of the main clause early in the sentence
use the long sentence to describe something long, let form follow function
write the long sentence in chronological order if possible
use the long sentence in variation with sentences of short and medium length
list products, names, or images in a long sentence
make every word count, edit carefully
E.B. White said, "writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar"
when revising, try combining or breaking up sentences to vary the flow
TOOL 8: ESTABLISH A PATTERN, THEN GIVE IT A TWIST
use parallel structures to express similar ideas
but try changing up the last item in the list slightly
an example would be, "fifty, sixty, even seventy hours a week"
the "even seventy" sounds better than a straight parallel "seventy"
TOOL 9: LET PUNCTUATION CONTROL PACE AND SPACE
lots of rules, but remember that they are mostly arbitrary
like putting a comma before the "and" in the last item of a list
or putting the period or comma inside or outside the double quotes
punctuation sets the pace of reading, and divides words into groupings
the comma indicates a pause, and signals the writer's voice and style
some writers will use more commas, others will use less
writers tend to develop their own natural style of punctuation preferences
TOOL 10: CUT BIG, THEN SMALL
brevity comes from selection, not compression
- cut any passage that does not support your focus
- cut the weakest quotations, anecdotes, and scenes
- cut at passage you wrote to satisfy a teacher or editor, not the reader
- don't invite others to cut, you know your own work better, mark optional cuts
- cut adverbs that intensify rather than modify, like "exactly" or "entirely"
- cut prepositional phrases that repeat the obvious, like "in the city"
- cut phrases that grow on verbs, like "seems to" or "tends to"
- cut abstract nouns that hide active verbs, like "judgment" instead of "judge"
- cut redundant restatements, like "a sultry humid afternoon"
PART TWO - SPECIAL EFFECTS
TOOL 11: PREFER THE SIMPLE OVER THE TECHNICAL
take something common and show it in new unique way
or take a strange or complicated idea and express it in a simple way
simplicity requires imagination and craft
clear prose comes from a sense of purpose, what are you trying to say?
a difficult subject should be clear in your head first, then communicated clearly
TOOL 12: GIVE KEY WORDS THEIR SPACE
look for unnecessary or unintentional repetition of distinctive words
give strong verbs their own space - word territory
Hemingway said to first "write one true sentence"
the exception is the word "said" - don't replace this with synonyms
TOOL 13: PLAY WITH WORDS, EVEN IN SERIOUS STORIES
the average reading vocabulary is larger than the average writer's vocab
be original, as if seeing things for the first time
but then express that vision in a language that reaches the reader
notice any surprising or unusual words in other books
read your favorite authors and circle words that interest you
TOOL 14: GET THE NAME OF THE DOG
write specific details of character and setting that appeal to the senses
let the reader see and understand the scene in its full glory
try to avoid the obvious details and look for unusual or unique ones
make sure the detail is relevant in that it reveals character in some way
invent interesting details somehow that give characters an unusual trait
look for powerful images that not only inform, but also persuade the reader
TOOL 15: PAY ATTENTION TO NAMES
think of interesting names for both characters, and invented brand names
give specific names to details in the scene, like flowers, animal breeds, etc.
TOOL 16: SEEK ORIGINAL IMAGES
when a cliche comes to mind first, pause and stop writing to think creatively
jot down lots of alternatives to the cliche and see which one appeals to you
also watch out for cliches of vision, these are character stereotypes
try making a character turn out to be completely different than expected
avoid statements that seem clever, but everyone would think of them
TOOL 17: RIFF ON THE CREATIVE LANGUAGE OF OTHERS
take an original expression and brainstorm new variations
TOOL 18: SET THE PACE WITH SENTENCE LENGTH
three strategic reasons to slow the pace:
1) to simplify the complex
2) to create suspense
3) to focus on the emotional truth
don't just write words, write music by varying the length of sentences
TOOL 19: VARY THE LENGTHS OF PARAGRAPHS
the purpose of paragraphing is to give the reader a rest
use a short paragraph after a long one to create a sudden, dramatic stop
white space is the writer's friend
TOOL 20: CHOOSE THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTS WITH A PURPOSE IN MIND
one idea pushes the absolute truth - use one for power
two creates balance - use two for comparison and contrast
three ideas provide a sense of the whole - use three for completeness
four creates a list - use four to inventory, compile and expand
TOOL 21: KNOW WHEN TO BACK OFF AND WHEN TO SHOW OFF
George Orwell wrote that good prose is like a window pane
it shows you the world without interfering or drawing attention to itself
use understatement when the topic is most serious or dramatic
play with words and exaggerate when the topic is least serious
look for ways to reveal dramatic events without focusing on the obvious stuff
like the aftereffects of an explosion, rather than the explosion itself
TOOL 22: CLIMB UP AND DOWN THE LADDER OF ABSTRACTION
write in clear, specific words at the bottom of the ladder
ponder abstract concepts at the top of the ladder
avoid the middle, where you use bureaucratic words that confuse
metaphors and similes help us understand abstractions through concrete things
to zero in on specifics, ask the question, "can you give me an example?"
to move toward abstract ideas, ask the question, "what does that mean?"
TOOL 23: TUNE YOUR VOICE
voice is the sum of strategies used to let the author speak to the reader
try to reach a reader through his ears, even as he reads through his eyes
some of the characteristics of voice:
1) what is the level of language? street slang, academic, abstract or concrete
2) what "person" does the writer use? first person, third person, or varying
3) what are the range and source of allusions? cultural references, setting
4) how often does the writer use metaphors? poetry, imagery, or hard details
5) what is the length and structure of the sentences? short, long, simple, wordy
6) what is the distance from neutrality? objective, partisan, or passionate
7) how does the writer frame the material? experimental, standard form, genre
read your story out loud to become comfortable with your natural voice
PART THREE - BLUEPRINTS
TOOL 24: WORK FROM A PLAN
identify the major parts of your story, even if you don't explicitly name them
TOOL 25: LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPORTS AND STORIES
readers read for information and experience
reports convert information, while stories create experience
reports transfer knowledge, while stories transport the reader and put us there
TOOL 26: USE DIALOGUE AS A FORM OF ACTION
Elmore Leonard says to leave out the part that readers tend to skip
long paragraphs of prose and description are often skimmed by readers
a quote conveys information, but dialogue puts you in the scene
TOOL 27: REVEAL TRAITS OF CHARACTER
show a character through specific traits, rather than describing with adjectives
don't say that a character is sad or excited, show it through their actions
TOOL 28: PUT ODD AND INTERESTING THINGS NEXT TO EACH OTHER
combine funny and serious ideas to create satire or irony
TOOL 29: FORESHADOW DRAMATIC EVENTS
AND POWERFUL CONCLUSIONS
setup important props, elements, or events early in the story so it feels natural
TOOL 30: TO GENERATE SUSPENSE, USE INTERNAL CLIFFHANGERS
use cliffhangers at the end of chapters, or sections in any media, even blogs
TOOL 31: BUILD YOUR WORK AROUND A KEY QUESTION
good questions drive good stories
a strong story should raise lots of questions, including subplot questions
ask which characters have something at stake in the story?
stories are driven by "what" questions, but also "how" does it unfold
TOOL 32: PLACE GOLD COINS ALONG THE PATH
readers make predictions about what lies ahead, reward them periodically
don't just make a strong beginning and end, put some big things in the middle
a gold coin can be an anecdote, an interesting fact, or a brilliant quote
TOOL 33: REPEAT, REPEAT, AND REPEAT
repetition only works if you intend it
repeat key words, phrases or story elements to create rhythm and theme
careful repetition can make dialogue powerful and memorable
TOOL 34: WRITE FROM DIFFERENT CINEMATIC ANGLES
shift focus in and out to capture both character and landscape
aerial view, establishing shot, middle distance, close-up, extreme close-up
move the camera around, visualize the scene from many different angles
TOOL 35: REPORT AND WRITE FOR SCENES
the writer's goal is to hold up a mirror to reality, to render the world convincingly
it's not just to capture and compile scenes
the goal is to let the reader see, feel and understand something real
TOOL 36: MIX NARRATIVE MODES
switch from story narrative to abstract explanation and ideas
this lets the reader experience a story, but also learn the theme directly
TOOL 37: IN SHORT WORKS, DON'T WASTE A SYLLABLE
short works can have a focused power
there is an opportunity for wit in a concise piece
and the writer can polish the work to make every word count
TOOL 38: PREFER ARCHETYPES TO STEREOTYPES
narrative archetypes include: the journey there and back,
winning the prize, winning or losing the loved one, loss and restoration,
the blessing becomes the curse, overcoming obstacles,
the wasteland restored, rising from the ashes, the ugly duckling,
the emperor has no clothes, descent into the underworld
if a wall appears in a story, chances are that it's more than just a wall
but use subtlety to create powerful writing
this lets readers feel the power of a work without thinking it's a lecture
TOOL 39: WRITE TOWARD AN ENDING
reality is messy, but readers seek closure
closing the circle - remind us of the beginning, return to a place or character
the tieback - tie the ending to some offbeat element n the body of the story
the time frame - time advances until a key point that occurs last chronologically
the space frame - location and setting change until the final destination
the payoff - a reward for a journey, a secret revealed, or a mystery solved
the epilogue - the story ends, but life goes on, what happens to characters
problem and solution - state the problem first, then move toward solutions
the apt quote - characters summarize the theme through their dialogue
look to the future - what might happen in the future as a result of this story
mobilize the reader - persuade them to take action based on the story's ideas
remember that sentences, paragraphs, sections and chapters have endings too
don't let your ending drag on, ask yourself, what if it ended here, or here
PART FOUR - USEFUL HABITS
TOOL 40: DRAFT A MISSION STATEMENT FOR YOUR WORK
readers and critics assume a writer's mission and purpose based on their work
write down your goal and find out what you want to learn from your own writing
you can have goals for both the theme, and the format, pace, and structure
you can test, expand, and revise your mission statement during the writing
write a mission statement for your long term goals as a writer
TOOL 41: TURN PROCRASTINATION INTO REHEARSAL
reframe periods of inaction into forms of rehearsal
before writing on the page, write in your head and imagine the storyline
even while you're doing other tasks, think about the story and let it percolate
when you encounter writer's block, lower your standards until you can write
think of writing a scene like sending an email or writing it as a blog entry
trust your hands - type it out and you'll figure out what you wanted to say
adopt a daily routine - write rather than wait, try writing first thing in the morning
build in rewards - turn habits of delay into little rewards
draft sooner - write early in the process of researching to get it flowing
discount nothing - bad days and poor writing may be the path to great writing
rewrite - do a quick draft, then go back and revise to improve it
watch your language - catch and remove any negative thoughts, rename them
set the table - clear out the other things so you can focus on writing
find a rabbi - get a helper who will praise your effort, not criticize the output
keep a daybook - jot down ideas to preserve for later
TOOL 42: DO YOUR HOMEWORK WELL IN ADVANCE
build a reservoir of knowledge and ideas for future reference
ask these questions:
1) what's the point?
2) why is this story being told?
3) what does it say about life, the world, and the times we live in?
think of the biggest writing project you might do, and how you would prepare
TOOL 43: READ FOR BOTH FORM AND CONTENT
society teaches that everyone should read, but only talented artists should write
writers need to read for both form and content
ask yourself:
1) what am i trying to build?
2) what are the tools i need to build it?
read works you admire to learn what makes them work
look for models by past authors and learn from their technique
pause in your reading to think about why you like or don't like a particular piece
- listen to the voice of the writer
- search for underdeveloped story ideas in the newspaper
- study webpages online to see how they differ from printed stories
- read both entire books, and bits and pieces of many different books
- don't read what others suggest, follow your own writing direction
- sample magazines and journals in bookstores
- read outside your genre to compare
- buy books and mark them up as you analyze them in detail
be careful not to read too much when you're in the middle of your main writing
this can be a distraction, or it can be used for procrastination
read a lot before starting the draft, then draft quickly, then read during editing
TOOL 44: SAVE STRING
start by declaring an interest in a particular topic
once you do that, you'll start noticing things in that area
collect ideas and useful research slowly over time
be attentive to when it's time to write, write earlier than you think you can
let those early drafts guide you to additional research and new ideas
try building several ideas at a time during the collecting stage
remember that each idea may be big enough for a lifetime of work
so part of saving string is knowing when you have enough for a story
TOOL 45: BREAK LONG PROJECTS INTO PARTS
break down long stories into chapters, chapters into scenes, etc.
TOOL 46: TAKE AN INTEREST IN ALL CRAFTS THAT SUPPORT YOUR WORK
learn about copyediting, photography, illustration, and web design
you don't need to become an expert in these other fields
but knowing about them will enhance your reach as a writer
pay attention to your allies in the industry, give them praise when appropriate
think about how things would work if your book was optioned for film
consider the viewpoint of the director, producer, and actors
copyeditors will help ensure accuracy so readers don't find mistakes later
think about the visual aspects early on, what images fit your book?
TOOL 47: RECRUIT YOUR OWN SUPPORT GROUP
create a network of friends, colleagues, editors and coaches
your support system will change as you change and grow
find the following types of helpers:
- a helper who can keep you going, who withholds negative judgments
- a helper who understands your idiosyncrasies, your quirks and unique fears
- a helper willing to answer questions and read drafts to target specific things
- an expert helper to provide information on a specific topic
- a helper who runs interference, keeps you protected from distractions
- a coach who helps you figure out what works and what needs more work
TOOL 48: LIMIT SELF-CRITICISM IN EARLY DRAFTS
trying too hard not only makes writing harder, it makes the writing worse
the best writing comes when you don't censor, when you write freely
bring out the critic only after the draft is done, when you're editing and revising
TOOL 49: LEARN FROM YOUR CRITICS
turn a debate into a conversation where both sides learn something new
there can be no arguing about matters of taste
never defend your work, instead, explain what you were trying to accomplish
try to see it from their perspective, why are they having that particular reaction?
TOOL 50: OWN THE TOOLS OF YOUR CRAFT
Idea --> Collect --> Focus --> Draft --> Clarify
there is a method behind the magic of writing, a structured technique to succeed
1) sniff around - get curious, ponder something new and different
2) explore ideas - the world is a storehouse of story ideas, be open and aware
3) collect evidence - don't just sit at home, go out and find interesting facts
4) find a focus - figure out what your story is really about at its core
5) select the best stuff - don't use everything you've gathered, only the best stuff
6) recognize an order - find the best structure and layout to present your story
7) write a draft - this is just one step in the whole process, let it flow
8) revise and clarify - analyze and improve your work step by step |
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