Monday, July 29, 2013

Reality vs. Fiction

Let's start off with a fool-proof method of interest; a picture and a famous quote.

(I found this wonderful image on QuoteSpr's Pinterest page here)
When you think about it, you realize Clancy has a great point. Many people read fiction to escape reality. They read it for a story, the characters, or to learn more about your topic. They also want to be kept in suspense, they want to turn those pages! When a book like this is discovered, most describe the experience as, "feeling real". The characters "feel real" the setting "feels real" the dialogue "feels real".

They do not mean what they say.

If you're going to be a writer, you need to know the difference between fiction and reality. Reality not only doesn't make sense, but it is very tedious. It takes us days or weeks to get to know someone, and then the dialogue is often chunky and filled with extraneous words and pleasantries. If fiction followed this format, the reader would put the book down in ten pages.

To keep the reader engaged in fiction, dialogue has to be snappy. As a rule, keep each character's dialogue to 4 lines or less. Yes, this means no monologues. If you're now saying, "But I really need that five page monologue in chapter 6!" tell yourself that any dialogue over 4 lines costs $50,000. Now, do you really need it that bad? Can you summarize, cut, or make the exchange into a dialogue rather than a monologue?

Also, unlike reality, fiction only gives the reader the information she needs when she needs it. Reality can be an overload of information and sensory detail. New writers often interpret this "reality" in their fiction by forcing an info dump in the first few chapters. You know all about the character's past, their likes and dislikes and their thoughts on everything. Though this is technically "realistic", it makes for a terrible reading experience. Space out your background info and only give what the readers NEEDS. (Note: this is easier said than done. Find a writing partner for help.) And sensory details should be included, but sparingly. We don't need to know what it tastes, smells, looks, feels, and sounds like unless it is quintessentially important as foreshadow or a clue in mystery novels. Otherwise, pick, say, two. Give the reader enough to feel engaged and immersed, but not too much to be overwhelmed.

In short, be like Clancy. Take the dizzying reality of the characters in your head and the life experiences you've gathered and turn them into fiction. Cut your dialogue or pay. Keep the senses in check, and keep suspense high by avoiding the ever-traveled road to the info dump. If you do these, you may end up with a beautiful work of fiction.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Causality

This week I want to talk a little about plot - but more specifically - the causality of plot.

You've heard it since you were a kid: Your actions have consequences. Another way of saying it is: Cause and Effect. This same mentality that got you a timeout for stealing a before-dinner-cookie is also crucially important for the plot of your story. Whether you are writing a short story or novel, it is important that every event occurs based upon the event that proceeds it.

For example, Marian has an affair in Scene 1. She realizes in Scene 2 that she is unhappily married.

It is only because Marian had the affair that she realized how unhappy she was in her current relationship. She couldn't have understood her unhappiness without first having the affair and seeing how different she felt. If you take it another step further and say that in Scene 3 Marian files for divorce and her husband commits suicide, you are still following the causality of the plot. Because Marian filed for divorce (cause), her husband committed suicide (effect). Was this the only reason her husband had for suicide? Could he not also have had prior mental problems? Well, of course he could have. He probably did. However, there is a logical progression to this plot. The previous event inspires the next to happen.

For many of us, especially those who value a more literary tone to their work and like to play more in the character's psyche than in the plot line, this simple lesson can be forgotten. However, if you keep this lesson in mind both while you outline and while you revise, you'll likely have fewer beta readers asking you why this character did this or why that character said that. Nothing will seem random.

A great causality in plot keeps readers interested. It doesn't mean that they know what will happen next. It means that when something does happen, no matter how unusual, they will understand that it was necessary based upon previous events. This is what agents and editors talk about when they say they want that "logical progression" or "fantastic flow" to a story. They want everything to seem right. They don't want to question why something happened. They want to enjoy your story.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Alyssa Nedbal Studio is OPEN for Business!

You extra savvy blog readers will have noticed that I changed the header of the blog. One tiny yet consequential change happened when I added the word "Artist" onto the banner. You see, I've finally taken one more progression past the block of my Artist Effect and allowed myself to affirm what I've been placing in "about me" sections across the internet: I am an artist.

The reason I add this title now is that the big progression I'm talking about came in the form of the sale of my artwork. Yes, that's right, I'm now officially a starving artist trying to sell some of the artwork lying around her house. I figure, it's just in my hallway, canvases stacked atop each other, so I might as well let other people buy and enjoy them.

My shop is on the ever popular (and one of my personal favorite) sites, Etsy. The shop name is:

AlyssaNedbalStudio

and you can find it here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlyssaNedbalStudio

If you're visiting the blog from my profile on Etsy; welcome! Feel free to leave a comment on any post.

For those of you loyal blog readers who are just now sharing in my joy (YAY!); thanks for being so faithful and reading my posts. It means so much that you support my writing and now are entering into the world of art with me. I promise I will still uphold my end of the bargain and talk all I can about writing. But now we get to see more pretty pictures.

Here's a taste of what the Etsy shop has in store for you (and the first round of those pictures I promised).



Original marker illustration on paper. Title: The Blue Chair
 
 
Original acrylic pallet knife on canvas board. Title: we have MEN
 
 
If you're one of those extra savvy blog readers I mentioned previously, you'll know that I promised exciting illustration news in the Artist Effect post from March. Well, don't worry, that news is coming soon. A few more months of patience will pay off.....


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Late Post Tally #1 (or When Plans Go Wrong)

Hi everyone. Sorry this post is a day (almost 2!) late. It's been one of those work weeks. On the bright side, my unpunctual post has reminded me of a topic I've wanted to discuss with you. That topic is:

What happens when the things you want don't go as planned?

For example: You really want BBQ for dinner, but as you near the restaurant, you realize it's Tuesday and the place will be closed. Or, you thought the shift was covered at work but there was a breakdown in communication that had you running to the office when you didn't expect to. Even better, you start a story, knowing your protagonist has to walk down Main St for the progression of the plot, but then in the act of storytelling, he turns down an alley.

Uh-oh

Your plans are thwarted. Gone is the comfortable feeling of knowing what's on your schedule. Gone is the outline and your plans for the evening. Now, if you're like me, you're probably frustrated and wondering why your protagonist took a detour. Why couldn't things just work out the way you wanted them?

I don't think I've found an answer to this. My best guess is that the universe is trying to steer you in another direction. Here you are, thinking you know what you want, when really you only think you know. Trippy, right? Your protagonist's detour may be a frustration at first, but the outline-wrecking move may set up something bigger and better. That half-baked story you'd scour for a theme has just created its own. Suddenly you're publishing a profound piece about life and happiness and you're winning awards (or something like that).

In essence, though it may at first be frustrating, the detour is probably happening for a reason - a better one than you originally planned. It may not be a revelation immediately or even a few weeks down the road. It could take decades to understand why your plans crumbled, but know that it happened, there's no way to take it back, and you have to move on and go with the flow. Just as the lack of Tuesday BBQ forced you to find that out-of-the-way Thai restaurant you'd been wanting to try, a botched plan can be something incredible.

Monday, July 1, 2013

How the Thin-Skinned Listen to Criticism

Experiment: You've written your first draft (perhaps even revised it into a second or third draft) and you want to share it. You show a small portion to family or friends who you think will be honest and still nice.

Result: They have some "suggestions". They don't like that line you smile at every time you read it because it sounds so great in your own mind. They don't think your character is original, realistic, or even very likeable. They think the story has been done before.

Reaction: Well, if you're anything like me, you're crushed. You thought you could go to this person for help, and while you did say, "Be honest," you didn't mean for them to tear you to shreds. At least, that's what this feels like. It feels like the people you trust and respect are telling you that you are a horrible writer. It's especially painful when the critic is a published writer or a prized writing group ally.

Here's the kicker, though. You CAN hate them. Go ahead, leave their critique session with a few silent choice words you repeat to yourself over and over as you drive home. Tell yourself that they know nothing and you really need to get some new beta readers if you're ever going to get published in this life. Tell yourself your professors are trying to hold you back so the student doesn't surpass the teacher. Tell yourself anything you need. Hate your critic.

But always keep their notes!

Even if you never want to see them again, keep their revision. Because if you sit down a few days after the initial blow - of course telling yourself that beta reader X has no idea what he's talking about and you're going to prove him wrong by making his changes and seeing how horrible the story reads now - you'll see the importance. Open a new document or grab a fresh sheet of paper, make the changes (yes, all of them) to the manuscript, and read it. By this time, hopefully you've cooled down enough to read the story and not see the critic's face looming in a red fog in your mind. Read the story for the story itself and see what happens. Truthfully, some spots may have improved. You may like a few of the changes or at least think they're heading in the right direction. Other revisions you won't agree with. The character would never think/act/or say that or the prose no longer sounds like you. That's fine. But now you've tried them and you don't have to worry about them again. Keep the ones that work, toss the ones that don't. Simple.

In essence, if you want to be a writer and you have a thin skin, (guilty as charged) you can make it. Hate your critic...but then take their advice.