The "industry" (am I allowed to use that word without sounding pompous?) defines "Working Title" as the title you give your project either while you are working on it, or before it is finalized by a publisher/you if you're self publishing.
Now, I'm going to say up front that I don't find the working title to be very important when it comes to writing. In fact, tons of things are more important: plot, character, setting description, good metaphors, etc. But, when you're in a bind, it could help to think about your working title. Not only because it gives you a break from fretting over your current problem scene, but because a title helps you understand your work as a whole.
Writing can force you to work on your manuscript on a scene to scene basis. This is a good and bad thing. It's good because you want every scene to be as good as possible. It's bad because you can lose sight of the work as a whole. Coming up with a decent working title (note the word choice - not "good", just "decent" because this can be changed rather easily down the line) helps you to re-grasp your manuscript as an entire piece of art or entertainment.
Choose a working title that fits the feeling, mood, and voice of the story. Is your writing terse? Your title should be too. Is your writing fanciful? Try a matching working title. Do you write spiritual or inspirational work? Keep that thread in your working title.
Another plus side of the working title is, if you're like me, it allows you to deflect the, "What are you working on?" question.
"The Pharmaceutical Hippopotamus." Nuff said.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Verbs
No, I'm not running out of ideas for quirky titles. (promise)
Yes, verbs are important enough to constitute their own title. (promise)
About now you're probably thinking, verbs, yeah, I learned about those in first grade. A sentence needs a subject and verb. Got it.
But do you?
A sentence needs a subject and verb to be complete (upon first grade standards), but that doesn't mean your verbs should be toss-away. Let's take a look at an example;
Rough Draft sentence: He walked across the lot.
Revised Draft sentence: He [trundled, stumbled, hopped, promenaded, tottered, etc.] across the lot.
Do you see the difference? The rough draft sentence is fine. It's a sentence. But as far as hard-hitting writing, it lacks voice and stage direction. The revised draft sentence - no matter which new verb you choose - has increased ten fold. Not only can you picture the protagonist more clearly, but the action is more forceful. The flow of the story, the tension you want to keep so effectively high in your reader, is upheld. If someone "walks", you know what's happening, but that's it. Now, if that same someone "stumbles", you infer their mood, their gait, and their personality in that moment. Also, it keeps the reader interested because they aren't bogged down in crappy verbs.
So, yes, verbs are important. When you're revising, don't settle on comfortable verbs. Find a thesaurus and a suitable verb that gives your writing more punch and keeps the action going - tension high, of course. Your manuscript will thank you. (promise)
Yes, verbs are important enough to constitute their own title. (promise)
About now you're probably thinking, verbs, yeah, I learned about those in first grade. A sentence needs a subject and verb. Got it.
But do you?
A sentence needs a subject and verb to be complete (upon first grade standards), but that doesn't mean your verbs should be toss-away. Let's take a look at an example;
Rough Draft sentence: He walked across the lot.
Revised Draft sentence: He [trundled, stumbled, hopped, promenaded, tottered, etc.] across the lot.
Do you see the difference? The rough draft sentence is fine. It's a sentence. But as far as hard-hitting writing, it lacks voice and stage direction. The revised draft sentence - no matter which new verb you choose - has increased ten fold. Not only can you picture the protagonist more clearly, but the action is more forceful. The flow of the story, the tension you want to keep so effectively high in your reader, is upheld. If someone "walks", you know what's happening, but that's it. Now, if that same someone "stumbles", you infer their mood, their gait, and their personality in that moment. Also, it keeps the reader interested because they aren't bogged down in crappy verbs.
So, yes, verbs are important. When you're revising, don't settle on comfortable verbs. Find a thesaurus and a suitable verb that gives your writing more punch and keeps the action going - tension high, of course. Your manuscript will thank you. (promise)
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Tense
Tense is something most writers don't even think about when they begin their rough draft. Tense is also something readers don't dwell on while reading your work. If it's such an invisible entity, why should we pay attention to it?
Because, when tense goes wrong - we all notice. Like a thick rope holding that "angel" in the sky of the school play, an improper tense is a distraction from the story.
First, let's go over our options.
Past tense: Past tense is where the story takes place "before now" or "in the past". Just as its name indicates, the writer writes as if the events of their world have already happened. Now, this may seem to be counterproductive to you. You want your readers to feel engaged with the story - like it's happening to them right now. However, past tense can still present this effect to readers if the writing is engaging and, well, good. Plenty (in fact, most) books are written in past tense. Harry Potter, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit.
Past Tense Example: "He sat on the canary."
Present tense: Present tense is where the story takes place "now" or "in the present". In this tense, the writer writes as if the events of the story world are happening right as the story is being told. If past tense doesn't appeal to you, present tense is another viable option. However, the majority of books are written in past tense (and I think you now agree, not to their detriment) because present tense can seem abrasive to the reader. If absolutely EVERYTHING is happening RIGHT NOW, it can get exhausting, just as running a marathon in real time would be. Just because this is true, it does not mean you can't write in present tense. It always, always comes down to good writing. Time Traveler's Wife, Fight Club, and The Hunger Games are all written in present tense.
Present Tense Example: "He sits on the canary."
Now, no matter which tense you choose (future tense also exists, though is used very rarely) the most important thing is to stay consistent. If you choose past tense and tell readers that Randy sat, walked, or danced, do not slip in a sentence where Randy skips or eats. Always remember the tense in which you are writing and stick with it. Say Randy skipped or ate instead.
If you execute this consistently and accurately, you'll achieve the desired effect of having your readers engaged in the story and not distracted by the giant rope from the ceiling. Keep the writing good and the story will seem believable.
Because, when tense goes wrong - we all notice. Like a thick rope holding that "angel" in the sky of the school play, an improper tense is a distraction from the story.
First, let's go over our options.
Past tense: Past tense is where the story takes place "before now" or "in the past". Just as its name indicates, the writer writes as if the events of their world have already happened. Now, this may seem to be counterproductive to you. You want your readers to feel engaged with the story - like it's happening to them right now. However, past tense can still present this effect to readers if the writing is engaging and, well, good. Plenty (in fact, most) books are written in past tense. Harry Potter, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit.
Past Tense Example: "He sat on the canary."
Present tense: Present tense is where the story takes place "now" or "in the present". In this tense, the writer writes as if the events of the story world are happening right as the story is being told. If past tense doesn't appeal to you, present tense is another viable option. However, the majority of books are written in past tense (and I think you now agree, not to their detriment) because present tense can seem abrasive to the reader. If absolutely EVERYTHING is happening RIGHT NOW, it can get exhausting, just as running a marathon in real time would be. Just because this is true, it does not mean you can't write in present tense. It always, always comes down to good writing. Time Traveler's Wife, Fight Club, and The Hunger Games are all written in present tense.
Present Tense Example: "He sits on the canary."
Now, no matter which tense you choose (future tense also exists, though is used very rarely) the most important thing is to stay consistent. If you choose past tense and tell readers that Randy sat, walked, or danced, do not slip in a sentence where Randy skips or eats. Always remember the tense in which you are writing and stick with it. Say Randy skipped or ate instead.
If you execute this consistently and accurately, you'll achieve the desired effect of having your readers engaged in the story and not distracted by the giant rope from the ceiling. Keep the writing good and the story will seem believable.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Invention of the Spnife
When my brother was young, he thought he'd revolutionize the cutlery business. He was sick of having to remember the names of and use so many different utensils. He didn't like washing them afterward, either. So, in a genius plea to save himself all the trouble, he did what it seems only children can do efficiently, and created a new piece of silverware.
It's name? The Spnife!
(Pronunciation: spe-knife)
The Spnife eliminated all other utensils because it combined everything into one. Here is a very, very rough diagram (sorry for the hideousness in advance) of what the Spnife would look like;
The new utensil consisted of the already lunch-pail-popular spork (fork on the top, spoon in the middle) with sharp knives on the sides for easy slicing. Then, instead of three utensils per person, you'd only have to wash one.
The Spnife posed a few safety hazards, though. First, if you were trying to eat a chicken breast or steak with the Spnife, there'd be no way to hold down the meat while you sawed at it. In essence, you'd still need two Spnives which equals more dishes. Also, and perhaps most alarming, if you were using the Spnife in its spoon function (say, with soup), you'd put the Spnife in your mouth and then slide it out to get the soup off the spoon part. This would result in the knife ends slicing your cheeks open like the Joker.
Recently, my brother and I were reminiscing about his childhood invention, and he said, "Yeah, I think I'm going to have to abandon the Spnife idea."
This admission (though it is 10 years in the making) turned out to be a fantastic piece of advice for my writing. I'm sure you've been here too: You write something you think is stunning and fantastic (first draft) and then you reread it and realize that it doesn't work. What went wrong? Sometimes it's a matter of revise, rewrite, and revise again until the piece works. Other times, you have to abandon the Spnife. This is true not only for fictional inventions found in fantasy and sci-fi, but also for faulty characters, extraneous scenes, and over-explained metaphors.
It may take 10 years (though let's hope not), but in the end, you have to abandon the Spnife. As William Faulkner said, "In writing, you must kill all your darlings." Stephen King then took it a step further, "kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler's heart, kill your darlings."
It's name? The Spnife!
(Pronunciation: spe-knife)
The Spnife eliminated all other utensils because it combined everything into one. Here is a very, very rough diagram (sorry for the hideousness in advance) of what the Spnife would look like;
The Spnife posed a few safety hazards, though. First, if you were trying to eat a chicken breast or steak with the Spnife, there'd be no way to hold down the meat while you sawed at it. In essence, you'd still need two Spnives which equals more dishes. Also, and perhaps most alarming, if you were using the Spnife in its spoon function (say, with soup), you'd put the Spnife in your mouth and then slide it out to get the soup off the spoon part. This would result in the knife ends slicing your cheeks open like the Joker.
Recently, my brother and I were reminiscing about his childhood invention, and he said, "Yeah, I think I'm going to have to abandon the Spnife idea."
This admission (though it is 10 years in the making) turned out to be a fantastic piece of advice for my writing. I'm sure you've been here too: You write something you think is stunning and fantastic (first draft) and then you reread it and realize that it doesn't work. What went wrong? Sometimes it's a matter of revise, rewrite, and revise again until the piece works. Other times, you have to abandon the Spnife. This is true not only for fictional inventions found in fantasy and sci-fi, but also for faulty characters, extraneous scenes, and over-explained metaphors.
It may take 10 years (though let's hope not), but in the end, you have to abandon the Spnife. As William Faulkner said, "In writing, you must kill all your darlings." Stephen King then took it a step further, "kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler's heart, kill your darlings."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)