You've heard it mentioned in interviews with published authors, during writing workshops, and most importantly in the writing guidelines of possible markets or agents. It's illusive, shiny, and completely necessary:
The Hook
But what the hell is it? In my opinion, the hook is not the first scene, but it also isn't necessarily the first line, either. It definitely incorporates the first line. Usually, I think of the hook as the first two or three sentences, perhaps the first paragraph if you stretch it.
By definition, the hook is the thing that catches the reader's attention. Much like the fishing apparatus, it is the curved, barbed object that latches onto the reader and won't let them go. If the hook is successful, the reader will be intrigued enough to stick with you for another twenty to thirty pages, to see what happens. The hook must not only be a piece of spectacular, concise writing, but it must also reveal something about the character or setting. Preferably, both. Is your character happy, depressed, confused, weary, or adrift? Convey that. Is your setting in line or in contrast with his emotions?
The hook often shocks or interests the reader by using unique language or imagery, but nothing so far out there that she can't relate.
I'm sure, if you're an avid reader, you've come across some great hooks. These are the passages that started the book on the right foot. The ones that pulled you in immediately and forced you to finish them. The best way to learn hooks, as with most writing, is to read the beginning sentences or paragraph of a novel. Did you like it? Are you intrigued? Do you want to read more? If so, why? What did the author do to make you want to read more? Keep a notebook with the best hooks you come across and why you believe they are so spectacular. Make sure you also write down the hooks you think are terrible and why they don't get your attention. This information is just as important because it teaches you what not to do.
You don't have to take an expensive class to learn about hooks and how to use them. But remember, the hook is a tiny object in the middle of a giant ocean. If you don't cast it correctly, you won't catch any fish. A few casts (tries) may be necessary before you get the correct hook for your story.
Also, remember that once you have the reader hooked, you have to follow up with a well-paced well-written story that is just as strong as your opening lines. If you don't do this, the reader will get bored and put your book down - and usually never pick it up again. Just like if you hook a fish but don't reel it in, the fish will figure out how to escape. Your reader will do the same. After the hook, your story needs to be just as powerful or it will all be for naught.
If you find some interesting hooks during your reading, or you remember some that intrigued you in the past, post them in the comments! I'll share my favorites, too.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Lumberjacks are like Writers
My hometown is known for trees and lakes. To this day, trees are more abundant than people. Naturally, with all the nature and waterways, the town was settled by lumberjacks - plaid wearing, bushy-bearded lumberjacks. They could make money by clearing the land for settlement and selling the wood at the same time. For them, it was a win-win.
Today, some lumberjacking (is that a verb?) still happens, but not in my area. However, the city has preserved our lumber culture in a summer Lumberjack Show that is popular with the tourists. To be in the Lumberjack Show, the men must be both actors and know how to deal with wood. There are wood carving contests, log rolling contests, and a lot of yodeling. There are also (of course) a lot of plaid clothes and bushy beards to go around.
The first time I went to this show, I was a young child. I won a yodeling contest with my lung capacity and young age that made the crowd coo. My prize was a chair Lumberjack Mike carved on-spot. The next time I went, I was with friends, we were all bored, and the show was about to start, so that sounded like a good plan. Recently, I went to the Lumberjack Show again. This time, I was showing my city-dwelling cousins of ages 8 and 5 how cool lumberjacks could be. They loved the yodeling, and they adjusted to the sound of chainsaws, but I learned something there, too. I learned it during the tree climb.
In this activity, the two competing lumberjacks had to scale side-by-side logs that were erected vertically. They were dozens of feet tall, and the challenge was to get to the top the fastest.
Like the lumberjacks, writers often feel this pressure to succeed. Our families, our friends, our societies tell us that we cannot call ourselves writers unless we can follow up the question, "What have you published?" with a real answer.
Like lumberjacks, writers have to endure the uphill battle of climbing that massive tree and looking like we're totally okay in the process. And just like the lumberjacks, we don't have wires or a safety net to catch us if we fall. We have to rely solely upon our own effort and our own dedication.
But it's okay if everyday you aren't the one who makes it to the top of the tree. If you write one sentence, if you write nothing but gain an experience, if you write nothing and gain no experiences - it's all okay. Tomorrow you get another chance to be the one to make it. Tomorrow, your writing will be there waiting for you. Tomorrow maybe your sanity will be a little more intact. Just because you fail once, it doesn't mean that will dictate the rest of your career or your life. Take a deep breath, come back tomorrow, and try again. No plaid or bushy beards required.
Today, some lumberjacking (is that a verb?) still happens, but not in my area. However, the city has preserved our lumber culture in a summer Lumberjack Show that is popular with the tourists. To be in the Lumberjack Show, the men must be both actors and know how to deal with wood. There are wood carving contests, log rolling contests, and a lot of yodeling. There are also (of course) a lot of plaid clothes and bushy beards to go around.
The first time I went to this show, I was a young child. I won a yodeling contest with my lung capacity and young age that made the crowd coo. My prize was a chair Lumberjack Mike carved on-spot. The next time I went, I was with friends, we were all bored, and the show was about to start, so that sounded like a good plan. Recently, I went to the Lumberjack Show again. This time, I was showing my city-dwelling cousins of ages 8 and 5 how cool lumberjacks could be. They loved the yodeling, and they adjusted to the sound of chainsaws, but I learned something there, too. I learned it during the tree climb.
In this activity, the two competing lumberjacks had to scale side-by-side logs that were erected vertically. They were dozens of feet tall, and the challenge was to get to the top the fastest.
Like the lumberjacks, writers often feel this pressure to succeed. Our families, our friends, our societies tell us that we cannot call ourselves writers unless we can follow up the question, "What have you published?" with a real answer.
Like lumberjacks, writers have to endure the uphill battle of climbing that massive tree and looking like we're totally okay in the process. And just like the lumberjacks, we don't have wires or a safety net to catch us if we fall. We have to rely solely upon our own effort and our own dedication.
But it's okay if everyday you aren't the one who makes it to the top of the tree. If you write one sentence, if you write nothing but gain an experience, if you write nothing and gain no experiences - it's all okay. Tomorrow you get another chance to be the one to make it. Tomorrow, your writing will be there waiting for you. Tomorrow maybe your sanity will be a little more intact. Just because you fail once, it doesn't mean that will dictate the rest of your career or your life. Take a deep breath, come back tomorrow, and try again. No plaid or bushy beards required.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Story Momentum and Counterbalance
You know when you're reading a good book. The pages fly by. You often don't realize that you've been reading for 10 hours until you look up and see it's dark outside. Even if the book was once daunting, and the size of an encyclopedia, you think it too short.
Many factors play into this phenomena. Characters that are believable and relatable are a large part, but so is story momentum. Story momentum is quite literally, the pace of the story.
People interpret this topic in different ways, so I'll only be presenting my view of story momentum here. I believe that story momentum is made up of two different aspects:
Story Telling is the act of creating and relaying the story itself. This is where the writer's creative hat comes into play. The ability of the writer to be a story teller is perhaps the most noticeable aspect of story momentum. Persons with story telling ability will know how much character description is needed to give a clear picture, but not too much to overwhelm the reader. They will know how to bring a reader through a scene - slowing down important events and aspects, and speeding up around less important events. Basically, people who are story tellers know, like comedians, how to deliver the punchline.
A person with story telling ability is not instantly a writer, or vice versa. In olden days, story tellers were important to orally pass on traditions and legends before writing was invented or prominent amongst the entire society. For another example, think of your extended family. Everyone has an uncle, aunt, or grandparent who is perfect at telling family stories. When he or she speaks, everyone in the room is enthralled. He or she, then, has the ability of story telling. However, they may not also be a writer. These two abilities do not always come hand in hand. However, it takes both Story Telling and Writing to create story momentum.
When it comes to the writing portion of story momentum, I do not mean that the writer must have perfect grammar or punctuation. Though this is needed in a final draft, an editor can help sort out these problems. The writing portion of story momentum comes from sentence structure. This is the ability of the writer to disperse short and long sentences throughout the scene so that the cadence of the piece is pleasing to the human eye and ear. When you are reading a good book, this doesn't even enter your mind. However, when a book is filling with bad writing, you notice. It seems too choppy if the sentences are all short, and it can be confusing if all the sentences run on.
Another aspect of writing for story momentum is the dispersion of scenes. A professor of mine used the term Counterbalance when explaining this concept to me. Counterbalance is used by the writer sometimes unconsciously. You probably have noticed this being utilized by writers if you read a lot. Basically, the story will be plugging along, focused primarily on one subject or person. But then, the writer will deviate and bring in something else to focus on. This gives a counterbalance to the moving story, and allows the reader to digest what just happened.
If you have read Harry Potter, you know that Harry attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most of the story focuses on this. However, the obvious counterbalance to Harry's schooling are the Dursleys, Harry's muggle relatives.
Counterbalance can be employed much more subtly, though. In the same book series, Harry usually has some sort of mission to accomplish or problem to solve wherein he must stop Voldemort. If the entire story focused entirely on this mission, it would move much like a textbook: Complete Step A then complete Step B, followed by Step C. But JK Rowling disperses other scenes throughout, scenes that include the protagonist's relationship with other characters and the wizarding world. This is another, more subtle, instance of counterbalance.
So, if you are going to employ the convention of story momentum into your story, remember the two most important aspects: Story Telling and Writing. Work on setting up and delivering your "punchline" correctly. Also, make sure you alternate your sentences between short and long in a natural way, and remember the term counterbalance.
Many factors play into this phenomena. Characters that are believable and relatable are a large part, but so is story momentum. Story momentum is quite literally, the pace of the story.
People interpret this topic in different ways, so I'll only be presenting my view of story momentum here. I believe that story momentum is made up of two different aspects:
- Story Telling
- Writing
Story Telling is the act of creating and relaying the story itself. This is where the writer's creative hat comes into play. The ability of the writer to be a story teller is perhaps the most noticeable aspect of story momentum. Persons with story telling ability will know how much character description is needed to give a clear picture, but not too much to overwhelm the reader. They will know how to bring a reader through a scene - slowing down important events and aspects, and speeding up around less important events. Basically, people who are story tellers know, like comedians, how to deliver the punchline.
A person with story telling ability is not instantly a writer, or vice versa. In olden days, story tellers were important to orally pass on traditions and legends before writing was invented or prominent amongst the entire society. For another example, think of your extended family. Everyone has an uncle, aunt, or grandparent who is perfect at telling family stories. When he or she speaks, everyone in the room is enthralled. He or she, then, has the ability of story telling. However, they may not also be a writer. These two abilities do not always come hand in hand. However, it takes both Story Telling and Writing to create story momentum.
When it comes to the writing portion of story momentum, I do not mean that the writer must have perfect grammar or punctuation. Though this is needed in a final draft, an editor can help sort out these problems. The writing portion of story momentum comes from sentence structure. This is the ability of the writer to disperse short and long sentences throughout the scene so that the cadence of the piece is pleasing to the human eye and ear. When you are reading a good book, this doesn't even enter your mind. However, when a book is filling with bad writing, you notice. It seems too choppy if the sentences are all short, and it can be confusing if all the sentences run on.
Another aspect of writing for story momentum is the dispersion of scenes. A professor of mine used the term Counterbalance when explaining this concept to me. Counterbalance is used by the writer sometimes unconsciously. You probably have noticed this being utilized by writers if you read a lot. Basically, the story will be plugging along, focused primarily on one subject or person. But then, the writer will deviate and bring in something else to focus on. This gives a counterbalance to the moving story, and allows the reader to digest what just happened.
If you have read Harry Potter, you know that Harry attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most of the story focuses on this. However, the obvious counterbalance to Harry's schooling are the Dursleys, Harry's muggle relatives.
Counterbalance can be employed much more subtly, though. In the same book series, Harry usually has some sort of mission to accomplish or problem to solve wherein he must stop Voldemort. If the entire story focused entirely on this mission, it would move much like a textbook: Complete Step A then complete Step B, followed by Step C. But JK Rowling disperses other scenes throughout, scenes that include the protagonist's relationship with other characters and the wizarding world. This is another, more subtle, instance of counterbalance.
So, if you are going to employ the convention of story momentum into your story, remember the two most important aspects: Story Telling and Writing. Work on setting up and delivering your "punchline" correctly. Also, make sure you alternate your sentences between short and long in a natural way, and remember the term counterbalance.
Monday, April 29, 2013
When You Don't Write (as in; My Friends Finally Convinced Me to Forgo Writing for Laser Tag)
My college often uses its budget to rent or create interesting activities for its students. Since it's finals week, laser tag qualified as one of these stress-reducing activities. Giant inflatable bunkers were erected in the gym and signs hung around campus advertising the event. I had never played laser tag, but the prospect of shooting my frustrations away with harmless light beams seemed like an OK idea.
There was only one problem.
If I took the two hour period needed to suit up and play a few rounds of laser tag in the gym, I would not have writing time. I still needed to eat dinner, finish my studying, and then get some sleep before my exams. With all these other priorities, this two hour time span would have been devoted to writing on any other day, but for some reason I was finding it hard to say no to laser tag. Perhaps it was the magnetic energy flowing off my crazy friends, or perhaps it was the Logic textbook sitting open on my bed in my peripheral vision, or maybe it was just the fantastic mood I had been in since Spring decided to arrive, but laser tag was calling my name.
So I went. And though I didn't write that day, I didn't regret my decision.
I had fun, and I have to admit, the activity did relieve some of my unneeded, finals week stress.
There's a quote from John Lennon that I think applies to this situation. It goes, "Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." And I agree with Mr. Lennon, here. Because the next day, I slotted back into my writing routine, and I was able to write 8 fluid pages in my current project.
Basically, what I'm getting at is don't stress. Make sure you set up your writing schedule and stick to it as best you can, but if you really feel that another experience will be more beneficial to your mental or physical health at that scheduled time, bend a little. It's OK to be spontaneous. It's OK to deviate for the sake of your own sanity. Just like I've talked about before, you don't have to do what everyone else is doing to make yourself happy or to be successful. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your work is take a break. Then, you may come back even more rejuvenated, and get more work done, than if you had forced yourself to stick to your original plan.
There was only one problem.
If I took the two hour period needed to suit up and play a few rounds of laser tag in the gym, I would not have writing time. I still needed to eat dinner, finish my studying, and then get some sleep before my exams. With all these other priorities, this two hour time span would have been devoted to writing on any other day, but for some reason I was finding it hard to say no to laser tag. Perhaps it was the magnetic energy flowing off my crazy friends, or perhaps it was the Logic textbook sitting open on my bed in my peripheral vision, or maybe it was just the fantastic mood I had been in since Spring decided to arrive, but laser tag was calling my name.
So I went. And though I didn't write that day, I didn't regret my decision.
I had fun, and I have to admit, the activity did relieve some of my unneeded, finals week stress.
There's a quote from John Lennon that I think applies to this situation. It goes, "Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." And I agree with Mr. Lennon, here. Because the next day, I slotted back into my writing routine, and I was able to write 8 fluid pages in my current project.
Basically, what I'm getting at is don't stress. Make sure you set up your writing schedule and stick to it as best you can, but if you really feel that another experience will be more beneficial to your mental or physical health at that scheduled time, bend a little. It's OK to be spontaneous. It's OK to deviate for the sake of your own sanity. Just like I've talked about before, you don't have to do what everyone else is doing to make yourself happy or to be successful. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your work is take a break. Then, you may come back even more rejuvenated, and get more work done, than if you had forced yourself to stick to your original plan.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Are You Willing to Learn?
I know I said we'd talk about the conventions of writing and all that fun stuff, but we're going to deviate a little today. Spontaneity is part of being an artist, so I hope you don't mind. I promise we'll come back to conventions in the coming weeks.
Today, I want to talk about media. TV in particular. I've had a few discussions in and out of class about the consequences of TV. Because this keeps happening to me, I feel it's the universe's way of saying that I need to put this issue out there for more discussion that doesn't reside on my college campus.
Most people I talk to think TV is stagnant for the viewer's mental condition - or even detrimental. I would agree with them if the viewer of said TV is solely watching reality TV, comedy skits, cartoons, or bogus pop culture movies. However, TV can be a very beneficial tool. Documentaries, unbiased news, travel shows about obscure countries, and history shows can all be very beneficial. In America, we also have a wonderful tool known as PBS. PBS tries to air documentaries or movies from other artists, activists, or thinkers that would not otherwise have a voice in our culture propelled by big-box stores, bratty kids of reality TV, and instant information.
In the past week alone I've learned how truck stops got their start, received an insight into the culture and cuisine of Koreatown in LA, learned the evolution of feminism (or lack thereof) in TV shows, and I've discovered a new ferret species in North Dakota. This was all made possible by TV. Now, of course, I could have found this information somewhere else, but TV is what introduced these topics to me. They were a learning experience, as long as I was willing to learn from them. That's the key, right there. If you're going to make the switch from mindless entertainment to intellectual opportunity, you have to be willing to learn new information. You have to sit back with your coffee or tub of ice cream and submit your mind to the obtainment of new, current information that affects us and our world. Think of all the story inspiration you can acquire when you let this happen!
The other day, I stumbled upon a quote in a Picasso exhibit that I found profound. Picasso says, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
This is why I feel TV doesn't have to be stagnant or detrimental. If you're willing to put in the time - the same amount of time it may take you to find a good book or a trustable Laundromat - TV can be a fast-track to new information. Information that will store itself in your brain and be available for future reference when it comes time to sit and write again.
Today, I want to talk about media. TV in particular. I've had a few discussions in and out of class about the consequences of TV. Because this keeps happening to me, I feel it's the universe's way of saying that I need to put this issue out there for more discussion that doesn't reside on my college campus.
Most people I talk to think TV is stagnant for the viewer's mental condition - or even detrimental. I would agree with them if the viewer of said TV is solely watching reality TV, comedy skits, cartoons, or bogus pop culture movies. However, TV can be a very beneficial tool. Documentaries, unbiased news, travel shows about obscure countries, and history shows can all be very beneficial. In America, we also have a wonderful tool known as PBS. PBS tries to air documentaries or movies from other artists, activists, or thinkers that would not otherwise have a voice in our culture propelled by big-box stores, bratty kids of reality TV, and instant information.
In the past week alone I've learned how truck stops got their start, received an insight into the culture and cuisine of Koreatown in LA, learned the evolution of feminism (or lack thereof) in TV shows, and I've discovered a new ferret species in North Dakota. This was all made possible by TV. Now, of course, I could have found this information somewhere else, but TV is what introduced these topics to me. They were a learning experience, as long as I was willing to learn from them. That's the key, right there. If you're going to make the switch from mindless entertainment to intellectual opportunity, you have to be willing to learn new information. You have to sit back with your coffee or tub of ice cream and submit your mind to the obtainment of new, current information that affects us and our world. Think of all the story inspiration you can acquire when you let this happen!
The other day, I stumbled upon a quote in a Picasso exhibit that I found profound. Picasso says, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
This is why I feel TV doesn't have to be stagnant or detrimental. If you're willing to put in the time - the same amount of time it may take you to find a good book or a trustable Laundromat - TV can be a fast-track to new information. Information that will store itself in your brain and be available for future reference when it comes time to sit and write again.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Creative Writing: The Mundane Life
Since we've recently been discussing the elements of writing, I think it's important before we get too far that we talk about the purpose of writers. The question we need to ask ourselves is: What is the writer's job?
In school, they tell you that you write to convey information. This is why you are forced to write papers on topics you aren't necessarily interested in, but must research anyway. This type of writing is called expository writing, and you either have taken or will take a course with this very title at some point.
But what happens when we start to write for creative purposes? What about writing created for the purpose of art or beauty? Many works allow exposition to fall to the wayside so that the integrity of the art piece can shine. This happens especially in poetry and experimental fiction and nonfiction. When it is no longer the writer's sole purpose to convey information in the most logical sense, then what should the writer strive for?
I have an opinion, like I'm sure many other writers and readers do. Now, remember that I am not a widely published author, nor have I published any work over 600 words, but I have been writing for years and I have taken many classes and read many books on this very subject. So,
My Opinion:
I believe that the creative writer's job is to make the mundane interesting.
We see writers doing this all the time. They portray their characters as everyday humans, going to work, napping, hating school, cooking dinner. Then, they transform this mundane event into something that interests a reader. A roadblock appears in the protagonist's life, a map leads to new adventure, or a divorce is finally happening. An interesting plot transports the reader from where they are in their own mundane lives and gives them something else to think about. And someone will only give you their valuable time if they value your plot, your characters, your story, and your writing.
Even the little things like working, napping, and cooking need to be made interesting by the writer, though. This happens through thoughtful, original descriptions. Take F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as an example. In the first chapter, Fitzgerald describes through his protagonist's eyes, the place in which he will be spending the summer.
"Twenty miles from the city, a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated only by a courtesy bay, jut out into the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western hemisphere, the great wet barnyard of Long Island Sound."
Fitzgerald could have, instead, written something along the lines of: Near Manhattan, I would spend the summer on one of the peninsulas that jut into Long Island Sound.
But he didn't. He chose to take the mundane description of a piece of land and make it interesting. He compares the peninsulas to eggs, the water to domestication, and Long Island Sound to a barnyard. By doing this, Fitzgerald is fulfilling the writer's job by making the mundane events and sights of life into interesting passages a reader will want to spend time with.
In short, the writer's job - to me - is making the mundane, boring life we all know into something new. This can be done partly through plot, but most importantly, it has to be done through writing. The description needs to be great and original. By comparing two things that have never been compared before, the reader is experiencing life in a new way. Not just the protagonist's life, either, but perhaps even their own.
So, there's my take on the description for a creative writer. If you think the writer's job is something other than making the mundane interesting, leave your suggestions in the comments.
(And if you want to read more of "The Great Gatsby" you can find it free, online here)
In school, they tell you that you write to convey information. This is why you are forced to write papers on topics you aren't necessarily interested in, but must research anyway. This type of writing is called expository writing, and you either have taken or will take a course with this very title at some point.
But what happens when we start to write for creative purposes? What about writing created for the purpose of art or beauty? Many works allow exposition to fall to the wayside so that the integrity of the art piece can shine. This happens especially in poetry and experimental fiction and nonfiction. When it is no longer the writer's sole purpose to convey information in the most logical sense, then what should the writer strive for?
I have an opinion, like I'm sure many other writers and readers do. Now, remember that I am not a widely published author, nor have I published any work over 600 words, but I have been writing for years and I have taken many classes and read many books on this very subject. So,
My Opinion:
I believe that the creative writer's job is to make the mundane interesting.
We see writers doing this all the time. They portray their characters as everyday humans, going to work, napping, hating school, cooking dinner. Then, they transform this mundane event into something that interests a reader. A roadblock appears in the protagonist's life, a map leads to new adventure, or a divorce is finally happening. An interesting plot transports the reader from where they are in their own mundane lives and gives them something else to think about. And someone will only give you their valuable time if they value your plot, your characters, your story, and your writing.
Even the little things like working, napping, and cooking need to be made interesting by the writer, though. This happens through thoughtful, original descriptions. Take F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as an example. In the first chapter, Fitzgerald describes through his protagonist's eyes, the place in which he will be spending the summer.
"Twenty miles from the city, a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated only by a courtesy bay, jut out into the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western hemisphere, the great wet barnyard of Long Island Sound."
Fitzgerald could have, instead, written something along the lines of: Near Manhattan, I would spend the summer on one of the peninsulas that jut into Long Island Sound.
But he didn't. He chose to take the mundane description of a piece of land and make it interesting. He compares the peninsulas to eggs, the water to domestication, and Long Island Sound to a barnyard. By doing this, Fitzgerald is fulfilling the writer's job by making the mundane events and sights of life into interesting passages a reader will want to spend time with.
In short, the writer's job - to me - is making the mundane, boring life we all know into something new. This can be done partly through plot, but most importantly, it has to be done through writing. The description needs to be great and original. By comparing two things that have never been compared before, the reader is experiencing life in a new way. Not just the protagonist's life, either, but perhaps even their own.
So, there's my take on the description for a creative writer. If you think the writer's job is something other than making the mundane interesting, leave your suggestions in the comments.
(And if you want to read more of "The Great Gatsby" you can find it free, online here)
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