The Shape of Your Fiction Propels Your Story

A story's shape propels it

If you were to draw your story, what would it look like? A diamond, a square, an oval, elliptical, a double or triple helix?

Every story has a shape. For example, does your piece start with a tightly written scene that includes only the main character, then balloon to include a cast of characters and meander to end in a tightly written tight shot of one character? This story's shape, comprised partly of the number of characters and partly of plot, is elliptical, like a football.

Writers aren't always conscious of shape while writing a first draft, but must become aware of it during revision. Intentional symmetry — not the same as a forced or contrived form — provides structure, is satisfying to the reader and establishes the writer as a deliberate and intentional craftsperson.

To discern the shape of your story, follow these steps:

• Use your opening scene as a starting point, and draw a line outward, or inward, as your story expands or contracts based on the number of characters and continue drawing the line to the end.
• Draw a mirror image of the line.
• Repeat these steps in a separate drawing to represent the main plot points or events.

What do you notice about the two lines? Where do the expanded or contracted scenes intersect with the major plot points?

Tips: Where your story broadens may be where it needs trimming. Where it narrows may be where it needs expanding. To determine whether to expand or trim, consider what's happening at those points. Are the events essential? Can they be pared back or cut entirely?

Remember that the shape of your story creates the movement that propels it.

What are you working on that could use reshaping?

Resources:

Wheels of Motion: Dialogue That Propels the Story Forward

The Shape of a Story: Writing Tips from Kurt Vonnegut

Happy writing!

Reveal Your Story With Symbolism and Motif

Symbols and motif deepen writing

If you've heard it once, you've heard it countless times: Show; don't tell. Fiction writers usually accomplish this through dialogue and scene, conveying what's in their characters by what they say and how they respond to situations. This approach works well for characters, but what about theme and storyline?

One way to reveal the story and theme of a piece is through symbolism and motif. First, a few definitions: 

• Theme: The writer's main concept, subject or topic (e.g., bad things happen to good people)
• Symbolism: An action, idea or object that means more than what's on the surface (e.g., a doorway can signify change, death or birth)
• Motif: A recurring element of symbolic significance (e.g., a door, doorway, foyer or entrance — all possibly pointing to change)

Let's say, for example, that yours is the story of a child who's ill and may die. What words in this mini-scene convey more than their literal meaning?

Colin stood in the doorway of his son's hospital room, watching the small, sleeping form lying so still in the bed. The lights on the monitor blinked intermittently. Should he call the nurse again? he wondered. He hated to do it, but this was his only son.

Which words stand out as freighted with potential? Look at those in bold to see if you agree:

Colin stood in the doorway of his son's hospital room, watching the small, sleeping form lying so still in the bed. The lights on the monitor blinked intermittently. Should he call the nurse again? he wondered. He hated to do it, but this was his only son.

Depending on whether the boy in this story will live, here are other words and concepts to tinker with: Collin's name, the son's name, the name of the hospital and the nurse's name. The more specific the wording, the more likely the son will live. Using specificity in this way, that's what the writer indirectly conveys to the reader.

The best time to address symbolism and motif is in the second draft. These generally aren't techniques to impose on a work as you're creating it, but gems already in the piece that you polish to reflect the story once you know where it's going.

What are you working on that could benefit from wise use of motif and symbolism?

Happy writing!

For more tips, visi Word for Words, or visit Adele's blog.

Do the Twist: Plots, Subplots and Story

Keep your main story in focus

The next installment of the editor's checklist for revising short and long fiction comprises plot, subplot and story. Here are questions to ask yourself while revising your work:

• Plot: Does your plot move forward at a good pace, and progress in a way that is satisfying, slowing for the important events, and picking up speed for the less important?
• Subplot(s): Even short fiction can have a subplot, but does the secondary story overshadow or confuse the main story? It should enhance it, either by contrast or comparison.
• Story: Is the story engaging, immediate, original?

This is definitely a distillation of how to approach plot, subplot and story, but the list gets at the heart of the issue. The key is to ask yourself these same questions throughout the revision process. Even if your plot or subplot yields some twists, following this principle will keep your focus on the straight and narrow and help you avoid the rabbit trails that dilute instead of enhance your story. For the full editor's checklist, see this month's Online Editing Workshop.

Tip: Make two columns: one for the main plot and one for the subplot (you can add a column for each subplot). In each column, list the main events, or plot points. Compare the columns to see whether the events in your subplot(s) garner more interest than those in your main plot. If they overshadow the main story, consider what your main story really is.

Happy writing!     

Twist of Fate: When Your Story Takes an Unexpected Turn

Ever have a spurt of inspiration reveal a new dimension of your plot or story? It could be a brave new adventure or a step off a cliff into the abyss. Here's a second post on how to vet inspiration — for plot twists and subplots.

As an editor, I get queries from writers asking whether their idea for an initial plot, a plot twist or a subplot will work. I rarely say no outright, even to the most outrageous concepts. Why? Because the exercise of following inspiration — even when it doesn't lead to an idea that works for that particular story — can yield two things: writing experience and an idea for another story.

Nobody wants to spend hours, days, weeks or longer following a dead end, so it's good to reap the benefits of following a new trail without getting hopelessly lost. It's analogous to following a real-life woodland path; so are the caveats.

As is true for character-related inspiration, it's common to uncover new subplots — as well as plot threads, changes and twists — in draft two. In draft one, you're still getting to know the characters and the story they tell, so many problems will resolve by the end of the draft, or in the second. But what about those persistent problems and your idea for a twist or subplot? Disaster of disasters — you may even decide to change the plot entirely halfway through or earlier. How do you know what will work and what won't?

Many writers can follow a plot through its meanderings without an outline. Some can follow more than one. But if your story is complex — and even if it's not — you may want to record your idea in an outline or a tree diagram. It's the best way to see how the idea will "flesh out," literally. Plot shifts often arise from changes in characters. They mature faster, into different people or in different directions than you thought. Now your plot can't contain them. It's too thin, not compelling enough to fit who your people are becoming. And the more I learn, the more I believe characters drive plot, or should, rather than the reverse.

Here's an example. A woman returns to Barcelona for business and family obligations. She dreads the trip because her grandfather, with whom she was close as a child, has dementia. On the surface, the story is about the woman confronting the reality that life in the land of her youth is no longer what it was, a la You Can't Go Home Again. However, when the woman boards a train to the Mediterranean, she meets a young artist who reminds her of another creative type she met years earlier. Does she engage in conversation with this younger man and leave it at that? Probably not. Tracing her decision to have an affair, presumably to avoid the sadness of her family situation, could bring her full circle to realize she can't expect anyone to "create" life for her, that her life is her responsibility, as are her choices and their consequences. A difficult lesson, but one that makes the outcome more valuable because of the cost involved. Here, it's important to understand why the woman makes one choice instead of another, even if the writer doesn't include all the details.

And that's the key to the decision-making process — understanding your characters well enough to know why they make one choice instead of another.

Although creating a plot tree, outline or diagram can be scary — it's difficult to face the fear of your story spiraling out of control, which is what a new idea can feel like — going through the exercise will show you, literally, the consequences of your decisions in a much shorter time span, certainly than if you were to rewrite your piece for each new idea. Instead, you can diagram (a plot tree allows you to include subplots) the idea — or outline it if you need to "see" more detail — and see where it takes you.

As I write this, it's clear more needs to be said on the subject of subplots and plot twists, so I'll continue the discussion in my next post.

Resources: Plot Planner Exercise, from Writers Digest and Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish), by James Scott Bell

Out of Character? When Characters Do the Unexpected, or Want To



When characters do the unexpected

Ever have an idea ignite to suddenly reveal a new dimension of a character or story? It could be the light at the tunnel's end or an oncoming train. Here's how to vet sudden inspiration.

As an editor, I get queries from writers saying they were suddenly inspired on how to fix a complex character or plot problem. While we hope they're right, it's best to begin with the premise that an idea is like a spark. It may take more than one to fire things up. Two common areas where inspiration can greatly help, or hinder, are the superficial character and the lackluster story. We'll start with the one-dimensional character.

First, it's common to have comparatively flat characters in a first draft, even of a nonfiction piece. After all, you're still getting to know these people and how to portray them. But then, while you're writing draft two, something unexpected happens. A character does something unscripted, or wants to. Do you let her? The answer, usually, is yes.

Some writers can follow the consequences of a character's unexpected action in their minds. Certainly, the imagination is a great place to start. To put this new facet of a character to the test, it's best to sketch out the scene. You'll have to edit it; you may even need to file it away for future use. But the exercise of writing what the action — or the desire behind it — reveals is invaluable.

Here's an example. A husband and wife are on the verge of divorce. The wife's mother has been instrumental in destroying the relationship, and the husband has said so for years. Just as the couple comes to grips with their plight, the wife's mother suicides, leaving a note confessing what she's done. The husband is tempted to say, "I told you so." He's that type. Instead, he's moved with compassion for his wife, though he's exhibited precious little of this trait before. Does the writer let him express his emotions? The answer is yes, not because it's expected in a situation like this, but because the husband's response is spontaneous and shows another side of him. The couple may still break up, but if they do, it won't be because of the clichéd "my husband is an ogre" rationale.

The great thing about this scene is that it not only reveals another aspect of the husband, it also advances plot. Two positive outcomes for the effort on one. Still, the important thing isn't just that the husband turns out not to be the brute he's been so far, but to consider why he showed compassion in this instance. What previously untapped aspect of his character and past prompted him to show such empathy? The writer may not use this bit of backstory overtly now, but it will inform her development of the husband, and she may choose to use some aspect of the husband's history later on.

Tip: Consider a story you're working on where a character has done something unexpected or wants to. Outline the past events that could have led to this action (backstory). Then, outline the consequences of his or her actions to see how they affect this character and others.

Resources: "How to Develop Characters That Work," by Lauren Grodstein, author of A Friend of the Family (Algonquin Books), from Poets & Writers, March/April 2011

Visit next week to learn how to address the unexpected plot twist.

Ideas Into Images: Illustrator-Writer Adrienne May on Creating Characters

Illustrator-Writer Adrienne May

Artist, children's book illustrator and writer Adrienne May found her way into a second life career writing and illustrating children's books. She uses traditional and contemporary tools to create pieces in a realistic style, and takes the same approach to crafting her stories and characters. The tag line of her WinsomeWays online portfolio says it all — "ideas into images."

AA: How did you get into writing?

AM: I came to writing by accident. My career destination is children's book illustration, especially children's picture books. However, designing characters and a world setting(s) are tasks that illustrators and writers must do. Writing was the result of thinking of children's picture books as visualized stories, rather than a series of isolated illustrations.

AA: With experience in fine arts, how do you approach writing the stories?

"Jamaican Doll," by Adrienne May

AM: When I write, visual imagery lets me immerse myself in the story. I try to experience each scene with all my senses. As a writer, I want visual imagery to be a stepping stone to a full-sensory experience of the characters, their world setting and any changes to them in the story. I need this in order to describe them to someone else. As writer and illustrator, I aim to reconcile the voice and physical appearance of each character, the pace of the plot and the narrative weight any physical illustrations must bear.

AA: How does that impact your role as an illustrator?

AM: In my illustrator role, I want to respond to the needs of the story, and update my drawings to reflect physical changes to the characters and world setting. (In one story a character became three years older, and I added three new characters.) While I draw, I ask myself what else is there to understand about the story. In the end, the illustrations ideally show details beyond the text.

AA: How would you describe "success" as an artist?

AM: From "Making Artists," and The New York Times article, "The End of the Great Big American Voice," by Anne Midgette:

"In the end, artistic success depends, as it always has, on intangible factors that no training program can provide. One is luck. Another is stubbornness."

'People who really persevere,' Ms. [Dolora] Zajick [mezzo soprano] said, 'find themselves in lucky places.'"

Tip: Try Adrienne May's winsome approach to illustrating your characters with words, and visit WinsomeWays for a visual tour.

           

Writing for Anthologies: Takeaways and Tips for Publication



Writer and Editor Anne Witkavitch



This week we conclude our series on writing for anthologies with writer Anne Witkavitch, who compiled and edited Press Pause Moments: Essays About Life Transitions by Women Writers based on the Press Pause Project.

AA: What were the takeaways for you on this project?

AW: I learned so much about the process of taking a book from concept to publication. There was tremendous value to wearing the editor's hat, not only writing for the book but also for selecting, editing and sequencing other writers' works. For example, editing multiple voices was a bit more challenging than I anticipated. You have to pay even more attention to achieve style consistency from page to page. I tend to be a person who can see the vision and big picture, and then home in on the details to bring all the pieces together. That came in particularly handy for this project.

AA: What would you recommend to writers seeking publication in an anthology?

AW: First, follow the submission guidelines. If the word count maxes out at 1,500, don't submit something with 3,000 words. Choose to edit first, or don't submit at all. Second, be professional. For Press Pause Moments, the e-mail was the first interaction I had with most of the writers, and first impressions always count — even in cyberspace. Be personable, but to the point. Third, submit your best-quality work. Edit and proofread. This is a pet peeve of mine. I know how much time I invest in editing and revising. I can tell when someone has written something, checked it over, and then submitted the piece without any rework. Fourth — and perhaps most important — is to submit! If you write for you, and simply want to keep your work tucked away in a file folder, that's fine. But if you want to be published, anthologies are a great way to get your work out there and read.

Press Pause Moments is on Amazon

AA: Is there anything you'd like to add?

AW: Writing is a tough gig. Sitting down and writing every day is hard. Sending out your work is hard. Getting rejected is hard. But you've got to keep at it. I am a big proponent of having a strategic plan to guide your writing ambition. In fact, I teach a workshop in Goal Setting for Writers based on the Press Pause principles. It's intended to get writers to articulate what they want to achieve and then figure out how to get it done with one-, two- and three-year goal components. Life is dynamic, and if you don't know what you're working for, you can easily get knocked off course. In fact, the Press Pause Moments anthology's life cycle paralleled some major challenges in my life: the crippling recession, my sister's death from cancer and a major health issue. If I hadn't had a strong vision and plan — and a lot of resilience and support — the book would never have happened.

Finally, every writer should wear the editor's hat on a project involving other writers' works. I have edited several books this year, including another anthology and a nonfiction book. There is no better way to continuously improve your own writing skills!

For more information, see Press Pause Moments or Amazon. Or visit Anne's page at Western Connecticut State University.