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Achieving Unity in a Paragraph
If you don’t write good paragraphs, few people will want to read your work. You will be viewed or judged as a writer who doesn’t know how to write well.
In the last post, I discussed the purpose and characteristics of a good paragraph. In the next few posts, I will discuss how to create a good paragraph. To do this, the writer needs to know how to create a unified and coherent paragraph. The writer also needs to know how to develop a paragraph.
How does a writer create a unified paragraph? A unified paragraph has a topical sentence and a group of sentences that provide support to the topical sentence. For many paragraphs, especially if they are topical paragraphs, the topical sentence comes first. Sometimes, though, the topical sentence is the last sentence in the paragraph. Occasionally, the topical sentence is implied by the writer.
Before writing the content of your essay or article, create an outline of the main points that you intend to write about. For each main point, jot down a topical sentence. When you write the content or body of your work, you can expand each topical sentence into a paragraph. For each topical sentence, determine its purpose. Do you want to explain? Describe? Persuade? Narrate a story? Based on your purpose, you can provide the following types of support/details to create a unified paragraph:
- Facts or evidence
- Statistics
- Details
- Examples
- Anecdotes
- Analogies
- Quotations
Example:
The following example shows how to create a paragraph. The first sentence is the topical sentence, followed by sentences that provide supporting details.
You can increase your chances of living a long life by choosing a healthy lifestyle. There are a number of life choices you can make. You can start by engaging in cardio exercise each day for 30 minutes. You can also reduce your consumption of alcoholic beverages to no more than 2 drinks per day. You can quit smoking cigarettes. If you are overweight, you can stop eating junk food, reduce your calorie intake, and eat more fruit and vegetables. If you are stressed out, you can find more time to relax, rest, and engage in leisure pursuits that bring joy to your life.
The most important point to remember about writing a paragraph is to use a topical sentence and to include only details that support the topical sentence.
Writing Paragraphs
Once you have decided on a lead, you can write the content of your essay or article. The content will be your facts, evidence, anecdotes, support, dialogue, and so forth. To present this information, you will use the organizational tool called “the paragraph.” Most creative nonfiction requires you to write content using paragraphs.
This article explains how to write a good paragraph for a personal essay, article, memoir, autobiography, or any other type of creative nonfiction.
Types of Paragraphs
What is a paragraph? It is a group of sentences that work together to develop a unit of thought. In other words, a paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic.
There are three types of paragraphs: topical, transitional, and dialogue. Most paragraphs are topical. A topical paragraph has a topical sentence, which states what the paragraph is about. It is followed by several sentences that provide support for the topical sentence.
A paragraph can also be transitional. A transitional paragraph helps you move from one paragraph to the next, or move from one idea to another idea.
A paragraph can also be based on dialogue. The rule for writing dialogue is that a new paragraph begins whenever the speaker changes.
Purpose
The purpose of your paragraph helps to determine its structure. Before writing, ask yourself: What do I want to say in this paragraph? You have four possibilities:
- Narration. You want to tell a story. When you want to tell a story, use the storytelling technique.
- Explain. You want to provide information about something. When you want to explain, use facts and evidence.
- Description. You want to describe something to your readers. When you want to describe, provide details.
- Persuasion. You want to convince your readers or change their opinion or point of view. When you want to persuade, use rhetorical devices.
Characteristics of a Good Paragraph
A good paragraph has the following characteristics:
- Unity. The paragraph has a topical sentence and supporting information in the body of the paragraph. Each sentence in the body of the paragraph must provide support for the topical sentence. The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with a one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another idea. The simple rule is: Use one paragraph for each new idea.
- Coherence. It is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. There is a smooth flow or transition from one sentence to the next within the paragraph. You can help create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical connections and verbal connections. To create a logical relationship, use the same idea from sentence to sentence. You can also use parallel structure. To create a verbal relationship, repeat key words, use pronoun reference, use transitional expressions.
- Development. Once you decide on the purpose of your paragraph, you need to determine which method of development you are going to use. There are several methods of development, including narration, description, process analysis, example, definition, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, and analogy.
In the next few posts, I will discuss how to write a unified paragraph, create coherence in a paragraph, and develop a paragraph using different methods.
If you have any questions or comments, please post them to this blog.
Writing the Lead and Ending
William Zinsser wrote in On Writing Well that “the most important sentence is the first one” when writing creative nonfiction or nonfiction. Your first sentence needs to grab the readers’ attention and compel them to read on.
Zinsser also wrote that good piece of creative nonfiction includes an ending that makes an important point, one that readers can think about after reading.
Whether you write a personal essay, memoir, or article, your piece of writing requires a lead at the beginning and an ending that makes an important point.
This article explains how to write a lead and ending.
Writing the Lead
What is the lead? It introduces your essay, memoir, or article. According to Zinsser, a good lead does the following:
- It grabs the reader’s attention and inspires the reader to read further. This is called a hook.
- It tells the reader why the piece was written.
- It tells the reader why he/she ought to read the article or essay.
There is no rule about the length of a lead. Some leads are short, only a few sentences. Some are only a sentence in length. Other leads are longer, taking several paragraphs. The length of your lead will depend on the type of genre and the audience you are writing for.
Methods of Writing a Lead
There are several methods to write your lead. Here are the most popular methods:
- Ask a question. Example: How can the federal government reduce unemployment?
- Make a thought-provoking statement. This type of lead makes begins with an important point. Example: The unemployment rate is 10%, the highest since the Great Depression.
- Write an anecdote. It is a short story that reveals a truth or makes an important point.
- Use a quotation. Write an interesting quotation from an interview or one that you discovered when you conducted research.
- Write a summary lead. It compresses the article or essay into a few sentences.
- Use a combination lead. This method requires you to use a couple of methods. For instance, you might begin with a question, and then add a quotation from a well-known person.
When writing your lead, you can also answer a few questions, such as:
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Why?
- How?
Writing the Ending
Once you finish writing your essay or article, you require a good ending. In “On Writing Well”, William Zinsser writes the following: “Knowing when to end…is far more important than most writers realize. You should give as much thought to choosing your last sentence as you did to your first.”
A good ending is a sentence or two, or paragraph in length, but not any longer. A good lead should take the reader by surprise and seem like the correct place to stop.
How do you know when you are finished? Zinsser writes that when you are ready to stop, stop.
Here is how to write an ending:
- Don’t summarize your essay or article.
- Your ending should encapsulate the central idea of your essay or article.
- Your ending should finish with an important point. Otherwise the reader will think “So what? What was the point?”” Zinsser suggests that this sentence should jolt the reader with “unexpectedness.”
A popular way to end your piece is with a quotation. Another method is to restate the beginning. Other popular methods include:
- An opinion
- Judgement
- Recommendation
- Call to action
A good piece of creative nonfiction includes both a strong lead and close. Be sure to learn the ways to write a lead and ending. Then use them when you write.
For more advice on how to write creative nonfiction, you can read On Writing Well by William Zinsser.
Next, I will discuss writing style, as it applies to creative nonfiction.
If you have any questions or comments, please post them to this blog.
Writing Creative Nonfiction
What is creative nonfiction? It involves writing about personal experience, real people, or events. It is writing about fact, rather than fiction. The writer can write about anything, such as a personal experience, current events, or issues in the public eye. The writer can also inject personal thoughts, feelings, or opinions into the writing. Often, the writer uses the first person “I.” Popular types of creative nonfiction include the personal essay, memoir, autobiography, literary journalistic essay, travel writing, and food writing. Creative nonfiction is also known as “Literary Journalism.”
This article identifies the techniques of creative nonfiction, defines the various types of creative nonfiction, provides some guidelines, and lists several popular books and several resources to help the aspiring writing learn the art and craft of writing creative nonfiction.
How to Write Creative Nonfiction
The creative nonfiction writer produces a personal essay, memoir, travel piece, and so forth, with a variety of techniques, writing tools, and methods. He/she is required to use the elements of nonfiction, literary devices of fiction, and what Lee Gutkind called “the 5 Rs of Creative nonfiction.” The following is a brief explanation of each:
Elements of Creative Nonfiction
The creative nonfiction writer often incorporates several elements of nonfiction when writing a memoir, personal essay, travel writing, and so on. The following is a brief explanation of the most common elements of nonfiction:
- Fact. The writing must be based on fact, rather than fiction. It cannot be made up.
- Extensive research. The piece of writing is based on primary research, such as an interview or personal experience, and often secondary research, such as gathering information from books, magazines, and newspapers.
- Reportage/reporting. The writer must be able to document events or personal experiences.
- Personal experience and personal opinion. Often, the writer includes personal experience, feelings, thoughts, and opinions. For instance, when writing a personal essay or memoir.
- Explanation/Exposition. The writer is required to explain the personal experience or topic to the reader.
- Essay format. Creative nonfiction is often written in essay format. Example: Personal Essay, Literary Journalistic essay, brief essay.
Literary Elements
Creative nonfiction is the literature of fact. Yet, the creative nonfiction writer utilizes many of the literary devices of fiction writing. The following is a list of the most common literary devices that writers incorporate into their nonfiction writing:
- Storytelling/narration. The writer needs to be able to tell his/her story. A good story includes an inciting incident, a goal, challenges and obstacles, a turning point, and resolution of the story.
- Character. The nonfiction piece often requires a main character. Example: If a writer is creating his/her memoir, then the writer is the central character.
- Setting and scene. The writer creates scenes that are action-oriented; include dialogue; and contain vivid descriptions.
- Plot and plot structure. These are the main events that make up the story. In a personal essay, there might be only one event. In a memoir, there are often several significant events.
- Figurative language. The writer often uses simile and metaphor to create an interesting piece of creative nonfiction.
- Imagery. The writer constructs “word pictures” using sensory language. Imagery can be figurative or literal.
- Point of view. Often the writer uses the first person “I.”
- Dialogue. These are the conversations spoken between people. It is an important component of creative nonfiction.
- Theme. There is a central idea that is weaved through the essay or work. Often, the theme reveals a universal truth.
The 5’Rs of Creative Nonfiction
Lee Gutkind, who is a writer, professor, and expert on creative nonfiction, wrote an essay called “The Five R’s of Creative Nonfiction.” In this essay, he identified five essential elements of creative nonfiction. These include:
- Creative nonfiction has a “real life” aspect. The writer constructs a personal essay, memoir, and so forth, that is based on personal experience. He also writes about real people and true events.
- Creative nonfiction is based on the writer engaging in personal “reflection” about what he/she is writing about. After gathering information, the writer needs to analyze and assess what he/she has collected. He then must evaluate it and expression his thoughts, views, opinions. Personal opinion is permissible and encouraged.
- Creative nonfiction requires that the writer complete research. The writer needs to conduct research to learn about the topic. The writer also needs to complete research to discover what has been written about the topic. Even if a writer is crafting a personal essay, he will need to complete secondary research, such as reviewing a personal journal, or primary research, such as interviewing a friend or family member, to ensure that the information is truthful and factual.
- The fourth aspect of creative nonfiction is reading. Reading while conducting research is not sufficient. The writer must read the work of the masters of his profession.
- The final element of creative nonfiction is writing. Writing creative nonfiction is both an art and craft. The art of creative nonfiction requires that the writer uses his talents, instincts, creative abilities, and imagination to write memorable creative nonfiction. The craft of creative nonfiction requires that the writer learn and deploy the style and techniques of creative nonfiction in his/her work.
Types of Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction is about fact and truth. The truth can be about a personal experience, event, or issue in the public eye. There are many categories or genres to choose from, such as the personal essay, memoir, and autobiography. The following is a list of the most popular types of creative nonfiction:
- Personal Essay. The writer crafts and essay that is based on personal experience or a single event, which results in significant personal meaning or a lesson learned. The writer uses the first person “I.”
- Memoir. The writer constructs a true story about a time or period in his/life, one that had significant personal meaning and a universal truth. The writer composes the story using the first person “I.”
- Literary journalism essay. The writer crafts an essay about an issue or topic using literary devices, such as the elements of fiction and figurative language.
- Autobiography. The writer composes his/her life story, from birth to the present, using the first person “I.”
- Travel Writing. The writer crafts articles or essays about travel using literary devices.
- Food writing. The writer crafts stories about food and cuisine using literary devices.
- Profiles. The writer constructs biographies or essays on real people using literary devices.
Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction
Not only must the aspiring writer of creative nonfiction learn the techniques, but he/she also requires a good understanding of the guidelines. The following are 12 guidelines for writing any type of creative nonfiction:
- Research the topic. Both primary (interview, personal experience, or participant observation) and secondary research (books, magazines, newspaper, Web)
- Never invent or change facts. An invented story is fiction.
- Provide accurate information. Write honestly and truthfully. Information should be verifiable.
- Provide concrete evidence. Use facts, examples, and quotations.
- Use humour to make an important point.
- Show the reader what happened, don’t tell them what happened. To do this, dramatize the story.
- Narrate the story. A story has an inciting incident, goal, conflict, challenges, obstacles, climax, and resolution.
- Write about the interesting and extraordinary. Write about personal experiences, interesting people, extraordinary events, or provide a unique perspective on everyday life.
- Organize the information. Two common techniques are chronological or logical order.
- Use literary devices to tell the story. Choose language that stimulates and entertains the reader, such as simile, metaphor, imagery.
- Introduce the essay or other work with a hook. Its purpose is to grab the readers’ attention and compel them to reader further. Popular hooks include a quotation, question, or thought-provoking fact.
- End the creative nonfiction piece with a final, important point. Otherwise the reader will think, “So what!” “What was the point? It was an interesting story, but how does it apply to me or my life?”
Reading List
There have been many creative nonfiction books written about a wide variety of topics, such as divorce, abuse, and happiness. To help the aspiring writer learn the art and craft of creative nonfiction, he/she ought read creative nonfiction books by the best writers. By doing this, the writer acquires an appreciation for good writing and learns how creative nonfiction is written. Some of the most popular creative nonfiction books include:
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
- Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
- Paper Lion by George Plimpton
- The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
- The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolf
As well, there are several good books that are currently on many bestseller lists:
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The White Castle by Jeanette Walls
- Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson
- Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, by Azar Nafisi
- Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
- Nigh by Elie Wiesel
Magazines
There are also many popular magazines that publish all types of creative nonfiction, including:
- The Atlantic ( http://www.theatlantic.com/ )
- The New Yorker ( http://www.newyorker.com/ )
- Vanity Fair ( http://www.vanityfair.com/ )
- Esquire (http://www.esquire.com/)
- The Walrus ( http://www.walrusmagazine.com/ )
Resources for the Aspiring Writer
To write creative nonfiction, the aspiring writer must learn the craft. He/she can do this by taking a course or through self-study. Both involve reading text books. The following books will help the aspiring writer learn how to write creative nonfiction:
- Art of Creative Nonfiction by Lee Gutkind
- Writing Creative Nonfiction: The Literature of Reality by Gary Talese
- The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction by Dinty W. Moore
- Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Truth edited by Bill Roorbach
- On Writing Well by William Zinsser
- The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
- Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition): The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers.
Next, I will explain how to write a lead and ending.
If you have any questions or comments, please post them to this blogs.
Writing Fiction: Dialogue
What is dialogue? It refers to the words spoken between characters in a short story or novel. It also refers to a character speaking to himself or herself within the short story or novel. The fiction writer uses dialogue to reveal the personality of a character, create conflict, and advance the narrative. In “The Art and Craft of Storytelling”, author Nancy Lamb suggests that the “goal of writing dialogue is to not mimic how people speak; the goal of the writer’s dialogue is to create the illusion of authenticity.”
This article defines the two types of dialogue, identifies the purpose of dialogue, and provides twelve suggestions on how the aspiring fiction writer can compose dialogue.
Definition of Dialogue
A writer can create two types of dialogue in a story: Inner dialogue and outer dialogue. Inner dialogue refers to the words spoken by a character to himself or herself. To do this, the writer uses the literary device of “dramatic monologue” or “stream of consciousness.” Outer dialogue refers to the conversations spoken between characters. Both types of dialogue require the fiction writer to follow the rules and conventions for writing dialogue.
Stream of Consciousness
It refers to the inner thoughts of the character. Stream of consciousness is also called an internal monologue. It is a literary technique used by William Faulkner, James Joyce,Virginia Woolf, and many others, to reveal what the character is thinking to himself or herself. Typically, the writer identifies the internal monologue with:
- The word “thought.” The man thought about how difficult the life had been…
- The phrase “I thought to myself.” I thought to myself, “How I loathed the neighbour next door.”
- Italics. He thought about his failed marriage, the death of his son, and the abject poverty facing him.
Dialogue as Character
One of the tasks of the fiction writer is to create interesting characters, ones that the reader likes. Writing good dialogue is one way for the writer to craft interesting characters. Good dialogue reveals something about the character, creates conflict, or advances the story. Good dialogue also requires that each character’s speech is identifiable. The dialogue should allow the reader to distinguish each character in the story. To craft authentic dialogue for each character, the writer can:
- Use different diction or word choice for each character.
- Use different syntax to represent speaking pattern.
- Use profanity or slang.
- Use colloquial expressions in the dialogue.
- Use idiomatic phrases in the dialogue.
- Use dialect. (Only expert writers should use this.)
The writer can also identify each speaker by using:
- Dialogue tags, such as “he said” or “she said.”
- Quotations for each speaker (“”).
- Separate line or paragraph for a new or different speaker.
Example:
(Argument between a boyfriend and girlfriend. )
“I want to end our relationship,” he said, from the hallway.
“Why?” she said, slamming the front door.
“I don’t love you anymore,” he yelled.
“You have met someone else, haven’t you,” she screamed.
Purpose of Dialogue
When writing dialogue, the fiction writer needs to keep in mind the purpose of the dialogue. The dialogue must not be “filler” or “gossip” or “small talk.” It must have a point, purpose, or function in the story. The writer must use dialogue for the following reasons:
- To develop the plot of the story. For instance, the antagonist might say something that angers the protagonist. This anger causes the protagonist to take some sort of action, moving the plot closer to its conclusion.
- To reveal conflict between characters. For instance, the dialogue between two characters might be hostile or full of invective, which reveals the conflict between two opposing forces.
- To develop the personality of the character. Both the tone and content of the dialogue tell the reader about the nature of the character. For instance, if the character speaks well and uses eloquent words, the reader draws the conclusion that the character is educated and intelligent.
- To reveal background information about a character. The writer can use dialogue to reveal something that happened in the past.
Suggestions for Writing Dialogue
Dialogue is an essential component of a good story. So, an aspiring fiction writer must learn how to craft dialogue correctly. He/she must learn the rules and conventions. Here are twelve suggestions to help the aspiring writer compose dialogue:
- Create dialogue that reveals character and mood. The writer can ask himself: “Does the dialogue reveal something about the personality of the character? Does the dialogue reveal something about the mood of the scene?
- Break up dialogue with action scenes. Long streams of dialogue are boring, so break up dialogue with action scenes.
- Compose meaningful dialogue. It should reveal personality, create conflict, or advance the story. The writer should not include small talk.
- Use profanity sparingly and avoid faddish slang.
- Avoid using dialect or accent. It is a distraction to readers.
- Create an authentic voice for each character. Use different sentence patterns and language/diction for each character.
- Use a tagline and action to move the story forward. Example: “I hate you,” yelled Patrick, walking out of the door, slamming it.
- Avoid using the names of characters in the dialogue. Example: “Well, Patrick, I can see that you are angry,” said Steve.
- Use italics to show inner dialogue or dramatic monologue or stream of consciousness. For instance, the writer can begin: I said to myself, “I must leave this job…”
- Use a separate line or paragraph for each new speaker. Dialogue spoken by a single character, interspersed with action, can be kept in one paragraph.
- Use the dialogue tags and quotations marks to indicate who is talking. “He said” or “she said.” Avoid using fancy dialogue tags. Instead keep them simple, so readers won’t get distracted.
- Write dialogue in sentence form and use correct grammar.
What is most important about writing dialogue is to avoid wasting words with small talk, to identify each speaker with dialogue tags and quotation marks, and to keep the dialogue brief and succinct.
Elements of Fiction: Style and Tone
Style and tone are elements of fiction. The writer uses a certain style and tone to craft the story. Style refers to the writer’s choice of diction, sentence structure, literary techniques, and use of rhythm. For example, Hemingway wrote very short sentences and he used simple words. George Orwell, on the other hand, used long sentences, including periodic and cumulative sentence types, and more complex diction. Cormac McCarthy, in The Road, used many sentence fragments and everyday language. He also referred to the main characters as “the boy” and “the man”. They were never addressed by name.
In fiction writing, the writer’s style is also created by the choice of literary devices that are used to create the story, such as imagery, symbolism, allegory, personification, and other figurative language.
Tone, on the other hand, refers to the writer’s attitude toward his/her story and to the reader. The writer’s tone assists in creating a mood or atmosphere for the story. Philip Roth uses a humorous tone in Portnoy’s Complaint.
This article discusses the following:
- Style
- Tone
- Narrative Voice
- The writer’s voice
Style
Every fiction writer has a unique style. The writer’s style is based on many choices about diction, syntax/sentence structure, detail, dialogue, literary devices, and rhythm.
The writer’s style comes from the diction or word choice he/she uses. Does the writer use simple language or complex language? Is the language concrete or abstract? What does a word connote? What does the word denote?
The writer’s style comes from the types of sentence structure/syntax he/she uses. Does the writer use short or long sentences? Sentence fragments? Periodic or cumulative sentences? Simple or complex sentences? For instance, Cormac McCarthy, in The Road, uses many sentence fragments to tell his story.
Another way that the writer reveals his/her style is by the amount of detail presented to the reader. Does the writer go into great depth? Or does the writer use summary narrative or sparse prose?
And the fiction writer’s style is revealed by the content of dialogue. The dialogue a writer uses reveals a lot about each character, including the background and education of the character, his or her motivations, and what each character ultimately believes about the world. Much of what the writer says is based on personal experience, values, biases, and prejudices.
When reading passages of dialogue, the reader needs to consider how the characters’ remarks reflect or accentuate the writer’s voice. What do the characters say? How do the characters say it?
The writer’s style is also expressed by the choice of literary techniques the writer uses to construct the story, such as imagery, symbolism, personification, irony, metaphor, and symbolism. Many certain literary techniques over others.
The writer can reveal his/her style by the use of rhythm, which is the pattern of flow and movement created by the writer’s choice of words and the arrangement of sentences. What types of repetition does the writer use? Does the writer use alliteration? Rhyme? How does the writer use parallel structure? Single words? Fragments?
Tone
What is tone? It refers to the fiction writer’s attitude toward his/her subject and toward the readers. The writer’s tone creates an atmosphere or mood for the story. A writer’s tone can be humorous, satirical, passionate, zealous, sarcastic, condescending, and so on. The tone can be anything the writer chooses. For instance, humour is an important tone in children’s literature. Types of humour used by writers include surprise, exaggeration, incongruity, absurdity, and parody.
The writer’s choice of diction often reveals his/her tone. Tone is often expressed by the connotation of words. For instance, a certain expression might be interpreted as sarcasm. Another expression can be interpreted as vulgar.
Tone is also about the effect the writing has on the reader. What mood does the writer create in the mind of the reader?
The Narrative Voice
What is the narrative voice? It is the quality of the narrative, whether the story is told in the first-person or the third-person. It is how the writer chooses to tell the story–casually, seriously, humorously, and so forth. The Narrative voice will belong to a character within the story, such as the protagonist. Or when the story is told in the third-person, the narrative voice will belong to an unknown character, someone who is not a participant in the story.
Before writing the story, the fiction writer needs to decide what narrative voice to use: Serious? Comic? Detached? Or entertaining? Once the narrative voice is selected, the writer can determine what sort of diction and sentence structure to use.
The Writer’s Voice
The narrative voice is an extension of the writer’s voice. The writer’s voice consists of many elements, including style and tone. But the writer’s is created by many other factors, such as socioeconomic background, education, belief system, values, writing experience, and so forth.
Frequently, a writer’s voice is expressed through the following elements:
- Diction. The word choice of the writer.
- Syntax. The sentence patterns chosen by the writer.
- Subject matter. What the writer chooses to write about and his/her views on that subject matter.
- Tone. The attitude that the writer intends to convey about the subject to the reader.
Developing a Unique Voice
How does the aspiring writer acquire his/her own voice? It takes time to create a voice. It begins by developing an original style. From style, the writer needs to write and gain experience. Over time, the writer’s voice emerges. It is a process.
To help develop a unique voice, the aspiring writer can do the following:
- Learn to write well. Learn the rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. And then learn when to break these rules.
- Expand his/her vocabulary. The writer must use the dictionary to learn the meaning of unfamiliar words. The writer should also use a thesaurus to find similar words with different shades of meaning.
- Read widely and deeply. The writer ought to read fiction by the great writers. The writer also needs to read nonfiction, like biographies, and person essays. By doing this, the writer can learn how the masters constructed memorable fiction.
- Analyze the styles of great writers, such as Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, and George Orwell. Analysis teaches the writer how to create setting, plot, characters, and use other literary devices.
- Experiment with different writing styles, such as word choice and syntax. Only through practice and experience will the aspiring writer develop a unique style.
- Learn the element of fiction and use them. (Plot, setting, character, conflict, and so forth.)
- Learn the literary techniques and use them. (Imagery, symbolism, allusion, and figures of speech, such as simile, metaphor, and personification.)
- Make writing a lifestyle choice. The aspiring writer must write every day. Only by writing on a regular basis will the writer develop his/her unique voice.
- Write in a way that comes naturally. The writer needs to use words and phrases that are his/her own. Imitation is acceptable.
- The writer also needs to place himself/herself in the background. To do this, the writer needs to write in a way that draws the reader to the sense and style of the writing, rather than to the tone and temper of the writer. (Strunk and White’s Elements of Style)
- Avoid using a breezy manner. The breezy style is a work of an egocentric, the writer who imagines that everything that comes to mind is of interest and ought to be written on the page. Instead, the writer needs to make every word count, each word should move the story forward, and each word needs to have a purpose. (Strunk and White’s Elements of Style)
To learn more on style, the aspiring fiction writer ought to read “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White.
Over time, and with practise and experimentation, the aspiring writer will develop his/her unique voice.
Elements of Fiction: Point of View
In the last post, I wrote about theme. In this post, I will discuss point of view.
Introduction
What is point of view? Point of view is an element of fiction. The fiction writer uses point of view to determine who is telling the story. The person who tells the story is the narrator. But the narrator can have different points of view. Sometimes the main character tells the story, speaking in the first person “I.” Other times an observer to the events tells the story, and also speaks in the first person “I.” Often the narrator is a non-participant to the story. The narrator views the story from a vantage point outside the story, speaking in the third person “he” or “she.”
This article discusses the different points of view and their advantages and disadvantages. As well, this article provides some suggestions on how an aspiring fiction writer can go about selecting a point of view.
Point of View
The writer has three possible points of view to tell the story:
- First-person point of view (participates in the story)
- Second-person point of view (“you”)
- Third-person point of view.(doesn’t participate in the story)
Each point of view has advantages and disadvantages. So, it is important for the aspiring fiction writer know why he/she has chosen a particular point of view and narrator to tell the story.
The point of view has two parts: The way in which the story is told, and the perspective of the story. The narrative voice is the character telling the story, whereas the point of view is the vantage point from which the story is told. The narrator can be an eye witness, observer, or someone outside the story. Moreover, the story can be told from a single point of view or multiple points of view.
First Person Point of View (Participant-Point of View)
The narrator is a character in the story, either the protagonist, observer, or survivor. The observer can be a minor character. The survivor is a character who has lived to tell the tale.
In the first person, the narrator can reveal only personal thoughts and feelings and what he or she sees and is told by other characters. He can’t tell us thoughts of other characters. It is the most intimate point of view, because the reader experience the story from an eye witness and only one point of view. As well, the narrator can express his or her own thoughts and feelings to the reader. Often the narrator is the protagonist who is telling a story about himself/herself. The story is told from the perspective of “I.”
If the person participates in the story, the narrator is called the first-person participant. In “The Sun also Rises” by Ernest Hemmingway, the character telling the story is Jack Barnes, the protagonist.
On the other hand, if the person observes the events of the story, and then narrates the story, he/she is called the first-person observer. In “The Great Gatsby” by F.Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator is Nick Carraway, who isn’t the protagonist.
Finally, the narrator can be a survivor, one who lived to tell the tale.
Pros
- The narrator establishes an emotional connection with the reader. The first-person narrator is an eye witness who brings an intimate account of the events of the story.
- The narrator is an eye witness who has credibility.
- The reader experiences an intensely personal story.
- The writer can create an intimate portrait. The narrator can reveal his/her own thoughts and feelings to the reader.
Cons
- Narrator can only tell what he sees or has been told by others.
- The story is told from one point of view. Narrator cannot enter the mind of another character, to reveal another character’s thoughts and feelings.
- Narrator’s observation of other characters can be inaccurate.
- Everything in the story must be told by another character to the narrator or witnessed by the narrator.
The Unreliable Narrator
This term refers to narrators who have faults, biases, or character flaws. For instance, Holden Caulfield, in Catcher in the Rye, is an immature in his views of the world, and therefore unreliable in his storytelling.
Second-Person Point of View
The story is told from the perspective of “you”. This is not a commonly used point of view in fiction writing. It is the point of view used in technical writing. The writer chooses this POV when he/she wants the reader to become the main character in the story. Most readers find this POV awkward and unnatural. The question that usually gets asked by the reader is: Does “you” refer to the reader or to the protagonist?”
Third-Person Point of View (Non-Participant POV)
The narrator or person telling the story isn’t a participant in the story. The story is told from the perspective of “he” or “she.” There are three types of third-person point of view:
- Third-person objective
- Third-person limited
- Third-person omniscient
Third-Person Objective. The narrator is not a character in the story. The narrator can report only what he or she sees and hears. The narrator can tell the events of the story to the reader. In other words, the narrator can tell the reader what is happening in the story, but the narrator can’t tell the reader the thoughts or feelings of the characters.
Pros
- The third-person objective allows the reader to make inferences while reading the story.
Cons
- The narrator cannot tell the reader about what is going on in the mind of any character, not even the protagonist.
- The narrator can only tell the reader what is seen and heard in the story.
Third-Person Limited. The story is told from a single point of view using the “he/she” perspective. The narrator is not a character within the story. However, the narrator can who see into the mind of one of the characters, and reveal to the reader what that character is thinking and feeling.
Pros
- The reader identifies with a single character in the story.
- The writer can provide emotional insights about the character.
- The writer can use a single character to interpret the events of the story.
Cons
- The writer can tell the story through the eyes of only one character.
The Harry Potter books are written in the third-person limited or single point of view.
Third-Person Omniscient. The narrator isn’t a participant in the story. The story is told using the “he” or “she” perspective. The narrator is an “all-knowing” outsider who can enter the minds of any character. The narrator sees, hears, and knows everything that is going on within the story. The narrator can acquire information to tell the story from any character. Essentially, the narrator is “God-like.” Therefore, the story can be told using multiple points of view.
Pros
- The writer can dramatize the thoughts and feelings of any character. The narrator is all-knowing. In other words, the narrator knows what every character is thinking, feeling, and doing. The narrator can write anything about each character.
- The writer can tell the story from multiple points of view.
Cons
- The narrator is not a participant in the story.
- The reader can become confused about reading different thoughts and feelings of different characters.
- The reader can lose focus on the main elements of the story.
How to Choose a Point of View
Before writing the story, the writer needs to ask the following question:
Who is going to tell the story?
From the first person point of view, the writer can tell the story as a memory, write the story in a journal and have someone else tell the story, have the main character speak the story out loud, have the main character tell the story as it happens. This POV is a popular method of telling the story.
Each of the third-person points of view has advantages and disadvantages. The writer who chooses to use the third person objective reveals allows the reader to interpret the story, such as motives for actions. The writer who uses third-person limited is able to tell the story from one character, almost like the first person. This POV can be useful for writers who write fiction based on personal experience or memory. (A Passion for Narrative)
When choosing the third-person point of view, the writer should choose dominant characters or the main characters. The writer should also choose the most interesting character to tell the story.
In choosing POV, the writer also needs to decide on the mood of the story. If the writer wants to create a formal mood, he/she ought to use the third person. But, if the writer wants to create an intimate mood, one in which the narrator reveals his inner most thoughts and feelings, the writer ought to use the first person.
Here are a few other questions the aspiring fiction writer needs to ask before selecting a point of view:
- What mood does the writer intend to convey? Formal? Informal?
- How would the story change if it was told from a single point of view?
- What information must be excluded if the writer shifts from third person to first person point of view?
Before choosing a point of view, the writer also needs to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each point of view.
Resources for Writing Fiction
There are several good books available to help you learn about the elements of fiction. The following books—and resources that I recommend— were used to research this article:
- Writing Fiction: A Guide to the Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway
- Creative Writing: A Guide and Glossary to Fiction Writing by Colin Bulman
- The Art and Craft of Storytelling by Nancy Lamb
- How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
- The Art of Fiction by John Gardner
- A Passion for Narrative: A Guide for Writing Fiction by Jack Hodgins
Next, I will write about “style and tone”.
Elements of Fiction: Theme
In the previous post, I wrote about setting. In this post, I will write about the theme of a story.
Theme is an important element of fiction, but not a necessary element. The theme of a story is its central idea. The theme is not the subject of the story. The writer incorporates the theme into the story from the subject. Sometimes the fiction writer has a specific theme or idea in mind before crafting a short story or novel. Other times the theme emerges as the fiction writer constructs the story.
This article covers the following:
- Definition of theme
- How the fiction writer can reveal the theme
- Popular themes in fiction
- Resources for fiction writers
Theme: A Definition
What do we mean by theme? The theme is the main idea of the story. It is an important idea that the fiction writer wants to convey to the readers. Sometimes a story has a single theme. Other times the story has several themes. Occassionally, the story is without a theme.
The theme allows the writer to comment on a particular topic. For instance, suppose the fiction writer crafts a story about war. The writer can reveal his/her own views about war by incorporating them into the story, and by crafting an ending that reflects his/her views about war. For instance, Timothy Findley, in “The Wars”, weaves several themes into the novel, one of which is “War is hell.” Another theme is that “innocent people die in war.” A third being “war is a waste of human life.”
How does the theme of a story emerge? Sometimes a fiction writer will set out, with a specific idea, and then write a short story or novel. Other times, the theme or main idea will appear as the fiction writer crafts his/her story.
Sometimes the fiction writer begins writing a short story or novel based on a particular topic. For instance, a crime writer might write a short about a murder. But this is not the theme of the book. The theme is constructed from the topic. The theme might be “anyone who commits murder must be executed.” Another theme might be that “crime doesn’t pay.”
The theme of the story can be explicit or implicit. Sometimes the fiction writer will state the theme explicitly, so that the reader knows what is the central idea. For instance, in “Paradise Lost”, John Milton writes that his intention is to “justify the ways of God to men.”
Other times, the theme is implicit. The reader will need to look for clues that reveal the theme. After reading the short story or novel, the reader can often identify the theme by asking the following question: What did you learn by reading the novel or short story?” In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert L. Stevenson, a man is transformed into a monster. The theme suggested by the writer is that human beings have dual personalities, both good and bad.
Sometimes the title of the novel or short story provides the reader with a clue about its theme, such as “Catch-22”, “The Scarlet Letter”, “Catcher in the Rye”, “Portnoy’s Complaint.” Frequently, the reader will have to look for clues in the story to determine what the fiction writer is suggesting about the theme.
How the Theme is Revealed
For a theme to have any importance, the fiction writer must reveal it to the readers, either explicitly or implicitly. Here are four ways a fiction writer can express the theme of the story:
1. Themes are expressed and emphasized by the way the fiction writer makes the reader feel. By sharing the feelings of the main character, the fiction writer can also share the ideas that go through his/her mind.
2. The fiction writer can reveal the theme through the thoughts and conversations of characters. The fiction writer can provide clues by expressing his thoughts through the dialogue of characters. Dialogue can be used to state the theme. The reader can look for clues about theme by looking for thoughts or dialogue that is repeated by characters throughout the story.
3. The fiction writer can suggested a theme through the main characters in the story. How does the main character act? What does the main character say? The main character usually illustrates the most important theme of the story. The reader can discover the theme by asking the following question:“What does the main character learn as the story progresses?” In other words, does the protagonist experience an epiphany? Another question the read can ask is:”How does the protagonist change or develop as the story progresses?”
4. The fiction writer can reveal the theme of the story through the actions or events in the story. The fiction writer needs consider what an action by the character will suggest to the reader. In other words, how will the action express an idea or theme?
Popular Themes
Colin Bulman, in “Creative Writing: A Guide and Glossary to Fiction Writing” identifies several common themes in fiction, including:
- Love will conquer all.
- Marriage is a natural and desirable institution.
- Man is alienated from society.
- The family is often dysfunctional.
- Men and women cannot get along.
Other common themes in fiction are:
- Life is not always as it seems.
- Believe in yourself.
- People are risk adverse.
- First impressions are often wrong.
- War is hell.
- Society socializes humankind to behave in a just and righteous manner.
Resources for Writing Fiction
There are several good books available to help you learn about the elements of fiction. The following books—and resources that I recommend— were used to research this article:
- Writing Fiction: A Guide to the Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway
- Creative Writing: A Guide and Glossary to Fiction Writing by Colin Bulman
- The Art and Craft of Storytelling by Nancy Lamb
- How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
- The Art of Fiction by John Gardner
- A Passion for Narrative: A Guide for Writing Fiction by Jack Hodgins
Elements of Fiction: Character
In the previous post, I wrote about setting. In this post, I will discuss character and characterization.
Characters and Characterization
Character is an important element of fiction. Without a central character, there is no story. The goal of the fiction writer is to create characters that are likeable and memorable. Charles Dickson’s is well-known for his memorable characters. He created David Copperfield, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Oliver Twist. Most memorable characters are heroes. Sometimes, though, the writer makes the anti-hero the central character of the story.
But a good story needs more than memorable characters. A good story includes an inciting incident that impacts the main character. It includes a main character who has a goal or desire. It includes a main character who is confronted with some type of conflict. This conflict might exist within the mind of the character or be external. Often, the antagonist is the opposing force in the story. A good story includes a main character who is faced with challenges and obstacles.
A successful fiction writer knows how to develop characters by using description, dialogue, action, and more.
This article discusses the following aspects of character:
- Types of characters
- Characterization
- The character profile
- Dialogue
Types of Characters
There are several ways in which the fiction writer and reader of fiction can define characters in a story.
Protagonist and Antagonist. A story needs a central character, or hero, or protagonist. Often this main character must oppose a villain or antagonist. Both are major characters in the story. The fiction writer must spend a great deal of time developing these types of characters by using the techniques of characters description, action by the character, and dialogue.
Major and Minor Characters. Stories include major characters, such as the protagonist and antagonist. Stories often include minor characters. These are characters who the fiction writer defines by a single idea or quality. These types of characters are necessary for the story, but they are not important. These are secondary characters to the story.
Flat and Round Characters. A character can also be identified in terms of flat or round characters. A flat character is a minor character in the story. This type of character doesn’t change as the story progresses.
Round characters, on the other hand, must deal with conflict in the story and are change by it. The writer develops these types of characters by using character descriptions and dialogue. Round characters are all the major characters of the story, including the hero and villain.
Static and Dynamic Characters. Another way of defining a character is in terms of “static character” or “dynamic character.” A static character is a minor character in the story and plays a supporting role to the main character. Static characters don’t change as the story progresses. The fiction writer spends little time developing static characters.
In contrast, a dynamic character is a round character. This type of character grows and develops as the story advances. The fiction writer spends a great deal of time developing these types of characters. They are believable and can be memorable.
Characterization
What is characterization? It is the means by which the fiction writer presents and reveals a character in the story to the reader. Although the techniques of characterization are complex, writers typically reveal characters through the following methods:
- Action. How the character acts or behaves throughout the story.
- Appearance. What types of clothes the character wears. His/her hygiene.
- Dialogue. What the character says and how the character says it.
- Thoughts and Feel. By what the character thinks and feels.
- Relationships. The types of personal relationships, such as friends and acquaintances the character has.
Characterization is the process by which the fiction writer reveals a character’s personality to the reader. This process is very similar to the process real people go through when they encounter new situations or person. People form an initial opinion about a situation based upon what they see and hear. The fiction writer can reveal a character in the following ways:
- By telling the reader directly what the character is like (not a very subtle approach and not used often by writers);
- By describing how the character looks and dresses (What type of clothing does the character wear?
- By letting the reader hear how the character speaks (Does the character speak with a dialect? Is the character loud or soft-spoken?);
- By revealing the character’s private thoughts and feelings (What does the character think about other people? About himself?);
- By revealing the character’s effect on other people (Do people want to associate with the character? Do people do whatever the character asks?)
- By showing the character’s actions (Does the character treat people who respect and courtesy? Does the character make good decisions or poor ones?).
The Character Profile/Character Sketch
Author Nancy Lamb wrote in “The Art and Craft of storytelling” that the challenge of the writer is to create characters that live and breathe on the page. To achieve this, the writer must create characters that are:
- Authentic.
- Grab the attention of the reader.
- Believable.
- Appealing to the reader.
One method of developing a character is by using a character profile.
Before constructing the story, the fiction writer ought to have a good idea of what sorts of characters he/she will include in your story, such as the protagonist and villain. To help you write about characters. You can create a character sketch or profile for each character. For each character sketch, include the following:
- Age
- Sex
- Name
- Education
- Job
- Interests
- Likes and dislikes
- Important traits
- Clothes
- Body language
- Name and moniker
The aspiring writer can ask the following questions to develop a character sketch:
- Where is the character from?
- What is the character’s social milieu or environment?
- How old is the character?
- What is the name of the character?
- What does the character look like?
- What does the character do for a living?
- How does the character deal with conflict and change?
- What is the character’s goal or motivation in the scene or story?
Dialogue
Much of what a reader learns about a character comes from what the character says and how the character says it. Keeping points in mind, the aspiring writer can use dialogue for the following purposes:
- To advance the plot. (Sam screamed, “I am going to kill you.”)
- To reveal and express character emotions and traits. (The mother said, “You are lazy.”)
- To allow characters to confront one another. (The boyfriend replied, “I am leaving you for my secretary.”)
- To crystallize situations and relations. (“I love you.”)
- To comment on the setting. (“I loathe this country.”)
- To introduce a motif, symbol, or allusion. (“You look like the Mona Lisa.”)
- To transition to a new scene or narrative summary. (“I will call you tomorrow.”)
For more information on how to use dialogue, read The Passion for Narrative.
How to Create Memorable Characters
There is no single method by which the fiction writer goes about creating memorable characters. Some get their ideas from real people. Others read about a character in the news. Some use themselves as a basis of a character sketch.
To create memorable characters, the aspiring writer can follow these suggestions:
- Early in the story, define the main goal or purpose of the protagonist.
- Create conflict throughout the story.
- Create a struggle that the character must endure and overcome.
- Create characters that are interesting and appealing to the reader.
- Create convincing motivations for your characters.
- Craft a story that the reader can relate to.
- Create multi-dimensional characters.
- Create characters that are able to defend themselves and overcome their antagonists or enemies.
- The hero must be the instrument of his own salvation.
Resources for Writing Fiction
There are several good books available to help you learn about the elements of fiction. The following books—and resources that I recommend— were used to research this article:
- Writing Fiction: A Guide to the Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway
- Creative Writing: A Guide and Glossary to Fiction Writing by Colin Bulman
- The Art and Craft of Storytelling by Nancy Lamb
- How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
- The Art of Fiction by John Gardner
- A Passion for Narrative: A Guide for Writing Fiction by Jack Hodgins
Next, I will discuss the theme of a short story or novel.
Find Your Creative Muse 