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ALLWRITEFICTIONADVICE
A D V I CEONCR EA TI V EWR I TI NG
SAT URDAY,27APRIL2013
TeasingtheReaderPart2
Continuingthethemeofteasingthereader,welllook
atacouplemoreofthoseelementswhichareata
writersdisposal.Thelasttwocommonessentialsto
lookatareforeshadowinganddialogue.
Foreshadowingisareallyeffectivetoolifused
correctly.Whileitisverysimilartotheinformationand
revelationhintsthatwevealreadytouchedupon,there
aresubtledifferencesbetweenthetwoandtheyshould
betreatedseparately.
Theactofforeshadowingisadeliberatepaththatthe
writertakesinordertofulfillanintegralpartoftheplot.
Itforeseeseventsthatwillhappen,ratherthanwhat
mighthappen,whichswhatinformationhintsmight
do.Foreshadowingisusuallyinterpretedassomething
forebodingyettohappenwithinthestory.
Cleverforeshadowingisachievedbyusingmetaphor
ratherthantheobviousinfodumporbythiswill
happeninchapter30kindofthing.
Foreshowingcanberepresentedbyanything,aslong
asthemetaphorworkswithinthenarrativeandis
generallyunderstoodbyyourreader.Metaphorscan
bespoiltbyovercomplication,sosimplicityworks.
Theexamplebelowusesaphysicalmetaphorto
foreshadowanincidentthatwilltakeplacelaterina
story.
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
A LL WR IT E FICT ION
A DVICE
IsBackstoryNecessary?
CreatingLastingImages
TrustYourMemories
ReadingYourMSSOutLoud
SortingFactfromFiction
WE LCOME T O A LL WR IT E
Soyou'veembarkedonyour
fictionwritingjourney.
It'soneofthehardestthingsto
docreateawhole,believable
worldforotherpeopletoenjoy,
especiallyifyou'renewto
writing.It'salsooneofthe
loneliestjobs,especiallywhen
thereisnohelporadviceor
support...sorightheretherewill
behandyarticles,examplesand
simplestepbystepguidesto
helpmakethecreativeprocess
thatmucheasier.
FE BR UA R Y FE MME S
FA T A LE S
Thisnewdeliciouslydark
anthologyisoutnow,witha
rangeofstunningfemalewriters
toscareanddelightinequal
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AllWriteFictionAdvice:April2013
Johnlookedupandnoticedtherollingcloudsinthe
distance,heavingwithastrangekindofdread.They
billowedforward,asthoughtosmother.Lightflashed
throughitsunderbellyastormofadifferentkindwas
approaching,onethathecouldntavoidorprevent.
measure.Iamprivilegedto
haveeightshortstories/poems
publishedinthisbook,soifyou
likeyourdamesalittledarkand
dangerous,thisisthebookfor
you.
Youcanseehowthemetaphoractsasasignpostto
thefutureevent:
Heavingwithastrangekindofdreadthissetsthe
toneofthefutureevent.
Theybillowedforward,asthoughtosmotherthis
couldhintatthemanneroflikelyevents.
Astormofadifferentkindthisclearlytellsthereader
thatthingswillnotgowellforJohn.Somethingbadwill
happen.Thereaderwillhavetocontinuereadingto
findoutwhatthatitis.
Dialogue,ontheotherhand,isalsoaperfectwayto
hintatthings.Characterslovetotalkaboutstuffthey
canthelpthemselves,justaspeopledoinreallife.
Andjustaspeoplegossipinreallifeawayofteasing
informationfromeachothercharacterswillofferclues
onfutureevents.
Youcanlurethereaderbyhavingyourcharacters
discussthingsthatmightoccurfurtherintoastory.The
followingsimpleexampleusesdialoguebetweentwo
characterstoplantinformationhintsforthereaderso
thattheywillbecomeawareofeventsthatwilloccur
furtherintothestory.
FebruaryFemmesFatalesThe
Book
Writingislikebeingmarried
youhavetoworkhardat
maintaininghappinessand
equilibrium,butinvariablyone
alwaysendsupinthedog
house.
A BOUT ME
Areyouclearonwhatyouneedtodo?Johnasked.
A J HUM PA GE
UNIT E DK INGDO M
Danlookedathim.Yeah.Howlongagainbeforethe
securitygoesdown?
Eightminutes,Johnreplied.Thatsallwegot.So
youneedtomakesureyoureinplacewhenitdoes,
gotit?NoonewillhearanythingabovetheNewYear
celebrations.
Notaproblem.
Good,cosweonlygotthreemonthstoplanthis
thing
Itisclearfromthedialoguebetweenthecharacters
thatsomethingisintheoffing,andbecausetheyare
discussingit,theyarealsoallowingthereadertobe
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
I'vebeenwritingfor
over25yearsand
startedoutinthe
publishingindustry.I've
publishedarticles,studyguides,
poems,flashfiction,short
storiesandanovel.Ialsowork
fulltimesoI'mALWAYS
working.
V IEW MY CO MPL ETE PR O F IL E
BLOOD OF T HE FA T HE R
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AllWriteFictionAdvice:April2013
privytoit.Thereaderisanobserverinanystory.
Dialogueisntjusttheretoshowcharactersspeaking,
either.Itservesmanypurposes,suchasmovingthe
storyforwardorintroducingvitalinformation.And,of
course,teasingthereaderisjustoneoftheways
dialogueisimportant.
Howeveryoudoit,whatevermethodyouchoose,a
writershoulddangleasmanycarrotsaspossible
whenevertheopportunityarises.Theunforeseen
withinastoryisagreatluretothereader.
Curiosityservesagreatpurposeitishumannatureto
wanttoknowaboutsomething.Thisneedtoknow
basisiswhatpropelsourinterestinanystory,andthe
writersabilitytocontinuallyteasewill,hopefully,keep
yourreaderhooked.
NowavailableonAmazonKindle
UKandUS
BLOOD A ND GUT S
A NT HOLOGY
Nextweek:Waystoavoidwoodencharacters
PO S TED B Y A J H UMPA G E A T S A TUR D A Y, A PR IL 27, 2013
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SAT URDAY,20APRIL2013
TeasingtheReaderPart1
Thegreatthingaboutwritingisthatishasavarietyof
toolsavailabletothewriterinordertorenderthebest
storypossible.
YOUASCAREDYCAT?Now
availableatAmazon
FE BR UA R Y FE MME S
FA T A LE S S T OR IE S
Weknowabouttherightkindofcharacterisation,the
rightbalanceofbasicelementssuchasdescription,
narrativeanddialogue,theamountofemotionand
pacetouse.Weknowaboutplotsandsubplots,
atmosphereandtension,andwereawareofmore
complicatedelementssuchassymbolism,metaphor
andassonanceandsoon.
Buttheonethingthatreadersseemtothriveonisthe
writersabilitytoteasethisisoneofthereasonswhy
theykeepturningthepage.Readingastoryisbased
onaneedtoknowbasisthereaderconstantly
needstoknow.
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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Thedeliberateteasehasbeenusedbystorytellersfor
thousandsofyears.Itisdesignedtolurethereader,to
keepthemguessing,wrongfootthemdeliberately,orit
allowsthemtomakecorrectorincorrectassumptions.
Theopportunitytoteasecanoccurthroughoutanovel
andthereforeshouldntbeignoredbywriters,because
byconstantlyandsubtlyteasingthemyoucanalso
keepthemreading.
Sometimestheseopportunitiesoccurnaturallyasthe
storyprogresses,whileotherteasersareprecisely
plottedandplannedbywritersandthenstrategically
placedwithinthenarrative.
Thehookistheveryfirstchanceawriterhastograb
thereadersattentionrightattheopeningofthestory
somethingthatholdstheirattentionandkeepsitsothat
theykeepreading.Thiscanbeachievedbyhintingat
thingstocomeinthefirstchapter,tolaycluesabout
whatmighthappenintherestofthenovel.
VisittheFeardomclickthepic
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Youreteasingthereaderfromtheoutset.
Howdoesteasingwork?
S T YLIS H BLOGGE R A WA R D
Thereisavarietyofwaysawritercanteasethe
reader.Themostcommonwaysareasfollows:
1.Informationhints
2.Revelationhints
3.Endofsceneorchaptercliffhanger
4.Narrativeallusionandsuggestion
5.Foreshadowing
6.Dialogue
Informationhintsareselfexplanatory.Theideaisthat
thewriterplantscluesforthereadertopickupon,so
laterinthestorytheywill,literally,puttwoandtwo
togetherandcometotheirownconclusion(whether
they'rerightornot).
Thehintsdonthavetobeobvioustheycanbeas
subtleasyouwantthemtobedontunderestimate
yourreaderbecausetheywillbeastuteenoughto
noticethem.Andtheinformationyouarehintingatis
andshouldberelevanttothestory/plotsomethingthat
mightbereferencedtohappenfurtherinthenovel,or
theinformationisrelevanttosomethingthatmight
happenspecificallytoacharacteretc.
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Forinstance,yourmaincharacterisafraidofwater,so
youmightreferencethisacoupleoftimesearlierinthe
storyaninformationhintthatthereaderwillnotice.
Theywillthinkthatbecauseithasbeenmentioneda
fewtimes,somethingmusthappenfurtherintothe
story.Thisisanindirect,gentletease.
Then,laterinthestory,severalcharactersareboating
onalake,butanaccidentoccursandthemain
charactermustjumpintoalaketosaveanother
character.Butsheisfrozenbytheirrationalfearof
waterthesamefearshintedatearlier.Canshejump
inandsavetheday?
Revelationhintsworkthesameway,butinsteadof
lettingthereaderinonsnippetsofinformation,the
writerlayscluestoasurprisingrevelationorimportant
disclosurefurtherinthestoryaplottwistperhaps,
whichmightwrongfootthereader.
Forexample,whatifyourmaincharacterbecomes
attractedtoanothercharacterinthestoryitlooksas
thoughhemightbefallingforher,andtheirrelationship
hotsup.Thissubplotwillteasethereaderaboutwhat
happensnextwiththem.
Then,whenthereaderleastexpectsit,thewriter
unveilsthebombshell:ittranspiresthatsheisoneof
thebadguys,andtheherofindsthathehasbeen
trappedbyherdeceitandfacesimminentdanger
Inotherwords,revelationsandplotleaksactasalure
forthereadertocontinuereading.
May(4)
April(4)
TeasingtheReaderPart2
TeasingtheReaderPart1
BreathingLifeinto
Description
ConstructingScenesPart
2
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January(3)
2012(48)
2011(50)
2010(32)
T WIT T E R
YoucanfindmeonTwitter:@AJ
Humpage
FOLLOWE R S
Jointhissite
withGoogleFriendConnect
Members(266) More
Anendofsceneorchaptercliffhangerisoneofthe
oldestploysforwriterstouse.Whenwrittencorrectly,it
practicallyguaranteesthereaderwillkeepreading.
Theideaissimpletheendofascene,and
particularlytheendofchaptersshouldhintat
somethingabouttohappen,orsomethinginevitable
inthenextsceneorchapter,sothatthereaderhasto
readoninordertofindoutwhathappens.
Forinstance,inthefirstexampleofthecharacterafraid
ofwater,thewriteristeasingthereaderwithawhatif
situation.Whatifthecharacterdoesntjumpintothe
water?Theothercharacterwilldrown.Butifshedid
jump,shecouldsavetheothercharacter,and
overcomeherfearofwater.
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Theendofthatscene,orchapter,wouldendona
cliffhanger.Forexample:
Chriswatchedthelittlegirlstrugglinginthewater,head
barelyabletokeepabovethesurface,curdledcries
skimmingacrossthewater.
Adrenalineragedthroughherbodyheartbeatloudin
herears.Legsspasmedwiththefearasthereflections
dancedfromthewaterssurface,butallChriscould
thinkaboutwasthecolddarknessbeneath,the
shadowsthatlurkedthere.
Shetookinabreath,madeadecision.
Thereaderisleftguessingwhatthatdecisionis.They
havetocontinuethestoryinordertofindout,sothey
have.Ineffect,theyhavebeenteasedbythewriter.
Writersshouldaimtodothiswithmostoftheirchapter
endings.Alwayskeepthereaderontheirtoes.
Narrativeallusionorsuggestionisaploywritersusein
ordertotoywiththereader.Theydothisbyalludingto
somethingorplantingideastoswaythereadersmind,
whichisdonethroughsubtlesuggestion.Theideais
thatthereaderwillreadanddigestthis,andtheywill
unconsciouslyrememberit,untilatsuchtimeinthe
novelthattheydiscovertheyvebeendupedbythe
writer.
Ofcourse,knowthesebyanothername:redherrings.
Theseareparticularlyprevalentincrimenovelsand
thrillersandtheyworktogreateffect.
Theyaremoredifficulttoconstructbecauseoftheir
complexityinrelationtothestory,charactersand
subplots,andthereforetheyneedalotofthoughtand
planninginordertoinitiatethemandmakethemwork.
Theeasiestexampleofthisisthewritersdouble
cross.Inacrimenovel,forinstance,thewritersetsup
thecharactersandthestorylineinsuchawayasto
makethereaderbelievethatoneparticularcharacteris
thekiller.Thewriterplantsclues,alludestothe
charactersguilt,evengoingasfarasusingthepower
ofsuggestiontocementtheideainthereadersmind.
Thewriterdanglesacarrottoteasethereaderinthis
way,untilsuchatimeasitsrevealedinaplottwistthat
itwasinfactanothercharacterwhodidthecrimeand
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
Chapter&NovelLengths
Justhowlongshouldachapterbe?
Whatsthebestlength?And
doesanovelhavetofitintoa
setamountofwords?Theseare
justtwoo...
Flashbacks
Whatisaflashback?Flashbackis
oneofthoseusefultoolsthata
writercanusetoenhancea
story.Itenrichesand,ina
sense,nourish...
Subplots
Imoftenaskedbynewwriters
howsubplotsshouldevolve.
Somewritersfindsubplots
difficulttogettogripswhile
othersareputofftry...
WOR K S OF A J HUMPA GE
http://ajhumpage.blogspot.com
ThrillersChillers'n'Killers
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nottheonethereaderassumed.
Thereaderhasbeendoublecrossedbythewriter
throughawellwrittenandwellconstructedtease.
Ofcourse,thesenarrativeallusionsarenotconfinedto
crimeorthrillernovels.Incontext,theycanbeusedin
manygenrestoillicitthesameeffect.
PA GE VIE WS LA S T MONT H
21,557
14
Inthenextarticlewellcontinuethethemebylookingat
howforeshadowinganddialoguecanteasethereader.
GOOGLE + BA DGE
Nextweek:TeasingthereaderPart2
PO S TED B Y A J H UMPA G E A T S A TUR D A Y, A PR IL 20, 2013
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SAT URDAY,13APRIL2013
BreathingLifeintoDescription
Descriptionisdescription,right?
AJ Humpage
Author and artist
Follow
Thatdependsonawritersperspectiveandhowmuch
thewriterwantstoinvestinit.
Previousarticleshavelookedathowimportant
descriptionisinanystory,andwhyitsneeded,but
whatseparatesordinarydescriptionfromthekindthat
leapsfromthepageandgetswritersnoticedbyeditors
andagents?
Theanswertothatdependshowawriterbreatheslife
intodescription.Withoutdoubt,descriptionisoneofthe
mostimportantaspectsrequiredinfictionwriting,and
howawriterhandlesitmakesallthedifferencetohow
goodthatdescriptionis.
Thethingwithdescriptionisthatsometimesitcanbe
flatanuninspiring,notbecausesomethingis
particularlybadlywritten,butbecauseinsteadthe
authorhasntreallybotheredwithit.Thiscanmake
readingalaboriousaffair.
Andifitisboringandunexciting,thenthisisindicative
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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oftellingratherthanshowing,whichisoneofthe
mostcommonattributestodreary,lacklustre
description.Intruth,weveallbeenguiltyofwritingflat
descriptionatsomepointoranother.
Aswegrowinconfidencewithourwriting,however,so
tooshouldourabilitytovisualisethestoryforthe
readerinacompletelyunique,expressiveandexciting
way.
Everywriterhasadistinctivewritingvoicetherefore
eachwriterwillconveydescriptionquitedifferently,but
itishowvisualandrichthatdescriptionisthatcould
notonlyhelpawriterschancesofpublication,butalso
helptotransportthereaderrightintotheheartofthe
story.
TellingversusShowing
Oneofthemainproblemswithdescriptionistheway
writersdealwithexposition.Moreoftenthannotthey
tellratherthanshowthereader.Thisisfineforthe
lessimportantscenes,butwithkeyscenesthe
dramatic,emotionalandactiontypescenes,itsvitalto
showthereader,toallowthemtosharethestoryand
theemotionsandreactionsratherthanjustreadabout
it.Descriptionforthesekeyscenesshouldbe
animatedenoughtostimulatethereader,ratherthan
borethem.
Therearesomewriterswhostilldontunderstandthe
conceptofshow,donttellandcontinuetowrite
unexciting,simplisticdescription.Thatsfineifthey
wanttowritethemundane.Butforwriterswhowantto
setthebarhigher,showingthereaderthrough
evocative,visualdescriptionreapsitsownrewards.
Howisitdone?
Thereareseveralelementstothis.Thewriterneedsto
beawareofandunderstandtheseelementscloselyto
createthekindofdescriptionthatbringsastorytolife
thekindthatliftsitfromthepageandtransportsthe
readerintothefictionalworld.
Description,andhowwritersconveyit,isaveryunique
thingwealldoitdifferently,butthatdoesntmeanthe
importantelementsthatmakeupgooddescription
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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shouldbeignored.
Thinkofitthiswayyourreadercannotsee,taste,
touch,smellorhearanything.Asthewriter,youhave
todescribethingssothattheycansee,taste,touch,
smellandheareverythinghappeninginyourstory.
Youneedtobeawareof:
Sensorydetails
Visualdetails
Emotionaldetails
Sensorydetailsarewoefullyignoredbymanywriters,
buttheycanplayamajorpartindescription.Thefive
sensesofferadistinctiveinsightforthereader.They
maynotbeabletophysicallysmellsomething,or
actuallysee,touchortasteorhearanything,butby
givingthemrichlylayeredhints,theywillusetheir
imaginationquiteeffectively.
Awritercanmakethereaderimaginethesmellsand
thetastes,theywillvisualisedetails,theywillfeelthe
touchofthebreeze,orahandontheskin,orthe
textureofsomething,andtheywillhearthesounds
described.
Forexample,thefollowingexcerptsaretakenfrommy
shortstoryAStainontheHeart(2012,anthology
OneHour,publishedbyStaticMovement).
Abreezeprowledacrossthemuddyforest,lefttainted
byamiserable,dolefuldownpour,andnowitsmelled
stagnantbeneaththelingeringscentofburntwoodand
flesh.
Prowled,miserable,doleful,stagnantandburntumber
arethekeywordshere.Theyarekeywordsforagood
reason.Imaginethesentencewithoutthem.
Visualdetail,whileverysimilartothesenses,covers
thewaythereaderperceivesthedescriptionofsetting
andplaceandobjects,andhowthewriterhas
visualisedthenecessarydetailstomakethestory
believable,forinstance:
Asasliverofdawnlightinkedacrosstheskyand
reflectedfromthesnowcappedforestoftheArdennes,
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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thedevastationslowlyemergedandsoakedFreddies
mindwithsoundsandimageshewouldratherforget.
Thedulllightgrazedacrossthescene.Hesaw
upturnedmoundsofearth,fallentreesanddarkscars
carvedthroughsulliedsnow.Butitwasthefrosty,
soullesslandscapelitteredwithhelmetsandboots,
fragmentsofuniformsandbitsofmenthatmadehis
stomachdroptohisfeet.
Oneotherthingthatdescriptiondoeswhichisquite
importantistorelayemotion.Emotionandtheability
tomoveyourreader,isadrivingforcewithinfiction.
ThefollowingexcerptisfromVoices(2012
anthology,LastNight,publishedbyStatic
Movement).Thefirstexampleistellingthereader.
Whathadbeguntowardstheeveninghadcontinuedas
thesunlightsankbehindthetrees,leavingsunlight
gleamingbetweenthebranches,whichseemedlost
withintheconfinesofthecamp,andjustaslostonthe
confusedandhungrypeoplethatfiledfromthecattle
trains.
Hethoughtaboutthebodiesfromtheshowers,lives
stolen,theireyeslifelessandhandsfrozen.
Thisisfairlyflatanduninspiring.Itdoesntsaymuchto
thereaderanditcertainlydoesntdoanythingother
thantellthereader.Anditcertainlydoesntshow
anything.Nowtheoriginalexcerpt,whichshowsthe
reader:
Whathadbeguninearnesttowardstheeveninghad
continuedasthesunlightsankbehindthethicklineof
pinesthatveiledthem,leavingbeautifulsaffrontinted
rivuletsgleamingbetweenthebranches.Suchbeauty
seemedlostwithinthecold,barrenconfinesofthe
camp,andjustaslostonthedeathlygreyfacesthat
filedfromthecattletrainsconfused,hungryand
riddledwithexhaustion.
Hethoughtaboutthefreshmoundsoffleshdragged
fromtheshowers,livesstolen,theireyeslifelessand
yetbrimmingwithrivenreflectionsoftheirlastterrible
moments,theirhandsfrozenintognarledclaws.
Thisshowsratherthantells.Itusesvisualandsensory
stimulus,itreferencescolourasametaphor,itstands
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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outanditmakesthereaderthinkbecauseitfocuseson
theemotionalimpact.Itcontainsmanyoftheelements
neededtomakedescriptioncomealive.
Descriptionisdescription,butitsnothingunlessa
writerbreatheslifeintoit.
Nextweek:Howtoteasethereader.
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ConstructingScenesPart2
Continuingourlookathowtoconstructkeyscenes,
welltakealookatTransitionalscenesandFlashback
scenes,whicharequitecommoninfictionandvery
usefulelementsforthewriter.
Writersusetransitionalscenestocrossaspecifictime
span,i.e.hours,days,monthsorevenyears,without
theneedtodescribeeverythingindetail.Usuallythey
arenothingmorethanafewsentences,buttheytell
thereaderthattimehaspassed,withoutthewriter
havingtoborethereaderbydescribingthedetailsof
thetimespanwithlongwindedpassages.
Example:
Fourweekslater,Johndrovethecartothehighstreet
andparkedupnearthebank,justasDanhad
instructed.Hewaited.
Itsaysconciselywhatthereaderneedstoknowfour
weekshavepassedsinceDansconversationwith
John(inPart1)andthenarrativehasmovedforwardto
thedayoftherobbery.Twosentencescoverwhat
mighthavetakenthewriterapageortwopagesto
describe.
Wellwrittentransitionalscenesshouldbeseamless
andunobtrusivesothatthereaderwillbarelynotice.
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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Theyaredesignedtomoveforward(orbackward)
withoutdisruptingtheflowofnarrative.
Flashbackscenes,asopposedtotransitionalscenes,
areselfexplanatory.Theyjumpbacktoamomentin
thecharacterspastinorderforthewritertoexplain
thingsthatarehappeninginthepresent.
Theyformanintegralpartofanynovel,andalthough
notacompulsoryrequirement,theyaredesiredifthe
writerneedstoexplainspecificincidentsthathappened
tothemaincharacterinthepastthatmayaffecttheir
behaviourasthestoryunfoldsinthepresent.
Flashbacksalsohelppropelthestoryforward,despite
theparadoxofleapingbackward.
Example:
Heremembereditclearly,thememorystillfreshlikean
openwound.Theoriginalfeelingsofeuphoriaand
arrogancehadquicklyturnedtoangstthemomentthe
faroffsoundofsirensbrokethroughthenight.Likethe
others,hedthoughthedgotawaywithit.Theyhad
splitthemoneyandgonetheirseparateways,thinking
thatwouldfoolthepolice,butithadnt,andpanicsetin
atthethoughtofbeingcaught
Thesceneslipsunobtrusivelyintothepast,anduses
pluperfecttensetoshowthereaderthatithappenedin
thepast,ratherthanthepresent.Thisisachievedby
usinghadinthenarrative.
NotethatIvenotincludedFlashforwards,simply
becausetheyfulfilthesamefunctionasflashbacks,
however,unlesswritingscifi/fantasy,oratimetravel
themedstory,flashforwardsdonothaveaplaceina
story,sinceneitherthewriter,northecharacters,can
predictthefuture.
Now,ifwestitchsomeoftheexamplescenesshownin
Part1togetherwiththeseexamplesinPart2,we
shouldhavesomethingthatcontainsthemajorityof
thosesceneelementstomakeanentirescene.
Dontexpectmetohelpyououtofthishole,John
said.
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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Justthisonce,Dansaid.IpromiseIwontaskagain.
Yeah,yousaidthatlasttime,remember?Imstill
paying.Icouldhavegotcaught.Iwasthatclose.
Butyoudidntgetcaught.Wegotawaywithit.
Theresonlysomanytimespeoplecangetawaywith
it.Youreaskingtoomuchthistime,Johnsaid.Its
justtoorisky.
Wegetagoodpayout,hesaid.Donttellmeyou
aintinterestedinthat(Conversational)
Heremembereditclearly,thememorystillfreshlikean
openwound.Theoriginalfeelingsofeuphoriaand
arrogancehadquicklyturnedtoangstthemomentthe
faroffsoundofsirensbrokethroughthenight.Likethe
others,hedthoughthedgotawaywithit.Theyhad
splitthemoneyandgonetheirseparateways,thinking
thatwouldfoolthepolice,butithadnt,andpanicsetin
atthethoughtofbeingcaught(Flashback)
Fourweekslater,Johndrovethecartothehighstreet
andparkedupnearthebank,justasDanhad
instructed.Hewaited.(Transitional)
Johnglancedintherearviewmirror,sawperspiration
onhisbrow,thicklikehoney.Thenhepeeredahead
andcloselywatchedthedoorstothebank.Theengine
hummed,waiting,thesoundalmostsoothingand
soporific,butithadfeltlongerthanfourminutessince
DanwentintothebankthatJohncontemplateddriving
offwithouthim,anythingtogetoutofgrowing
dangeroussituation.Minutestickedlikeanechoing
clockinJohnsfrazzledmind(Descriptive)
Fromthesedifferenttypesofscenesitseasytosee
howtheyworktogethertocreateacohesivewhole
scene,whatweusuallytermakeysceneinthestory.
Notalloftheelementalsceneshavebeenused,of
course,butthisexamplemakesuseofconversational,
flashback,transitionalanddescriptivescenes,and
scenesworkbetterwhentherearemoreofthem.
Writershavemanysceneelementsattheirdisposal,so
theycanuseanynumberofcombinedsceneswithin
thestory,andofcourse,itsuptothestorytodictate
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2013_04_01_archive.html
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2/23/2015
AllWriteFictionAdvice:April2013
wherethosescenesneedtobe.
Nextweek:BreathingLifeintoDescription
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