Unit 11: Novels. Unit 12: Biographies and poetry. Unit 13: Writing for television.
Unit 14: Writing for radio. Unit 15: Writing for theatre. Unit 16: Writer's first-aid kit.
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Materials checklist • writing textbooks (6) • Successful Writing Series DVDs (2) • OpenOffice.org CD (an office suite for Windows) • Desktop Encyclopedia CD • How to Market your Writing CDs (3)
Creative Writing Course
Unit 1: Getting to know you Welcome to the course! We hope that you’ll really enjoy the course units, books, training CDs, and movies. They comprise the latest and most up to date resource material available anywhere. Your course is composed of sixteen units: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Unit 1: Getting to know you Unit 2: Identifying your market niche Unit 3: From thought to paper Unit 4: The short story Unit 5: Developing unique characters Unit 6: Writing for children Unit 7: Writing romance Unit 8: Technical writing Unit 9: Specialty writing Unit 10: Writing humor Unit 11: Novels Unit 12: Biographies and poetry Unit 13: Writing for television Unit 14: Writing for radio Unit 15: Writing for theatre Unit 16: Writer’s first-aid kit
All your course units can be found online by logging into your student home page and clicking “course material” on the menu.
The support team You have access to a toll-free help line. If you have any questions or need advice, simply call 1-800-267-1829. You can also reach us easily by email at
[email protected]. Our office staff can generally give you immediate advice on any problems you may have. We can also schedule an appointment for an in-depth discussion with your tutor at a time that best suits you. The school’s tutors are working professionals skilled in communications—we insist upon this. Our tutors have hands-on experience on what works and what doesn’t.
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Submitting your work Part 1: Creating your document • For each assignment, create a new document in the word processor of your choice. • At the top of the new document, include your name, student number, and the assignment number. • Use a clear 10- or 12-point font to write your assignments, such as Times New Roman. • When your assignment is complete, save your document. a. If you are using Microsoft Word 97, 2000, XP, or 2003, your document is already in Microsoft Word 97–2003 format (.doc). You can submit this file. b. If you are using a different word processor (Microsoft Word 2007, OpenOffice.org Writer, Corel Wordperfect, Microsoft Works, etc.) you will need to save a new copy of your document in Microsoft Word 97–2003 format (.doc). Every word processor should have this capability. Remember: you do not have to own a copy of Microsoft Word to complete your assignments. You don’t even need to use Microsoft Windows. However, you must save your file in Microsoft Word 97–2003 format before submitting it. A short tutorial can be found at http://www.winghill.com/winghill/students/word 97-2003.asp. Part 2: Submitting your document . Log in to www.winghill.com with your username and password. These are provided on a separate sheet of paper. 2. Click “submit an assignment” in the menu. 3. Complete the submission form. 4. Click “submit.”
The personal profile assignment This introductory unit is substantially different from all the other units in your course. It’s about your personal profile assignment. The unit may be very short but it is a vital first
Creative Writing Course step—it’s your chance to introduce yourself to the school and to your tutor. Relax and have fun as you answer the questions. You can be as brief or as lengthy in your responses as you want. Generally about 50 to 100 words per answer should suffice but if you want to add more, feel free to do so. It’s your document. There’s no need to include the text of the question as part of your answer. Simply write the number of the question to which you are responding and then write your reply. If you are uncomfortable with responding to any question, don’t worry. Simply omit that question from your answers. We understand. Some people do not want to be too self revelatory at this point.
Why do we ask you to complete a personal profile? Your personal profile assignment helps us match you up with the most appropriate tutor, someone who enjoys working in the areas you’d like to concentrate on and who you will get along with. After all, you are going to develop a really personal relationship with him or her. Your tutor will read your profile and get a good understanding of who you are and what you want to do in your course. Once you’ve sent in your personal profile you’ll hear back from us pretty quickly, generally within one day. We’ll read your profile, match you with the best tutor for you, and email to let you know who your tutor is. We’ll give you career details of him or her so that you are comfortable with the person you’ll be working with on this exciting journey.
A note about the assignments You are about to start on a pleasant journey of learning with the help and support of your tutor. Assignments 1, 2, 3, and 4 contain pre-set work. When you have completed these assignments, your tutor will tailor each new assignment especially for you. The pre-set assignments • • • •
Assignment 1 Assignment 2 Assignment 3 The first part of assignment 4
The individually tailored assignments • The second part of assignment 4 • Assignments 5 to 20
Quality of Course Remember that the work your tutor gives you may not necessarily reflect the subject matter of the unit you are reading. You do not have to work in subject areas that are not of specific interest to you—you should, however, carefully read all the units. The day may come when you want to write radio scripts!
Creative Writing Course
Assignment 1: Your personal profile Please answer these questions to the best of your ability. 1. What type of work have you done? Which of these did you especially like or dislike? Why? Do you consider any of your occupations or experiences unusual? 2. What age group do you most closely identify with? Do most of your friends, coworkers and acquaintances fit into this age group? 3. What hobbies or interests occupy most of your leisure time or thoughts? 4. Describe places and countries you have visited or lived in. Which do you know really well? Tell us about any unusual features of interest. 5. Tell us something of your particular likes and dislikes. What are your fears? Do you hold very strong views on any topics? 6. Give us a brief idea of what you would describe as the most emotional experience or time in your life. 7. Do you possess any particular knowledge or skills that are not necessarily related to your work experience? 8. What do you read? (Publications you like to read and those you feel you must read.) 9. Briefly describe your writing interests. Have you ever been published? Where? 10. What would you most like to gain from this course? What are your long-term writing ambitions and aspirations? 11. Include any information you feel will aid your tutor to understand your aims and limitations better.
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Unit 2: Identifying your market niche Introduction Likely the most important element of this unit is to introduce you to the writing outlets you have to choose from. You may already be lucky enough to know where your writing strengths shine. Some people seem to have been born to sit by a crackling fire and spin marvellous tales of flight and fantasy. Others have an enviable knack of de-mystifying more topical and complex issues. Still others can flit back and forth between the literary worlds of fiction and non-fiction. The second unit will help you to pinpoint your areas of interest and consequently help to direct you towards the most marketable areas. Don’t get discouraged if this initial step of identifying your own best markets takes a little time and effort. Most worthwhile things do. It’s all part of the learning process and one that will serve you well in your writing career. So let’s get started! The single most important factor in determining whether you will succeed or fail, as a writer is your choice of markets. Writing a piece of text and then looking for a place to sell it is like cutting a key and then looking for a lock that it will fit. No two magazines, no two editors, are looking for exactly the same thing. Harlequin won’t buy what zebra will. What would suit cat fancy wouldn’t suit cats magazine. An article that was ideal for cosmopolitan would be rejected by vogue. One of an editor’s many tasks is to make his or her publication distinctive. He or she is charged with ensuring that xyz monthly is readily distinguishable from the rival abc quarterly. To do that, the editor selects a set of criteria. The articles bought will be longer or shorter, more or less “chatty.” They will be aimed at a younger, or older, readership, with a higher, or lower, income or educational level. An article about how to prepare single portion low budget meals might appeal to lower income, retired people. Readers with large families or high incomes wouldn’t be likely to read it. Likewise, a newspaper entitled widow’s weekly isn’t likely to be interested in an article on the trendiest bistros in Paris. This unit will help you choose your first markets. The process takes a little time and thought. It’ll be worth the effort. This exercise is an extremely important one for a writer to perform. However brilliant your writing, however insightful and useful your content, if the text isn’t precisely aimed at a specific publication, it will almost certainly go unsold.
Creative Writing Course Unless your text is humorous and fits one of their regular features, such as “life’s like that,” don’t aim at Reader’s Digest. Read the first page of the magazine. They take very little freelance work.
Choosing a topic Everyone has at least one area he or she feels comfortable discussing. It needn’t be a university-accredited field, simply a topic you feel you understand quite fully. Whether it’s Mesopotamian pottery, how to propagate begonias, or how to cook a perfect rasher of bacon, there is something that you know more about than an average person, or even a brain surgeon, does. You have a hobby, or an activity, or work experience that most people don’t. Are there specific problems related to your interests or hobby? How do you deal with them? Has this interest introduced you to any unusual people or situations? What tips have you discovered, related to your hobby, that are worth passing on? Remember, Martha Stewart has made a career out of being a “super homemaker.” What difficulties are there that you could warn a newcomer to your hobby about? What unexpected rewards has your hobby brought you? Your life’s experience is often your best and soundest source of material for both articles and fiction. Things happen, daily. If you are twenty, you have perhaps fifteen years of unique recallable “days”—almost 5500 of them. Some of them will be of interest to someone. In your life you have acquired numerous skills and lived through many “incidents.” Some of those “life lessons” are saleable. It’s up to you to drag them out of your memory, dust them off, and give them marketable shape. What type of first-hand knowledge do you think will benefit your writing goals? How?
Markets A full-time professional journalist learns how to analyze markets. He or she has acquired the ability to select a magazine and then scan through a dozen issues to determine the required length, voice, and content to suit that magazine. You have an advantage over that professional. He or she has to seek new markets. At this stage, you don’t. Whichever magazines or other publications you habitually read and enjoy—those are your prime targets. You know those journals. Whereas a professional who has an idea that might suit xyz magazine has to make sure that xyz hasn’t published something similar in the past twelve months, you already know that because you read the publication regularly. • Publications suited to your occupational or special interests (e.g., Pacific Yachting, Popular Mechanics, the Church Herald) • General interest publications (e.g., weekly newspaper supplements, Grit, the Saturday Evening Post)
Quality of Course • Trade or professional journals, specific interest publications (e.g., The Daily Oil Bulletin, Canadian Chiropractor, Crochet World) • Local publications (e.g., Any city life magazine, the Georgia Straight) Don’t try to write for every possible market at first. It’s better to concentrate on one or two publications that you know well. It’s also important to remember to aim realistically. A beginner’s chances of selling to Chatelaine are slim. A novice runner wouldn’t attempt the Boston marathon without the physical and emotional strength gained through more suitable races first. Nothing breeds success like success. Your first market is the English-speaking world. If you are a regular reader of an American, Canadian, or UK magazine, don’t hesitate to write for it. As a general rule, you can’t sell the identical article twice. You can, however, rewrite and re-slant the same basic material and sell it again. An amateur gardener can share her horticultural skills with a gardening magazine, her preserving skills with a homemakers’ journal, and her “organic methods” with a health magazine. If she finds that planting with the full moon encourages giant tomatoes, that might suit a “new age” publication and advice on how to become and remain a physically fit gardener would do well in a health publication. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Market Tester Your story idea, no matter how clever or well written, won’t reap the success it deserves unless you know how and where to market it. By carefully dissecting a publication and answering the questions on the following pages, you’ll greatly increase your chances of making a sale. Who makes up the publication’s usual readership? Determine the readers’ age range, sex, occupation, likely hobbies, educational and income levels by examining the publications’ advertisements. Who are they aimed at? Look at the subject matter and how it is presented. Why do they read it? For entertainment? Specific information? General knowledge? Work-related information? Reinforcement of self-image? What message is the editor hoping to send the reader? Is he or she selling a moral or religious stance? Is the message pro-affluent lifestyle? Is it ecologically sensitive? Does the magazine promote a particular viewpoint? Is it biased towards any political group? Is it upbeat, or sober?
Creative Writing Course What topics or opinions would be unlikely to be expressed in this magazine? Why? What topics does it cover? Who writes what? Which articles or features are regularly staff-written and therefore not a good springboard for a freelance novice? Which ones are written by technical experts? e.g., Discover’s articles are all scientific, written by people who hold scientific degrees. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree at least, Discover is unlikely to buy your text. Check by-lines (the named authors of articles) against the masthead, which will list the staff contributors. If they all match, the magazine is virtually all staff-written. Before proposing any story idea to an editor, take the time to study at least several back issues of the publication. Nothing can turn off an editor more than receiving a story that is identical to one that he recently published. At least the editor will know that you have taken enough time and trouble to familiarize yourself with his or her product. Checking back issues will also give you a better “feel” for the publication and may well turn up ideas for new story updates.
Types of articles and tips for producing them Do-it-yourself or instructional This type of article is suitable for a wide range of publications and can prove a good place for a beginner to start. Choose an activity, craft, or problem that you know well. Keep your tips or advice concise and clear. Don’t assume that the reader is familiar with the required tools or materials, or knows the technical language, unless the article is aimed at a journal that’s published for experts. Use the language that the magazine routinely uses. Stick to an outline that introduces the project and explains each step chronologically. Open with a statement of benefit, such as “you will be proud to display this decorative wreath” or “you will save $31.50 A week if you—” (The more precisely you can express the benefit, the more “real” it will be to your reader.) Go on to a step-by-step series of instructions, starting with a list of materials needed. You might want to tell your readers where they can obtain those materials. Some magazines like photographs and diagrams and will pay extra for them. Check the magazine’s guidelines. Women’s interest These publications have changed greatly over the years, mostly to the writer’s advantage. While many magazines still focus on cooking hints, fashion, and craft ideas, others are
Quality of Course branching out to include a wide variety of general and topical issues. Your work should be thoroughly researched, sound, and worth the reader’s time. Do-it-yourself articles, recipes, and problem-solving tips must be accurate and generally personally tested. Your own experience, again, is often the best source of story ideas for this type of publication. Travel articles A good travel piece doesn’t just tell readers how to get there, or what attractions they’ll find when they go. It’s a writer’s ideal opportunity to tempt the reader’s many senses. Editors are looking for articles that encourage travel, or that are aimed at “armchair travellers.” Research indicates that the majority of the readers of travel articles have no intention of travelling. They want the vicarious experience. In a personal tone, usually with the help of clever anecdotes, you can encourage the reader to taste, feel, hear, smell, and see the experience you chose to share with him. Newspapers’ weekend supplements offer a good sampling of this type of writing. Avoid travel brochure descriptions; your personal interpretations and feelings will have greater impact on both the editor and reader. If you can, give the feel of the destination. Tell your readers what it smells and sounds like and what it’s like to experience high or low temperatures. Thirty-eight degrees might not mean much, but “the sweating starts four seconds after you leave air conditioning” or “don’t touch exposed metal—it burns,” means more. Make it personal and specific. Don’t write, “there are many quaint little restaurants” when you could write, “in an unnamed alley, behind St. mark’s, there is a green door. The venturesome traveller who pushes through a beaded curtain will be greeted by...” Seasonal articles This category can be a goldmine for a freelancer. Staff writers have usually been drained of every original thought they are capable of producing about Valentine’s, Christmas and so on. Editors become desperate, and welcome freelance submissions that are season-specific. Remember “lead-time.” Most publications need seasonal articles about six months in advance. Writing for children Writing for children is demanding but rewarding. Whether you write a “how to,” an educational piece, or fiction, you must know precisely which age you are aiming at. A text that is ideal for a four or five year old will be beyond the comprehension of the average child of three, and will bore one of six. Writing for children is not necessarily easy, but it can be lots of fun. Informational or do-it-yourself articles are popular with children. Keep in mind that, thanks to modern technology, children expect to be entertained. 10
Creative Writing Course General interest These can be on almost any subject, but “human interest” has the most universal appeal. If you can slant your text to make it topical, so much the better. A story about an old soldier is more likely to sell if it can be published close to a military anniversary. The tale of “what happened to a 1970 Olympian” will have more appeal in an Olympic year. General interest can also incorporate “seasonal,” with a piece about your own experience as a mall Santa’s elf, for example. This is a catchall category that can accommodate many types of writing from profiles of established or future celebrities to off beat stories ranging from mad inventors to compulsive collectors.
How to create saleable story ideas from scratch There is nothing, apart from new scientific discoveries, that is completely fresh. “New” ideas are manufactured by taking two or more old ideas that haven’t been combined before and putting them together. Your most important resource is yourself and your own memories. You are unique. If your individuality is applied to an article, your article will also be unique, which is exactly what editors are looking for. Visit your library. Scan local or obscure publications. Many story ideas have been sparked by combing through small town weeklies. Keep your mind alert for odd combinations. If you deliver mail for a living, and happen to read the undertaker’s gazette, your viewpoint will be different from that of someone with another profession. How do mail carriers feel about delivering to morticians? Do they sometimes wonder what could be in that brown paper package? Depending on your temperament, that could lead to a short piece of horror fiction, a parable for a religious publication, or an “advice” piece on wrapping parcels properly. It’s that special combination, your viewpoint combined with some interesting piece of trivia, that makes for interesting reading. A persistent writer soon learns how to pick up on seemingly trite news items and develop them into solid marketable stories. A small newspaper item about a local dignitary losing his speech notes on a recent flight could lead to a light piece on the types of items sitting in your city’s lost and found departments (restaurants, schools, buses, airports...) The article could examine return policies, cost of storing unclaimed items, successful return rates, most unusual item, etc. Remember that it helps to know something about what you are planning to write about, but it isn’t always necessary. Terrific articles have been produced by writers who had little more than a genuine interest in the topic and knew how and where to research it properly. It’s important that your enthusiasm, whether based on experience or palpable curiosity, spills over into your writing.
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Quality of Course Current market conditions have placed new restraints upon editors. Until recently, most of them invested considerable time in encouraging new writers. They were willing to enter into correspondence with writers who showed promise. They were willing to correct the “form” if the content had merit. Now, unfortunately, many of those editors have lost half their staffs. As a result, most of them cannot, until times improve, spend time writing responses to queries or checking grammar. The School recommends, for now, that new writers send completed texts with cover letters instead of queries, unless that violates the publisher’s guidelines.
Writing queries and cover letters For the most part, a query and a cover letter are the same or at least very similar. The intent, in either case, is to induce an editor to read your text. To write a cover letter, try wearing an editor’s hat. What does he or she want? If you can define that, and produce it, your work will sell. Every magazine is different, but there are universals. An editor wants • Text that will interest the publication’s readers • Text that fits the image of the publication • Text that fits the publication’s length requirements • Text that requires no editing, or close to it Your cover/query letter should “sell” the editor on all of the above. A good cover letter should give the editor a solid idea as to what he or she can expect from the actual story. It must indicate the content of the story as well as the tone and approach. The editor will also need a brief explanation of why you think you are the best writer for the story. Open with a “grabber.” Here’s an example of a cover letter for an article on indoor air pollution. If the magazine’s guidelines ask for queries only, just change the “I enclose...” line to “my article is complete and waiting for your go ahead.” Dear , Here is the outline regarding the indoor pollution story I suggested . It’s taken a couple of decades but employers, office designers and architects are finally acknowledging the fact that the work environment is crucial to an employee’s mental and physical well-being and, consequently to his productivity. Recent examples, however, prove that some employers are slower than others in accepting this correlation.
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Creative Writing Course Sept: employees of the national fund for film preservation walked off the job, claiming asbestos insulation and other toxic chemicals were making them sick. July: high levels of carbon dioxide were cited as the cause of many ailments among tenants of the czrt building. Ongoing: zeron inc. Workers are still unhappy with their work place. They claim little has been done to improve the building’s air quality, despite a recent court order to enhance ventilation systems. This sample of cases indicates the timeliness and scope of the problem. The article would focus on interviews with employees, employers and, where possible, with those responsible for the maintenance or design of the troubled areas mentioned. Consideration will be given to how the employer can benefit by providing a safe and pleasant work environment and how he can achieve such an ideal. Estimated length: 2000 words. Naturally, I’d be happy to consider any changes or suggestions you might have. Sincerely, F. Lance writer
The pattern is the same whatever the story idea you have in mind. For instance, if you have written a piece on the origin of amusing or common expressions, you might start out with the following opening: Dear , Does your grandmother want to learn how to suck eggs? If not, why do we warn, “don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs?” The amusing answer to the origins of this and two dozen other common expressions...”
Remember to convince the editor that your text fits her publication. “In my five years of reading your magazine, I have noticed that...”
When the editor knows that you are familiar with the publication and have studied it, tell him how long your text is. “My article is 3000 words long.”
You have likely heard of writers who refuse to produce a text until an editor has indicated interest. Established writers can do that. Editors know the quality of their work and how reliable they are. You will reach that stage in your career, eventually. When you are successful, an editor might call you and ask for, “5000 words on exotic railways, by the ninth.” Be patient. It takes time to reach those heights. A reputation isn’t earned overnight. A “deadline” is the date that you have promised, or contracted, to deliver a text. You don’t make that promise, or sign that contract, unless you are confident you can fulfil your 13
Quality of Course obligation. If you fail, that editor is unlikely to hire you again. “Late” almost invariably means, “too late.” Writing is like running; the more you do the faster you get. Be cautious, as a part-time beginner, of promising “500 words in six weeks.” Write the 500 words. Check them until you are confident that they are as good as they can be, and then promise them to an editor. This will save you the heartache and adrenalin surges of rushing to produce promised text in a panic. If and when you become a professional, you will think nothing of promising a mere 500 words “tomorrow,” or even “by three o’clock.” It’s best not to submit the same article or story to more than one editor at a time. If either buys it, she’ll likely want exclusive rights. If both decide they want it, you are going to upset one of them. Publishing is a surprisingly small world. Editors talk to other editors. A bad reputation spreads fast.
Outlines Sometimes a publication’s guidelines specify a query letter with an outline. A detailed outline of your proposed story should answer specific points the editor may want you to clarify. As you begin to establish a reputation with certain publications, you will likely find that the requests for outlines diminish. Still, many writers continue to produce them long into their careers. On the preceding page you will find an example of an outline.
Editors Editors used to edit. Now they rarely do. They can’t afford the time. Today, many editors employ “readers.” A reader’s job is not to decide what texts should be bought, but which ones can be eliminated quickly. Without that process, most editors would be overwhelmed by the number of submissions they receive. Ninety percent of submissions from new writers don’t reach an editor’s desk. From your point of view, that’s good. Ninety percent of your competition is left at the gate. You won’t be, because your texts are going to look professional. To avoid being included in that 90% you simply submit clean copy on plain white bond paper. It should be double spaced, written in an easy-to-read font, such as Times New, and you should use a font size from 10 pt to 12 pt. Your text should be left aligned. Periods and commas have no space preceding them and are followed by only one space. Every sentence must actually be a sentence, complete with a subject and a verb. You must check your spelling. Use one space between the period and the first letter of the next sentence. This goes against the grain for people using the typography instilled by generations of old-fashioned typewriter 14
Creative Writing Course users, but for years word processors have nicely accommodated the spacing after a period. Double-spacing after a period will actually interfere with your word processor’s formatting. Once an editor knows you, you are justified in calling him or her to discuss a story idea. Be wary, though. Editors lead hectic lives. The surest way to be rejected is to submit to an entirely inappropriate journal. It seems unbelievable, but would-be writers have been known to send text on flower arranging to wrestling magazines, or ones on car repairs to dance international. An editor does not owe you a response to an unsolicited submission. Most will reply, as a courtesy, but not all are willing to spend the time.
Copyright and rights offered for sale This can be a complex subject. That’s why copyright lawyers get rich. For specific questions, ask your tutor, but there is one point that must be made. Until recently, editors had time to negotiate. Those times have passed. For years, we recommended that writers mark which rights they wanted to offer when selling the work at the top of each cover sheet. In recent times that practice has sometimes proved a disadvantage. Most publishing houses have “house rules.” They buy certain rights, and no others. If the rights that are offered do not fit, the chances are that the editor will find rejection easier than negotiation. Most of our tutors no longer mark rights on a submission. The exception would be when submitting to newspapers. Then they mark, “one time only rights.” In that market, things move rapidly. The first indication that a newspaper has “bought” your work could well be when you see it in print. There’s more on copyright, rights, and manuscript preparation in unit three.
Points to remember • You have hundreds of marketable interests and experiences. The secret is in recognizing them, and in marketing them wisely. • Start modestly. You can’t expect to sell to major publications until you have “paid your dues.” • Always keep in mind the value of the market tester. Never start an article or story without one. • Listen to people. Listen to yourself. There are stories everywhere. • Your cover letter is the first piece of your writing that an editor sees. Make it your best text. First impressions count. • Treat deadlines with respect. “On time” is the golden rule. • Editors are your customers. The customer is always right, even when she’s wrong. 15
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Assignment 2 Part I: Choose two topics to write about Return to “choosing a topic” and read it again. Decide on two topics you’d like to write about. Briefly describe each topic.
Part II: Pick your publications For each topic, pick a magazine or newspaper you think you could submit your idea to. Analyze the publications by briefly replying to the questions in “Market Tester.” Write your answers. Choose relatively small publications to start. They are more likely to accept work from a beginner.
Part III: Begin to develop your two ideas into written work Briefly explain why each idea is suitable for the publication you have chosen for it. In two or three paragraphs, outline the content of what you intend to write for each piece. Submit your explanation and outline.
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Unit 3: From thought to paper Introduction What you do with your topic is as important as the topic itself. Your style and research abilities will determine the slant or focus of the subject you’ve chosen to explore and share with your readers. This unit will help you dig for ideas and develop a source network that you will be able to turn to for countless other stories and assignments. You’ll discover that, with a little persistence, you can learn and consequently write about almost any subject by knowing which rock to overturn or which door to knock on for background information or confirmation. The value of a solid, informative interview will be examined. You’ll soon learn that there’s merit in the claim that the key to a strong interviewer is one who makes celebrities feel like “ordinary” people, and one who can make “ordinary” people feel like celebrities. The angst of actually writing will be lessened by breaking down the process, step by step. Your typewriter or computer should be something you look forward to working with on a regular basis.
Getting it down on paper It’s been said (mostly by writers) that the most intimidating thing in the world is a blank piece of paper. That’s why those same writers find it necessary to get something—anything— written down, in order to start the writing process. It’s amazing how much easier the task seems once the page loses its imposing emptiness. You can start with the title and by simply jotting down or typing random thoughts. Remember, these initial ideas are not carved in stone, so you have the power to change them along the way. Your first ideas will likely stem from the research you’ve accumulated before getting to this writing stage. Solid researching skills are the backbone of solid writing.
How to research your topic Always keep in mind that your ideas should be factual and fresh. The audience interested in how to peel a banana or engrossed by the shelf life of a kumquat is limited. You must tell the reader something new, in an interesting and entertaining style—even if the subject itself is less than revolutionary.
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Research sources Government and private sector information agencies These departments essentially exist for your benefit. They can provide a host of literature (usually for free) on countless topics. Try your local telephone book (including the commercial and government pages) for phone numbers and addresses. Your local library Chances are your local librarian would welcome the opportunity to help you pinpoint a reference book. Don’t ignore the resource centres at your local community college or university. Personal experience Don’t hesitate to draw on your own background to help substantiate a point in your article. This is particularly true of nostalgia or personal accounts-type stories. Interviews In many articles, interviews make up the bulk of the source material. Information gleaned from interviews is not only generally more up-to-date, but it also helps to add life and color to the story. Personal files It’s a good idea to invest some time and effort into developing your own subject files. Newspaper and magazine clippings (always include the publication date and source of the clipping), along with your notes can save you much time and frustration when you’re up against a deadline. Many writers also maintain a file folder containing possible ideas for future stories—for those dry spells.
Interviewing Take the lead from a boy scout: be prepared. The actual live interview should be the last step of your information gathering process. Check out all other sources (printed material, etc.) Regarding the subject before setting up the interview appointment, and always make an appointment first. How to introduce yourself When making the appointment with the interviewee (generally by telephone) maintain a polite and professional tone. State your name clearly and the name of the publication interested in the story. Explain briefly the nature or slant of the article and why you think the 18
Creative Writing Course interviewee could contribute to its writing. Do not go into minute detail about the article; you’ll be taking up too much of the listener’s time, and at that point you cannot guarantee what the article will be like. Be punctual Be on time for the appointment and again, come prepared. In a small note book (clipboards tend to intimidate), scribble down several pertinent questions and areas you feel should be discussed. Most interviewees will accept your use of a tape recorder if you assure them that the tape can be stopped at his or her request. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the equipment before the interview. If you look comfortable with it, chances are the subject will feel that way too. Remember, that the tape recorder is a saving grace for the spoken word, but you must jot down visual details. It’s just as important to a story that you relate exactly what the subject said as how he said it. (Did he fidget in his chair? Did his eyes dart away? Etc.) The actual interview You’ll soon learn that there’s more to interviewing than getting answers to who, what, where, when, how, and why. There’s much to be said about the art of knowing when not to ask a question. It’s generally unproductive to push for an answer from a reluctant subject. You may try to re-phrase the question later in the interview (always keep the touchy subjects till the end) and hope for an adequate reply. If the interviewee appears tense, you may want to break the ice by revealing a shared interest or view. But remember, you are interviewing him, not vice versa. Closing the interview When you feel you’ve acquired all the information you need, wait for an appropriate break and say so. Tell the interviewee that you are grateful for his cooperation and that you will see that he or she receives a copy of the published article as soon as it’s available. Never agree to let him see your draft or unpublished version of the article. If he requests it, politely but firmly, tell him that it is against the policy of most reputable publications to do so (and it is). Such a practice puts the writer in an awkward position if changes to his article are made at the editing stage, and allows the article’s authenticity to come into question. How many articles would you believe if you knew the author had collaborated with a source or interviewee to put it together? Keep the interviewee’s name, number, and address on file for future reference. Writing the story The lead, or opening paragraph, can be the most important part of your story. It’s your first, if not only, chance to “hook” the reader. You can decide on the type of lead you’ll use by 19
Quality of Course considering the style and topic of the article and its intended market. You can also confirm that your choice is appropriate by examining publications to see what has been successfully used in the past.
Types of leads Question lead: “ever wonder why santa claus wears red?” Quotation lead: “I stood there holding the bloodied dagger. I couldn’t believe what I had just done.” Descriptive lead: “shimmering with light, the long beaded veil flowed from atop her golden curls.” Exclamatory or punch lead: “what a way to go!” Contrast lead: “his muscular frame and powerful heart had helped him win an olympic medal. Now he sits helpless in a worn wheelchair.” Parody lead: a deviation of a well-known saying: “money can’t buy happiness, but it can help you rent some.” Summary or digest lead: relates highlights of the story in capsule form. Direct appeal lead: draws the reader in by directly addressing him: “you’re next in line at the grocery check-out and you reach for your wallet. Only it’s not there...” Literary lead: “honour thy mother and thy father...” Anecdote lead: “Bob Brown remembers vividly the time he parachuted into the jungle. He had just lost his machete, was out of cartridges and short on prayers. His welcoming committee consisted of a hungry panther and a rude cobra.” Your lead must grab the reader quickly. You must keep it short and to the point. Avoid starting your first sentence with usual or empty words such as the, a, there, or it.
Structure needn’t be a life sentence It would be nice if all you had to do to write were string together sentences that contained a subject and verb. It would be nice and it would be boring. Part of a writer’s challenge is to make every sentence count. To achieve this, you must be sure that every word and punctuation mark is absolutely essential. You’re not likely to impress many readers by the number of words you use, so choose them carefully. Don’t use twelve words when five will do the job. Think of each word as costing you money or giving you another grey hair. You’ll be amazed at how stingy you can be.
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Simplicity for success Unless you’re writing for a very select, sophisticated audience, don’t try to baffle your reader with little-known terminology. Dictionary-precise writing has a place in the market, but generally such grandiose verbiage comes across as self-important and just plain boring. You don’t have to resort to slang; everyday terms will do fine in most cases. For example, why say, “the child displayed overt signs of maternal bonding that had been established during infancy” when you can say, “he likes his mom”?
Variety is the spice of reading You may have written the “perfect sentence” but, surprise, your work isn’t over. Even the best-constructed sentence can only be used so many times to pattern others on. Repetition will not only take away from the overall effect of your story, it will likely bury your original “perfect sentence.” Your sentences should, when read consecutively, possess a naturalsounding rhythm. This can often be accomplished by reading them aloud to ensure they flow well without imitating a singsong. Short, crisp sentences add a welcomed staccato effect. Over-used, however, they sound juvenile and strained.
Punctuation Punctuation is a powerful tool. It can build or destroy a sentence. Always keep handy a solid grammar reference book. It could save much time and embarrassment. Commas: usually your ear is the best judge, but be careful: one comma could drastically change the entire meaning of your sentence. Exclamation marks: most editors frown on the use of this sentence-ender. Make sure it’s absolutely required. In most cases, it isn’t. Dashes: again, this convenient little bridge loses its effectiveness when over used. Finally, if an editor or reader has to re-read a sentence because its message or sense was unclear, have another go at it.
Paragraph perils Most editors and readers prefer short paragraphs. A 500-word story should contain about five or six paragraphs. No one wants to be bombarded by reams of endless words. Always double-check the beginnings of consecutive paragraphs (and sentences) for variety. Monotony sets in when three paragraphs in a row begin with, “then, I went to....” There are 21
Quality of Course exceptions to this rule, however. Used conscientiously, repetition can achieve a dramatic or emphatic effect. For example, “she laughed at life. She laughed at love. Mostly she laughed at herself.” Limit your paragraphs to one main thought or idea. When you’re ready to explain or introduce another facet of the subject, it’s time to move to another paragraph. Remember that your bridges between these paragraphs should sound natural. The paragraphs are all tied to the article’s subject and should be strung together to reflect this. Ideally, the last sentence of the previous paragraph should lead naturally into the first sentence of the next paragraph.
You can quote me The use of quotations is, in itself, an art form. The general rule is, “if the speaker can say it better than you can, let him.” However, don’t hesitate to paraphrase a long-winded interviewee, if it’ll help the flow and continuity of your story. Also avoid euphemisms for “said,” “asked,” or “answered.” They can sound contrived and detract from the natural rhythm of the story. Keep it simple.
Painting with words Your descriptive paragraphs or sentences should paint a vivid picture for the reader. The trick is to avoid being bogged down in minute, inconsequential details. Before including a bit of information, ask yourself if you, as a reader, would benefit from this added detail. Does it clarify a point you’re trying to make? Does it make your subject more real, more understandable? Does it have any concrete relationship to the topic or the outcome of your story? You can also create a more captivating article by knowing what should be included. Keep your eyes and ears open for unusual or irregular details that can add insight to your piece. For example, you may have noticed that a veterinarian you profiled for your article flinched and blew his nose repeatedly when giving you a tour of the cat compound. Including the fact that he chose this profession despite an obvious allergy to cat hair would enhance your description of the doctor.
Read, read, and read some more Poring over other writers’ works is an invaluable habit to nourish. Be adventurous. At least have a glance at what other people may find interesting. A little bit of knowledge may be a dangerous thing for an aspiring doctor, but for a writer, it can initiate a slew of questions, and ultimately endless story ideas. Reading a variety of works will also allow you to absorb nuggets of writing styles you like and feel comfortable with, and will also broaden your own writing skills.
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Facts Facts are the building blocks of a sound story and consequently a writer’s reputation. Check and double-check your sources. Keep in mind a newspaperman’s dictum: if in doubt, leave it out.
Writing the ending Some writers find that writing the end first is helpful—sometimes essential. The backward approach may be an aid to you too, but again, trial and error will likely give you the best approach. Whether written first or last, the ending is subject to a few rules too. Keep it short; you likely spent a few hundred or thousand words saying what needs to be said. This is not the place to introduce new material. The ending to a story is not unlike the end of a joke: it should contain the “punch line” and assure the reader that his time was well spent with your story. If possible, refer to a point made in the lead: it will reinforce your theme and argument. Never, ever, close by saying, “in conclusion...” If your reader doesn’t know by then that you’re concluding your article, you should seriously consider re-writing the entire story.
About red pen marks and self-editing You can save yourself a lot of pain and an editor a lot of frustration by carefully re-reading your story. Before you start, allow enough time to elapse to fall out of love with your work. You’ll be surprised by how you can improve your own work by having a fresh, objective look at it. Having a friend or associate read it may not result in their newfound admiration for your talent, but it could help point out a few trouble spots. You do not have to adhere to every suggestion but do try to be open-minded and objective. If nothing else, the comments will help you understand (and tolerate) an editor’s comments.
What to look for • Wordiness: delete any words or details that aren’t absolutely essential to your story. You won’t be left with a bare-bones account, but rather a trimmed, easy-to-follow, captivating story. • If the situation lends itself, use the active voice. Have objects or people do things, rather than having things done to them. For example, opt for, “the red-haired tot picked the fresh dandelions.” Over, “the fresh dandelions were picked by the redhaired tot.” • Make sure that your bridges sound natural. The last sentence of the previous paragraph should have a logical connection to the beginning of the next paragraph. 23
Quality of Course • Is each paragraph and thought clearly presented? You may know what you mean, but then you had the luxury of carefully researching the topic. Are you certain the reader will understand your phraseology and your unwritten assumptions? • Is your sentence varied? By reading each paragraph aloud you’ll have a better idea of your story’s rhythm and structural balance. • Is your descriptive language really descriptive? If you feel that your phrasing or descriptions sound too familiar, you’re likely bordering on the cliché. Make the necessary changes to inject original, fresh detail to your work.
Your text is finished and ready to sell • When what you wanted to write has been hammered into something others will want to read. • When there are no errors in the grammar, spelling, and punctuation. • When the text is as readable as the articles your target publication normally prints. • When no more than 1% of your sentences are passive. • When no word remains that could be replaced by a simpler or more common one. • When every conjunction has justified itself. • When there are no adverbs that could have been eliminated by using a different verb. • When every word in the text is an old friend. • When the “ings” have been reduced to the minimum. • When the only cliché is in dialogue from the mouth of a character who would speak in trite phrases. • When concrete details have replaced every vague generality. • When every page contains at least one phrase that you feel really proud to have written. • When there are no redundancies. • When your brain has bled, at least one drop.
Manuscript preparation You can’t judge a book by its cover, but an editor may judge your work by its presentation. Generally, editors are not too stringent about specifics—they won’t turn down a good story 24
Creative Writing Course because the title isn’t centred, for example, but they could develop an overall distaste for your work if it’s presented sloppily or carelessly. Here are a few basic guidelines for submitting your work: • Use letter-sized (8½” x 11”), white paper • Use an easy-to-read serif font, such as Times New or Garamond, at a readable size of around 10 or 12 point • Double space • Left align your text • The first page of your copy should indicate the number of words, your full name and phone number, and the title. Also show copyright ownership and rights offered, if appropriate. If the publication accepts electronic submissions, send your document via email or on CD. If you use a common word processor, such as Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect, you might be able to send your file as it is. If you use a less common or older program, such as Microsoft Works, export your document to one of the publisher’s accepted formats or, if all else fails, to plain text. You’ll be saving the editor time and money. The author’s ownership of the copyright to a piece of writing implies that he alone can dictate who can have the right to make copies of his work. It is generally not necessary to register the copyright with the Canadian copyright office. Once a piece of work has been written down, the rules of copyright stand. These rules are valid in Canada, Britain, and many other countries where the Berne convention applies. However, do remember that it is up to you to ensure that the copyright is not being infringed. The proclamation of copyright on your first page of copy should read copyright symbol, current year, and your name. For example, “© 2008 F. Lance Writer.” There’s an important difference between American and Canadian copyright law. It’s possible that the American publication that is publishing your work has not formally applied to have all its contents copyrighted as is necessary under U.S. Law. If your work appears in this uncopyrighted magazine or other publications, anyone can use it or re-use it freely. It’s your responsibility when writing for an American market to copyright your work by including the copyright symbol before your name and the current year. You must obtain, complete, and return a copy of form TX to the register of copyright: U.S. Copyright Office Library of Congress 101 Independence Ave SE
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Quality of Course Washington DC 20559 www.copyright.gov
By doing this your rights are protected. Check back to Unit 2 to refresh your memory about rights offered. Briefly, many publications now have standard in-house policies about what rights are acceptable. There are now several schools of thought about the best way to proceed. It is increasingly felt that, when you specify particular rights, you may limit your chances of making the sale. When selling to a newspaper, it is common to sell “one time only rights.” To other publications you can specify, “rights: negotiable at sale.” Or simply leave the whole question of rights to the discretion of the publication. Overwhelmingly, you will find policy is to buy “first time rights” anyway. Note: the exception to this tends to be in the area of true story publications which like to buy “all rights” to the manuscript. Where the publications still ask that you specify the rights you would like to sell, you should say exactly what rights to publish the work you are offering. Common rights offered are first serial rights, the right to publish first time only. You can also specify to which geographic area rights should apply, such as first North American serial or first Canadian serial rights. There is no absolute right or wrong here and you should do what you are most comfortable with. Most of our tutors tend now not to specify rights offered.
Sample manuscript The last two pages at the back of this booklet contain a sample manuscript including the cover page and the article.
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Assignment 3 Part I: Query Come up with one solid idea for a newspaper or magazine you know well. Prepare a covering letter briefly stating the idea and why you feel it meets the publication’s needs. Refer to Unit Two to refresh your mind on how to prepare the letter.
Part II: Outline In note form, prepare a brief outline of the idea. Write up the first approximately 200-300 words of the piece. Send this to the school with the letter and outline.
Part III: Research Research an idea for another story or article aimed at a particular publication. This can be done by interview (using the interview pointers from this unit). Don’t feel shy or intimidated at the thought of an interview. Relax and enjoy the experience. You can choose a relative to interview if you like. Alternatively, pick someone active in your local community, perhaps a teacher, sports figure, alderman or fireman. If you plan to write fiction, the interview could be a real one, or if you prefer, a fictitious one. You can even “interview” a character you have created or intend to create. If you don’t want to do an interview, research your idea at the library or wherever you can best obtain information on the subject. In note form, write a summary of the interview or research and indicate the story or article idea you propose for it.
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Unit 4: The short story Introduction Good things come in small packages. This unit will help you to improve on those good things and show you how to package them. Many novice writers believe fiction writing is their ticket to unlimited literary license. But that license can be revoked. While the short story can unleash the writer’s imagination, there are some fundamental and time-proven elements he must abide by. Through this unit’s guidance you’ll learn how and when to manipulate your characters and setting to achieve a desired effect—all the while remaining unobtrusively in the background. You’ll appreciate your role as the silent partner in this business of fiction writing. And soon, you’ll manage to have the reader appreciating your role too. Finally, you’ll learn how to test your story to ensure it’s the best possible piece of writing aimed at the most promising market.
Outline Fiction may know no boundaries, but good fiction does follow some rules. You may have mentally created a vision of the perfect house, but you’ll need a strong foundation and basic construction fundamentals if the house is to survive a windstorm. The basics of fiction writing may, at first, appear contrived or even over-structured, but they shouldn’t go ignored. The make or break key to successful fiction writing (at least one of them) is the plot. Even before you insert the paper into the typewriter or switch on the computer, you likely have a fairly clear idea of what you want to say and even how you want to say it. Your aim at this stage is to decide what type of emotion you want to evoke in the reader. Will your plot entice the reader to laugh? Cry? Sympathize? The emotional factor can and should play a pivotal role in the development of your story and ultimately in the make-up of your characters (more about characterization in unit four). The next step, then, should be drawing up your plot plan. Think of it as a cake tin. Without it, you wind up with a half-baked idea. You need something sturdy that will hold your characters’, emotions and actions together; otherwise you’ve got a messy, nondescript blob on your hands. Your outline should contain these basic elements: Introduction of the main character and setting: this step is not unlike meeting someone for the first time. You don’t have a lot of time in which to do it, so you must quickly establish 28
Creative Writing Course what type of person it is you’ll be dealing with, or at least form a first impression. The setting, while not overpowering the character’s introduction, should be established at this stage. Introduction of conflict: here you begin scraping away at the character’s make-up to provide a glimpse of the nature of his conflict. You begin with a sprinkling of suspense and build upon the reader’s growing curiosity with the subject and plot development. Dealing with the actual conflict or problem: if your story is a mountain, then this step is the peak. The plot comes to a full boil here as your character deals with (or tries to) the conflict. His actions and words must correspond to the personality you’ve sketched for him. The wrap-up: underlines the main character’s ability or inability to come to terms with the conflict. Sometimes called the “denouement,” this final step tidies up the entire story by pulling together all the loose ends or clues you’ve carefully sowed throughout the story. This, of course, is a general outline. Your stories will differ somewhat according to your main and secondary characters and the crisis or situation explored. Your short story won’t likely fit into such a neat and tidy package—nor should it. This basic outline however, should get you started in the right direction.
Creating conflict The obvious type of conflict is likely the most over-used: conflict between characters. A good storywriter must explore other possibilities if he’s to avoid fiction burnout.
You think you’ve got troubles The following conflict types should be considered by the writer who may be having a difficult time getting his character into trouble: Conflict within the character: he or she may be experiencing a severe emotional trauma or may have to come to terms with a particularly shattering incident. Conflict with the world: the character is pitted against social, financial, or political realities. Conflict with nature: illness, death, or natural disaster plague the character.
Conflict under the microscope The role of the conflict in the plot layout is, obviously, monumental. How the main character responds to this conflict is the basis of the story and the hook you use to maintain the reader’s interest. It’s important, then, that the conflict itself be carefully dissected.
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Conflict break-down Character meets conflict: the hero is faced with the problem or dilemma. Character’s goal introduced: the hero’s drive or aim is established. He will likely want to overcome a physical or emotional hurdle, obtain vital information, change or alter someone’s views, or impress someone. The actual conflicts: the struggle between the character and his problem is fully revealed. Much of the story’s action and unravelling of the plot plan take place here. The outcome of the conflict: the character’s response to the conflict is uncovered. Short and long term effects are established or hinted at. Each step of the conflict’s development should help heighten the tension in the story. Your character’s response to this mounting tension should help reveal a bit more of his personality and his overall make-up.
Narration A writer’s habit of narrating his short story can prove a costly indulgence. Direct exposition—telling your reader in your own voice what is happening—only weakens the story line. Generally, the reader would prefer learning more about setting, plot, and circumstance through the character’s action and words. All action and subsequent reactions should stem from the main character’s viewpoint. The reader must get the feeling that he can establish a relationship with the story’s characters without the annoying intervention of an unwelcome third wheel. The narrator can, with his little asides and insistence on including trivial detail, seem like an intruder.
In the beginning Because of the brevity of the short story, the opening is of vital importance. You must be capable of catching the reader’s interest quickly. You can’t afford to dawdle when you’ve only about 4000 words with which to work. Your lead should establish who is doing what and where. It should also give a taste of the conflict that lies ahead. Again, choose your words carefully. Ruthless pruning of your sentences, especially at this stage, is mandatory. It’s also important that you limit the number of characters your story will deal with. You can’t expect the reader to keep track of a Cecil B. Demille-sized cast of characters struggling to squeeze into a postage stamp sized setting.
The final curtain The short story’s ending is not unlike the ending to a non-fiction piece. It sums up what you’ve been trying to establish throughout your story. It’s not the time to introduce new 30
Creative Writing Course possibilities or additional conflicts. It should leave the reader with a sense of completeness, satisfaction, and reward.
Types of short stories While a good short story may contain several thematic ingredients, most can easily be pegged into a specific category. Humor: there’s nothing funny about trying to write a good humoros story. It’s likely the most difficult kind of writing to produce. Being able to relate a good party joke without fouling up the punch line doesn’t necessarily mean you can churn out funny writing. But it usually helps. As with most writing, your skill will be greatly sharpened by reading similar stories. Thriller/mystery: here’s a unique style of writing. The mystery writer almost inevitably thinks and works backwards. The ending is almost always clear in his mind’s eye before he even tackles the intro. Many such writers also make extensive use of graphs and charts to follow their character’s every move throughout the unwinding thriller. Science fiction: not to be confused with the mystery or thriller short story, science fiction really is a world unto itself. The audience for this type of writing is likely the most demanding and particular you could target. Unless you’re a science fiction fan yourself, don’t assume you can slide one by these readers. You must not only be original and entertaining, you must be believable and accurate. Your audience won’t settle for second best. Romance: one of the most marketable types of short stories today. Done well, it could also be the most profitable type of writing. (See unit seven for detailed treatment of this genre.)
You name the place Once you’ve settled on what you want your characters to do, you must create a place for them to do it. The setting you choose needn’t be unusual or exotic. Many (if not most) memorable short stories by renowned authors are set in ordinary towns or cities. If, however, your story requires an unusual or exotic setting, you must make it as real and believable as the towns and cities most of us are familiar with. It helps if you’ve lived in, or visited the locale you’ve chosen to write about. It’s difficult, but not impossible to duplicate authenticity with descriptions and information based primarily on literature. Whether the setting is familiar or bizarre, treat it in much the same way you would a travel article. You must make the reader see, smell, taste, hear, and feel that location’s offerings. Remember, though, that setting is only the backdrop for your characters’ feelings and actions. Setting is often used to mirror or give a clue to the characters’ feelings or reactions. 31
Quality of Course This is a learned writing technique. The beginning writer can easily fall victim to clichéd symbolism. For example, “the sky grew dark as Margaret wondered how she’d cope with her husband’s illness.” Again, the setting should be as seen through the character’s eyes. If the character never encounters or refers to a corner store with peeling paint and a cluttered front window, there’s not much point in including that detail in the narration. Avoid the temptation to add in unfocused, irrelevant details because you fancy them as colorful bits of writing. Setting is rarely more than a backdrop curtain for the short story’s plot line. It’s enough to know that the curtain exists and appears real; the reader isn’t usually driven to discover what type of fabric it’s made up of, where it was woven, how it was mounted or why it was chosen. Don’t bury him with details that don’t offer any meaningful insight into the story or characters’ development.
If you’ve got the time Keep in mind that a short story should be just that: short. When a reader picks up a short story, he doesn’t plan on having time to grow a beard before reaching the story’s conclusion. Brevity is one of the reasons he chose to read your work; otherwise he’d have selected an historical epic. This necessarily imposes a time constraint on the development of your story line. From beginning to end, the short story should span a tangible block of time: hours, occasionally days. You cannot shuffle your characters through several generations or lifetimes of conflicts and sub-plots. You can’t afford to have the reader wonder how you managed to fit 30 years into 4000 words. Your story should be cohesive enough that you shouldn’t have to account to the reader for the character’s every thought or breath. You should, however, include any time-related detail that would maintain the story’s flow. For example, “the proverbial morning-after greeted him with a well-deserved hang-over. By lunch-time, he wished he’d never even met Edith Williams or her partying gang.”
Hunting for ideas If truth is stranger than fiction, then you can be sure there’s a mother lode of story ideas under your nose. You can discover many workable plots for your short stories by simply scanning the newspaper or watching television. While you may think it’s all been said before, you may be surprised to learn that you can say it better. By building on the facts of an existing news story, you can give your piece of fiction a marketable sense of realism and candour. The same can be said of using real-life experiences as story sources. By simply asking “what if?” about an incident experienced by you or an acquaintance, you can launch a memorable fiction story. Sayings or variations of adages can also help to ignite your inspiration. The following, for example, can provide the cement for your story’s theme: 32
Creative Writing Course • • • • • • • •
Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance. Growing up is never having to say you’re perfect. Laughter is the best medicine. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Every cloud has a silver lining. It’s difficult to soar with eagles, when you’re surrounded by turkeys.
And this little story went to market Identifying the appropriate market for your short story is a demanding, but rewarding task. The main point to consider is the make-up of your story’s central character. He or she should be someone your audience can relate to. For example, if your hero is a seventy-year-old war veteran obsessed with a national darts tournament, your chances of selling your piece to Chatelaine or Cosmopolitan are virtually non-existent. Your chances of a sale are at least realistic, however, if you submit the story to Legion magazine or a publication with a similar audience. Again, the best way to sharpen your marketing skills is by reading—no, studying—several publications. You’ll soon discover underlying similarities in a publication’s successive short stories. While no two are exactly alike, most of the stories will likely contain common ingredients. For example, the characters are generally all middle aged, female characters who are career oriented; settings are urban etc. Your story needn’t duplicate all the elements common to the stories published in that specific publication, but neither should you deviate too much from the obviously accepted standards. You must avoid alienating the audience.
Short story market test Okay, you’re still not convinced that your story’s ready for publication. Answering the following questions should send you to your nearest mailbox or back to the keyboard or typewriter. But, don’t despair; the art of writing is re-writing. • Does your lead encourage the reader to continue with the story? • Are your characters believable? Do they evoke a strong emotion in the reader (sympathy, hate, compassion, contempt etc.)? • Does your setting enhance or hinder the story line? • Do your active passages flow naturally?
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Quality of Course • Have you maintained a consistency of time and place? • Have you dropped or replaced all possible clichés? Can you substitute hackneyed physical or emotional descriptions with more vivid, colorful phrases? • Does the ending leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction?
Story analysis Not all fiction can be broken down into neat little packages. Most short stories, however, do contain identifiable sections or units that help to make the story whole. By identifying the components of a piece of fiction, you’ll be one step closer to creating stories that will captivate your reader’s imagination and attention. Many short stories can be broken down into the following sections and identifiable elements that help to construct a working outline.
Sample outline Emotion: that the author hopes to evoke from the reader. For example, fear, sympathy, curiosity, pleasure in seeing main character achieve goal. Theme: the story’s underlying message. Main character’s motivation: for example, ambition, fear, hope. First conflict block: problem or clash that arises. Main character’s reaction: how the main character feels, thinks, or acts as a result of this first conflict or test. Second conflict block Main character’s reaction: (a short story may have several conflict blocks. Identify all of them in the following short story.) Conclusion: explains the final result of all of the conflict blocks and the character’s response to them.
Sample short story Vacation By G.G. Seaver Janet Erikson let her briefcase drop from her limp hand and sank into the living room recliner with a definite air of finality. “I’m going to kick off these shoes, now,” she announced to her husband, “and that will be the last thing I do this weekend that will require any type of effort.”
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Creative Writing Course “That bad, eh?” “Let’s just say I’ve never looked forward to a vacation more in all my thirty years,” she said as she watched her left pump unceremoniously drop to the floor. “Did you get the sleeping bags all rolled up?” “There in the front hall, but Janet...” Brian stuck his hands deep into his trouser pockets. He knew how much his wife had been looking forward to this weekend, how they had planned for it together and mentally gone over every detail of the scenario. It would be the ideal break from work and the rigors of city life. “Hey, why aren’t you changed into that great camping gear you were in such a hurry to buy?” Janet asked. “Janet, listen. I’ve got to meet a client tonight. Couldn’t get out of it. It could mean sealing this deal. I promise we’ll head out first thing tomorrow morning. Okay?” Janet couldn’t bring herself to respond. She believed she now fully understood the term “shellshocked.” For weeks visions of this weekend had kept her adrenalin up and her blood pressure down. She had even gladly put in all the extra hours her manager had requested. The last thing she wanted now was to stay home even one more night. “Don’t be childish,” she scolded herself silently. “One night won’t make that much difference. Don’t be a sourpuss now.” She picked herself up, summoned the bravest smile she could muster and whisked Brian off to his meeting, assuring him that she’d settle all the last minute details for an early start the next day. That morning her dreams were rudely interrupted by a rolling roar. “What was that?” Asked Janet, clinging instinctively to her husband next to her in bed. “Oh, no. Thunder. Looks like we’re in for a good one,” Brian answered. He swung his muscular legs over the side of the bed. “I’d better double check the windows.” “Windows? Never mind the windows. What about our camping trip? Unless you’re planning on changing your name to Noah, we’re not going anywhere are we?” It was a redundant question and Janet knew it. She also knew that Brian could hardly be blamed for the torrential downpour, but she couldn’t help it. Naively, she hoped the bit of sarcasm would help heal her disappointment. “Janet,” he said, brushing back the auburn curls from her forehead, “don’t panic. There’s always plan B.” “Plan B?” Janet’s childlike curiosity was piqued. “Plan B. How about heading out to the pine tree resort? It’s only a few hours’ drive and if we leave right now...” Mental pictures of their honeymoon getaway fuelled Janet’s enthusiasm. They hadn’t been back since their marriage three years before, but the memories were still fresh. Within minutes Janet had showered and begun emptying her duffel bag and filling her suitcase. “Okay Bri. The shower’s all yours. Who were you calling at this time of the morning?” She asked as Brian slowly laid the phone down on the night table. “You’re not going to like this, Jan. I thought I should call and make reservations. No go. They’re booked solid. Some salesmen’s convention or something.”
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Quality of Course Janet could feel the warmth of her recent shower evaporate. Brian intuitively slipped his arm around her as she dropped her slim frame beside him on the still-unmade bed. “I don’t believe this is happening. All I wanted was a few days’ rest. Nothing spectacular. Just a break. A welldeserved one, I might add.” She let herself flop backwards onto the bed. “Not to worry, dear. That’s what Plan C is for.” “Okay, Brian. We both know there is no plan C. For that matter I doubt plan B existed before a few minutes ago. What now?” She tried to smile but she just couldn’t bring herself to share Brian’s unfailing optimism. “Plan C: we jump in the car with a couple of suitcases and see where ol’ Bessie takes us. You game?” “Last one in the car is a credit card junkie,” she heard herself say, but her face couldn’t feign even a respectable level of excitement. The rain had let up but threatened to reappear at any moment. Janet avoided the growing puddle beside the car door as gracefully as possible and slipped in beside her husband. “And we’re off,” promised Brian as he turned the key in the ignition. Grrrrrr.... Brian tried again. Grrrrrr.... The silence in the front seat was of the deafening, almost morbid variety. Finally Brian made himself look towards the passenger seat. “Ignition wires must be soaked from the rain.” Janet didn’t want an explanation. She wanted a vacation. She sat in disbelief for a few more minutes before her face brightened with a renewed purpose that startled Brian. “Follow me,” she said, as she again managed to outmaneuver the awaiting puddle. “Lock the front door behind you,” she ordered with mock authority. “And I’ll close all the curtains.” That done, she passed a puzzled looking Brian standing in the living room doorway. “I think a fire would take the chill out, don’t you?” Without a word, Brian gathered some kindling from the wood box and broke into a bird like whistle. “Great. Back in a flash,” promised Janet as she bounded up the stairs. Brian was so amazed by her renewed vigor when she reappeared moments later, that he didn’t notice the steaming coffee jug she held in one hand or the cheese board in the other. He was about to comment on the lovely afghan she had slipped into; when the phone tugged them both back from the glow of anticipation. Janet calmly set down the coffee and cheese on the warming hearth and picked up the receiver. “Nobody here but us tourists,” she chirped. “What was that all about?” Asked a smiling Brian. “Plan D.” And with that Janet put down the phone and put up her feet.
Points to remember • A good piece of fiction is as planned, and structured, as a good article. It will have a plot, with a beginning, middle, and an end. 36
Creative Writing Course • If you write a good outline, you are halfway towards writing saleable text. • Fiction starts with conflict. Someone has a problem. Your readers should have no doubts about what that problem is. • In fiction, keep the narrative to a minimum. Never tell your readers what you can show them. • Experiment. Try various types of fiction. You don’t know what you can do until you try. Many writers have had mediocre careers, until they switched genres, and then became successes. • In fiction, settings are important. Set your stories in places that you know, and that are appropriate to the “mood” of your work. • Don’t pad. A short story has a natural length. Always tell yours in the minimum number of words. Stories as short as one or two sentences have sold. • Always write with a specific market in mind. Know that market. Read that magazine. No two are precisely alike. A story that doesn’t suite a particular magazine’s “style” will be rejected, no matter how well it is written.
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Assignment 4 Wait to work on this assignment until you have received your tutor’s review of assignment two. Your tutor will take the work you did for assignment two into consideration when setting work for this unit.
Part I Analyze the short story “vacation,” using the sample outline given in the unit as your model.
Part II Part II of this assignment will be determined by your tutor. Please check your corrected Assignment 3- to see what you tutor has assigned you. All of your assignments from this point on will be created by your tutor, and tailored to move you towards your own specific goals.
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F. Lance Writer 132 Young St Toronto ON M2L 5I6 Canada Phone: (416) 555-1234 © 2006 F. Lance Writer Approx. word count 300
Portrait of a New Mom By F. Lance Writer
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She sat on the rocker, a baby over one shoulder, a burp cloth on the other. “Th e beginning of a fine day,” she said to me as I watched her skillfully flip the clot h on to the shoulder with child. Not a mom ent too soon. “Actually,” she said, “This is the fun part .” She smiled “You should’ve been here about ten minutes ago.” In a calm, almost eerily collected voic e, the new mother told me how she had answered the phone (three times, to be exact—all wrong numbers), started another batch of laundry, changed the bedclothes in the baby’s crib (again), started lunch for her husband and fed the baby. “Now I know what it takes to be a circu s jugg
ler,” she said, laughing.
I asked her if she regretted starting a fam ily so soon. She was, after all, only eighteen. “Wouldn’t change it for the world. Bett er to start when I’m young enough to enjoy it,” she explained. Just then someone knocked at the doo r. She handed me the baby, and told me to pat it on the back ‘til she got back. The tiny being just looked up at me. I swear it knew I was nervous. I hadn’t done this before. Sure I’d held a newborn puppy, but, well, it’s a little more com plicated than I thought. So this kid’s looking at me like he knows I don’t do this everyday and he just smiles. Hon est. I’ve read that kids this age don’t smile, that it’s just gas. But I swear this kid smiled. Anyway, before I could actually really get a grip on this little tyke, his mother reappeared and settled him back on her shoulder. “Now what were you asking? Somethi ng abou “Never mind,” I heard myself saying.
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t regrets?” she said.
“I think I have the answers now.”
