Eva Hunter

Archive for 2010


Choosing Organization for Your Story

In Becoming a Writer, Creative Nonfiction, Creative Writing, Getting Published, Literary Nonfiction, The Craft of Writing, Uncategorized, Writing a Book, Writing a Novel, Writing Fiction, Writing nonfiction, Writing Short Stories on October 9, 2010 at 12:24 pm

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

part eight–Converging Narrative, section two

(If you are new to this series, please check  the archives for previous selections in THE CRAFT OF WRITING)

In the previous selection in this series, I introduced the idea of Converging Narrative as an organizational form–that is: two (or more) related stories run independently until they converge–or come together as one story–in what is usually the final pages of the composition. In this segment, I’m going to talk about the writing of my short literary nonfiction story, David’s Journey.

My specialty in those days (early to mid-1990s) was short literary nonfiction for magazines and newspapers, so I was always on the lookout for good stories. Just to review, literary nonfiction is defined as “real stories about real people and the dramatic events in their lives, using the techniques of fiction.” This does not mean, however, that literary nonfiction is a hybrid of fiction and nonfiction. That “hybrid” simply does not exist in the formal literary world.

Anyway. I had done a story about an organization in Portland, Oregon, that matched  veteran parents of disabled children with parents of newborn children who were born with disabilities. As part of the story, I interviewed a cranial-facial surgeon. I mentioned to him that I’d like to do an in-surgery story with him–meaning I would follow the progress of a surgery from inside the operating suite. A few weeks later he called  to let me know he would be doing a surgery on a child, now seven years old, with severe facial deformities.

The little boy’s name was David, and he was born to a first generation Mexican family who lived in Springfield, Oregon–which was about a two hour drive south of Portland. In the weeks preceding the surgery, I drove to Springfield several times to interview the family. What I found was Read the rest of this entry »


Writing Exercise: Using Description

In Creative Nonfiction, Creative Writing, Writers Resouces, Writing a Book, Writing a Novel, Writing Fiction, Writing nonfiction, Writing Short Stories on October 9, 2010 at 10:49 am

What’s wrong with this sentence?

“I walked down the street, bustling and filled with activity, early one morning in Mexico City.”

It seems like a perfectly correct sentence, right? The commas are in the right place, it uses activity, it identifies a setting. So why isn’t it a good sentence? The answer is that it really doesn’t evoke much of a picture–it doesn’t put the reader in the scene. Now consider a short passage from Sandra Cisneros’s  Carmelo:

The racket of the street bustle–street cleaners, merchants with all of their merchandise on their back, chairs, baskets, brooms, the fruit vendor, the sherbet vendor, the charcoal vendor, the butter vendor, whistles and shouts, rattle of wheels, clip-clop of horses, hum of electric trains, hoarse, sad cries of the mules hauling streetcars, slap of guaraches, click-click-click of hard boots, the unmistakable Mexico City morning smelll of hot aotmeal, orange peel, fresh-baked bollilo bread, and the ripe tang of sewer foulness.

See the difference? Description is made by using details–details that essentially “paint” the scene in the reader’s mind.  So now it’s your turn. Take this sentence, and turn it into a rich, sensual experience. Then send me what you’ve come up with!

I was two blocks away from my childhood elementary school, and it had been 20 years since I walked down this small-town street.

Go for it!

 

TEN THINGS EDITORS WON’T TELL YOU

You’ve bought all the reference books.  You’re subscribing to at least one writers’ magazine. Each month you’ve read it from cover to cover—looking for special tips and “insider” information. You’ve studied advice about query letters,  read all the updates about new magazines and what they pay, and attended a writers’ conference or two. You’ve listened to countless hours of advice about how to get an Read the rest of this entry »

WORKSHOPS IN THE AFTERNOON!

In The Craft of Writing, Writers Resouces, Writing Fiction on September 12, 2010 at 9:46 am

With a few exceptions, I’ve switched all my writing workshops to the afternoon–from noon to four p.m. They’re now three-week workshops, rather than four. Why this change? For a couple of reasons: first, three weeks gives my ongoing students  (and me!) a little more resting time between workshops, rather than shaving classes for three months straight. And it gives me the mornings to get my own writing done. Those of you who have been following PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH know that we’re doing an on-line magazine, sponsoring readings in San Miguel de Allende, about to put the first year of the magazine Sol: English Writing in Mexico out in hard copy as well as Kindle–your writing coach is very busy.

The next available writing class is in January, 2012. Click on “Writing Workshops” on the banner at page-top.


Choosing Organization for Your Story

In Becoming a Writer, Creative Nonfiction, Creative Writing, Writing Fiction on September 10, 2010 at 11:27 am

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

part seven–Converging Narrative, section one

(If you are new to this series, please check  the archives for previous selections in THE CRAFT OF WRITING)

I think converging narrative is one of the most fun organizations to use. That’s because it can be combined with other organizational devices, or just used alone. Although converging narrative is probably used more now in nonfiction than in fiction, it started as a fiction device.

Converging narrative means that two or move protagonists or sets of protagonists begin their stories at different points of origin, and the story consists of their physical movement toward each other.What makes this an organization, as opposed to a plot device, is that the story ends shortly after the characters meet. In other words, the point of the story is to get the protagonists together.

Here’s an example from my parents’ story. My father was born in Las Angeles; my mother was born in the small village of Santa Clara, Utah. They met when they were both in their early 20s in Boulder City, Nevada. My mother was a waitress in a hotel cafe; my father was a young electrician working at Hoover Dam. If I tell the story by having them both in town for awhile, then someone introduces them and they get married and spend the rest of their lives together, that is NOT a converging narrative organization. That story might use one of many other organizational approaches, but its primary approach is not converging narrative.

Why? Because the STORY in converging narrative is the journey toward the other person. The story is essentially over when they meet. Why, then, would I consider writing my parents’ story in this way? Suppose I wanted to make their story be that of two great waves of immigration to the United States, which on an individual scale culminated in my parents’ marriage: my father’s, the Spanish/Mexican immigration dating Read the rest of this entry »


Try This On For Size!

In Becoming a Writer, Getting Published on August 7, 2010 at 10:12 am

Five Things Editors Hate

PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH recently e-interviewed ten editors from newspapers, magazines, and book houses to get their “pet peeves.” Does it surprise you that they pretty much said the same things? Here are the five points all ten editors had in common.

1. Inappropriate proposals. Research what they do! If they’ve never done a romance novel, they’re not doing them now. Magazine editors say take a look of at least six issues of their publication within the last year. If you’re thinking of offering them something that is entirely different from what they’ve been doing–don’t! Publications have a focus. If they wanted to cover “catching tadpoles in Southern ponds,” they’d have similar articles in other issues.

2. Books that start off with a long explanatory preface. Just tell the story.  If the story doesn’t tell itself, it is  not well enough written. Prefaces are often added after the book is done. Who reads them, anyway?

3. Stories that start with  (or even contain) well-known quotes or pithy sayings.

4. Stories that wander around, not getting to the point for three or four pages, or ever.

5. Stories that claim to be “hybrids”–both fiction and nonfiction. There ain’t no such dog. It’s one or the other.

Practice for Writing–Be A Spy

This week your assignment is to do something fun–go out for coffee. It should be a place where people linger, rather than just grabb a cup at the window and walk away. Starbucks, perhaps? Order you latte, then find an empty table near a group of two to four people. Your notebook or laptop is your prop–you’re just writing a letter, or checking email, right? Pretending to mind your own business, eavesdrop upon and watch your group. A pair of sunglasses helps hide the direction you’re looking. Read the rest of this entry »

Call for Submissions–Sol: English Writing in Mexico

In Uncategorized on August 7, 2010 at 9:41 am

If you haven’t seen this sparkling new on-line literary magazine  (soon to go hard copy and kindle) with a July 2011 issue featuring a new fiction excerpt from Tony Cohan, poetry by Halvard Johnson, nonfiction by debut writer John Simonds, take a look now! http://solliterarymagazine.com Past issues have included C.M. Mayo, Christopher Cook, James Cervantes, Carolyn Roberts, and many, many additional  excellent and accomplished writers.

We’re soliciting your writing for the  fifth issue, to come out in November 2011: fiction, nonfiction, poetry. It’s not limited to writing in or about Mexico, so take a look at the magazine, then at the writers’ guidelines, available both in SOL, and at the top of the page here in PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH.

WE’D LIKE TO SEE YOU IN SOL!

Looking for a Writing Workshop?

In Getting Published, The Writer's Workshop, Writing a Book, Writing a Novel, Writing Classes, Writing Classes in Mexico, Writing Courses, Writing Workshops on August 7, 2010 at 9:24 am

In Writing Classes in Mexico, Writing Workshops on April 16, 2010 at 5:14 pm

Consider a three-week, or several day writing adventure in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, in Guanajuato, Mexico. Click on WRITING WORKSHOPS above for the PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH’S schedule for fall 2011. The next available workshop starts in September-–but don’t worry: there  are workshops throughout the fall  and into the winter. THE PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH’s students get published.


TRY THIS ONE FOR “WRITERS’ BLOCK.”

In Becoming a Writer, Creative Writing, Getting Published, Writing nonfiction on August 7, 2010 at 9:02 am

WRITER’S BLOCK?

Let’s talk about it!

Professional Writing Coach doesn’t  really believe in “writer’s block,” but perhaps that’s because she wrote for magazines and newspapers for so many years, and had to make those deadlines. That’s not to say that she didn’t avoid writing plenty of times–you can read about that in her guest blog for MADAME MAYO, in the archives. But, OK, she concedes that there are times when one just can’t begin the process. And the beginnings are often the issue–breaking through inertia and insecurities and fear. Read the rest of this entry »


Choosing Organization for your Story

In The Craft of Writing, Writing a Book, Writing a Novel, Writing nonfiction on August 7, 2010 at 8:38 am

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

If you are new to this series, please refer to “The Craft of Writing” archives

part six in the series: “function as form”

 

We’ve already discussed the classic writing organizations of chronological, revised chronological, flashback, and the trip; and there are more to come. The organization we’ll look at today is perhaps a little less elegant than what we’ve looked at before. But–caution–that doesn’t mean that it’s not meticulous to build.

And “build” is the right concept to begin with. Tracy Kidder, that National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winner, used function as form in several of his books. Consider House, first published in 1985. In this book, the blurb says, Kidder takes us from the “first nail  to the final coat of paint.”

What Kidder did, then, was organize his book around the specific stages of building a house. And since information about how many inches of concrete were poured for the foundation would be boring material,  except perhaps  for concrete pourers, Tracy chose a house that was contracted for by a specific family, and told their story–and the story of the crew–throughout the book. The disappointments, the joys, the misunderstandings, nail by nail, floor by floor, until the house, and the story, and the book, were done. Kidder brought the emotional aspects of having a house built to the fore: What happens when the actual room doesn’t look like the owner thought it would?  What if one goes away for the weekend and returns to find the kitchen sink in the wrong place?

Kidder’s story is classified as literary nonfiction, and we know the definition of literary nonfiction, don’t we: “Real stories about real people and the dramatic events in their lives.”

That’s “function as form.” How could you use it as an organization in your stories?

Next issue: Converging narrative as an organizational form


Choosing Organization for Your Story

In The Craft of Writing on July 23, 2010 at 10:38 pm

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

If you are new to this series, please refer to “The Craft of Writing” archives

part five in the series: “flashback” and “the trip”

We’ve all seen films or read books with the flashback strategy. A story is moving along, usually chronologically, (though not always) and the writer decides to fill us in on something that happened in the background with a scene from one or more of the characters’ pasts. There are specific names for these story lines–and they are specific and individual story lines: top story and back story.

So this does not mean that a writer can just meander along and suddenly decide there is something to say about past circumstances of the story, then just throw in a back story (flashback) scene. Organization is planned, not haphazard. I like to compare the artistry of building story to  that of a lovely weaving. The weaving is made up of a fairly large background of periwinkle blue.

But woven through the blue, at even intervals, are stripes of blood red. The stripes are an accent to the blue: blue is the weaving’s dominant color. In the flashback organization, the back story is dominant in most cases; the top story is the minor stripe.  There are variations to this, of course: sometimes that ratio is switched, and sometimes each of the two stories have an equivalent amount of words.

But in most cases, the top story is constructed to cover some dramatic happenings that take place over a short period of time, and the back story is all the events that led up to those dramatic events. How these fit together in the narrative is done within a specific pattern–like our weaving.

A friend of mine, for example, has just written a beautiful story about a month in his life when it seemed that a medical condition and the  drastic cure being suggested by traditionally-trained medical doctors would deprive him of the ability to continue a satisfactory intimate relationship with his partner. That month started with the symptoms of the disease, went through the times of worry and strain to the relationship, and ended with a cure through herbal medicine. This was the top story.

But there was background to this story–the man’s life and aspirations, how he met his lover,  their hopes for the future. This became the back story, which was skillfully woven between the segments, or scenes, of top story. Both of these parts–top story and back story–were stories that stood on their own. And I’ll tell you a secret about writing the flashback type of story. Many of us who use this organization first write each story separately, then weave them together. Read the rest of this entry »


SOL: English Writing in Mexico–Take A Look At This New Literary Magazine!

In Becoming a Writer, Creative Writing, Getting Published, Testimonials on July 10, 2010 at 11:15 am

It’s published and subscriptions don’t cost a thing–we want you to be part of  it. The first issue of SOL: English Writing in Mexico is ready for you to read, just by clicking on the link below. You’ll find writing by Tony Cohan, C.M. Mayo, Halvard Johnson, Wim Coleman, Pat Perrin and more. And submissions are now being accepted for the November issue. To find out about that, take a look at the “Sol Writer Guidelines” available on the banner at the top of the page. But for now, dig into some super reading in SOL! http://solliterarymagazine.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

Writing the Perfect Sentence

Some years ago,  in Portland, Oregon, when I was writing literary nonfiction stories, as well as some feature stories for magazines and newspapers, I covered a week-long writing workshop for The Oregonian. This wasn’t a usual assignment from the publication, but the workshop was being taught by legendary fiction editor Gordon Lish.

The workshop sounded as if it would be easy–all one had to do, the literature said, was come up with one perfect sentence. Now Lish is a demanding editor and he put the ten workshop participants through a lot of stress that week. I’ll admit I satisfied the master with a couple of sentences, but as I was a professional writer, I had a huge advantage over the other participants. Here are my sentences that Lish liked. And, by the way, the assignment was to create first sentences.

“He bought the shotgun shells.”

and

“First there is the land, and the way it acts upon those who live on it.”

I knew what I was doing, and Lish knew I knew what I was doing. So why are these good sentences?

Let’s look again at the first one: “He bought the shotgun shells.” One of the principles of writing at an advanced level is to make one’s sentences sing. We borrow from poetry to do this. Notice, then, that “bought,” and “shot,” have the same “o” sound. Read the sentence aloud and notice how it flows off the tongue. This, along, with the alliteration of s in the sentence: shotgun, shells. (three times) created a rhythm of depth, of interest. And, of course, the sentence is provocative, which all first sentences should be. Who bought the shotgun shells, the reader thinks. And continues reading to find out. Read the rest of this entry »


Choosing Organization for Your Story

In The Craft of Writing on July 9, 2010 at 2:52 pm

New to this series? Look for previous articles in the “craft of writing” archives

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

part four in the series

Every art form has a structure.  We know that about music:  there are sonatas and symphonies, concertos and zarzuelas.  Classic art has structure: it may be one in which  design elements flow from upper right to lower left on a diagonal, or in which a painting’s composition is organized around that three-pronged focus called “The Golden Ratio.”

But, although most of us accept the fact that other art forms are built with specific formulas, sometimes writers resist the idea that good writing, too, requires structures for putting the material together.  Perhaps this is because it’s easier to fool ourselves about what skillful writing is, and isn’t, than about what skilled music—for example—is, or isn’t.

If we can do little more than play a few notes on the piano, we don’t convince ourselves that we are Carnegie Hall material.  Yet the writing parallel to piano key-pounding—just letting those words “flow out” any which way—often convinces the uninitiated that he or she can write.

I think I’ve made my point.  Writing needs specific organizational strategies, just like any other art.  Over the next several weeks, I’m going to introduce you to six of those strategies.  Here are the first two:

  • Straight chronology. We start at a certain point in the story, and tell it straight through to the end.  No flashbacks, no deviation from forward movement through the years, months, days, or hours.  Just straight through from whatever point of the story we choose as the starting point.  Margaret Mitchell’s Civil War novel, Gone With The Wind, is told in straight chronology.  So was Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary.
  • Revised chronology. We start at a point other than the beginning of the story.  We will eventually tell the tale’s beginning—we just don’t start building our story there.  Watching 1940s film noir is a great exercise for learning revised chronology.   A film may start with a dramatic final scene—the beautiful and brave heroine played by Joan Crawford, for example, has a touching deathbed performance.  Then the storyline fades back to an earlier time, after which the story progresses steadily back to the beginning scene—which happens to be the end.

Or we may have our story start with a scene in our 30-year-old character’s life,  jump back to when that character was five years old, then move forward to age 15, then age 20, then 25.  The story revisits the original age-30 scene, then continues to the end.

Biographies are often organized this way.  The writer starts at the most famous part of the protagonist’s life, takes us back to the formative influences, revisits the famous scene again, then takes the reader to the character’s mature years.

That’s Straight Chronology and Revised Chronology.

Next week we’ll be examining “Flashback” and “The Trip” as ways to organize your stories.

Don’t stop here! Keep on reading in this column, just below, and find out

what Professional Writing Coach does to goof around and not write!

Come on, ‘fess up. You do it, too!

In Becoming a Writer on July 8, 2010 at 4:54 pm

Hey, take a look at my guest blog on MADAME MAYO

I’m pretty happy my amiga,  C.M. Mayo asked me to do a guest blog for her on that frisky writing blog of hers, “MADAME MAYO.”  C.M. Mayo’s most recent book is the  well-researched historical novel, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. It’s a terrific read, and I recommend it, along with her book of short stories, Sky Over El Nido. And, well,  all of her other books, too. Mayo invites her guest bloggers to write lists of 5 things, with corresponding internet links to each item on the list. My list is “Five Ways to Avoid Writing.” Now that’s a funny thing for the Professional Writing Coach to be writing about, isn’t it? While you’re checking it out with the link below, take some time to look at  the rest of MADAME MAYO. It’s Mayo’s delightful take on life and literature.

http://madammayo.blogspot.com/2010/07/guest-blogger-writer-and-writing-coach.html

Who Needs ‘Em? Conflict, Resolution, and Organization

In The Craft of Writing on June 26, 2010 at 9:40 am

 

New to this series? Look for previous postings in The Craft of Writing archives

The Craft of Writing

part three in the series

I met a guy in San Miguel de Allende’s Berlin Bar a couple of months ago. When he found out I’m a writer and a writing coach, he wanted to talk about his novel. OK, I’ll be honest. This sort of a situation is a groaner. But  I slipped into mode, and asked him how he was organizing his novel.

“Organizing!” he said. “Novels don’t need organization!” Ah, but he was wrong, I softly  informed him. Everything one writes needs organization. Organization, after all,  is about the story’s ordering of time. And writing, among other things, is about time.  But like many beginning writers, my new acquaintance thought that fiction had special rules—or, in truth, special non-rules—meaning: Just start writing, and see where the story goes.

Not so. The rules for writing fiction are as tight as those for writing the most exacting nonfiction. And, interestingly enough, at least when one is talking about literary nonfiction, the rules, or forms, of organization are the same for both genres.

Organization is a big subject, and I’m going to divide that discussion into a couple of  articles over the weeks to come. In short, though, here are some literary organizations in use today: chronology, revised chronology, flashback, converging narrative, the trip, function as form, collage. Don’t worry if you don’t recognize them all:  I’ll explain later.

But there’s an important step that comes before deciding on a story’s organization. That is defining conflict, resolution, and the equal or greater force.

A story’s conflict is: A person wants something. It may be love, it may be money, it may be self-knowledge. The resolution is: the person gets what he or she wants,  or doesn’t get it. The equal or greater force is: the thing, or things, that can keep that person from getting what he or she wants. Those things can be either tangible or intangible.

Here’s an example. I am a speaker at a conference. During my presentation, I become thirsty. I want water to quench my thirst. A glass of water is on a table five feet away. The conflict is: I am thirsty, and I want to quench my thirst. A possible resolution is:  I drink the water. But an alternate resolution is: I don’t drink the water, and thus don’t get what I want—the abatement of my thirst.

What equal or greater forces might keep me from getting what I want? Here are a few ideas: I take a sip, and the water is rancid, so I don’t drink it, and don’t quench my thirst. I try to walk the five feet, but fall over and break my leg, and thus can’t reach the water. Someone else drinks the water. I trip and fall into the table and the water spills. I am embarrassed to drink water in front of an audience, so my own inhibitions keep me from reaching resolution.

You get the idea.

Story is built from these three elements. The presentation of conflict is the beginning; the resolution is the end; and the middle of your story is the progress from conflict to resolution, using a series of scenes—or other story-development devices—that illustrate the protagonist’s journey from conflict to resolution. Sometimes he or she travels in a straight path toward what is wanted; sometimes there are setbacks. Sometimes the story ends with the protagonist getting what he or she wants; sometimes it ends with the protagonist not getting it. Read the rest of this entry »

The Concept Statement: What Are You Trying to Say to the World?

In Becoming a Writer on June 18, 2010 at 1:25 pm

(Did you miss the first post in this series? It’s in the “Becoming A Writer” archives.)

part two of the series

Last week, we introduced the idea of defining what you’re writing through the single-sentence concept statement.  Here’s what I wrote for my literary nonfiction book, The Lord of the Dolls: Voyage in Xochimilco. (St. Michael’s Press, 2007)

“This is a  nonfiction book about an island in the innermost recesses of the Xochimilco canals—the last remnant of the ancient lake that made up pre-Conquest Mexico City—where an old man has, for over 40 years, nailed dolls and doll body-parts to trees, garroted them with wires, impaled them on stakes; and the historic and contemporary implications of those actions.”

That’s a long sentence, but it covered every concept to be introduced in the book, and—as such—kept me on track.   The concept sentence also reminded me that I was writing an  anthropological adventure story.  Exactly why DID this old man torture dolls?

So what about the “who cares?” question?  The conclusion of my book shows that the doll island is related to an ancient cult of sacrifice that has existed since before the Conquest.  This presupposes the interest of travelers, history buffs, Mexico-philes, cultists, studiers of ancient religions…and the fact that we live in a time of re-examination of spiritual beliefs, and their impacts on culture.

Now let’s take a fiction concept.  This concept sentence came out of one of my writing workshops:

“This is a short story about a little girl, who, while playing at the seashore with her sisters, witnesses an interaction between her parents that affects her consequent conceptions of trust and responsibility.”

What’s your concept statement, and how do you answer the “who cares?” question?  It’s good to have both answers prepared—ready to use when you corner that agent or editor at the next writer’s conference.

What?  You say this sort of planning isn’t as much fun as just letting the words “flow?”  Now remind me, how many times have you begun writing that book?

Next week, we’ll talk about building the framework of your story—through organization and the technique of identifying conflict, resolution, and the equal or greater force.

Looking for a Writing Workshop?

In Writing Classes in Mexico, Writing Workshops on April 16, 2010 at 5:14 pm

Consider a three-week, or four-week, writing adventure in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, in Guanajuato, Mexico. Click on WRITING WORKSHOPS above for the PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH’S schedule, summer 2010 through March 2011. The next available workshop starts August 3, 2010–but don’t worry: there are workshops in  September, October, January, February, and March; and throughout summer and fall 2011.

THE PROFESSIONAL WRITING COACH’s students get published.

One man meets an infamous punishment for that crime which confers a diadem upon another. -Juvenal, poet (c. 60-140)

What Eva’s proteges say

In Testimonials, Writing a Book on April 16, 2010 at 5:13 pm

One of my big, important life goals was to write a book. I had no idea it would be a novel. And I didn’t know how to make my dream a reality. In retrospect, I realize now, I didn’t even know where to begin. Then I met Eva Hunter. Eva has a unique ability to coach, edit, and teach with a gentle, yet firm touch. She challenged me and stretched me in ways I could not have imagined. Eva not only helped me get organized so I could move forward more efficiently and effectively; she helped me understand the art and craft of writing in a deeply fulfilling way. Eva is a real pro. It is truly a delight to create and collaborate with her.–Ron Savarese, whose first novel will be out in early 2011.

I found Eva Hunter on the internet. Since I had not met her before, it was a guessing game. I was very pleased with the first month-long workshop and before it was over, I signed up for the next month. Eva’s teaching style is gently frank and helpful with all aspects of the writer’s craft . She is never discouraging or impatient with the learning process. As a novice fiction-writer, I feel that I am in good hands. My book is progressing and in spite of personal moments of doubt, Eva has spurred me to carry on.–Rosita Arvigo


Quotes for Writers

In Quote for Writers on April 16, 2010 at 5:13 pm

“What the people want to hear is the truth–it is the exciting thing–to speak the truth.”–Winston Churchill Read the rest of this entry »

Try This One on For Size

In Creative Writing on April 16, 2010 at 5:12 pm

 

THE PERFECT SENTENCE

Coming this weekend: Writing the Perfect Sentence. Our next exercise will give you a list of words,  which you can put together in any way you want to make the “perfect” sentence. But first I’ll give you some examples of what makes sentences perfect–a couple of them coming out of the writing workshop of famed fiction editor, Gordon Lish.

THE STORY ELEMENT FINALIST

Last week’s exercise in “Story Elements” brought several good responses, and you can read them in comments at the end of this column. I chose to highlight this anecdote by Pat Hirschl. Not only does it nicely incorporate the elements of the exercise, but also it uses other elements of craft nicely, such as dialogue and beats. The concept of beats may be new to some of you, but they’re the bits of action inserted between lines of dialogue to slow the action down or characterize. In this selection, the line beginning with “George peered through the screen door…” is a beat. Notice that Hirschl’s anecdote has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The value of an exercise like this is to remind us that fiction is the art of what might be. (Nonfiction is the art of what was.) So the fiction writer takes a series of events or details, and weaves them together in a story: what might be. Here’s Pat Hirschl‘s anecdote, and below it is the writing exercise she used to produce it.

Bang bang bang bang bang.
“Coming. Coming. Don’t knock the door down.”
George peered through the screen door and saw a pencil thin woman in an orange and purple dashiki, a bright red pony tail pulled over one shoulder, and Tina Baby clutched to the other.
“This is your animal,” she stormed, holding out a chastened Tina.
“No. Well, yes. She, uh, belongs to my wife.”
“Whatever. She does not belong in my herb bed, depositing her disgusting malodorous germ-infested…”
“Sorry, sorry, she’s … I can’t keep her in since…”
“You are responsible to keep her in, or at least at some distance from my very special medicinal…”
“My wife’s left me, and Tina…”
“Tina, Schmeena, neither you, your wife nor this creature are any of my concern. The next time, I will call animal control, or possibly drown this miserable…”
George opened the screen door, grabbed the cat, and slammed the door.
He had never been so rude. –Pat Hirschl

 


Let’s Practice Story Elements!

Sometimes you want a break from your writing project. You know–having to worry about making everything  in your piece work. This  occasional column is meant to give you something fun to do, while at the same time honing your skills as a writer.

Each new column will approach different elements of craft, and will coincide (but not chronologically) with things you’ll learn in the Becoming A Writer: The Craft of Writing column.

Story means that something happens to a set of characters. Some of the characters are main characters–the protagonists; some of the characters are minor characters, and they are there to help develop the protagonists’ desires, accomplishments, disappointments, achievements.

The very basic element of story is something that will be discussed in detail in a week or two in the Becoming A Writer: The Craft of  Writing column: that is, story is built around the protagonist wanting something. Read the rest of this entry »


“Professional Writing Coach” on Getting Published

In Becoming a Writer, Getting Published, Writing a Book on April 16, 2010 at 5:08 pm

Ready, Set, Go!

Making It as a Writer.

What does it take to break in to professional writing? That’s the big question isn’t it? When I ask participants in my writing classes and seminars this question, these are their answers: (a) a good idea; (b) an agent; (c) a “contact” in a big publishing house; (d) perseverance. What would your answer be?

Here’s my answer, and it’s the most important  answer as far as I’m concerned: absolutely perfected, professional writing skills. Writing skills. Let me say that again: Writing skills.

 

That’s what this blog is mostly about. I’ll do other things with it–like give you a book recommendation or a reading list. I’ll even have entries from other people about the business, the craft, and the art of writing. But primarily you’ll be hearing from me about the craft of writing. Stick with me, and you’ll learn everything you need to know about becoming a writer. And by that I mean becoming a published writer.I’ll be writing a weekly column about the craft of writing, and if you miss any, you’ll find them in my “ Becoming A Writer” category. The first column starts now, in the left-hand column. And by the way, I’d pick “perseverance” as a second choice.

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Becoming A Writer: The Craft of Writing

In Becoming a Writer on March 13, 2010 at 3:25 pm

part one in the series

I Did It–So Can You!

I’d always wanted to be a writer—even when I was a little kid writing scripts for my puppets to perform for third-grade class.  I loved books, and I loved the feeling of  a pencil in my hand.  In the late 50s—an era when  prolific writer, Evan Hunter, was turning out novel after novel—I’d lurk in the “H” section of my small-town library’s fiction stacks, surreptitiously holding a finger over the final letter of Hunter’s first name.  Hold a finger over the “n”  in ” Evan,” and Voila! A book written by EVA  HUNTER!

Between the ages of 18 and 45, I must have begun writing a dozen novels.  I completed none.  Consistently, my excuse was that I hadn’t  quite found the right plot-device to sustain the story.  So I spent over 20 years assuring myself that someday I’d really write that novel.

I’d probably still be beginning to write books I’d never complete, if I hadn’t discovered what every professional writer knows:  Writing isn’t just letting the words flow from your fingers.  Writing isn’t producing page after page of words, trusting that the story will eventually reveal itself.

Writing is a specific process of craft.

There are formulas, standards, protocols for everything successfully published, and professional writers know and use these formulas.  In the next several weeks, I’m going to acquaint you with these approaches—the “secrets” of professional publication.

So, writing step number one is this:  Define what you want to say to the world, and put it in a sentence to be displayed in your writing area. Easy, right?  Yet 99% of the writers who come into my workshops have failed to clarify, even to themselves, what they are trying to say.  These are the first questions we answer:  What’s the point?  What’s the universal application?  And:  Who cares?

And that’s where we’ll begin next week.