There’s really only one thing we can talk about today: CLIMAXES. The climax of your novel is, bizarrely enough, the premise. It’s the point of the entire story. Suppose you’re a writer working intensely on an incredibly deep and meaningful story. You’re an eighteenth-century American who’s been in Europe and… Read more“Pin-pointing your novel climax”
Category: Art & Craft of Fiction magazine
Making a scene out of your climax
So you’re sitting at the table in the captain’s cabin across from Assuipe, guzzling wine and trying not to bang your elbows on the brass table rail that keeps stuff from flying off during storms. He’s allowed you to change your britches, but you’re still wondering whether your heart will… Read more“Making a scene out of your climax”
Riding the purple sage
My grandfather was a West Texas cowboy. When he was ten years old in 1902, he rode his pony alongside his parents’ wagon for three weeks from Abilene to Fort Davis. He’d made the trip once before, as a tiny child, when his mother traveled to Fort Davis to return… Read more“Riding the purple sage”
Clarifying and not clarifying in exposition
Let’s address an issue today that a lot of aspiring writers run into with their critiquers: “I don’t get what’s going on here.” I did a Copy & Line Edit on the opening pages of a very beautiful novel this past week. I did a Developmental Edit—along with a Copy… Read more“Clarifying and not clarifying in exposition”
Exposing, summarizing, illuminating
We’re talking about exposition today on the magazine. Not till the knife of love gained sufficient edge could he cut out her figure from its surroundings. —Elizabeth Bowen, “Ivy Gripped the Steps” Exposition: the necessity for it to be sharp and succinct ties it intimately to line editing. . .yet… Read more“Exposing, summarizing, illuminating”
Bouncing down, down through holographic fiction
We’re talking about holographic fiction in three different articles on the magazine this week: Bouncing like a yo-yo. kaboing. kaboing. kaboing. Macrocosm. Microcosm. Macrocosm. Microcosm. Cosmology. Quantum physics. The holography of fiction. In the cosmology of your novel, you’ve got a Hook (big bang!), leading into Conflict #1 with its… Read more“Bouncing down, down through holographic fiction”
Sketching in story
“Show, don’t tell.” If the world of fiction has a motto, that’s it. But of course you already know you can’t show everything. Remember Ramona the Pest? Beverly Cleary’s masterpiece? As it happens, we used to have a couple of neighbor kids who were just like Ramona and Beezus, right… Read more“Sketching in story”
The Art & Craft of Fiction: Defining a story
I’ve been watching a conversation this past week over on the Literary Lab about stories. As in: what’s the definition? I happened to be working on the section of my book on writing that deals with that very subject at the time. There are a couple of well-known angles on… Read more“<em>The Art & Craft of Fiction:</em> Defining a story”
Pulp Rag: Following the details to inspiration
Now, I don’t mind chopping wood. And I don’t care if the money’s no good. You take what you need, and you leave the rest. —Robbie Robertson, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Let’s talk about inspiration. My husband and I are selling a house right now. (And on… Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Following the details to inspiration”
Pulp Rag: Getting the ghost tiger by the tail
A friend and I decided this morning that I should write a ghost story for the holiday season, a sort of Christmas Carol where Scrooge turns out to be right. Let’s talk today about premise. We were going on and on about how much we just love converting our living… Read more“<em>Pulp Rag:</em> Getting the ghost tiger by the tail”