Any Shiny Thing - Life after 50

Midlife Fiction

How Do I…? To Learn How to Write, Use Active Reading

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This woman (“Annie”) in my critique group is struggling with a big story. It’s her first book and she may have bitten off more than she can chew, but there’s a lot of good stuff in there, if she can get it organized. The rest of us have encouraged her to read a popular multigenerational saga, maybe just thumb through one at the library (free, not far from the house). In this way she could see how a skillful writer handled the challenges that Annie is facing. Annie is resisting, which seems mindless to me but that’s not my topic.

At the writing blog Parking Lot Confidential, Amy McLane describes the many useful ways writers can learn from active reading. As a new writer I sometimes struggle with, say, getting my main character, Kristen, out of her car and into the house without belaboring the journey. (“She turned off the ignition, pushed open the door, and stood up. Closing the car door…”) You see what I mean? Bleah.  Whereas an experienced writer will have Kristen inside that house with the speed and beauty of astral travel. Once I see how that’s done, I can steal the technique. How to get a bunch of Czechoslovakians to America and follow them for three generations? Might be harder.

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I Hate These Characters (with Apologies to Julia Glass)

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I’m sorry, Julia, but I’m not enjoying your latest novel, “I See You Everywhere.” I’m on page – oh hell, I’m reading it on a Kindle, so I don’t know what page I’m on. Section 1169, or about 25% of the way through the book – and I’m not sure I’m going to finish it. 

This is pretty shocking to me. I loved “Three Junes”, but this book is annoying. The reasons why should be important to any aspiring writer.

For one thing, the two main characters are too similar. Both the girls are flirts, often with each others’ beaux, both have numerous men in and out of their lives, both are territorial and jealous. One is dismissive and rude, the other is judgmental. Yet the story is about their conflict with each other.

Yes, yes, I know. They’re secretly alike, and maybe their discovery of same will turn out to be the nugget the reader will discover toward the end. Except I’m not motivated enough to get there. It’s more than a bit of work to keep them separate in my mind. The chapters alternate between narrators, though, so that helps because often you can’t tell who is speaking, certainly not from her behavior or speech patterns, and Glass doesn’t identify them, or give us markers by which we might.

Second, neither of the sisters is likeable. One is selfish to the point of narcissism, the other is self-absorbed. (Again, this differentiates them – how?) Both are whiny. Blake Snyder, who wrote Save the Cat, said there has to be a moment when your main character performs some action, however miniscule, that makes you want to root for him or her. I haven’t got there yet and I’m not sure I will.

It’s entirely possible that I’m reading this all wrong, stupid Kindle aside. But I don’t think so, and I don’t intend to take that kind of risk with my future readers.

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Is Your Story Turning into Crapola?

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I’ve got a friend whose story is so all over the place she’s ready to throw it in the trash. She says “I’m just so sick of it I just want to get it done and not have to think about it anymore.”  Do you ever find yourself thinking the same thing?  Sometimes this is because you’re trying to do too much, and there’s no theme or focus. At http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/22/untangling-story-knots-in-six-steps/ Therese Walsh offers a strategy for helping you machete your way through it.

You might also ask yourself, “What am I trying to say? What is this story about?” In his wonderful book, “Save the Cat” (on screenwriting, but very applicable to a novel as well), Blake Snyder helps you focus your novel by perfecting your logline, or one-line. Once you know where you’re going, the next question is “how?” Sometimes we just start writing because we think it would be interesting, but to whom, and why?

Snyder also suggested you pretend your book’s been made into a movie (what a fabulous daydream, huh?) Now imagine a group of friends sitting around on a Saturday night debating which new movie to see, and yours comes up. What do they say about it? “It’s about a guy who…” Try it with your story. Can you do it? Does your one-line sound interesting enough to make anybody want to see your movie (read your book)? If you can create a good one-line, you’ll bring focus to your story. You’ll be able to figure out what scenes, characters, and plot twists support that focus, and what should be discarded as crapola.

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4 Tips Jane Friedman Taught Us About Trying Something New

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“Don’t do anything that makes you feel dirty.” [Read more…]

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6 Steps to Writing a Memoir

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Everybody’s writing memoirs! Here is some of the most practical memoir-writing advice I think I’ve ever read , from editor and publisher Alan Rinzler. If you have any additional suggestions, please let me know and I’ll post them!

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Easy on the Hooptedoodle

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Reading a book shouldn’t be work.

I’m reading a murder mystery right now, and the author is making me work, which I resent. Although it’s a compelling story, the author (and his editor) are in love with his original similes and metaphors. I’m not. Many seem contrived and, worse, a distraction from the story. I mean, how exactly do the breezes “jackknife”? I guess they change direction sharply, but if your reader has to stop and think, “What the hell?” you might consider using a different turn of phrase.

That, and 9 other guidelines, are presented here courtesy of a column by Elmore Leonard. Many thanks to Jane Friedman for the post.

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