Monday, May 3, 2010

In Focus


One thing I find irritating is when I have to squint to see something properly. No one wants their photographs to be fuzzy (unless you're going for a deeply important effect, in which case I'll be quiet now). No one likes blurry printing. It's the same when we write - we need our writing to be focused. I find it helps me to keep the following in mind:

1. Establish your reality. Every book has its own reality - it's in the present and taking place in Paris. It's in the past and taking place in North Carolina. It's on the planet Zuron. Your characters are a vital part of this reality. Make them real.

2. Remember the main plot is the one that gets the most attention. Subplots have a habit with demanding the spotlight, but the spine of your story isn't a subplot; if it is, I'd suggest you need to do some thinking as maybe your subplot is the main plot.

3. The plot moves forward logically. Step one usually leads to step two, sometimes step one and a half, occasionally step three. It does not jump to step twenty seven.

4. Characters stay 'in character'. Characters come in all shapes and sizes and abilities - but one person can't be everything. If someone has an intense fear of heights, the odds of them voluntarily going bungee-jumping is small. Of course, they could be trying to impress someone, or trying to fit in with their crowd, in which case bungee away. But watch it. Know your characters' strengths and weaknesses and then respect them. Growth is great - but no one is capable of a complete personality transplant.

5. The ending really is an ending. I don't believe you have to tie up every plot line, but I do believe readers want (at the least) the main plot completely resolved. Subplots' conclusions can be definite or hinted at - but don't leave readers hanging. Leaving readers wanting more is a completely different kettle of fish.

The best advice for me is from "Alice in Wonderland": "Start at the beginning, go to the end and then stop." I take it to mean you may not write the manuscript using this method, but once all those revisions are done, that's the way it should read.

15 comments:

  1. Great guidelines. And the perfect quote from 'Alice'.

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  2. Elspeth - Thanks so much for this important reminder. Focus really does matter. One of the things I have to admit I find irritating about some novels is when they try to be too many things. Perhaps it's because the author or publisher wants to appeal to too many markets (understandable, I guess), but when a novel has too many plots, or there are too many things happening, it's hard to tell what the story is really about. To me, that's a "minus."

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  3. Carol; "Alice" is the source of many words of wisdom in my opinion. Also cool creatures.

    Margot; Isn't that irritating? No book can be all things to all people and too many plots are just too many.

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  4. What a great quote and list of guidelines. I think it’s particularly important to, as you said, “Know your characters' strengths and weaknesses and then respect them.”

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  5. Jane; I'm glad you liked them. As with all guidelines, following them is a completely different gift (which is not always mine).

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  6. Helpful and educational. As usual. Thanks, Elspeth!

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  7. Alan; You're very kind. I know of few people who would use the words 'helpful' or 'educational' to describe me. Perhaps distance lends a certain enchantment.

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  8. Great points, and I finally realize why I am not fond of books that are mixing a number of genres and have secondary characters who get as much "screen time" as the central characters.

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  9. Maryann; Secondary characters are wonderful, but they're supposed to be secondary. Difficult to do sometimes...

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  10. This is great advice, but I'll admit that I ignore some of it on the first draft. Sometimes I just have to get the words on the page and then I can focus.

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  11. Stephanie; First draft? Just get it down. Tighten the focus later!

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  12. Elspeth, Love your Alice in Wonderland quote. I think sometimes we get so bogged down with complicated ways to write but in the end, just get there.

    CD

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  13. Focus. So important in so many ways! I can't believe it's been so long...I won't let it happen again.

    Michele
    SouthernCityMysteries

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  14. Elspeth, I have a cute little award for you at my blog today. Please stop by at your convenience.

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  15. Always enjoy your writing tips posts, but this one is exceptional. Bookmarked it and am going to tweet it, too. :)

    Marvin D Wilson

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