Story Craft 102

Even more

What are the elements that make good story craft?

Concept
Character
Flow
Review
Analysis

The concept of the story is usually what comes first, so your story concept must be thought out. What do you want to have happen? What is happening? Where is it going? What are you trying to say?

The second most common start to story crafting is with the character. Character development can be difficult. The most difficult part of character development is rounding out your initial concept of your character(s). Who is this character? What is this character like? What drives the character? What is the character’s back story?

The flow of a story must make sense. It must be a logical direction for the theme, plot, concept, and characters. It does not matter the genre. It can be fantastical in its fantasy but still contain a logical flow that will keep readers involved in the story. You want the reader to turn the page. You do that with flow.

Review is that dirty bit of writing that creative thinkers rarely want to do. It is for this reason there are so many editors out there and they are paid well. Editors think through your project for you. If the concept is good, the characters are developing nicely through the project, and flow is happening, the editor’s work is limited to language correction. If they are not there, the editor’s commentary will make the writer feel like they are losing control of their project. At this point, you the writer, have two choices: disregard the input, doing it yourself, or listen to your editor and improve as a writer. In school we never enjoyed the critique of our work by our teachers or professors. It felt personal. And, to some extent, it is. But, self review and analysis of your work will minimize their work. Take a step back from your project and re-read it. Does it flow? Does it make sense? Does it draw you into the story? Does it put you there? If it does not, do a “file save as” and edit the story. You may even restart from scratch. This is easier to do with computers than typewriters or paper and pen.

Now for the truly hard part that will greatly improve your story craft… analysis. I hated this part while in school. Analysis is taking a further step back and looking at the project as a whole and then dissecting it into its various pieces: concept, character, flow, theme, thesis, statement, plot and plot points, twists and turns, language usage, spelling, correct wording, sentence structure, grammar, vernacular (are you using the right words in the right way for your story, character, et cetera), read-ability, interest, et cetera. You may have a lot of things going for your story but if it does not capture the interest and keep it, you are wasting precious time and creativity on a project that needs reworking or scrapping.

Many writers start with an initial concept or character and start writing. No further real thought is put into the project other than what happens while writing. Then, the inevitable writer’s block happens or the story stops incompletely and is put out there as a finished work. When this occurs and the first reviews or suggested edits come along, the writer takes it personally and disregards the feedback or acts out in several ways: stop writing, vent / rant, digs in heels and continues putting out incomplete projects, or gets angry and goes somewhere else where they will be better appreciated. These are traits of the immature writer. To improve at anything, one must recognize strengths and weaknesses. Once identified, one must then work to improve in both areas. Talent will only get you so far. Hard work at perfecting what it is you like doing, are talented at doing, or wanting to do will greatly assist you in getting better. Such is the same with story craft.

After basking in the glow of a creative effort, you be your first critic. Review the work for the obvious… spelling and grammar. Review the work for story craft. Did you do a good job on this project or is it just a really good place to start to “hone” the story to a sharper edge? Hint: go with the latter.

We will develop these skills by doing an analysis on the “featured” project. One of the brave writers in the group will submit a project and we will analyze it per above. Then, in a positive, objective, without personal attacks, manner the writers in this group will review their own commentary prior to posting in the thread analyzing the project. The group will aid the writer so that the individual, brave soul putting up their work for analysis can improve in story craft. The hopeful side effect is that the analyzing group members will also grow in their knowledge and ability in story craft.

So submit your works to the moderator; knowing your project will be picked over like a Thanksgiving turkey by a family full of hungry boys.

Your submitted analysis should comment on the areas listed herein. If you have an additional idea or suggestion as to what else should be reviewed, please post it in this thread. The moderator will review your suggestion. If it is viable, the moderator will edit this post, adding your input as part of the process this group will use.

Reviews

[J. Hampton]

This is something I should surely read again....

Herin lies the reason I have posted but two or three very short stories anywhere on the net.
It made me feel so "wet behind the ears' ...but very glad to have encountered it.
By some reference I assume it was written for a group... ?

I aim to improve ...or at least tackle the basics on a more mature level..lol

Blessssssssssssss

[J]

I'm not even about to write such long essays like others have in response to the one here that you've posted. All I really wanted to say was that I thought this was well thought-out, informative, and something that all writers should read. I've yet to dip my quill into storywriting, but I'm going to, I just know that I have to. Pieces like this help me to understand the underlying intricacies involved in this craft, which is all still rather alien to me at the moment. Again, thanks for sharing =) J

[Vanessa Whiteley]

I enjoyed reading this informative essay, especially because the style is so assessable. Overall your observations on writing and literature in general are sound. However, upon occasion I question some of your statements. For example �The proof is in the required reading of their works by secondary schools and universities, thousands of years later.� This is not necessarily the case. Much that is taught in schools is dependent on the literary canon and that is formed through tradition, power relations and the societal norms of the time. As Terry Eagleton affirms:

�the so-called �literary canon� the unquestioned �great tradition� of the �national literature�, has to be recognised as a construct, fashioned by particular people for particular reasons at a certain time. There is no such thing as a literary work or tradition which is valuable in itself, regardless of what anyone might have said or come to say about it. �Value� is a transitive term. It means whatever is valued by certain people in specific situations according to particular criteria and in the light of given purposes. It is thus quite possible that, given a deep enough transformation of our history, we may in the future produce a society which is unable to get anything out of Shakespeare. His works may seem desperately alien, full of styles of thought and feeling which such a society found limited or irrelevant. In such a situation Shakespeare would be no more valuable than much present- day graffiti.�

In relation to plot where would you place Salvador Dali and Luis Bunel�s �An Andalusian Dog� with its lack of concern for plot structure?

What happens when the original concept or vision goes astray as, so famously, happened with Coleridge�s Ballad of Kubla Khan? Was the concept of that poem only an exercise in frustration at trying to recapture the poetic imagination? According to Coleridge it didn�t start that way. His poem which wasn�t appreciated in its time fascinates readers today. Thus it exemplifies Eagleton�s argument in relation to how cultural values change.

While I agree that there is a need for spectacle it should, also, be pointed out that the picture � dress, movement, imagery, sights, sounds, smells, colors, temperatures, events, people, animals, should not be so complete that there is nothing left for the reader�s imagination to fill in the gaps. The picture each reader sees differs even in theatre the spectator may not be looking at the same part of the stage. This even holds true for the enjoyment of the cinema when it would seem that everything was done for the spectator. Experience differs according to interest and each reader�s experience should be unique.

I freely admit to having failings in relation to spelling and punctuation. While I agree that using a spell checker is a good idea it doesn�t always pick up mistakes like �express and idea,� whereas, you meant �express an idea.� I guess the teacher would have to take out the red pen for you on that one.

This is not intended to bash your essay but merely to discuss those areas that I think are open to question and as you have said to be taken, hopefully, in good part. I look forward to reading other texts by you.

[Tigerlobo]

Whew! Long-winded? NAHHHH! Just hard to focus when the 4 yr old is looking for her shoes...so I must return later to take up where I left off...the crafty components! I love reading about what I teach. It's enriching and allows me to appreciate the work I try to do!

Found one error that I couldn't condone: "And, therein lays the challenge." You know. Unless you are laying the challenge on the counter for all to take up, then the challenge must simply lie.

You're busy. Clearly, by the length of this!! But, I earnestly wish you would come read my feature! It's as crafty as I get...a first draft, mind you, but tight nonetheless. Please come and grace its existence with one of your reviews! (okay, that sounded a bit pompous on my part, but what can I say: s**t happens!).

[Krystal Waters]

The article was long but informative. I think to write a good story you have to know what you are writing about. Create a beginning, middle and ending. It should be in proper language, however in dialogue, I believe the characters should be able to speak as they are... such as; southern drawl, or a hip hop type lingo.

The story has to grip the reader the first five lines, otherwise you lost your audience. You also have to target your audience. Who will read this. Get an estimate and how many other authors write this sort of book so you aren't repeating a story already written.

The ending is up to the writer. An open ending gives way to new series and another book and also create a longer life for the reader to ponder upon. Myself, I like to know what happens at the end, brings the novel to a closing and therefore I can pick up another. However, marketing shows that open endings sells more books. I guess a person would have to ask themselves... are they willing to write another novel?

Your article talks a lot about wording and capturing the minds of the reader and this is important. However, you don't want to be so colorful that the reader stays on the last sentence as in a poem, and doesn't pay attention to the next sentence.

Again, you say Flow. Yes, I agree. All characters must stay consistent with the story line and flow well. Always have editors read over your work even if you think it's good. Have ten people read it and give you reasons why they like it or not! We are not writing for ourselves but to an audience and we must always write this way.

Good job making this article, however... long winded! lol ha ha joking!