 Short Stories: March 09, 2011 Issue [#4282] |
  Short Stories
This week: Character Components Edited by: Jay's debut novel is out now!  
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This Short Stories newsletter is dedicated to readers and writers of short fiction, discussing what we write and why we write it.  |
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Hi everyone, I'm Jay's debut novel is out now! back again to edit another edition of the Short Stories Newsletter. This month I thought I'd talk a little bit about characterization and how it allows you to optimize your word count while building stronger stories.
Characters dictate the movement and flow of your short stories in many ways. Their behavior, mannerisms, quirks and human foibles are part of what makes a reader interested and engaged. I feel like I've spent a lot of time on things that I think characters should generally NOT do, but I feel like I haven't given much time to the ways that your character can very easily create shorthand for the reader.
Obviously, not all of these need to be applied in a single story, and of course they will not work in every situation or scenario. This is just meant to get you thinking in a different way about how to approach word economy and sharpen characterization. I've spent a lot of time in recent weeks on some massive rewrites and these are just some of the areas I've come up with for making every word count.
Inference
What can your reader absorb about the personality of your characters without being told? Quite a lot, actually. Make your words do double the work in half the space by combining details. Rather than giving an explanation of who a character is, try giving an introduction to that character "in media res," and you might find that it allows you to give a tighter picture of the character without dedicating a lot of time to description that doesn't move the story forward as fast.
Dialogue
I have a dialogue-centric issue coming soon (!!) but thought I'd mention it here as well. Dialogue is one of the fastest ways to move a story forward, and using it wisely allows you to open up details about a character without stopping the story movement to "tell" your audience. From the way your characters talk, with regards to dialect, grammar, and word choices, you can say a lot about your characters... in their own voices.
Flaws and Foibles
Working in some flaws and foibles for your characters does make them more believable, though in a short story it's best used in moderation. Remember that you don't want to waste a ton of story space trying to explain a long and complicated backstory in a short story. (Again, short stories are all about that forward motion!)
Use literary shorthand in these situations when you can. You would be surprised what a reader already knows -- or thinks they know-- about a character without being told. You can use character archetypes to great effect, both by playing them "straight" or by turning them on their proverbial ears.
Practicing with unconventional formats such as 30- or 55-word microfiction can be a great way to economize words, and with a little skill, create a compelling character-- or perhaps the ghost of one.
Again, these are just a few basic places to get started and I hope I've given you some food for thought.
That's all for this month!
Until next time,
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This month's picks-- some of them are using elements I've described this month, others might be able to benefit from a little TLC! Check them out today!
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Feedback from last month's newsletter:
kristiana sends us the following with this message:
Would love suggestions from newbies and seasoned authors and everything inbetween. I have a hard time with short stories, but my word counts always seem to fall between the short and novel lengths. Maybe some tips on how to keep the story more compact might help????
A.T.B: It'sWhatWeDo  writes:
I was thrilled to see a newsletter on vignettes. Typically, as a rabid perfectionist, my first drafts are just a solid vignette riding on a shaky prayer. Having that initial glimpse in front of me (and hopefully sent to a mentor or twelve) has been the saving grace for all my best short stories. It's the equivalent of a sales pitch to your own creativity, in a way. Thanks for a great NL!
Thanks! Yeah, I think a few of my longer pieces got their start from vignettes I have written. I find they are useful for getting the sense of a place in my stories as well-- I can sort of explore the space without worrying about plot getting away from me. It's not like anyone's ever going to read it but me!
Zeke writes:
For me a vignette is sometimes all I have. Once I write it, a story may form around it.
Zeke
I think that's normal, Zeke. It's a great starting point though!
Will Dee writes:
Vignettes concept is interesting and seem like a logical approach when writing a short story. I am a graphic type individual. I place my thoughts in graphic format. I think i will incorporate a future storyline plot into vignettes and see what happens. Thanks for the tip.
Anytime! I think you'll find vignettes very useful.
atwhatcost writes:
"What uses have you come up with for your vignettes?" First, thanks for the definition and explanation. I never knew that's what those thingies were called. ;)
I use them often - usually to ferret out a character I need to understand more for the story. I have yet to use a vignette in the final story though. They're usually just to get some minor characteristic clearer in my brain. They're more of a "because she doesn't like this part of her personality" moments.
I know what you mean  And yes, a vignette is usually not useful in the final work unless it has been drastically altered (to include such things as plot and pacing, for example).
sarah0 writes:
my writing is a very bad .what i can co to improve my writing please help my
Practice, practice, practice. That is to say: read, write, revise, rewrite, read more... There's no hard and fast rule about how to become better at something, but constant practice and discipline will show marked progress. Best of luck! |
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