Gay Ingram's Blog - Posts Tagged "action"
Choose Your Verb Tense Wisely
A novelist's key concern is to create an east-to-read balance between writing in summary, exposition, or writing in scene, action.
Exposition is a form of summary, any words in your story that are not dramatizing an action.
Action, on the other hand, are specifically tied to the movements of characters in scenes.
The tense of the verb in use indicates whether we are writing summary or scene.
Developing a working knowledge of verb tenses, you can apply this information to create and control the balance between summary and action in your work.
Compound tenses define the moments either before or after the dramatic present, and the simple tenses reveal the dramatic present.
An example:
'is doing' is a compound tense of the verb. Use of a compound verb indicates the sentence is summary.
"bends " is the simple tense of the verb and describes her specific action in the scene.
In most cases, tenses function in this matter, giving you the author, a means to consciously strengthen and control the balance between summary and action in your story.
Exposition is a form of summary, any words in your story that are not dramatizing an action.
Action, on the other hand, are specifically tied to the movements of characters in scenes.
The tense of the verb in use indicates whether we are writing summary or scene.
Developing a working knowledge of verb tenses, you can apply this information to create and control the balance between summary and action in your work.
Compound tenses define the moments either before or after the dramatic present, and the simple tenses reveal the dramatic present.
An example:
'is doing' is a compound tense of the verb. Use of a compound verb indicates the sentence is summary.
"bends " is the simple tense of the verb and describes her specific action in the scene.
In most cases, tenses function in this matter, giving you the author, a means to consciously strengthen and control the balance between summary and action in your story.
The Arc of a Short Story
A story is held together by the shape into which the elements of fascinating characters, witty dialog and lyrical scenes are combined.
You have a first draft completed. But is it a satisfying story? Here are some questions to consider.
What does your main character want? Why? The fulfillment of a hope raises the stakes.
Does the story have a beginning, a middle and an end? Do the events expose the hidden hope the character seeks?
Does the story have the makings of a central metaphor as it is explored and used in the story? Not necessarily required, a metaphor can be hidden from obvious view yet add richness and depth of texture.
A well-shaped story should look somewhat like a bell curve. The setup and complications occur at the beginning of the bell; the rising action takes up the dome; and the climax and denouement occur as the bell winds down at the other end.
Rising action is the meat of the story and requires the bulk of the weight.
The climax should be brief by comparison. Don't make the mistake of dragging out your ending.
You have a first draft completed. But is it a satisfying story? Here are some questions to consider.
What does your main character want? Why? The fulfillment of a hope raises the stakes.
Does the story have a beginning, a middle and an end? Do the events expose the hidden hope the character seeks?
Does the story have the makings of a central metaphor as it is explored and used in the story? Not necessarily required, a metaphor can be hidden from obvious view yet add richness and depth of texture.
A well-shaped story should look somewhat like a bell curve. The setup and complications occur at the beginning of the bell; the rising action takes up the dome; and the climax and denouement occur as the bell winds down at the other end.
Rising action is the meat of the story and requires the bulk of the weight.
The climax should be brief by comparison. Don't make the mistake of dragging out your ending.
Banish The Writer
When you've revised and tweaked your story until it's as good as you can make it, that's the time to banish the writer - yourself - and become the reader - that's you.
Let the story rest for a day or so, maybe even longer. Then find a time when you can begin and finish reading your story in one sitting. It's important to absorb the experience of your story with this read-through.
Only after a complete read-through will you then take up a pen and make notes as you ask yourself a few questions.
Does the title suit the story's tone and subject? Did it engage you, tease you into reading the story? It may be as the story evolved during the reading that you realized it needed a different title. There could be a key phrase or passage tucked inside the story just waiting to be discovered.
Did the story's opening lines compel you to continue? Or is your opening too cluttered, or delays the start of the story? Search for an opening that will launch the reader directly into the story. Then keep the action in forward motion. Take the reader somewhere interesting.
Stories, like life, are about human problems. Characters need to struggle toward those solutions -- and be changed in some why by their struggles. A satisfying story leaves the reader reminded of their own life's struggles and encouraged by the characters' victories.
Let the story rest for a day or so, maybe even longer. Then find a time when you can begin and finish reading your story in one sitting. It's important to absorb the experience of your story with this read-through.
Only after a complete read-through will you then take up a pen and make notes as you ask yourself a few questions.
Does the title suit the story's tone and subject? Did it engage you, tease you into reading the story? It may be as the story evolved during the reading that you realized it needed a different title. There could be a key phrase or passage tucked inside the story just waiting to be discovered.
Did the story's opening lines compel you to continue? Or is your opening too cluttered, or delays the start of the story? Search for an opening that will launch the reader directly into the story. Then keep the action in forward motion. Take the reader somewhere interesting.
Stories, like life, are about human problems. Characters need to struggle toward those solutions -- and be changed in some why by their struggles. A satisfying story leaves the reader reminded of their own life's struggles and encouraged by the characters' victories.
