DIFFERENT WAYS TO DEVELOP THE SAME STORY( CONT’ D)
option of working with a combination of first person / third person works. Not only that, but it’ s becoming more and more popular. I’ d never considered it.
THERE ARE MORE TRICKS IN THE BOX LABELED“ OPTIONS.” HERE ARE A FEW � Dreams to add dimension
� Delay tactics, to keep the reader wanting more. �
The protagonist’ s imagination, to introduce some- thing they can’ t know about or can’ t see.
� Another character’ s dialogue or narration, told in third person. Each of these devices is a tool. Simply choose the ones that work for you.
WHY CHOOSING THE RIGHT OPTIONS, INCLUDING CLUES, ARE GOOD FOR THE READER AND THE WRITER.
These tricks of the trade keep the reader engaged while fending off boredom. Use clues to imply what might come, or to convey back story thereby explaining why certain things happen. The trick is to add other tidbits of information in a variety of ways.
EXPERIMENT WITH VARIOUS POVS. Consider introducing third person characters to help tell the tale. Pick a story idea, then take various techniques for a“ test drive.” When you hit upon the perfect combination and your imagination soars, it just might result in a story you can’ t wait to finish— one the reader can’ t put down.
USING DREAMS TO ADD DIMENSION
Dream sequences convey a character’ s innermost emotions unencumbered by daily reality. Fears, expectations, unrealistic goals or realistic ambitions, even premonitions of what is to come, all are possible under the cloak of dreams.
If you choose this technique, be sure your writing mimics real dreams. Include out-of-sync scenarios, bizarre situations and anything that helps the story move along in a surreal manner. These sequences must feel like dreams, not simple narrative.
Here is an example: Because of a horrible experience, the protagonist is plagued by nightmares that almost destroy her. They might be triggered by something she saw, touched or even smelled. Whatever the stimulus, a lurid image forces her to remember more of the missing pieces. Each memory removes another bar from the mental cage that protects her. This device leads the reader right into her ongoing torment. Even though she tries to deal with what happened to her, most of the details were trapped in her subconscious, as illustrated in this sequence:
ABOUT PROMOTING
YOUR BOOK It can take a lot to break through the fog of noise on social media and in life. You might hear or see someone’ s name five or ten times and still feel like you have never heard or seen it before, then suddenly on the eleventh occasion you feel like you’ re seeing this name everywhere and maybe you should check this person out.
DON’ T EXCLUSIVELY BOOST YOUR OWN BOOK Just don’ t! Don’ t start a blog solely to post book updates. Don’ t start a Twitter account if you’ re only going to talk about your book. No one will like you. You can talk about your book too much.
More good advice on The Blunt Instrument
WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
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WINTER 2017