  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: vzabel
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Another year has started. I resolved this year not to make any resolutions, and I have kept that one -- so far. 
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Don't Dos for Stories
I read stories that sometimes irritate me because they contain cheap tricks, but nothing causes me to grit my teeth and throw a book, magazine, or manuscript across the room more than when it's filled with cheap writing tricks. What are some of these "don't use ideas"? Ah, let me count the ways. Sorry, wrong analogy.
Don't have a protagonist, which is usually a woman, insert herself into a dangerous situation when she could call 911. How many stupid people are there in the literary world?
Don't leave the reader guessing about what the hero finds. A clue, a piece of evidence, a letter, whatever, should be shared with the reader when the character finds it.
Don't make dialogue boring, unreal, filled with background information. Have you ever become irate when one character explains something to another that the second person should know? I don't like it when one CSI person tells someone running a test all the steps. Surely the one running the test would know what to do.
Don't make the people in authority appear stupid or dumb. Law enforcement officers should be realistic, not buffoons. Yes, they can make mistakes and actually appear flawed as we all are, but they should be intelligent enough to be on the force. Parents are not all morons. Bosses aren't mindless idiots.
Just a few of my "don't dos," but I'll have more another time. |
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Words from Our Readers
Thank you for the encouraging feedback. I appreciate your taking time to let me know I've done something right, or if I do something wrong. At least when people send comments, I know someone read the newsletter.
I think we all like to know we've been "heard."
sgcardin
Great tips, Viv simply put! Two thumbs up.
spidergirl
A great newsletter! I think we can all benefit from refreshers like this.
Although writing in 2nd person isn't considered "good" writing, there are a few good examples of successful writing with that point of view. (Tom Robbins' Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas is one of my favorite novels)
A good, informative newsletter! Thanks! 
billwilcox
Thanks for the refresher course, Teach. It never hurts to go through a little review.Smile
dkdoulos
Thank you for the writing tips! It's good to be reminded of the basics from time to time.
May your 2009 be the best year ever,
and may every year here after be even better.
Vivian |
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Short Stories: January 14, 2009 Issue [#2829]
