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Contributors:KennyTanemura.
Summary:

Thisresourcediscussessometermsandtechniquesthatareusefultothebeginningand
intermediatefictionwriter,andtoinstructorswhoareteachingfictionattheselevels.The
distinctionbetweenbeginningandintermediatewritingisprovidedforbothstudentsand
instructors,andnumeroussourcesarelistedformoreinformationaboutfictiontoolsandhowto
usethem.Asampleassignmentsheetisalsoprovidedforinstructors.Thisresourcecoversthe
basicsofplot,character,theme,conflict,andpointofview.

FictionWritingBasics
Plot

Plotiswhathappensinastory,butactionitselfdoesntconstituteplot.Plotiscreatedbythe
mannerinwhichthewriterarrangesandorganizesparticularactionsinameaningfulway.Its
usefultothinkofplotasachainreaction,whereasequenceofeventscausesothereventsto
happen.

Whenreadingaworkoffiction,keepinmindthattheauthorhasselectedonelineofactionfrom
thecountlesspossibilitiesofactionavailabletoher.Tryingtounderstandwhytheauthorchosea
particularlineofactionoveranotherleadstoabetterunderstandingofhowplotisworkingina
story

Thisdoesnotmeanthateventshappeninchronologicalordertheauthormaypresentalineof
actionthathappensafterthestorysconclusion,orshemaypresentthereaderwithalineof
actionthatisstilltobedetermined.Authorscantpresentallthedetailsrelatedtoanaction,so
certaindetailsarebroughttotheforefront,whileothersareomitted.

Theauthorimbuesthestorywithmeaningbyaselectionofdetail.Thecauseandeffect
connectionbetweenoneeventandanothershouldbelogicalandbelievable,becausethereader
willloseinterestiftherelationbetweeneventsdontseemsignificant.AsCleanthBrooksand
RobertPennWarrenwroteinUnderstandingFiction,fictionisinterpretive:Everystorymust
indicatesomebasisfortherelationamongitsparts,forthestoryitselfisaparticularwritersway
ofsayinghowyoucanmakesenseofhumanexperience.

Ifasequenceofeventsismerelyreflexive,thenplothasntcomeintoplay.Plotoccurswhenthe
writerexamineshumanreactionstosituationsthatarealwayschanging.Howdoeslove,longing,
regretandambitionplayoutinastory?Itdependsonthecharacterthewriterhascreated.

Becauseplotdependsoncharacter,plotiswhatthecharacterdoes.Plotalsofluctuates,sothat
somethingissettledorthrownoffbalanceintheend,orboth.Traditionally,astorybeginswith

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somekindofdescriptionthatthenleadstoacomplication.Thecomplicationleadsuptoacrisis
pointwheresomethingmustchange.Thisisthepenultimatepartofthestory,beforetheclimax,
orthemostheightenedmomentofastory.

Insomestories,theclimaxisfollowedbyadenouement,orresolutionoftheclimax.Making
eventssignificantinplotbeginswithestablishingastronglogicthatconnectstheevents.Insofar
asplotrevealssomekindofhumanvalueorsomeideaaboutthemeaningofexperience,plotis
relatedtotheme.

Character

Charactercantbeseparatedfromaction,sincewecometounderstandacharacterbywhatshe
does.Instories,charactersdrivetheplot.Theplotdependsonthecharacters'situationsandhow
theyrespondtoit.Theactionsthatoccurintheplotareonlybelievableifthecharacteris
believable.Formosttraditionalfiction,charactersaredividedintothefollowingcategories:

Protagonist:themainorcentralcharacterorhero(HarryPotter)
Antagonist:opponentorenemyoftheprotagonist(DarkLordVoldemort)
FoilCharacter:acharacter(s)whohelpsreadersbetterunderstandanothercharacter,
usuallytheprotagonist.ForexampleintheHarryPotterseries,HermioneandRonare
Harry'sfriends,buttheyalsohelpreadersbetterunderstandtheprotagonist,Harry.Ron
andHermionerepresentpersonalitiesthatinmanywaysareoppositesRonisabitlazy
andinsecureHermioneisdrivenandconfident.Harryexistsinthemiddle,thus
illustratinghisinnerconflictandimmaturityatthebeginningofthebookseries.

Becausecharacterissoimportanttoplotandfiction,itsimportantforthewritertounderstand
hercharactersasmuchaspossible.Thoughthewritershouldknoweverythingthereistoknow
abouthercharacter,sheshouldpresentherknowledgeofthecharactersindirectly,through
dialogueandaction.Still,sometimesasummaryofacharacterstraitsneedstobegiven.For
example,forcharacterswhoplaythesupportingcastinastory,directdescriptionofthe
characterstraitskeepsthestoryfromslowingdown.

Beginningandintermediatelevelwritersfrequentlysettleforcreatingtypes,ratherthanhighly
individualized,crediblecharacters.BewaryofcreatingacharacterwhoisaLoserWithAGood
Heart,TheWorkingClassManWhoIsTrappedByToughGuyAttitudes,TheLonelyOldLady
WithADog,etc.Atthesametime,keepinmindthatallgoodcharactersare,inasense,types.

Often,increativewritingworkshopsfrombeginningtoadvancedlevels,theinstructorasks,
Whosestoryisthis?Thisisbecausecharacteristhemostimportantaspectoffiction.Inan
intermediatelevelworkshop,itwouldbemoreusefultointroduceastoryinwhichitismore
difficulttopickoutthemaincharacterfromthelineup.Itprovidesanopportunityfor
intermediatelevelfictionwriterstoreallyexplorecharacterandthefactorsthatdeterminewhat
isatstake,andforwhom.

Conflictdependsoncharacter,becausereadersareinterestedintheoutcomesofpeopleslives,
butmaybelessinterestedinwhatsatstakeforacorporation,abank,oranorganization.
Charactersinconflictwithoneanothermakeupfiction.Hypothetically,acharactercancome
intoconflictwithanexternalforce,likepoverty,orafire.Butthereissimplymoreopportunity
toexplorethedepthandprofundityinrelationshipsbetweenpeople,becausepeopleareso
complexthatconflictbetweencharactersoftengetsblurredwithacharactersconflictwith
herself

Theshortstory,asinallliteraryforms,includingpoetryandcreativenonfiction,dependsonthe
partsofthepoemorstoryoressaymakingsomekindofsenseasawhole.Thebestexamplein

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fictionischaracter.Thevariousaspectsofacharactershouldadduptosomekindofmeaningful,
largerunderstandingofthecharacter.Ifthevariousaspectsofacharacterdontaddup,the
characterisntbelievable.Thisdoesntmeanthatyourcharactershavetobesensible.Your
charactersmayhavenocommonsenseatall,butwehavetounderstandthecharacterandwhy
sheisthatway.Thecharactersmotivesandactionshavetoaddup,howeverconflicted,
marginalizedorirrationaltheymaybe.

Contributors:KennyTanemura.
Summary:

Thisresourcediscussessometermsandtechniquesthatareusefultothebeginningand
intermediatefictionwriter,andtoinstructorswhoareteachingfictionattheselevels.The
distinctionbetweenbeginningandintermediatewritingisprovidedforbothstudentsand
instructors,andnumeroussourcesarelistedformoreinformationaboutfictiontoolsandhowto
usethem.Asampleassignmentsheetisalsoprovidedforinstructors.Thisresourcecoversthe
basicsofplot,character,theme,conflict,andpointofview.

FictionWritingBasics2
Theme

Ifcharacteristhemostimportantaspectoffiction,thenthemeisthemeaningofastory.The
meaningofastoryshouldntbemistakenwithtopic,however.Whatthewritermakesofthe
topicconstitutestheme

SomeliterarycriticshaveclaimedthatthemeisalostartincontemporaryAmericanfiction
becausewearenotlikelytoaskofastory,Whatdoesitaddupto?Wearemorelikelytomake
surethecauseandeffectpointsarerationalandmakesense.Weappreciatemeaningfulmoments
ofinsightinastory,butsometimesbalkataskingbigquestions.Suchquestionsareconsidered
oldfashioned,andtheoutdatedqualitiesofclosureandepiphanyhavediminishedthe
importanceoftheme.

Yetreadersusuallysearchforanswersandmeaninginliterature,andperhapsthisisonereason
whyreadershavelostinterestincontemporaryAmericanshortfiction.Unlessthisquandaryis
dealtwith,classroompromptedstoriesmayfailtobememorable.Thememakesastory
memorable.Partofthereasonthatthemeisnotdiscussedverymuchinwritingworkshopsisthat
theprimaryproblemwithmanystoriesislackofcoherence.Forexample,it'sdifficultforthe
storytosucceedifthecharacterortheplotisnotcredible,sotheworkshopisdevotedtofixing
theproblem.

Whiletheseproblemsdoneedtobefixed,fixingtheproblemsdoesntmakeforamemorable
readingexperience.Themeoftendependsonavisionoflifethatthewriterstartsoutwithbefore
shebeginsthestory.Therefore,thememaybebeyondtherealmofthecreativewriting
workshop,sinceworkshopsareusuallycenteredaroundbeginningorintermediatelevelpoets
andwriterswhohavenotyetdiscoveredtheirvisionoflife.

Still,greatfictiondependsontheme,andthemeissometimesalostart.JeromeSterns
suggestion,inMakingShapelyFiction,isanimportantremindertoallbeginningand
intermediatewriters:Youcantavoidmeaningevenifyouwantto.

Conflict,Crisis,Resolution

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Conflictandcrisisareimportanttofictionbecausemostreadersfindtroubleinteresting.If
charactersarebestfriendswhoalwaysgetalongorhavenoageandpersonalitydifference,
readersmightnotfindthemcompelling.Ifcharactersdonothaveinternalorexternalconflictto
meet,dealwith,andovercome(orfailtoovercome),thenreadersmayfindthestory
uninteresting.

Inaddition,conflictcanbeaneffectivedevicefordrivingplot.Intraditionalpatternsoffiction,
readersareintroducedtocharactersandthensomethingoccursthatchallengesthemain
character(s)(protagonist).Thiscomplicationisusuallysomesortofconflictorcrisisthe
charactersmustface,dealwith,and/orovercome.Theconflictcanbeinternal:acharacter's
battlewithherdepression.Ortheproblemcanbeexternal:theprotagonistdealingwithher
enemy,theantagonist.Ortheconflictcanencompassbothinternalandexternalelements:the
protagonistmustfirstdealwithherdepressioninordertoovercometheconflictwiththe
antagonist.

Inordertoovercomethecrisis,theprotagonistmustmakesomesortofimportantdecisionor
takesomekindofactionthisiscalledthepenultimatepartoftheplot.Theprotagonist'sdecision
todealwiththecrisisthenleadstotheclimaxofthestory,whichshowsthereadertheresultsof
theprotagonist'schoice.

Followingtheclimax,thecrisisisusuallyresolved(thispartoftheplotiscalledthe
denouement),andthenthestoryconcludes.Duringtheconclusion,readerslearnhowthe
protagonisthaschanged(grown,learned,remainedthesame,becomemoreevil,etc.)asaresult
ofthecrisis.

PointofView

Pointofviewreferstotheperspectivetheauthorusestotellthestory.Thoughauthorsmay
switchandcombinepointsofview,intraditionalfictionthereexiststhreepointsofview:

ThirdPerson:Inthirdperson,theauthortellsthestory.Buttheauthordecidesiftheeventswill
beobjectivelygiven,orifshecangointothemindofeverycharactertowhatdegreeshecan
interpretthatcharactertowhatdegreeshecanknowthepastandthefutureandhowmany
authorialjudgmentswillbeallowed.Forexample,ChekhovusesThirdpersonlimited
omniscientinhisstory,Vanka.ChekhovtellsuswhenVankaisthinking,buthedoesntgointo
detailaboutwhatVankaisthinkingabout.ChekhovletstheactionshowwhatVankaisthinking
about.

IfChekhovhadwrittenthestoryinthirdpersonomniscient,thenwewouldknoweverythingthat
wasonVankasmind,andwewouldbegivenagreatdealofinterpretationaboutwhyVankaacts
thewayheacts.IfChekhovhadchosentowriteVankainThirdpersonobjective,wewould
onlygetthosedetailsthatcouldbeoutwardlyobserved.Vankawouldnotpausetothinktwice
abouthowheshouldbeginhislettertohisgrandfather.Wemightseehimlifthispen,andthen
startwritingagain,butnothingmore.

SecondPerson:Secondpersonisunusualinfictionandismorecommoninpoetry.Insecond
person,thecharacterisnotreferredtoasheorshe,orbyname,butratherasyou.IfChekhov
hadwrittenVankainsecondperson,itwouldbeginlikethis:You,aboyofnine,whohad
beenforthreemonthsapprenticedtoAlyahintheshoemaker,weresittinguponChristmasEve.

FirstPerson:Authorsusefirstpersonwhenanarratorwhoisalsoacharacterinthestory
speaks.Baldwinsstory,SonnysBlues,iswritteninfirstperson,andbegins:Ireadaboutitin
thepaper,inthesubway,onmywaytowork.ThenarratorwhospeaksisSonnysolderbrother,
andheisalsothemaincharacterinthestory.

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SuggestedReading

CharlesBaxter.BurningDowntheHouse:EssaysonFiction.GraywolfPress,1997.
JanetBurroway.WritingFiction:AGuidetoNarrativeCraft.HarperCollins,1994.
CleanthBrooksandRobertPennWarren.UnderstandingFiction.PrenticeHall,Inc.,
1959.
RustHills.WritinginGeneralandtheShortStoryinParticular.MarinerBooks,2000.
HeatherSellers.ThePracticeofCreativeWriting:AGuideforStudents.Bedford/St.
Martins,2008.
DavidStarkey.CreativeWriting:FourGenresinBrief.Bedford/St.Martins,2009.
JeromeStern.MakingShapelyFiction.W.W.Norton&Company,1991.

Contributors:KennyTanemura.
Summary:

Thisresourcediscussessometermsandtechniquesthatareusefultothebeginningand
intermediatefictionwriter,andtoinstructorswhoareteachingfictionattheselevels.The
distinctionbetweenbeginningandintermediatewritingisprovidedforbothstudentsand
instructors,andnumeroussourcesarelistedformoreinformationaboutfictiontoolsandhowto
usethem.Asampleassignmentsheetisalsoprovidedforinstructors.Thisresourcecoversthe
basicsofplot,character,theme,conflict,andpointofview.

FictionWritingBasics3Sample
Assignments
SampleAssignments

ThesefiveexercisesareadaptedfromJanetBurrowaysWritingFiction.

1.Takeasimplebutspecificpolitical,religious,scientific,ormoralidea.Itmaybeonealready
availabletousinaformulaofwords,oritmaybeoneofyourown,butitshouldbepossibleto
stateitinlessthantenwords.Writeashortstorythatillustratestheidea.Donotstatetheideaat
all.Yourgoalsaretwo:thattheideashouldbeperfectlycleartoussothatitcouldbeextracted
asamoralormessage,andthatweshouldfeelwehaveexperiencedit.

2.Takeasyourtitleacommonproverbormaxim,suchaspowercorrupts,honestyisthebest
policy,walksoftlyandcarryabigstick,hastemakeswaste.Letthestorymakethetitleironic,
thatis,exploreasituationinwhichtheadviceorstatementdoesnotapply.

3.Takingasastaringpointsomeincidentorsituationfromyourownlife,writeastorywithone
ofthefollowingthemes:nakedness,blindness,thirst,noise,borders,chains,cleanwounds,
washing,thecolorgreen,dawn.Theeventsthemselvesmaybeminor(astoryaboutaslipping
bicyclechainmayultimatelybemoreeffectivethanoneaboutachaingang).Onceyouhave
decidedonthestructureofthestory,exploreeverythingyouthink,know,orbelieveaboutyour
chosenthemeandtrytoincorporatethatthemeinimagery,dialogue,event,character,andso
forth.

4.Identitythebeliefyouholdmostpassionatelyandprofoundly.Writeashortstorythatexplores
aninstanceinwhichthisbeliefisuntrue.

5.Writeashortstorythatyouhavewantedtowritealltermandhavenotwrittenbecauseyou
knewitwastoobigforyouandyouwouldfail.Youmayfail.Writeitanyway.
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TheseeightexercisesareadaptedfromJanetBurrowaysWritingFiction.

1.TheplaywrightBertoltBrechthadoverhisdeskasignthatread,TheTruthisConcrete.You
willnotice,however,thatthissentenceisanabstraction(hedidntmeanthatthetruthiscement).
Inyourjournal,clusterthewordconcrete.Writeapassageaboutit.Whenyourefinished,
checkwhetheryouhaveusedanyabstractionsorgeneralizationsthatcouldbeeffectively
replacedbyconcretedetails.

2.Paintaselfportraitinwords.Propamirrorinfrontofyouanddescribe,inthemostfocused
sightdetailsyoucanmanage,twentyorthirtythingsthatyousee.Thentrytodistanceyourself
fromyourportraitandchoosethetwoorthreedetailsthatmostvividlyandconciselyconveythe
imageyouwanttopresent.Whatattitudedoyouwantthereadertohave?Shouldwefindyou
funny,intense,pitiable,vain,dedicated?Addadetailofsound,touch,smell,ortastethatwill
helpconveytheimage.

3.Writeapassageusingsignificantdetailsandactiveverbsaboutacharacterwhoconveysone
ofthefollowing:

belongstoanothercountry
completeharmony
brainsarefried
outofcontrol
kittenishorpuppylike
theabsoluteboss.

4.Writeadescriptionofarurallandscape,acitystreet,aroom,orthedeskinfrontofyou.Use
onlyactiveverbstodescribetheinanimateaswellasanimatethings.Avoidthepatheticfallacy.

5.Writeaboutaboringsituation.Convinceusthatthesituationisboringandthatyourcharacters
areboredorboringorboth.Fascinateus.Ormakeuslaugh.Usenogeneralizations,no
judgments,andnoverbsinthepassivevoice.

6.Writeaboutoneofthefollowingandsuggesttherhythmofthesubjectinyourprose:a
machine,avehicle,apieceofmusic,sex,somethingthatgoesinacircle,anavalanche.

7.Writeaboutacharacterwhobeginsatastandstill,worksuptogreatspeed,andcomestoahalt
again.Therushmaybepurelyemotional,oritmayrepresentthespeedofthevehicle,ofpursuit,
ofsport,orwhateveryouchoose.Thehaltmaybeabruptorgradual.Inanycase,lettheprose
rhythmreflectthechanges.

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