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Please welcome Catherine McLean, who has agreed to guest blog with the PDB today. Catherine will be talking about "what constitutes 'a good read,'" something that she referrs to as The Forest for the Trees Syndrom. Join us on Tuesday, December 8, as she explains "How to spot the great oaks and cut down the crab apples."

The Forest for the Trees Syndrom

It's a fact that writers are always planting seeds--the words--on a page. Over the course of weeks or months, the writer will nurture those sentences and paragraphs into a forest of words--that great story or novel, a feature article, or a creative nonfiction chronicle. The writer will revise, pulling out the weeds and weak saplings as best they can until one day the writer proclaims the work done, pleased and delighted with the grandeur of their magnificent forest.

However, most writers realize they are too close to the words, the story, and cannot readily see the individual trees and, in particular, they are not able to find the groves of crab apples and the thickets of briars. So, the next step in the evolution of a manuscript is to obtain useable feedback from qualified people who know story and writing.

Notice I said "useable feedback" not criticism--and not a smile and a pat on the hand accompanied by, "It's fine just the way it is." Does this mean that I advocate a writer seeking publication should hire a professional copy editor? Not necessarily. You see there are too many variables to answer such a question with a yes or a no.

However, what I am sure of is that craft can be learned and craft enhances talent. The more a writer is capable of self-editing, the better their chances are of publication. I care about craft and today you have the opportunity to ask question about any aspect of writing, fiction techniques and devices, or craft elements, as well as:

*Better ways to self-edit (tips and tricks)

*What constitutes "a good read" in any fictional story (knowing story structure)

*How to spot Freudian slips, repetitions, and other aspects that subliminally turn a reader--or editor--off (listening with your inner ear)

*The value of critique groups and one-on-one partnerships (taking control of the feedback you get)

*Online versus hard-copy feedback (giving feedback)

*How come I'm seeing so many books with obvious errors and glitches?

*What craft element is most vital for a good story?

*What is the most common problem found in manuscripts?

About Catherine E. McLean: Before turning to writing fiction, Catherine was a journalist and editor. After completing the rigorous Professional Writing Courses for fiction at the University of Oklahoma, she sold her first fiction short stories and now markets novel-length work. She has shared her knowledge with writers and has given numerous workshops (online, at writing conferences, and for college level personal enrichment programs). More than two dozen of her articles on the devices and techniques of writing fiction have been published. She firmly believes craft enhances storytelling talent and that writers can become better self-editors. That's why she offers an evaluation service to empower writers to improve their craft and storytelling skills. Her Web site is: www.WritersCheatSheets.com.

Comments (14)

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Welcome Catherine!
written by Jamie, December 08, 2009

December 8 ONLY - post your questions here, and Catherine will stop back throughout the day to answer them. Authors, login to post so your profile link shows, however, you don't need to be registered to post. Anyone can do so. Just fill in the security box and submit. After you post, hit "refresh" or "reload" on your browser (or visit another page and come back) and your post should be visible.

Glad to be here for the day
written by Catherine McLean, December 08, 2009

I'm online.

Catherine McLean

...
written by Tina Winograd, December 08, 2009

I have a scene in a fiction novel that I'm writing where the main male character is talking to someone who is "sleeping". He's telling the person about his traumatic past--sort of a reveal at the end of the book.

The dialog is a few pages and I've added a few breaks where narration describes his actions--he holds her hand in his, etc.

Even though his past is meant to be dramatic and really draw the reader in, how do I handle so much dialog without losing the reader? Are there tricks to writing this kind of scene?

Thanks for your help.

...
written by Catherine McLean, December 08, 2009

Hi, Tina--

I take it this scene is supposed to be a heart-jerker confessional because you've convinced the reader that he would only now, at this very moment, face himself and the demons in his past to confess all to that particular person. The most effective drama and effective use of that much "dialogue" will be a combo of:

a) dialogue whispered out loud or softly spoken words

b) internalizations (which is another form of dialogue). Possibly some of the internalizations will be more like a stream of consciousness whereby his conscience scolds him and he may review (as remembrances, not flashbacks) the transgressions, att*tudes, and fears that his past has wrought. He'll also likely make the connection of how the "sleeper" has changed him for the good or how she's made him look at his life anew. He might also confess--first to himself, then out loud--that he does love her.

c) "beats"--this is the stage business, like holding her hand, fighting tears in his throat, or hearing a clock tick the minutes by (or seeing a digital clock turn over the minutes). I'm inserting the clock, which is a "setting prop" but there might be something else more suitable that's part of the setting that you can use to up the drama because the reader will know he has so little time left to be with her. For surely there is an urgent reason he has only this particular time to confront her while she sleeps--and the reader is fully aware that he may never get another chance to do so again.

Lastly, you'll be going for the emotional jugular so you'll need to be in deep Point of View-Viewpoint to pull this off so the reader will believe it's exactly what he would do and say.

Hope that helps,

Catherine

aspiring author
written by Ms. Ann', December 08, 2009

After reading several books on craft, endings are just as important as beginnings. How can I make a strong ending for a story that is written in first person? Some details: Dialogue was used between two friends and other people in the scenes, just don't want to over do dialogue; the friend is talking about to a group at a gathering; his friend who is the victim of an unsolved homicide; he wants the audience to know that this haunts him, but the friend (likeable character) still deserves to be remembered in an honorable way.

Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend
written by Cheryl Carpinello, December 08, 2009

Hi Catherine,

In my working novel, I start with present time, but then shift the reader back to 2 days earlier. Currently, I have a double space and then the words in italic "Two days earlier."
The story is then actively told of what has lead up to the beginning.(See the excerpt below.) The story then shifts back to present time with another double space but no words. My verb tense is present throughout as the reader is seeing the story unfold in both places.

The young prince took several deep breaths, trying to summon up his courage. It had seemed so simple two days ago, even yesterday.

Two Days Earlier
It wasn’t the late summer sun burning his head. It wasn’t the dry mouth he had from all the dust kicked up in the yard. It wasn’t even the aching muscles in his arms and back from wielding the heavy iron sword during the long afternoon practice.

I don't have the transition back to present time ready yet.

Have I handled this correctly to minimize confusion?

Thanks,

...
written by Jamie Saloff, December 08, 2009

Catherine,

A friend of mine seems to have a "was bug." You know -- he was, she was, they was -- okay, maybe I exaggerated a little on that last one. I've heard you talk about "was" in the past. Perhaps you could share a few pointers about the "was bug." Most importantly, is there a limit to how many "was"s should appear on a single page? And why should my friend be concerned about his "was bug" problem? What's wrong with a few "was"s?

...
written by Kathy Otten, December 08, 2009

I have a question about the over use of pronouns. I've been told that when in the hero/heroine's POV he/she wouldn't think of himself by his own name and to only use it for clarification. I have trouble not using he/she too much when the character is moving around or say in a fight. Is there a way to avoid this and keep the action seamless without slipping into telling or using the character's name too much.

She'd called Michael several times in the ten minutes it took to get here, but each unanswered ring grew more ominious than the last.
Her hand shook as she inserted her key in the back door. Though only a month had passed since she'd last been home, as she pushed open the door, she felt like an intruder.
"Michael!" she called, stepping over work boots and piles of laundry.
God, she couldn't lose Michael too. She'd only just begun to feel again. Dirty dishes littered the kitchen counters, but she barely spared them a glance as she dashed through the house and up the stairs.
She stopped short when she heard the shower turn off, and she sagged against the wall.

I had 13 shes in this and the last short sentence had 3 shes.

Reply for Ms. Ann
written by Catherine McLean, December 08, 2009

Although you gave a list of scene--or story--details, they don't make sense to me. (Are words missing?)

However, a strong ending depends on the theme, the impact the entire story had on the focal character, and how that focal character grew mentally or emotionally (matured) or the lesson they learned from the ordeal of the story. If he wants others to know the death haunts him, yet the friend deserves to be remembered or honored, what does this character do? What does he think? Can the ending be summed up in one succinct line either uttered or thought? A line that will leave an impact on the reader? Think Patrick Henry: "Give me liberty, or give me death." He meant those words, he said them, and those words have yet to be forgotten. Can you write a clincher ending for your story that will profoundly affect the reader in that they don't forget the story?


Catherine

Reply for Cheryl
written by Catherine McLean, December 08, 2009

Good afternoon, Cheryl,

You say this is a "working novel" and I take that to mean this is what writers refer to as their WIP (Work in Progress.) So, with that in mind--that your first draft is not completed yet--my answer is: do not worry about the beginning until after you have written "The End." Why? Because only in the completion of the story will you better be able to judge exactly where the start of the story truly is. What if it turns out the true beginning starts before this opening? Also, once the story is written from beginning to end, you can then worry about the mechanics or use of transitions to present the time switch, provided you keep that beginning.
Technically, and whenever possible, strive to rely on transitions, not mechanical devices, for time switches or scene switches. Sure, the mechanical is easier and quicker--but the reader is jarred by the mechanical. Anything visual or mechanical as spaces and asterisks, is something to use as sparingly as exclamation points.
Also, you want to plunge the reader into the story now and have them keep reading until you have them thoroughly hooked, then it's safe to insert a flashback. Remember, flashbacks stop the story cold. Do you really want to stop the story after only a few lines? That may grate subconsciously on a reader and they won't trust you as being able to tell a good story.

Catherine