Fiction - Background
Ξ July 20th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Writing Mechanics, Fiction, Writing 101 |
My thoughts gleened from an article by Steve Almond
courtesy of this month’s Writers Digest www.writersdigest.com
Steve’s thoughts:
The writer should tell the reader everything they need to know in the first sentence.
“We should know who the protagonist is, where we are, what the situation is. Why in God’s name would you deny the reader these essential facts?”
Steve states that he believes the Hippocratic oath of writing is: Never Confuse The Reader
A confused reader spends his energy the wrong way: struggling to orient himself, rather than emphathizing with your characters. The most effective way to confuse the readers is to thrust them into a story without all the facts.
The reader should know at least as much as the protagonist.
Take the opening of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web:
“Where’s papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
“Out to the hoghouse,” Mrs. Arable explained. “Some pigs were born last night.”
“I don’t see why he needs an ax,” continued Fern, who was only eight.
My thoughts:
Would you read on?
Of course.
He gives the named character that we can identify with, the setting, built in tension, curiosity and breakfast.
What did we come here to do to the reader?
If we leave them too much in the dark, they won’t continue and that would be bad for both of us…