Flashbacks

Avoid flashbacks if at all possible. A story should begin at the beginning and go to the end with few visits to the past. However, our characters do have a past, and their emotions tie into their past, happy or sad.  Therefore, if the information is necessary for your reader to understand your story then go for it. But be careful. 

The best way to use a flashback is through dialogue, action and/or conflict. If you don’t want to put your reader to sleep, narrative is a big no-no.  So make your flashback vivid with plenty of tension. “Stein on Writing” says it better than anyone. “Fiction should seem to be happening right now.” This is an important statement because a flashback can be obtrusive and stop the story dead. Before using that flashback, ask yourself if your story would read better without one.

Writing Dialogue – 7 Crazy Ideas That Work

by, marlene cronkhite
This may sound a little crazy, but as writers, when you think about dialogue as simply giving a voice to the different characters living inside your head, writing then becomes an exciting journey and very rewarding. 

Characters 

The characters we create come from somewhere inside us, in all that we are, and all that we know. When we create our characters from within, the act of writing dialogue becomes uniquely individual. Usually the characters lead the way and help “show” what they are doing. By this I mean their actions express how they feel and what they’re thinking.  Another important aspect  is to not force characters to tell each other matters that each one already knows, just so the reader will be clued in. This is an obvious trick that the reader is sure to pick up on.

Voice

In order to write good dialogue, you need to hear those characters speaking in your head and capture their voices in your story. Make their voices unique by making sure that they speak according to their backgrounds.  Show how your characters react or feel by the using description of their voice quality and physical movements.

Tags

The use of “said” and “asked” are the only tags you need. The reader needs just enough information about who is speaking to be able to move ahead in your book.  The tags should melt into the background of narrative, not depict the scene or your character’s feelings.  Try to stay away from dialogue tags like: replied, voiced, expressed, vented, responded, cried, howled, bellowed, shouted, vocalized, asserted, declared, whispered, stated, uttered. These tags can botch up an otherwise wonderful, rich story. Make your character’s dialogue razor-sharp and you won’t even need tags.

Tension

You can easily create tension in dialogue when you create dynamic characters that are outspoken and driven.  Tension, one of the most important factors in fiction writing, gives the reader a sense of urgency and keeps him turning the page.

Dialect

It’s probably best to avoid using dialect all together when writing dialogue. It is difficult to read and if it’s not done just right it may sound amateurish.

Quality

The  “umm’s” and “ahhh’s” in dialogue and what he bought at the grocery store can be pretty boring stuff. Stay focused on your exciting plot/storyline. Keep your dialogue vibrant and alive so you don’t put your reader to sleep in a state of monotony.

Test

A good way to test your dialogue is to read it out loud.

Writing a Short Story – 5 Key Steps

I’ve found that writing a short story is a whole lot different than writing a novel.  There is the time factor and word usage to take into consideration. I’ve also discovered it takes discipline to keep your short story brimming with exciting life experiences in as few words as possible.   Here are five key steps I found that helped in writing a short story.

1. THEME

The theme is the supporting structure in your short story. The theme is what you glue your plot, your characters, and your setting to. This is kinda like a foundation that holds your story together. Conflict and how it gets resolved wraps itself around the theme of your short story.

2. PLOT

Plot is the introduction and series of events that happens throughout your short story. It is the action and suspense. It is the romance and emotion. The plot involves some type of conflict that needs to be resolved and has a beginning, middle, and an ending. A good short story needs a hook in the beginning to draw in your reader in and keep him turning the page.  Then, remember to save the best for last–the surprise twist ending leave your reader satisfied.

3. CHARACTERS

Crowding your short story with too many characters can get messy. I’ve found two or three characters is enough. Most of your story will surround an important event that proves crucial in the life of your main character. Every word counts. Too much characterization and description can debase the affect of your short story.

4. STICK TO THE POINT

Stick to the theme of your story. Make sure you don’t overpopulate your short story with unnecessary detail. Follow the narrow path of your theme. If you must digress, make it short, otherwise you will lose track of your purpose and get bogged down with a smorgasbord of trivialities that you don’t want.

5. THE SENSES

Keep your short story alive and vibrant by using the five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. The five senses add depth to your short story. You will see your images more clearly. A character or a setting once flat now speaks to the reader and becomes real.  

Once I’ve written my short story, I go back through and delete unnecessary words or paragraphs that do not contribute to the theme or plot. I try to keep a rhythm and make every word count.

Marlene Cronkhite