Q. What is the purpose of this section in a nutshell ?
A. T
here are many strategies towards prose that will be both clear and evocative, seeking just the right word and finding the perfect turn of phrase and cadence.And if one ever doesn't understand, one may always ask. As useful as it is correcting one another's mistakes (actually indicating a good grasp of the intent), what actually facilitates best communication is to simply indicate, specifically, whatever is indistinct or confusing.
And that is why, on occasion, it will often be worth the simple effort of interjecting comment, point by point, parsing and annotating another's phrases for any linguistic ambiguity. At least in conversation with anyone so forthright as to respond adequately with the requested clarifications, welcoming without fear such process of fault finding and error checking.
And this is how new understanding dawns from incomprehension, unless one lives only by re-warming over all that is already deathly familiar and unchallenging.
Vague and non specific complaints, however, remain as decidedly unhelpful in the reformulation and improvement of prose as in any other undertaking. And worst of all are those irate anti-intellectual whiners who act out by kicking up as much dust as possible, and then find the sheer temerity complain and blame others when discourse chokes on said dust! ("See? Now look how you've made me flame, thou pompous troll!")
But a good clear and polished final product will only result from continual rewrites, with proper feedback and civility. A Dialectic process conducted according to the standard Usenet posting conventions, building up or boiling down the ideas, as desired.
And so, with all due respect to the currently fashionable literary authoritative champions of the "Keep it Simple, Stupid" school of thought among other ubiquitous
bad writing advice, and, indeed, in all fidelity to the ongoing struggle against the evils of obscurantism, nevertheless, there remain other thinkers still, who yet do not quail or waver, enduring steadfast in the considered opinion that one ought not to be too easily intimidated by clever word play, big words or elaborated linguistic formulations any more than their complex ideas and whatever deeper meaning, unless one seriously expects and presumes, as only fair, reasonable and even one's due! to be actually talked down to.For indeed, as for what passes for critique, many there are that with blithe conviction denounce culture as pretension, call education effete, exploration Ecclesiastical futility, analysis ungainly, the truth unpatriotic and bemoan any vestige of vitality as plumb antisocial.
Woe unto us all! Because intelligence is largely a habit of appetite and interest, the simple custom of a second thought. And there are none so stupid as those who will not think! Not merely should they take criticism badly, rather that it sails right over their desiccated heads.
Ah, but they do fit in, don't they? That's why you ought to see things their way, especially when they refuse to really explain. After all, they feel so deeply! It's not that they are actually lost for expressive short words.
Regardless that Herman Melville may not be of free choice to every modern taste or just anyone's cup'a tea, nevertheless, 'Moby Dick' should actually remain within reach for any functional adult literacy. And while few of us may dare aspire to the heights of a William Blake, anyone ought to appreciate his deathless prose without waiting for the Reader Digest condensed version to dumb it down. For writing is many things, but always, writing is still the love of language. And vocabulary has always been prominent in the writer's tool kit, as well it should be.
Indeed, Patrick Stewart, no less, the actor who plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', has described the dialogue of 'Star Trek' in particular, as "heightened language", a nigh superheroic blend of Shakespeare and tech-talk.
Indeed, even the lengthiest and most elaborate of sprawling sentence structures will flow forth ever powerful with clarity, but beginning with subjects and verbs and only then with subordinate elements to follow or branch to the right.
A
nd consult the FoolQuest.com Terms of Use rants on short attention-span semi-literacy.Why must you be so mean and nasty all of the time?
A. Actually,
I am kind and sensitive, and therefore, brutally honest.What is key to masterful and resonant prose?
Rhetorical schemes describe the arrangement of individual sounds (phonological schemes), the arrangement of words (morphological schemes), and sentence structure (syntactical schemes). Rhetorical tropes are devices of figurative language. They represent a deviation from the common or main significance of a word or phrase (semantic figures) or include specific appeals to the audience (pragmatic figures).
A.
For the uncontroverted fundamentals of prose usage The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. is considered the classic, but take a word of advice and make better use of the impressive, clear and comprehensive
Online Writing Lab Handouts Complete Index by Topic. And here is
A Dialog Lesson in
punctuation. Shucks, learn ya'
How to write good ! And then let's
evaluate
clarity.
Polemical styles of persuasion employed in plot logic...
Because, although the essential components of
plot structure for the writer to artfully balance remain fairly constant, a great deal of effort may often go into detecting and reworking all manner of pitfalls, in polishing a work to make it read easily, in every aspect of content, structure and prose, Stellar Sentence Structures in Painless Paragraphs, reworking every awkward turn of phrase, such as the begin fallacy, editing out redundant passages, Using Short Words Effectively, retrofitting and filling plot holes in coherent detail, and other gaps. After all, the secret to any good writing is good editing.A good writer often dwells upon these tasks, and still may need to come back to the work again later, taking satisfaction in the effort. Whether such will be a lone effort, or by collaborative document sharing.
So, test your writing IQ and learn the simple secret to good writing that is soul more than syntax [Wayback mirror] , both statement and feeling. And here's food for thought, guidance on The 12 Step fanfic Program.
Beyond all the above, if one must, there is one most basic maxim of writing style, choice of
narrative modes, that may help keep the narrative prose readable and make a more compelling word picture:The passive "there was an affliction of debilitating arthritis in his aging body" is weak, "he had severe arthritis" is that much plainer, but "he reached forward, slowly and painfully, to turn the door knob. And, after actually wresting the door open, he stopped a while to catch his breath. Shaken and rasping from the sheer fatigue, he clenched his teeth bitterly and tried to rub the stiff and tender joints in his swollen fingers" is active, immediate and most descriptive.
One may even chose details for adding lots of physical action! Not "She ran really fast and slid into second" but "She stretched out her legs, pounding hard and as far apart as they could reach into the soil, then dropped onto her side and slid through the rising clouds of dirt on her right hip, skinning her elbow sharply. . ."
All else in the logic of plotting scenes readily follows from pertinent decisions what need be shown regarding motivated characterization and conflict on many levels with dramatic obstacles.
Indeed, whereas journalism and history generally rely upon expository summary, the narrative of fiction can be rendered from sources and inspiration in reality by details of action and dialogue.
However,
even without "writing on the nose," important exceptions to the "show don't tell" maxim include, on the one hand, whatever such events from which the author for whatever reason elects to spare the audience explicit description, the eyeball kick, or on the other hand, hinted suggestion which may even be the more powerful, or else simply focus upon some other more important events, so as not to unduly precipitate, retard or completely interrupt the flow of the story. How to Show Instead of Tell:Descriptions are often intended to reveal moral or psychological aspects of character. Motivated characterization is shown by external description of physical appearance including even physical characteristics that constitute symbolic elements along with meaningful names, setting the scene and more, and also via relationships and contrast between characters (foil), with development or not, and any better hidden revelation and understanding gleaned from the reactions of others, dialogue and action.
Characters come to life when they speak and are revealed with dialogue that shows.
Of course revelations of any character's own thoughts and feelings may be conveyed via straight exposition or rhetorical discourse directly providing needed background information from the authorial POV. Likewise introspection of any character's private inner most thoughts and feelings from the POV of inner life. Or, instead, interior monologue may attempt to convey in words the process of consciousness or thought as a means of narrating a story. But stream-of-consciousness or otherwise Representation of Consciousness may even endeavor to show, convey or portray in thoughts, experience, the entire subjective Phenomena, as it passes by, often quite at random.
While, indeed, there are important exceptions to the rule of "show don't tell," and frequently the need for backfill narrative, even black box scene analysis and also hybrids such as the half-scene, nevertheless, more often there may be many better techniques by which events even foreshadowed by anticipatory imagery, can unfold in scenes or even by creative stagecraft, rather than actually being explained. Indeed, editing film has been likened unto writing with images, and viewers will actually tend to form context on their own, even from sequences of unrelated shots, however random. Never remind readers they're reading. Allow the reader/viewer/audience to figure things out.
The reader needn't believe whatever one's told, unless it rings true and evokes pathos. To state plainly, that young man is touchingly awkward may easily seem more like awkward narrative. Instead, let the reader have their own feelings. Only show the awkward behavior to play upon our sympathies, and let evidence supplied move the desired verdict from the audience.
Indeed, perhaps most important to show don't tell, is character motivation, for just such salient coherence and consistency in deeds, behavior and response, is indispensable and key to effective drama, the many levels of conflict inherent to situation.
Favor the specific over the generic. Although an actual story can effectively and evocatively reinforce and return to a central theme, essential understanding or recurring concept, often conveyed via some symbolic Objective Correlative motif or topos, but even then, with variation.
Fictional characters like unto real unto the people they generally represent, are wont to associate emotionally to setting via meaningful key "objects," not only real physical props, decor, senses, smell, mood, ambiance, light and sound, but also triggers of memory and motivation perhaps focused thereupon, sentimentality after a prolonged absence, or to heighten or show any range of affect and motivation from tragic loss to pleasant anticipation.
Good writing is akin to good reporting, conveying the level of intensity and other evocative qualities of any scene, or, for example, in the vital details of group scenes.
And so, no matter the tone or attitude, atmosphere or ambiance, as evoked by the perfect setting, by Writing from the Senses, SUBTLE AND sensuously, with some reference to sensory perception in every paragraph, describing not only what a character sees, but hears, smells, tastes; the wind on his or her skin, the drone of insects, whatever, for richness of texture the senses remain key to Techniques of Suspense plotting and particularly to building onstage sexual tension and even aversion. Therefore, details of reflection, perception and experience must be chosen to draw out the moment that the reader may in turn be drawn into whatever the ambiance or other qualities of the passage or sequence, whichever point in the narrative.
Action, great or small, serves many functions, from evocation of characterization to punctuation of dialogue even a simple gesture such as a shrug or a nervous laugh, an action or task, lending context, in turn, all likewise, key in showing characterization, wherein motivation should be apparent no less than in a reaction shot, even as specific as, for example, what sort of frown, confused, troubled, or disapproving, and even through thoughts, however expository. And in all that is spoken and unspoken, unique, original and rounded and multifaceted characters must be concrete with their own unique behavior and responses including dialogue with tone, subtext and body language, that are consistent with their own perceptible background and outward signs, in Describing Your Characters Through Their Actions. And the logic of deconstruction expands and unfurls consistent story elements and variations out from one another. In the rewrites, details reexamined serve as clues to a better developed story.
Or instead of telling, explaining or else showing cinematically or sensorially, in the novel there has long also been refined the literate elaboration and demonstration by dimensioned anecdote, even sheer gossip.
Identity is often associated with habit, and yet, the public persona seldom matches the Phenomenal reflection of inner life, POV, 'spin,' interpretive frame of reference, so much of which, in turn, us filtered through our meager and misguided self-understanding. Indeed, beware, the personal constructs of social cognition often arise from various learned or innate naturally flawed Epistemological Methodology.
Indeed, do we consider our options and consciously take action, or do our actions simply come upon us as we react, and only then rationalize afterward? Frequently, the self conscious illusion of individual will is only the burden of responsibility in hindsight after misdirection (whether error circumstantially and honestly, by deliberate manipulation or even hamartia and self-deception) has already been key in moving from promise to catastrophe. -An artifact of the personal narrative facilitating growth and the unfolding process of tragic recognition called Anagnorisis. Indeed, beyond direct action, our influence upon others may often be even the more misguided and deluded.
Some say that one becomes addicted to shame when another's heart is closed to one, because, however excruciating, the sheer megalomania of taking the blame protects one from the ugly truth that we really have no control over others and the universe or God. We can't make either love us or, ultimately, even protect those who do. Put more simply, then, and in complete good faith, powerlessness, the impotent helplessness of the human condition is terminally demeaning.
Drama is conflict on many levels, or contradiction, more than mere crisis, that is inherent to situation, conflict being more than merely an event, but like unto karma, a condition, a relationship. Alas, however, beware! poor staging or presentation of conflict is effectively misdirection that dissipates inherent drama.
Moreover, well rounded fictional
characters like unto the real people they generally represent, are wont to associate emotionally to setting via meaningful key "objects" or personal symbols, not only real physical props, decor, senses, smell, mood, ambiance, light and sound, but also triggers of memory and motivation perhaps focused thereupon, sentimentality after a prolonged absence, or to heighten or show any range of affect and motivation from tragic loss to pleasant anticipation.Hence, to pique curiosity, the physical realism of Science Fiction may introduce one to whatever world or situation, sans cumbersome instruction manuals telling too much too soon, instead showing from the verisimilitudinous Edge of Ideas like unto the historical subtext of an invented and often far future or otherwise distant world or setting, abruptly, yet unfolding bit by bit, or even in some entirely novel and surprising manner, baiting the all important hook or grabber and more, actually central and unique to whatever the work's special appeal and invitation to the thrill of shared disorientation. For avid readers of Science Fiction are alert to seek out and make note of seeming incoherencies as tantalizing clues to the mysterious and fabulous world beyond the narrative, even somewhat likewise as the true lover of poetry must seize upon narratively inexplicable visual disruptions or conjunctions of sound.
And as for showing elements and information the importance of which may only become clear later on, Don't Drop Clues -- Place Them Carefully! and clearly for the audience. Even red herrings, let alone crucially important clues, particularly such as raise doubt as to the outcome, tension raised by
Exposition, even however naturally and incidental in dialogue, may reveal information, plot points however crucial, that is, among the characters of the story, known to all or else only to some, hence yet to be discovered by others.
Creating,
choosing and
describing the perfect
setting
Character and
setting
INTERACTIONS
include the
Q. What is paqoz?
A. "Delicately edged" or more narrowly, Pathos is the feeling aroused or that quality, as of an experience or a work of art, motivation of your audience and Getting Under Their Skin, that arouses feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow, or even an an argument based upon emotion, pandering, playing on sympathy, fears, and desires, even as is typical of propaganda, to heighten sympathy and identification with central characters, through a range of emotion or motivation, and most strongly at the climactic lowest point.
To show means either to display in action or else, otherwise, object demonstration, persuasion, even pandering propaganda or a moral, a lesson enfolded, when abstract knowledge alone fails to make an impression.
There is no excuse. Indeed, with the possible exception of all the more damaging and melodramatic innuendo, "BE" IS FOR "BORING." In order best to show don't tell, use action verbs instead of Be verbs, as in these evocative figures of pathos or even the symbolic imagery of Pathetic Fallacy.
Q. Where is to be found the deeper meaning in fiction?
A. Such depth is there to be plumbed and discovered
in sophisticated Literary thematic subtext...
A.
Tone varies
to express the full range of
human feeling and thought,
spoken and unspoken,
and likewise inform and influence audience reaction or perception. The
term is usually used to refer to the tone of language in narrative or
drama,
or the tone of a narrative, lyric
persona or
POV,
filtered perceptions and
Interpretive Turn. Tone is the manner of
expression in speech or writing, the attitude adopted by the speaker to the
listener, likewise the author's attitude toward the work, events,
characters,
or audience, even
subtext
gathered and understood from the
tone
of syntax and vocabulary used, while mood is atmosphere or frame of mind. No
less than as with the literal intonation of
voice
in speech,
the quality of sound, like unto musical tones, produced by the
voice
in
uttering words, likewise in writing tone conveys the author’s attitude, stated
or implied, toward whatever subject and which may help convey the
theme.
Such an attitude might be no less immediately apparent then as in a strident
tone of voice, or, on the other hand might be in a complex and subtle a manner
which takes time to establish in an extended written work.
Layers of
subtext
and
ambiguity are richer and thought provoking.
Choose and vary wording and phrasing. Beware repetition,
Micro
Repetition,
Macro
Repetition,
Mega
Repetition.
An author’s tone emerges through choice of words and details. But mood is the
climate of prevailing feeling in a literary work. The choice of
setting,
objects, details, images,
symbols
and words all contribute towards creating a specific
mood.
For example, an author may build up a certain mood around a
character
or
setting,
and even while treating such a
character
or
setting
in in quite a different tone. Indeed, such a contrast may be
ironic,
implied
