Creative Writing - Phase Seven

This time, we cover the following:

About the who, what, when, where and why—and how.

The Beginning, Middle and End.

Revision and Editing

I will also put here an easy way for you to check on your story, or health of what you write. A rubric chart of sorts.

But before we begin, I want to touch over about killing off characters in story lines.

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What to do with a character in your book when you plan to kill them off

There are good reasons to do so, and there are bad reasons to do so. The kick is which one is more important to you.

The following are points of information you can refer to as your checklist.

Good Reasons

It advances the plot.

It fulfills the doomed characters role or personal goal.

It motivates other characters.

It is a fitting recompense for the character’s action up to this point.

It emphasizes the theme.

It creates realism in the story.

It removes an extraneous character.

Bad Reasons

Shock readers just for the sake of shocking them.

(Shock value without its value, but not every author is Alfred Hitchcock and not every story is “Psycho”.)

Making readers sad just for the sake of making them sad.

(don’t buy into the adage” if they cry, they’ll buy”. Readers don’t appreciate being tortured without good reason.)

Removing an extraneous character.

(And if this is the case, ask yourself if he really needed to be in the story to begin with.)

A Final Consideration Before You Kill a Character

Now that we have a grip on what makes a character’s death work within a story—and what’s sure to make it fail—we next have to consider what could end up being a crucial reason not to kill your character.

Every character in a story should be there for a specific reason. He’s there to enact a specific function. If he doesn’t enact that function, then you have to question his purpose in the story. And if he does fill a role within your story, then ask yourself this: Who’s gonna fill that role if you kill him off?

Dramatica authors: Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley explain:

Unless the functions represented by the discontinued player reappear in another player, however, part of the story’s argument will disappear at the point the original drops out. In the attempt to surprise an audience by killing off a major player, many an author has doomed an otherwise functional story form.

How to Kill a Character: A Checklist

Lucky for our sadistic little souls, roles and archetypes can shift from character to character or be shared by several characters. In short: when a character dies off, his death doesn’t have to mean his role will be left vacant for the rest of the story.

With all this knowledge in mind, here’s a quickie checklist for figuring out if you can get away with murder:

You have scrutinized the list of good reasons to kill off a character.

You have identified one of the reasons as being present in your plot (or come up with a new good reason).

You have identified what role and archetype your character fills in your story.

You have created and positioned another character(s) to fill the hole left in your story by the doomed character’s death.

Or … Your story ends in a thematically satisfying way that doesn’t require the character’s role to be perpetuated.

Sometimes the death of a character can raise an ordinary story into something special. If you can justify a character’s death, then go for it.

So what way is the best way?

Best way? As in the goriest? The quietest? The most sensational? The bloodiest? The most satisfying to the killer? Drown them, electrocute them in the tub, push them off a cliff, put a pillow over their mouths. Don’t know if you would consider any of those ‘best’. It’s all going to hinge on your story, who the victim is, who the killer is, what the motive is, and how much trouble you want to cause for the killer.

Stabbing is a messy business. It is much cleaner to use a gun. But then be careful that your character doesn’t get gunshot residue on their hands or clothes. And guns are noisy. Yeah, I know ... use a silencer, but really how many angry wives or husbands have a silencer handy? (And honestly, a silencer isn’t all that silent in real life.) You could always hit them over the head out by the pool with a huge block of ice. Throw the ice in the pool and let the weapon melt.

Impact

There are a lot of reasons authors are driven to kill off a character. Sometimes it’s for emotional impact, sometimes it’s central to the plot, and sometimes it just feels natural.

Where you kill a character in your narrative depends on the purpose of their death.

There’s no too early or too late, just appropriate times for different purposes. If the purpose is to cause an emotional reaction then it’s often more impactful for the reader to get to know a character first. On the other hand if the purpose is to establish a sense of danger then a character can die on the first page.

Characters should be killed off at the moment when the purpose of their demise will be most impactful. In John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, the heart breaking death occurs in the last few pages, once we know and perhaps love the victim, hammering home the idea of poverty leaving people helpless and hopeless. In Robert Kirkman’s, The Walking Dead Deaths, frequently occur without warning, establishing the vital theme that the characters are never safe.

Pretty much any purpose can be valid, and can be written brilliantly, so long as it obeys one simple rule:

Write the death for the character, not the character for the death.

Character deaths ring untrue when it’s apparent to the reader that the character is only in the story to die. This most often happens when an author wants to justify a threat, including a character for the first quarter of the novel just so they can be killed by the primary antagonist.

Of course authors have to think about function (it’s not as if Steinbeck started writing George and Lenny’s adventures without knowing their tragic end) but you can’t stop there. If characters are solely around for their deaths, then readers will never invest in them and won’t care once they’re gone.

If a character is going to die, then they need to be unique and well realized. A good rule of thumb is your own reluctance to kill them. If you consider a character’s death and hesitate because part of you wants to keep them around, then you’re onto a winner.

The best character deaths are heart wrenching for the author and the reader.

If your character begins as a vehicle for their own death it’s essential to move them past that point, so that their end feels like a genuine loss. After that point the question ‘when do I kill off a character?’ can be answered by deciding what purpose the death serves and what moment will be most impactful in service of that purpose.

Of course knowing when to kill a character influences how you kill them.

How to kill off a character

How you kill a character is strongly influenced by the purpose of their death. In Stephen King’s Desperation, a father is killed out of nowhere, having survived most of the book and seemingly out of reach of the antagonist. The death is sudden and unexpected and serves the theme of horror through powerlessness and injustice.

In Mordecai Richler’s, Barney’s Version, the main character is dying over the entire course of the book, leading the reader to focus on every moment of life he wasted as the story unfolds in flashback.

The duration and manner of your character’s death depends on the purpose of their death. Long deaths can be tedious or heart-rending, sudden deaths shocking or laughable. The difference between a successful character death and one lacking in impact is a single emotion.

Weltschmerz

Of German origin, ‘Weltschmerz’ is the sadness caused by comparing how the world actually is against how we feel it should be.

In terms of character deaths, this emotion takes on a very specific form. The impact of a character’s death stems from the ability of the reader to imagine how things would be if they had survived.

This is one of the reasons why the demise of a character created just to die will have so little impact on the reader. Readers are canny, they understand the medium, and when a character’s sole existence is to prove the bad guy is an amazing swordsman, the reader knows there’s no possible future where they survived. The mechanics of writing bleed into the storytelling and the character may as well have been dead from the start.

Character deaths have impact when the reader feels a sense of loss, but for that sense to exist the reader has to have a subconscious sense of what they’ve lost. Whether it’s the character’s behavior, or the relevance of their relationships, something that was desirable must now be gone.

This is why less skilled writers often drop a love scene right before one of the lovers dies. The reader is meant to mourn the relationship that was cut short, never mind that they were too smart to buy into it in the first place.

In Darren Shan’s Killers of the Dawn, the main character’s mentor is thrown to his certain death at the end of a chapter. The next chapter begins with a daring, last minute rescue. It then details how the enemies were defeated, how the relationships of all the characters progressed, and the idealistic scenarios that followed. Of course this chapter is a lie, the fervent wish of the narrator, but its purpose is to create a highly realized picture of the world that should be.

Once the reader snaps back to reality and is forced to confront the death of the mentor, they do so with an aching Weltschmerz. They have seen the ideal world and understand in every detail the loss they have just witnessed.

Of course not every book can or should include a fake-out chapter, so how can other novels tap into this powerful sense of regret?

To look at this a moment from a different approach, take Stephen King’s, Misery. Our writer, James Caan. is in a terrible crash and rescued by Kathy Bates, claiming to be his biggest fan. She brings him to her remote cabin to recover, where her obsession takes a dark turn when she discovers Sheldon is killing off her favorite character from his novels. As Sheldon (Caan) devises plans for escape, Annie (Bates) grows increasingly controlling, even violent, as she forces the author to shape his writing to suit her twisted fantasies. In this case, a fictional murder suddenly becomes a life or death struggle.

Eulogize

Eulogies are speeches given in memorial of the deceased. By this I don’t mean having a character bemoan the loss of their friend (although that’s a valid option) but that you should reference what’s been lost through the death.

Of course eulogizing doesn’t have to happen after a death, it just needs to reference the loss. Readers are smart enough to think back to eulogies even when they occur before the death they’re mourning.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, contains eulogizing passages before and after Gatsby’s death, but the part that invites the reader’s Weltschmerz the best comes prior.

“They’re a rotten crowd,” I shouted across the lawn. “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.”

I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.

In this short passage, Fitzgerald plants the devastating idea that Gatsby’s death comes from his dedication to those who don’t deserve it, and how alone he’s been throughout the story. When Gatsby is shot sometime later, and those who brought about his death easily shrug off their guilt, this passage recaptures the reader and draws their attention to the idea that almost any other outcome would have been preferable to Gatsby’s sacrifice.

Passages such as this don’t need to be only eulogies. In many cases every action of a fully realized and compelling character constitutes an implicit eulogy. By establishing interesting relationships and a unique voice foundations are laid for the reader’s regrets once they’re gone.

Dead and Buried

Character deaths are a shaky currency and the less considered they are, the more likely the reader is to feel short-changed. The key to an impactful character death is to convince the reader that they’ve lost something and, annoying though it may be, it’s almost impossible to fake that.

Losing a character you like takes a lot of guts. Even more upsetting is consigning a character to death, building them up so that it matters and then not wanting to let them go. In such moments it helps to remember that what feels like a loss to you will be doubly so for your readers, and that the immediate sacrifice will lead to a more enthralling and engaging story in the long run.

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With that said—let us begin.

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How

Who: Who is the main character (Protagonist)? Police officer, lawyer, baker, soldier drifter? Male or female? Young, middle-aged, old? Tall, short, thin, heavyset, muscular? And … who is the bad guy (Antagonist)? Does he/she kill with a gun, knife, bare hands, explosives? Does he/she speak any languages? Educational background?

Once you define the who and the who is … then you can move on to …

What: What is the story about, and how do both the good and bad guy relate to the story. The what is the descriptive portion of the story.

When: Current as in now? The 1880’s? Great Britan? USA? The jungles of South Africa? This is where the timeline is set. And a timeline can begin anywhere and within a few pages, it can tie right into present day if that is the idea.

Where: This isn’t so much about what is mentioned in when. It is more about detail of where the characters are now. In a car, driving down Interstate 5, or in a jet at 50,000 feet in the air, or a diner, a bedroom, etc. More detail into the description of the current scene in the story you are writing.

Why: Not why you are writing, but why is the good guy after the bad guy, and why is the bad guy doing what he does? Why is it important the good guys get the bad guy?

Finally, the How: That is where you come in. How are you going to make page one blend into page two and page 46 flow as page 33 did? How will you do in introducing other characters and sub-plots that give continuity to your story and hold a reader’s interests until page 350 ends it all on a note that was either hoped for by the reader, or surprises the reader in such a way, the reader will be wanting to read more of your work.

The central focus of all this: every portion mentioned is your plot. Craft it well, and reader’s will want more from you.

The Beginning, Middle and End

Why is the beginning of a story so important?

Without a strong, solid, or interesting opening, you fail to maintain the reader’s attention, and in turn the focus is lost.

What goes in the middle?

The middle portion of your writing should include specific details that support your focus. Explain what is going on. Define by narrowing down the character or what is being down. Describe sensory details (what is being done), be as specific as possible. And Compare. Are there more than one or two things alike that coincide.

Why is the ending so important?

It is the final part of your write. An ending works well when it does one or more of these thing:

1) Reminds readers of all they have read.

2) Ties in the beginning and middle with no unanswered questions.

3) Stresses at least one main point surrounding the story and/or character.

4) Again, answers any last questions you might have as well as concerns (some endings may lead to a sequel).

5) And, if properly done, gives the reader something to think about, as well as recommend your story to others.

End strong. Give yourself plenty of time to create a powerful finish to your writing.

Myself, I have always been one for knowing how a story will end long before I get there. By me starting in such a way, it keeps me focused on the largest part of my writing project in filling the middle that will blend into my ending. For me, it makes better writing and I can keep on track that way. Yet, there have been times where something I write will alter that ending. That’s part of the magic of writing, too. Things can change and lead you in different directions. All I’m saying, is never limit yourself.

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Now, we come to the part no one likes, including me, but this is the most crucial part of your story (or anything you write), that makes all the difference in the world to an editor or publisher, and most importantly—the reader.

Revision—Editing

When you read your finished work, read it first, aloud, then read it again to yourself. Ask a friend or two to read it. Then, use these questions to guide you through any changes.

1—Does the beginning grab the reader’s attention?

2—Do the details in the middle support the focus of your story?

3—Does the ending say something important about the story?

4—Do I sound interested in what I’ve written?

5—Do I use specific nouns and verb?

6—Are my sentences and ideas connected?

When editing, check for errors in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Ask another person to help check your writing for errors. When finished, rewrite and proofread it all over again.

Keys to Editing

Use a dictionary and a thesaurus.

When revising and editing, refer to the Rubrics (which we will get into after this segment).

For editing, these are the 6 to 1 areas to look for:

6—Accurately use conventions which make writing clear and trustworthy.

5—Have a few minor errors in punctuation, caps, spelling, or grammar.

4—Need to correct some errors in punctuation, caps, spelling, or grammar.

3—Some areas may distract the reader. Need to punctuate dialogue correctly.

2—Many areas make the narrative and dialogue hard to read. Need to fix them.

1—Need to correct numerous errors in writing.

For revision, these are the 6 to 1 areas to look for:

Sentence Fluency:

6—Sentences are skillfully written and keep the reader’s attention.

5—Using a variety of sentence lengths and vary sentence beginnings.

4—Includes a variety of sentence lengths but need to vary beginnings.

3—A few sentences need to be varied in length and the way they begin.

2—Need to use different kinds of sentences and vary their beginnings.

1—Most of the sentences start the same way … need to vary the beginning.

Word Choice:

6—Original word choice creates true-to-life pictures for the reader.

5—A clear picture is created using active verbs and words that feel right.

4—Most of the verbs are active and most words have the feeling expressed.

3—Need to use more active verbs and words with the right feeling.

2—Need to replace many passive verbs with active verbs.

1—Unsure about how to use words.

Voice:

6—Narrative voice and dialogue create an unforgettable memory for the reader.

5—Using a natural voice and the dialogue works well.

4—The voice usually sounds natural and using some dialogue.

3—Sometimes the voice can be heard … need to use more dialogue for the story.

2—Narrative voice needs to be heard … need to use dialogue.

1—Voice shows no interest in the narrative.

Organization:

6—The order of events makes the narrative enjoyable and easy to read.

5—Events are in time order … there is a strong beginning, middle and ending.

4—Events are in time order … there is a beginning, middle and ending.

3—Some events are out of order … beginning or ending is weak.

2—Need to use time order … beginning, middle and ending all run together.

1—Writing is confusing … need to place all events in time order.

Ideas:

6—Details focus on one experience and make the narrative come alive.

5—Narrative tells of one experience and sensory details are effective.

4—Narrative tells of one experience, but more details would be better.

3—Need to focus on one experience … some details don’t relate to the story.

2—Have more than one focus sometimes … need to add details about story topic.

1—Story line unclear.

As promised, this will make all this much clearer to you.

Rubrics

It’s a way to check the “health” of your stories. A rubric lists the traits of characteristics for your specific form/style of writing. One you get the hang of this, you will understand its importance of traits like effective ideas, word choice, and sentences in your writing.

The Rubric is set up on a 6-point scale.

6—Amazing: far exceeds the requirements for a trait.

5—Strong: it meets the main requirement of a trait.

4—Good: meets most requirements of a trait.

3—Okay: needs work to meet the requirements of a trait.

2—Poor: needs a lot of work.

1—Incomplete: not ready to assess for a trait.

Just what are the traits?

Writing has six main traits or qualities. Knowing and understanding these traits will help you to improving the quality of your writing.

1—Ideas: The best writing focuses on a specific topic and includes specific ideas and details to support what you are writing.

2—Organization: Good writing has a clear beginning, middle, and ending. It makes reading easy to follow.

3—Voice: The best writing has an appealing voice. Voice is the special way a writer shares his/her ideas and feelings.

4—Word Choice: Good writing uses specific nouns (parachute, myna bird, plum), strong verbs (spewing, attack, pound), and colorful adjectives (crooked, delicate, soggy).

5—Sentence Fluency: Strong writing flows smoothly. Sentences begin in different ways and have different lengths.

6—Conversations: Good writing has corrected punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar.

Here are the 6 to 1 for conversation.

6—Proficiency in conversation gives the story authority.

5—Story has few errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

4—Story has several errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar.

3—Some errors confuse the reader.

2—Many errors in the story, confusing and hard to read.

1—Major help is needed to make corrections.

Follow the simple chart that follows where you can self-rate each section of the Rubric, with both a positive, and with something you could improve on. Leave room the way it is shown to write one strength, and one area that needs work. On the blank line, rank each trait with a number from 6 to 1. With Conversions, mark each area from 1 to 6 with a yes or no.

_______Ideas

1)

2)

_______Organization

1)

2)

_______Voice

1)

2)

_______Word Choice

1)

2)

_______Sentence Fluency

1)

2)

Conversations

Punctuation:

________1) Do I use correct punctuation after every sentence?

________2) Do I use commas in compound sentences?

________3) Do I use apostrophes to show possession (the dog’s bed)?

Capitalization:

________4) Do I start every sentence with a capital letter?

________5) Do I capitalize the names of people and places?

Spelling:

________6) Have I checked my spelling?

Grammar:

________7) Do my verbs and subjects agree (she walks, not: she walk)?

________8) Do I use the right word (to, too, two)?

And the very best way to use this is chapter by chapter, then ask yourself these questions:

What was the best part of my story?

Which part still needs work?

What have I learned from writing my story?

What would I like to do next?

Here are five different writers with their tips on writing:

Jane Yolen on ideas: “Think of an idea or topic that is so strong within you that it’s going to come out passionately as you write about it.” (She is an author of children’s books, and also fantasy and science fiction)

Joan Lowery Nixon on organization: “Work extra hard on the very beginning of your story, so it snares readers instantly.” (She specialized in historical fiction, and mysteries for children and young adults. Though she died in 2003, her books still thrive on the bookshelves, and that has to say volumes as she has left her fingerprint for future readers.)

Peter Elbow on voice: “Writing with real voice has the power to make you pay attention.” (He has written many books on writing, one being and one of my favorites: Writing with Power.)

Paul Fleishman on word choice: “We grew up knowing that words felt good in the ears and on the tongue; that they are so much fun to play with as toys.” (He too, a novelist of children’s books.)

Russ Freedman on sentence fluency: “You want the reader to feel swept along, as if on a kind of trip or ocean journey from sentence to sentence.” (A former biographer and writer of over 50 children’s books. Sadly, this man passed away, March 18, 2018.)

Next up, we will go into some detail with examples of good writing techniques in setting the pace, setting and tone for a good novel.