THE ART OF STORYTELLING: PART III: WHAT ABOUT STYLE? by Penny Hutson

In Part I of my series, “The Art of Storytelling,” I discussed the importance of the protagonist in the overall success of a story, but what else does a writer need to consider? Surely a writer’s style has something to do with it, but what exactly is style? Can a writer consciously develop one or is it something that only comes naturally?

E.B. White claims, in his essay “An Approach to Style,” that “there is no satisfactory explanation of style.” Darn! Not the answer I was looking for. In fact, he adds that it 's somewhat of a mystery, but that it has something to do with the way a writer’s words sound on paper. Why some words sound better than others when put together in a certain way, however, is essentially unknown.

Yet there is something that distinguishes Stephen King’s work from another horror writer, for example, or Hemmingway from Faulkner, Fitzgerald from Salinger. It’s something we can all see and hear in their writing, but we can’t quite put our finger on what that something is or even agree on what it might be. I say it’s the writer’s style, and it’s the same for singers, dancers, musicians, sculptors, painters, or any type of artist.

So, this is the million-dollar question. Does the writer have any control over their style?

Of course, a writer can take classes to improve their writing skills just as actors, painters, singers, or other artists can take lessons to improve their craft, but does that affect their style?  Despite his claim about the elusiveness of style, E.B. White does have a suggestion on how a writer might find their own style. He says that writers should place themselves in the background and write in a way that comes naturally. In other words, trying to copy, force, or fake a style won’t work. In fact, he believes it will hinder the process. He also cautions the beginning writer to stay away from “. . . all devices that are popularly believed to indicate style – all mannerisms, tricks, adornments.” Interestingly, he says the path “to style is by way of plainness, simplicity, orderliness, sincerity.”

So, if you’ve been searching for or trying to create your own style (or wondering if you even have one), try White’s advice and see what happens. Let me know if you find this blog helpful or interesting, and I’ll see you next time with Part IV of “The Art of Storytelling.”

WRITING ON A SHOESTRING: DAVID MEETS GOLIATH by Michael Rigg

You’ve, no doubt, read about it. Or seen it depicted on film: the Battle of Thermopylae. Xerxes, King of Persia, versus Leonidas, King of Sparta. The brave stand of the immortal Three-Hundred Spartans against the overwhelming numbers of the invading Persian army. The Spartans’ “fighting in the shade,” while thousands of Persian arrows blocked out the sun. The eventual triumph of the Persians and death to all those who dared resist.

It’s the stuff of myth and legend. And it sums up how I often feel as a writer.

Say what?

Okay, comparing yourself as a writer to Leonidas leading three-hundred Spartans against impossible odds may not seem like the best analogy to make. But some days, that’s exactly how I feel as a writer: overwhelmed, under-resourced, and outgunned.

I recently had the moderator of a panel I’m slated to be on at an upcoming conference write in an email, “If you want your publicist to send me your book in advance, my address is below.”

My publicist?

Ha. I don’t have a publicist. Or an agent. Or a large publishing house with a massive advertising budget. I have a great publisher. But it's a mid-sized, independent publisher. Not much money for extensive advertising. So, a lot of marketing—and the expenses—fall to little old me. Oh, and I’m my own agent and publicist, too.

But the assumption seems to be that if your novel gets nominated for an award, you have all those things: an agent, a large publishing house backing your play, and a publicist. And that it’s no trouble or expense at all to send a “free” book to a panel moderator.

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You know what they say about assuming, right?

I’m not complaining. I’m really not. To the contrary, I’m grateful. The reason I received the request for a copy of my novel is because it’s been nominated for an award and the moderator wants to read it in preparation for the panel introducing award nominees. As a matter of fact, my debut novel, Voices of the Elysian Fields, has been nominated for three prestigious awards this year: an Agatha (at Malice Domestic), an Anthony (at Bouchercon), and a Macavity (through Mystery Readers International). The Agatha is history (I didn’t win). The Anthony and Macavity are pending. (Keeping fingers crossed.)

Who knows if I stand a chance of being chosen? It seems so unlikely, given the realities of novels published by major publishing houses, books advertised to the hilt, and thousands of readers “in the bag.”

No agent, no deep-pockets publishing house, no publicist. And yet, here I am—nominated along with “the big dogs.” I’m certain the Polymarket® would give my chances as being somewhere between “Surely You Jest,” and “A Snowball’s Chance.” 

I’ve come a long way since I started my writing journey. And I’ve accomplished more than I ever expected. I’ve met so many new people—quite an accomplishment for a deeply introverted person. I’ve made fans—something I never really thought about having before I became a writer.

Then there are the authors I’ve become friends with—many of whom have mentored me or provided support in other ways. Just take a look at the blurbs in my two novels, Voices of the Elysian Fields and Shadows of Frenchmen, and I think you’ll get an idea of what I mean. With that kind of support—it's what got me here—maybe there’s hope after all.

In sum, it’s been one heck of a ride. And it’s only just begun. So, come what may, I’ll continue to fight the good fight, write the very best stories I can, and “let the good times roll.”

If you have a problem with that, give my publicist a ring.

 

 

PROMPTS TO INSPIRE YOU, PART SEVEN, by Max Jason Peterson

Eliot Waugh, photo by Max Jason Peterson
(Yes, named for Lev Grossman's character)

Welcome back to the asynchronous version of Max’s Writers Café!

These are prompt-based inspiration sessions to help get the creative juices flowing. I figured you might enjoy having a chance to work on the prompts at your own pace!

Just in case you like the prompts and ever want to join a live session, Max’s Writers Café is free, open to all, ages 18+, held in English via Zoom. I create prompts in advance, and we write together. To learn more or register for the individual sessions, visit the Eventbrite collection.

The purpose of my inspiration sessions is simply to help fellow creatives get started on something new. It can be refreshing to let yourself dream up something unexpected from a prompt; and something about writing with a time limit, especially in the company of others, with an idea you didn’t expect, can help overcome that “stuck” feeling. So I wrote these with the intention of inspiring some new rough drafts. Don’t expect them to be perfect!

For each numbered concept below: read the prompt first, then set a timer for ten minutes and start writing. Stop when the timer ends. Though you’re writing on your own, obeying the timer should still help train your brain to take the prompt seriously and get down to business. (For me, this can help circumvent how daunting it can be to get started.) You might be surprised by how much comes to you that you didn’t expect! And I hope that some of these rough drafts will intrigue you enough to polish and/or continue them later.

1. There’s something in the air: New seasons may bring changes to the flavor, temperature, and quality of the air in ways that can affect a being’s mood, health, or circumstances. Showcase this effect in a poem that expresses the psychology of the seasons through sensory details. If you wish, consider writing from the viewpoint of something other than a human. Alternatively, this prompt could be interpreted in terms of the ecology of Earth—air quality, atmosphere, etc.—or that of another world in science fiction and fantasy.

2. Dream come true? Or nightmare? You decide! When you get what you wish, sometimes it’s an unexpected and blessed experience. Perhaps it’s something you always dreamed about, but feared would never come true. The contrast between the previous life and new circumstances can make happiness feel even stronger. However, sometimes that “dream come true” plays out differently than one thought. Deception might be involved (by someone else, or self-deception). Or maybe the person with the wish has changed and the old dream no longer suits, no matter how happy or good. Write about a “dream come true,” and show whether it’s still desired. Include the contrast between the life before and after the change, and/or between the original dream, the actual experience of having it, and/or a new dream the protagonist wants instead.

3. Stuck: Your character is stuck in some way, unable to move on with their life. Maybe they know or believe they are blocked by someone or something—whether it be another person, or something about themselves. Is the belief correct? Is there actually something they might be able to do about the situation? Is something deeper going on? Do they still need to figure out what the source of the block is? Have they identified the correct cause? Why and what do they want to change? Show your character confronting or exploring this situation or feeling in some way.

4. Cozy: What is “cozy” for you or your character? And why do they need or desire coziness? Think about some things that cause your character to feel nurtured, warm, relaxed, or comforted. What situations and/or sensations assist when your character needs a break from something, time to recuperate, or just to enjoy a well-deserved rest? Consider what they might be celebrating, what they’ve recently achieved, and/or what they need a break from—basically, provide some contrast with the coziness being explored. Feel free to translate this experience to an unusual or imaginary setting.

If you’d like more prompts, here are some earlier installments in this series:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

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Max Gardner (he/they) is a fiction writer & award-winning poet published under a variety of bylines, including Max Jason Peterson and Adele Gardner. A poetry collection, Halloween Hearts, is available from Jackanapes Press, while over 500 stories, poems, art, and articles appear in Analog, Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, PodCastle, Daily Science Fiction, and more. Gardner serves as literary executor for father and mentor Delbert R. Gardner; Muse Mansion, a collection of poems by both father and firstborn, will be released soon by San Francisco Bay Press.