How does a writer choose (or learn) the best craft technique
for a particular story? CoriMcCarthy’s recent post, at Through The Tollbooth In Defense of the Present Tense, touched on this topic, causing me to
consider various opinions I’ve read in craft books about present tense.
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| Sarah feeding giraffe at Abuja zoo |
When a writer detects a craft problem challenge in
their work in progress (either while revising or writing), he or she needs to
turn to craft. What can one do if one doesn’t have the answer or yet have that
particular writing skill? One approach is to turn to books.
For example, if a writer wants to learn more about present
tense, she could read novels written in present tense such as Cori McCarthy’s
book, The Color of Rain and Uma Krishnaswami’s book The Problem with Being
Slightly Heroic. Both writers chose
present tense for specific reasons because they feel present tense is the best
way to tell their stories. Or you
could read a craft book that discusses present tense.
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| African countryside in Nigeria photo by Sarah Blake Johnson |
The first approach is
like going on a safari in Africa while the other is like visiting a zoo. I feel
if the writer is, for example studying present tense, it’s ideal to read books in present tense as well as read about present tense.
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| Mammal in Nigeria photo by Sarah Blake Johnson |
1. The Safari: Become
a detective. Examine several books and dissect the craft question at hand in
that book. This is a great way to learn, especially as the specific craft
question has not been pulled out of its element. To expand the books that you
read, ask other writers about books that are good examples of a craft technique
that you wish to examine as well as books that are a poor example.
It may take searching to find what you are looking for. Or like in my photo of this mammal in Africa, you may discover something you hadn't realized was there. (I was first taking the photo of something else.)
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| photo by Sarah Blake Johnson |
2. The Zoo: Read
a book about writing craft. Reading some of these books is also helpful and can
help a writer learn about craft issues they had never before considered. Also,
not all authors of these books agree about craft, so a writer can learn of
different opinions.
Here
is a sampling of some craft books I’ve found useful.
The Basics
Steering the Craft
by Ursula Le Guin
What's Your Story?: A Young Person's Guide to
Writing Fiction by Marion
Dane Bauer
The Art of Styling
Sentences by Ann Longknife and K.D. Sullivan
Staples
The Art of Fiction
by John Gardner
Writing Fiction by
Janet Burroway
Motivational
Zen in the Art of
Writing by Ray Bradbury.
Bird by Bird by Anne
Lamott
Specific Topics
Character: Respect for
Acting by Uta Hagen
Plot: Save the Cat
by Blake Snyder
Revising: Second Sight: An Editor's Talks on Writing,
Revising, and Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl Klein
Memoir: Fearless
Confessions: A Writer’s Guide to Memoir by Sue William Silverman.
Words Overflown by
Stars: Creative Writing Instruction and Insight from Vermont College of Fine
Arts, lectures from VCFA MFA in Writing Faculty
One more craft book and the book that contains the best
essay I’ve read about present tense: Alone
with all that Could Happen: rethinking conventional wisdom about the Craft of
Fiction Writing by David Jauss
(I also posted this article in Through The Tollbooth in June 2014.)
All photographs
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