Saturday, January 28, 2012
The Importance of Beginnings
Reposted from 2009
The next time you pick up a book and read the first few pages, ask yourself these questions:
– Does the first sentence catch your attention?
– Are the other sentences varied in word length and rhythm?
– Do you feel yourself stepping into the setting and entering the story?
– Do you care what happens next?
If you can answer “Yes” to all four questions, chances are you’re reading a beginning that captures your interest and will lead you into the story. It’s all very well to analyze story openings and to recognize good ones, but it’s a bit more difficult to write one yourself. Here are some rules that I try to follow:
The next time you pick up a book and read the first few pages, ask yourself these questions:
– Does the first sentence catch your attention?
– Are the other sentences varied in word length and rhythm?
– Do you feel yourself stepping into the setting and entering the story?
– Do you care what happens next?
If you can answer “Yes” to all four questions, chances are you’re reading a beginning that captures your interest and will lead you into the story. It’s all very well to analyze story openings and to recognize good ones, but it’s a bit more difficult to write one yourself. Here are some rules that I try to follow:
Friday, January 20, 2012
Vignettes
Reposted from 2009 This morning, I want to talk about one of my favorite literary genres: the vignette. The word vignette comes from the same root as "vine" and was first used to describe decorative borders painted in books or along the tops of walls. The illustrations often contained leaves, grapes, and vines. Later, in photography, a vignette came to be known as a portrait that is focused in the center, but blurred at the edges.
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