Over the years, I’ve picked up nuggets of writing wisdom from various sources, some of whom I can actually remember. I thought this might be a good time to share them. I’m sure you’ve seen some (if not all) of these kernels before (which brings up the question: what’s better – a nugget or a kernel?). But it sure can’t hurt to revisit them again (which is not the most redundant phrase I’ve ever encountered. That honor goes to a sportscaster, possibly the late Curt Gowdy, who uttered the immortal line, “The Orioles have won twelve straight consecutive games in a row.”)
At any rate, memory permitting, I’ll try to give credit where credit is due:
“When in doubt, leave it out.” – Max Berkowitz, my 11th grade journalism teacher. I’m sure this was a shopworn cliché even back in 1970, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Mr. Berkowitz was also known to declare, “Even a moron can do this, and you all qualify.” Simpler times. Today, irate parents would picket the school in the shadow of the Action News team.
“K.I.S.S. or Keep it Simple Stupid” – Possibly from Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style.” In other words, never use a big word where a little word will suffice. (Get it?)
“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” – That old quote machine, Mark Twain. Goes hand-in-hand with the rules above. It’s always more challenging to get your point across in the fewest number of words. Don’t believe me? Try writing a song. Or a haiku.
“Never use a preposition to end a sentence with.” – The always-popular Anonymous. See how awkward that sentence is? It’s a good rule to follow unless it makes the sentence even more awkward. A real judgment call (as is most writing).
“Try to avoid passive verbs like ‘be,’ ‘is,’ or ‘have.’” – I first heard this at a presentation by Chuck Palahniuk, author of “Fight Club” and “Choke.” Without overdoing it and lapsing into gimmickry, eliminating nonessential passive verbs makes your writing crisper and more dynamic (especially dialogue).
“Sprinkle.” – My writer friend, Bob. Resist the urge to vomit up huge chunks of back-story or description at any one time. (Nice visual, huh?) Instead, keep moving forward by scattering relevant information throughout. This will let your readers participate in the discovery process.
“Get rid of ‘weasel words’” – Anonymous (again). Words like “some,” “kind of,” and “rather” turn your writing to mush.
“Show, don’t tell” – My editor, Deke Castleman. Which sentence is more compelling: “John was very nervous.” Or “John’s stomach did back-flips.” The first tells, the second shows. Try to make your writing visual whenever possible. (See “vomit” reference above).
“The villain thinks he’s right.” – John Hill, noted screenwriting curmudgeon. Unless you’re writing one-dimensional melodrama or second-rate comic books, the bad guy is your most compelling character. Which means he (or she) needs to be multi-dimensional. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by creating a villain who thinks he’s the hero.
“Get into your scene late, get out early.” – Thomas Sawyer, author of “Fiction Writing Demystified.” If you watch any old movie, you’ll notice the characters spend inordinate amounts of time getting to and from places. Today’s scenes are much speedier (for today’s short attention spans). Try to join your characters in progress, then get out early and let the next scene carry the story. “Friends” was famous for this, almost to the point of irritation.
“Writing is rewriting.” – Every good writer I ever met. Get that shitty first draft down on paper and out of your system. Then go back and polish as many times as necessary. When you’re so sick of it you can’t type another stroke, that means it’s getting good.
“Minor characters count.” – Me. I’m sure I’m not the first (or even millionth) person to say this, but I’m taking credit anyway. If you’re going to introduce a minor character, make him or her more than a plot device. Some of fiction’s most memorable folks weren’t onstage that long. I’m reminded of the victim in Dennis Lehane’s “Mystic River.” She’s around for 13 pages or so. Yet when she dies, we feel a horrible sense of loss. Now that’s writing.
|
