Read Like A Writer

There are two ways to learn how to write fiction: by reading it and by writing it. Yes, you can learn lots about writing stories in workshops, in writing classes and writing groups, at writers' conferences. You can learn technique and process by reading the dozens of books like this one on fiction writing and by reading articles in writers' magazines. But the best teachers of fiction are the great works of fiction themselves. You can learn more about the structure of a short story by reading Anton Chekhov's 'Heartache' than you can in a semester of Creative Writing 101. If you read like a writer, that is, which means you have to read everything twice, at least. When you read a story or novel the first time, just let it happen. Enjoy the journey. When you've finished, you know where the story took you, and now you can go back and reread, and this time notice how the writer reached that destination. Notice the choices he made at each chapter, each sentence, each word. (Every word is a choice.) You see now how the transitions work, how a character gets across a room. All this time you're learning. You loved the central character in the story, and now you can see how the writer presented the character and rendered her worthy of your love and attention. The first reading is creative—you collaborate with the writer in making the story. The second reading is critical.


John Dufresne, from his book, The Lie That Tells A Truth: A Guide to Writing Fiction

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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Writing the Short-Story: A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK ON THE RISE, STRUCTURE, WRITING AND SALE OF THE MODERN SHORT-STORY by J. Berg Esenwein

Writing the Short-Story: A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK ON THE RISE, STRUCTURE, WRITING AND SALE OF THE MODERN SHORT-STORY by J. Berg Esenwein



Foreword  

 To Teachers 

 Historical Introduction 

I. THE RISE OP THE SHORT-STORY 


  1.  Thg Story-Teller
  2. The Epic 
  3. The Ancient and Medieval Tale  
  4. The Sacred Books of the East  
  5. The Drama  
  6. The Novel  
  7. Other Literary Forms  
  8. The Perfecters of the Short-Story  


II. ITS PRESENT PLACE AND POWER 


  1. The Short-Story and the Novel  
  2. Reasons for Popularity  
  3. The Influence of the Short-Story 


PART I — THE NATURE OF THE SHORT-STORY 

Chapter I — What is a Short-Story

I. What a Short-Story is Not  


  1.  Not a Condensed Novel  
  2. Not an Episode  
  3. Not a Scenario  
  4. Not a Biography  
  5. Not a Sketch  
  6. Not a Tale  


II. What a Short-Story Is  

Exercises

Chapter II — Kinds op Short-Story


  1. Based on Types of Humanity  
  2. Based on the Moral Nature  
  3. Based on Occupations  
  4. Based on Locality  
  5. Based on Wonder 
  6. Based on Social Classes  
  7. Based on Emotion in the Story  


Exercises  

PART II— THE STRUCTURE OF THE SHORT- STORY 

Chapter I — Choosing a Theme 


  1.  Spontaneous Choice  
  2. Seeking Out a Theme  
  3. Themes Barred  


Exercises  

 Chapter II Gathering the Materials 


  1.  Observation  
  2. Experience  
  3. Self-Study  
  4. Rejection  
  5. Reading  
  6. Discussion   
  7. Taking Notes  


Exercises

Chapter III— Fact in Fiction 

  Types of Fiction  

(a) Realistic

(b) Romantic

(c) Idealistic

(d) Composite

 2. Use of Facts  

 Exercises  

 Chapter IV — Plot 

 I. What is a Short-Story Plot  


  1.  Kinds of Plot  
  2. Surprise  
  3. Problem  
  4. Mystery   
  5. Emotion  
  6. Contrast   
  7. Symbolism  


III. What Constitutes a Good Plot


  1.  Simplicity  
  2. Plausibility  
  3. Originality  
  4. Climax  
  5. Interest  


Exercises  

 Chapter V — Plot Development 

I. Sources of Plot  


  1.  Characters  
  2. Dramatic Incidents  
  3. Impressionism  


 II. Actual Plot Development  

 Exercises  

 Chapter VI — How Stories are Told 


  1.  Third Person
  2. First Person  
  3. Letter Form  
  4. Diary Form  
  5. Composite Form  


Exercises  

 Chapter VII. — The Opening of the Stokt 

 I. The Best Usage  


  1.  Opening with Dialogue  
  2. Opening without Dialogue  


II. Bad Usage  

 Exercises

Chapter VIII — The Setting op the Stoky 

 I. Setting in General  

II. Description to Convey Setting


  1.  By Suggestion  
  2. By Epithet   
  3. By Hint  
  4. Direct  
  5. By Effects  
  6. Figures of Speech  
  7. Point of View  
  8. Seven Steps m Description


III. The Elements of Setting  


  1.  Time
  2. Place  
  3. Occupations  
  4. Conditions 
  5. The Setting Entire  


Exercises  

 Chapter IX — The Body of the Story 

  Incident  

  Emotion 

(a) Love Interest

(b) Pathos

(c) Mirth

(d) Emotion in the Story

(e) Emotion in the Author

Exercises  

 Chapter X— The Body of the Stoy — Concluded 


  1.  Crisis  
  2. Suspense  
  3. Climax  
  4. Denouement  
  5. Conclusion   


Exercises  

 Chapter XI — Characters and Characterization 

 I. The Characters  


  1.  Selecting the Characters  
  2. Number of Characters  
  3. Classes of Characters  
  4. Relations  
  5. Author's Attitude  


 II. Characterization  


  1.  Effect to be Attained  
  2. General Methods  
  3. Specific Methods  


Exercises  

 Chapter XII — Dialogue 


  1.  Proportion  
  2. Office   
  3. Subject Matter 
  4. Manner 


Exercises 

 Chapter XIII— The Title 


  1.  Functions 
  2. Good Titles  
  3. Titles to Avoid


Exercises   

 Chapter XIV— Style 

 General View  

 Exercises 

Chapter XV — Some Special Characteristics of the Short*


  1. Story  
  2. Harmony of Tone  
  3. Proportion  
  4. Simplicity  
  5. Compression  


Exercises  

 PART III— PREPARATION FOR AUTHORSHIE 

 Chapter I — What is Originality 


  1.  The Test of Originality  
  2. The Sources of Originality  


Exercises  

Chapter II — Talent and Training
Views of Eminent Writers  

Chapter III — Acquiring a Vocabulary


  1.  Study of Short-Story Models  
  2. The Dictionary Habit 
  3. Synonyms and Antonyms  
  4. Conversations on Words  
  5. Translating Languages   
  6. Study of Etymology  
  7. Broad Usage  


Chapter IV — The Study of the Short- Story — A Laboratory Method 

Critical Estimates of the Author Studied  
"The Necklace," by Guy de Maupassant  

Exercises  

 PART IV— THE MANUSCRIPT AND ITS MARKET 

 Chapter I — Writing the Story


  1.  The Management of Notes  
  2. Revision  
  3. Preparing the Manuscript  


Chapter II — Selling the Story 


  1.  The Ordered Manuscript  
  2. The Literary Agent  
  3. Calling on the Editor  
  4. Offering the Story by Mail  


Chapter III — Why Stories are Rejected — a Colloquy 


Appendix A — Collections of Short-Stories, Sketches, and Tales

Appendix B — One Hundred Representative Short-Stories

Appendix C — The Plots of Twenty Short-Stories  

Appendix D — Digest of Rhetorical Rules Appucable to

Short- Story Writing

Appendix E — Abbreviations of Publishers' Addresses  

Appendix F — Books for a Fiction- Writer's Library  ,

Appendix G — Bibuography

Appendix H — Supplementary Reading Lists, Added in  

General Index  



Writing the Short-Story: A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK ON THE RISE, STRUCTURE, WRITING AND SALE OF THE MODERN SHORT-STORY by J. Berg Esenwein



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