Indian writers

Plenty of Indian writers read this blog.
Indian storytelling blends some beguiling elements. On the one side is the ability of the Indian writers to use the rich and bustling surroundings of the country’s cities and villages as backdrops for their stories.

I have always valued a strong sense of place as an important part of writing - I know there are debates about how much detail you give - and Indian writers have plenty to work with in the country’s crowded streets, vibrant cities and stunning landscapes.

They can also draw on a host of remarkable characters, men and women who provide rich material for authors seeking inspiration.

Indian storytelling is also noted for its sense of the mystical and the spiritual. Of course, not every Indian writer takes advantage of this but those that do use it to give their stories an added frisson.

So, all in all, delighted to have India on board with us.

 

John Dean

Getting it right from the off

As you know, I do like to write about the importance of good first lines as a way of grabbing the reader.

How about these examples to make the point for me?

* Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. —Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

* It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. —George Orwell, 1984

* It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

* I am an invisible man. —Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

* Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morning, without having done anything truly wrong, he was arrested. —Franz Kafka, The Trial

* If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. —J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

Each one draws you into the story right from the off, either by a strong narrative voice, an intriguing thought or simply through the sheer quality of the prose (‘if the opening lines are like, just imagine what the rest will be like’, thinks the reader).

Do that and you have given yourself a great chance of success.

 

John Dean

Experimenting with formats

Many authors are drawn to the idea of including letters in fiction as a way of a change from the more conventional forms of narrative.  In fact, there’s even a name for it: epistolary fiction.

Some definitions of this term stretch to include diary entries and other forms of correspondence, such as email and telegrams, and, increasingly, texts.  For example:

 

In Tim O’Brien’s novel In the Lake of the Woods, the unfolding action is interrupted by chapters called “Evidence,” which include documents

Rosellen Brown’s short story “Inter-Office” is written as one long memo to the mayor. It begins like this:

TO: The Mayor
FROM: Sid R.
These are not the promised notes form the Transit Authority meeting—sorry. I will not give them to Gail to type. She shocks and worries and mothers me enough already.
I have a couple of stories to tell you, Mr. Mayor, to drink down with your morning optimism. I am not going nuts. I am not trying to extort more pay or make the evening headlines or any damn thing.

Alice Munroe’s short story “A Wilderness Station” is written entirely in documents, many of which are letters. From these, the reader can piece together the events

Lauren Groff’s novel The Monsters of Templeton includes letters as well as newspaper clippings, a family tree that’s revised throughout the novel and images

 

Definitely worth a try if you feel your want to have a go at something different

John Dean

Writing science fiction

So what happens when we go beyond pure logic and into other realms?

What makes good science fiction, for example?

 

* The best science fiction writers create fantastic worlds but write about them as if they were completely normal. You need to do so as well

 

* Make sure the reader is able to suspend disbelief. The plot and events need to be believable

 

* Base your ideas on good science - that is what makes the best sci-work, it could happen.  If a story comes over as impossible, you are moving into fantasy rather than sci-fi

 

* You have to explain more

 

* Science fiction must evoke a sense of wonder in the reader. They must want to be in that remarkable world, to meet aliens, to travel in time and space

 

* Be visual - you can see what is happening, make sure we can as well

 

* Awe and wonder is all very well but what is also needed is a command of writing: a hatful of bug-headed aliens does not negate the need for skilful writing

 

What makes bad science fiction?

1  The great Science Fiction editor John W Campbell said that a science fiction writer should never put beings into a story that are so far superior to Man that we cannot understand their motives, we cannot overcome their will or we cannot meet them face to face in a fair fight. It’s a rule that stands true today

2  Don’t try to re-create popular sci-fi stories - we do not need another Star Wars. You can be more original than that!

3 Make your aliens alien - be original, it’s not enough to give them a pointy head. Think it through, make them realistic

4 No, it wasn’t a dream - keep loyal to the genre, no one waking up to discover they were in bed all the time!

 

John Dean

The golden rules of the short story

These are my golden rules of the short story

                                                 

1 . The best stories are the ones that follow a fairly narrow subject line: too many plotlines and you end up with a novel!

2. An effective short story often covers a very short time span. It may be one single episode that proves pivotal in the life of the character.

3. Don't have too many characters. Each new character will bring a new dimension to the story, and too many diverse dimensions dilute the theme. Have only enough characters to effectively tell the story.

4. Make every word count. There is no room for unnecessary expansion in a short story. If each word is not working towards putting across the story, delete it.

John Dean

The golden rules of writing

Here are my golden rules for writing.

* Consider the reader - do not write for yourself, always write for the reader.

* Be disciplined - you may wish to pack lots of information in but does the reader need it?

* You may not have put enough information in - you can imagine where a scene is set but have you given the reader the information they need? You may have drawn a character but can your readers see them?

* Be brutal - if you have overwritten, chop out the fat.

So what are your golden rules? You can tell us at our Facebook site www.facebook.com/inscribemedia

John Dean

Summer term dates announced

Got a story to tell? Keen to be a writer? Then this could be your big chance

Creative writing tutor John Dean is be running his popular courses at the Friends’ Meeting House in Skinnergate, Darlington and bookings are now being taken for the Summer 2015 course.

The adult learning courses, previously staged at Darlington Arts Centre, deal with all aspects of creative writing, focusing primarily on prose, including short stories, novels and other forms of writing as well as occasional forays into the world of stage, theatre and radio.

Each course is different and deals with everything from characterisation to plotting, creating strong sense of place to how to edit.

Each session runs between 7 and 9pm.

 

Summer term 2015 (8 weeks)

Tuesday

First session April 28

Half term No class May 26

Final session June 23

 

Wednesday

First session April 29

Half term No class May 27

Final session June 24

 

Price: £32 (Concessions £26)

 

 

More information is available from John on 01325 463813 or email deangriss@btinternet.com

 

Concession rates applies to pensioners or those on unemployment benefit

* Supported by Darlington for Culture