Custom Search
|
|
Writing The Short Story: Quick Characterization
The longer the story, the more space you can allot to characterization when writing a short story. As a rule of thumb, unless it is strictly a character study, expend no more than 1/16 of the space establishing the character's description. In novels, a character's personality can be demonstrated as he or she is shown interacting with others or with aspects of the setting (kicks dogs, hugs old women, gives to a charity, drives carelessly, crosses the street with exaggerated caution, and so on). The reader comes to infer the nature of the character by interpreting its actions even if never actually described. In a novel, an evil monster of a person may never be referred to in those terms. In a short story you can bet it will be! When writing the short story, crisp, definitive, adjectives and adverbs placed early in the piece are essential. Get the character established quickly and then keep him true to it as the story progresses. I once had a creative writing teacher who hated adjectives and adverbs, contending they were a lazy author's way of doing what the larger context of the story should establish. I never fully agreed with that but she was a very successful author (of novels!). I especially disagree when writing the short story in which space for expository description is so severely limited. Let's examine some examples of quick characterization as might be used in writing the short story. In a novel one might begin with: “The man sat alone on the porch in the rocking chair.” It might imply a reclusive old man who was relatively inactive or tired, but the reader wouldn’t know those things for sure until the author expanded the concepts. When writing a short story that sentence might become: “The gaunt, gray haired, old man sat alone on the porch, motionless in his rocker, the mere thought of making it move exhausting him.” Another example from a novel: “Mary went for a walk.” It will take much elaboration for that information to become relevant to the story. When writing the short story that might be used as a grand opportunity for some crisp characterization. “Mary, who had long since seen 80, pulled the red kerchief tightly around her gray hair, securing it against the morning breeze as she entered the familiar park in which she had played as a child.” One more as it might appear in a novel: “Jasper was an unattractive man.” When writing the short story that might become: “The old man hated his name – Jasper – the same way he hated his high, wrinkled brow, narrow, sunken face, large nose, pointed chin, and over sized ears.” By turning those original five words into 27 you have provided the reader with the equivalent of perhaps several pages of useful information as it would evolve in a novel. Sometimes a single modifier can make the character. Transform the phrase, “Her approach to life was consistent,” into, “Her upbeat approach to life was consistent.” That one word addition changes the characterization from perhaps a rather bland person who may have been in some intransigent rut, to that of a perky person most us would like to meet and be around. When writing the short story it is important to bring your character(s) into vivid focus in one or two precisely crafted sentences. The more character's there are the less space you have to allot for each. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Tom Gnagey is a successful, long time, writer with more than 100 original books and 350 stories in his personally published bibliography (seven pen names). He has rewritten dozens manuscripts for others. His education includes degrees in psychology, education, and philosophy. Tom is a nationally known speaker and creative writing teacher. For FREE SAMPLES of his stories and information about his Writing Rx services go to www.TomsBookNook.com now. |
|