Notes on my reading: The elements of story by Francis Flaherty
Writing is an art. The journalist an artist. Francis shared his experiences in this book. A few stuck with me and I share them below. I squeezed the lemon of the book and I try to share some of the juices here.
The human element: Bringing out the human element of the story is key to writing good non-fiction. Find a complete person to tell your story. Describe emotions - however hard that might be to do. The path to good writing for the human element is to have empathy.
The theme: Be loyal to your major theme. Study and even mention as much as possible the other facets but never allow them to diminish or distract from the major theme. Always have one theme. Use verbs that reflect the main theme. Look deeper into the theme and you can find interesting things among the mundane or overlooked. Always present the theme on the center stage, uncrowded.
Simplify, simplify, simplify: The fewer tidbits, the better, cut and prune assiduously to let the main story shine through.
Sounds: Using words that convey sounds and sound lyrical or poetic.
The other point of view: To write a balanced story, always present the other side and be generous.
Motion: Have you ever taken a photograph where the subject is in motion. It adds an immediate attractiveness to the photo. Similarly, think of how you can make brisk journies out of your stories so the reader can feel the breeze in their hair. Made-up-action with metaphors and similes, mental action, turbo verbs, to and fro (alternating between general and specific statements) all add to this sense of motion.
Group similar points together. They gain power from consolidation and lose power from interruption.
Two effects: Contrast and build-up. Contrast - White appears whitest against a black background. Build-up - A persuasive idea can be affected by the strength or weakness of the idea that went before.
Artfulness: The five senses are a writer's most formidable tool. Watch and describe a person in their element - it's more powerful than hearing their interview about it. Description begins in the writer's imagination but should end in the reader's. Describe something with metaphorical stories or similes. Quotations are found art - use them liberally. Use symbols, as they are powerful but be careful.
Other media: Sometimes words are not enough. Use other media.
Truth and fairness: Stick to the facts.
Leads, settings, endings, and subtitles - There is much here that matters and each of these requires careful attention as an artistic endeavor.
Post a Comment: