Book Packaging & Creativity Workshops

editing

Writers Need to be Readers

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Writers Need to be ReadersSometimes the “rules” of good writing are a mash-up of contradictions. Be original, but follow the rules of those who have come before you. Don’t plagiarize, but take lessons from classic story structures. To find the perfect balance, writers need to be readers.

I recently read a literary comparison between The Great Gatsby and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It implied that n its witty title it stated that Holly Golightly was a different version of Jay Gatsby. National Public Radio listed both of these novels in their “100 Best Characters in Fiction” list with Jay Gatsby hitting first place and Holly Golightly coming in at number 11.

Number 11 out of 100 is nothing to sneeze at considering that this article implied that Truman Capote, who wrote Breakfast at Tiffany’s, must have followed my belief that writers need to be readers. Does that mean he plagiarized from F. Scott Fitzgerald? Not necessarily… Let’s take a closer look.

Here are the similarities between the two books: 

Physical character traits:

  • Characters who are attractive, charismatic and enigmatic.
  • Distinctive speech patterns. Jay uses phrases such as “old sport” while Holly calls everyone “darling.”

Their world:

  • Connections to organized crime.
  • Characters who love to host parties.
  • Parties that stop once the characters find romance.

Their journey:

  • Humble backgrounds.
  • Altered identities.
  • Living vicariously through more glamorous neighbors.
  • Driven by dreams.
  • Dreams ultimately lead to their death and exile.

Technical similarities:

  • First person narratives.
  • Beautiful imagery to describe the setting and supporting characters.
  • Visits to the main character by someone from their past.

Is this comparison meant to imply that Breakfast at Tiffany’s doesn’t deserve to be on the 100 Best List? Absolutely not. I love the book and could watch the movie on continual loop. What Truman Capote did with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story is to recreate and change it for his own purposes. They say there are only seven story plots. These are:

  • Overcoming the Monster
  • Rags to Riches
  • The Quest
  • Voyage and Return
  • Comedy
  • Tragedy
  • Rebirth

This means you have to take basic principles of good storytelling from previously told tales, but then, you put your own style to it, add your own unique details, envision how your character will be different. 

So keep writing your stories, but educate yourself by remembering that writers need to be readers, too.

Kill Your Adverbs

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girl writing strong prose and editingAsk a professional editor or publisher what makes them cringe and chances are they’ll reply, “adverbs.” Why? They seem like perfectly respectful members of a sentence. The type of word that can sit around a dinner table with the adjectives and verbs. But on closer inspection you’ll see why it might be necessary to kill your adverbs…to just throw them off the edge of a tall building.

Alright, maybe that’s a little harsh, but in truth, adverbs are the first sign of an unprofessional writer. I hear you gasp slightly as you read your well-crafted sentence, “She ran quickly.” Just keep reading. Let me show you a better and more descriptive way. Why not focus on the action of this sentence by stating, “She dashed” or “She raced.”

Those “ly” words seem innocent enough, but what they actually do is fill your writing with boring or redundant phrases and rely on weak verbs and adjectives. It’s much better to replace the adverb with a stronger word that can stand on its own. In short, a fighter who won’t end up on the edge of a tall building.

Still not convinced? Maybe you’ve decided to eliminate adverbs from your dialogue and descriptions, but not your dialogue tags. Let me tell you, they’re just as weak at the end of a sentence. For example:

“You are not welcome in this house!” she yelled angrily.

I hate to point out the obvious, but if someone shouted that sentiment at you I’m willing to bet that you already figured out they’re angry. You don’t need the repetitive adverb to show what you already demonstrated. Furthermore, if you truly believe that the dialogue tag is needed, then perhaps you should re-work the spoken line in the first place to be more descriptive.

You may think adverbs are descriptive, but if you eliminate them by altering your language, the result will be tighter and more powerful writing.