The Basic Elements of Writing

The Basic Elements of Writing

By Alice H. Dunn, 2016

            In the best writing class I took in college, the teacher said I had a “voice”.  I knew she meant it as a compliment, but I wasn’t sure just why.  Did she mean that when I wrote something, the reader could tell how I felt about it?  That was the rather indistinct idea she gave me.  I have pondered what else it might mean for the next 33 years.

            Last month at my writing group (Idaho Writer’s League, Pocatello Chapter) we had a discussion about a shared novel chapter involving where and how the writer introduced a new character.  This writer definitely has a voice, and he uses it in his own distinctive style, which is like no other.  The problem boiled down to two things: point of view and logic.  I was not satisfied that we had helped him solve the problem clearly. It wouldn’t hurt to summarize the basic meanings of a few writing terms with an eye to using what we know about them to improve our work.

Voice—To briefly answer the question with which I started this piece, voice is the way the writer’s ideas, beliefs, and opinions are exposed in his/her writing.  Voice contains and shapes the story.  The writer’s voice should also suit the story.

Logic—It’s pretty plain that even though logic may be hidden in mystery, no piece of writing ends well if logic is not eventually satisfied, case in point, Jessica Fletcher’s wind-up at the end of every Murder She Wrote installment. 

Theme—The focus of the piece of writing; what the story is about.  Consistent focus must be maintained throughout.

Style—The means by which the writer uses his/her voice, such as how he selects words and puts them in place to best suit the story.  Any writer may vary his/her style to write with local color, ornament, force, countrification, sincerity, or artifice, or poetically, or in a journalistic style, or in any other way he/she chooses to demonstrate his/her own style.

Point of View—Who tells the story.  This may be an omniscient narrator who knows and sees all and can report anything logical with the final outcome of the story even if no character knows things that are reported.  The POV may otherwise be either 1^st person or 3^rd person.  In first person, everything reported must be as the narrator sees it—I saw, I heard, I did, etc.  In third person, everything reported must be what the character telling the story sees, hears, does, etc.  Other characters can contribute information through dialogue and actions that the POV character interprets.  Only what is logical for the POV person to know at the time of the scene belongs in that scene.  In summary, the POV character brings knowledge with him/her to the scene and may learn from other characters and from observations during the scene. 

If POV changes, there must be a break or a new chapter to accommodate the new POV, and it must be a clear change.  For example, in one chapter may have one character as narrator (That means what happens in the chapter is logically known to the person through whose eyes the action is being experienced and reported, and he/she is referred to by name or a pronoun for that name.  The next chapter might be what is happening to a different character and is reported from his/her POV.)  Or sometimes when the writer has two or three characters with related things going on at the same time, their stories can be told in a parallel manner by writing different sections of the same chapter, each section from the POV of the involved character.  In summary, when POV changes, the story needs a new division, be it a clearly indicated section or a new chapter.

Person—The essence of each character.

Structure—The way the story develops with highs and lows, problems and solutions, building toward the denouement and resolution.

Sequencing—Presenting small and large events logically so that focus remains clear while creating tension and surprises that result in suspense and desire in the reader to seek the final outcome.

Genre or Type—The above elements apply to writing in any genre although much else can vary.  A genre is loosely defined as a “school of fiction”.  Some genres (not an exclusive list) to consider as to how the elements apply and what other elements might be important to them individually are briefly described below:

Romantic—stories such as Ivanhoe and Westward Ho.  This genre includes sub-genres such as adventure, heroic fiction, escape, historical fiction, western, stories about far away places, and stories that pit the noble against reality.

Romance—A beautiful young woman is saved from danger by a handsome hero.  They fall in love (and may be shown in a steamy session or two.)  Christian romance contains religious references and practices.  It is usually less steamy.

Sentimental—the story emphasizes feelings and emotions.  Classics such as Tristam Shandy and the Vicar of Wakefield are examples of sentimental literature.

Realism—Dickens, Thackery, and Sinclair Lewis wrote in this genre.  It is considered the definition of fiction: “…exhibit life in its true state… ” (Dr. Johnson, I assume Samuel.)

Naturalism—True stories told as exactly as possible.  Dreiser wrote in this school.  Detective stories are this genre.

Stream of consciousness—This genre attempts to represent the flow of ideas and images through the mind.  Virginia Wolf, James Joyce, and Collette wrote in this genre.

Fantasy—Dream world (Alice in Wonderland), not bound by the limits of real life (Gulliver’s Travels), science fiction, supernatural tales, etc.

Information for this posting came from Johnny Payne, Voice and Style; Ronald B. Tobias, Theme and Strategy; James N. Frey,  How to Write a Damn Good Novel; Hugh Holman,  A Handbook to Literature, 4^th edition; and The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 4^th edition.  I also refer the reader to the excellent piece on point of view by Hemlata Vasavada in the Palouse Chapter News of the April,2016, Leagazette of Idaho Writer’s League.  It can be found at www.idahowritersleague.com.

Life got in the way, and I neglected my blog for more than a year.  It's time for me to get serious again.  I think any followers I may acquire need to have a handle on my brand, so here goes:

I write fiction—short stories, novels, and children’s books and stories—as well as poetry and non-fiction.  When publishing my fiction, I use the pen name, Alicia Tycho.  Otherwise, I publish under my business name, Alice H. Dunn or occasionally Alice Henderson Dunn.

My short stories are usually slice-of-life with a lesson or moral.  For example, “A Piano for Margot” is the story of a child whose parents reluctantly realized that their daughter had natural talent and a strong desire to use it but needed her own piano to develop skill.

My children’s books teach about animals through the eyes of children.  Lennis is the protagonist in all of them, first as a four-year-old who helps his mother control the snail population in their yard and learns about them in the process.  I illustrated that book myself using my elementary school art skills in water color.  The results looked pretty good to me.  In Summer Visitors, Lennis, at eleven, discovers owls nesting in the fireplace clean-out and becomes their caregiver. He makes a detailed study of owls while becoming their friends.  I’m reworking a book that fits between in which Lennis learns about bats, and I’m still researching for his second grade study of dinosaurs.

My novels, Il Prato and Wheeling a Suitcase Coast-to-Coast, are literary and adventure, respectively.  The themes of Il Prato are honoring a pioneer ancestor, living a life that supports family and community, and building international relationships.  The themes of Wheeling a Suitcase Coast-to-Coast are completing a coast-to-coast trek, discovering faith, and finding a spouse.

Poetry is my way of honing word skills while expressing my deepest feelings as succinctly as I can.  I have won prizes for my humorous poems, imagine that!  And I have published a chapbook of some of my poems.

Non-fiction rewards me in dollars.  I get out and interview people, tell their stories in the most literary way I can, and wonder why readers choose to read them in preference to my more imaginative work.  Some of my articles are family history, and I have published two full-length family history books.  I'm also wont to write about things I do, such as growing a garden or traveling.

I can’t remember when I didn’t invent stories and poems, and I began writing them down as early as second grade.  I began to be really motivated to write seriously when I was asked to direct short vignettes.  Scripts had to be written before they could be produced, and I was elected.  It was a thrill when I won my first prize for something I wrote, but perhaps that first check for a published article was my biggest thrill so far.  Imagine my joy at the publication of one of my books!  I’m excited when anyone reads what I write, especially if they appear to enjoy it.

I hope my readers will learn something from what I write, find cause to think (after all, teaching was my first profession) and also be entertained—even though I have to dig deep to write humor.