According to Jon Franklin, a story is useless if it introduces a complication without a resolution. The sign of a good writer is to seek out a change that resolves a character’s conflict when writing a story. This is something that I often find challenging as a writer. There may be some topic that I wish to write about, but I often have a lot of trouble seeking out what the real conflict in the story is, and how I can tease out a resolution to the problem.
This is why I really appreciate reading the chapter on outlining. I have always assumed that creative writing (even creative non-fiction) should develop organically rather than through mechanical mechanisms. I was surprised to read Franklin’s confident assertion that you will have a hard time writing anything without an outline (spaghetti?). This is why I really appreciate that Franklin uses clear and practical rules for writers. I will definitely be using his method of taking index cards and writing the complication on the front and resolution on the back when thinking up a story. The whole idea of noun-verb-noun (i.e. “cancer strikes Joe”) is a really compelling way to force the writer to get straight to the point in an outline. As a writer, I have often found myself writing flowery language in which nothing happens to resolve the story, so I appreciate Franklin’s helpful dose of reality.
I was also really interested in Franklin's comment in the outline chapter the use of action verbs is EXTREMELY important to the creation of a story. I know for a fact that much of the past criticism that I have gotten on my writing has revolved around using passive words. It was another dose of reality to read that writers who don't use active words are hiding behind their passive writing, and are afraid to "hit the main character with a mack truck" so to speak. I am definitely a perpetrator of this.
1. I, like Franklin have an intimate knowledge of the "spaghetti" disaster when attempting to write a draft. What are others experiences with it and how do you overcome this problem, through outlining or otherwise?
This is why I really appreciate reading the chapter on outlining. I have always assumed that creative writing (even creative non-fiction) should develop organically rather than through mechanical mechanisms. I was surprised to read Franklin’s confident assertion that you will have a hard time writing anything without an outline (spaghetti?). This is why I really appreciate that Franklin uses clear and practical rules for writers. I will definitely be using his method of taking index cards and writing the complication on the front and resolution on the back when thinking up a story. The whole idea of noun-verb-noun (i.e. “cancer strikes Joe”) is a really compelling way to force the writer to get straight to the point in an outline. As a writer, I have often found myself writing flowery language in which nothing happens to resolve the story, so I appreciate Franklin’s helpful dose of reality.
I was also really interested in Franklin's comment in the outline chapter the use of action verbs is EXTREMELY important to the creation of a story. I know for a fact that much of the past criticism that I have gotten on my writing has revolved around using passive words. It was another dose of reality to read that writers who don't use active words are hiding behind their passive writing, and are afraid to "hit the main character with a mack truck" so to speak. I am definitely a perpetrator of this.
1. I, like Franklin have an intimate knowledge of the "spaghetti" disaster when attempting to write a draft. What are others experiences with it and how do you overcome this problem, through outlining or otherwise?
2. While Franklin is definitely giving helpful advice to new writers his authoritative voice comes off as rather arrogant and patronizing. Do others feel the same way and how does it impede or further your understanding of what he is trying to say in the novel?
3. Franklin states that the single most important part of writing a dramatic outline is to use action verbs. He makes it extremely clear that your story literally will go nowhere if you don't include them? I often have a hard time consistently doing this in my writing... do you feel the same?
3. Franklin states that the single most important part of writing a dramatic outline is to use action verbs. He makes it extremely clear that your story literally will go nowhere if you don't include them? I often have a hard time consistently doing this in my writing... do you feel the same?
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