2025 - May - Prologues

 

This month's quote comes from Elmore Leonard— 

        Avoid prologues. They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. But these are ordinarily found in nonfiction. 

A prologue in a novel is backstory, and you can drop it in anywhere you want.

Did you know there are reasons why few how-to-write books mention prologues, why editors don't like them, and why readers skip over them? 

I'll bet when you look at a book for the first time, and it has a prologue, you flip over the prologue to get to the good stuff of the first word of the first line of the first chapter. Like you, readers want to meet an interesting character in an interesting situation.

And basically, prologues are ineffective because:  

A) the information in that prologue initially came to the writer as a message in disguise from the writer's imagination. That message was meant strictly for the writer to get the story underway. Often such information is about the story world, back history of a character, an important legend or curse, etc. 

B) again, the reader (and many editors) skip over a prologue to get to the good stuff which is Chapter 1, the beginning of the story and the introduction of the problem and the protagonist.

C) the information in a prologue often misleads the reader as to who the important characters are or what the actual theme or conflict of the story is.

D) having a prologue means extra work to create two effective hook openings, one for the prologue and one for the first chapter.

This will sound harsh, but— 

If anything in the prologue

is repeated somewhere in the story itself, 

ax that prologue. 

But you're thinking— What about the other stuff in the prologue that isn't repeated in the story, doesn't that mean the prologue stays?

Sorry.

No.

What's needed are better writing and storytelling skills coupled with good craft techniques and devices so the prologue information can be incorporated, that is, woven into the story.

After all, isn't the writer's goal to keep a reader enthralled and reading on?

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2025 April - Got Conflict?

 

The essence of story is conflict. — Donald Maass 

April 1st is April Fool's Day, but there is no fooling around when it comes to a story's conflict. 

Take the two ducklings above—two potential characters—but is there a story to be had? Technically, not yet because nothing substantial is happening between them or to them. 

Conflict is the missing ingredient in a character sketch and in a vignette (a slice of life). After all, a story is about an interesting protagonist (the central character) in an interesting setting, who is confronting or about to confront an interesting problem. That problem is the conflict.

There are three basic kinds of story conflict: mind-wrenching (psychological), heart-wrenching (emotional) or physically wrenching (physical danger). Conflicts range from the simple (like going on a job interview) to the complicated (like a gunfight at the OK Corral).

Take a moment now to look at the idea you're working on. What's the central conflict or the ultimate goal? Be honest. If what you've written is a character sketch or a vignette, consider what kind of conflict would turn the work into a story.

As to how much conflict should a writer put on the page or in a chapter, or in a book? At a Donald Maass workshop I attended a few years ago, Maass said there was no such a thing as too much conflict. I heartily agree.

Conflict is a problem to be solved. 

        Conflict is the essence of a story. 

        Conflict makes or breaks a tale.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Writing!

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2025 March - A Writer Is . . .

 

What is a writer? 

Sol Stein defined a writer with just eight words. 

Over the years and in meeting writers from the novice to the award-winning, I've seen the proof of those eight words. And if I never publish or sell another work, I will still write because I cannot not write.

How about you?

Catherine E. McLean

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2025 February - A rose is a rose?

 

A Rose Is A Rose, Unless It's A Daisy

This year's monthly posts features a quote and February's is from author Silvie Kurtz, who wrote—  

The more concrete and specific your word choice is, the crisper the mind-images you will create for your reader, making her feel as if she's right there on the scene. 

If I say a flower, the image you get in your mind is vague and colorless. 

If I say a yellow rose, the image that pops is vivid and focused—and won't look anything like a daisy. 

Choose your words carefully to create image after image that will take your reader deep into your imaginary world, making it impossible for her to put the book down.

I wholeheartedly concur with Kurtz. Not only be specific with the setting details but also with the verbs that show action. It is not the passivity of he was standing in the corner but the vividness of he slouched in the corner the better to be ignored.

Consider too the degrees of an emotion. Does she really hate roses or does she loath them. As to hate, it runs the gamut from annoyed to blood raging murder. 

So, seek the correct word that will convey, and show, what is truly meant and your reader will stay engrossed in your story.

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day,

Catherine E. McLean
www.catherineEmclean.com

And Happy Groundhog's Day!

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2025 - January - Be SMART

 

   Clarity trumps all rules. I coined that phrase way back in 2009, and it still holds true because if the writing or story isn't clear and understandable, whose fault is that? Definitely the writer's.

And, of course, following precise rules can actually muddle matters, particularly punctuation and grammar rules that easily destroy "voice"—be it the writer's, the story's narrator's, or characters'.

So, this year, I will feature a quote each month that I value in the hope that you find the words beneficial in your writing journey.

Take note—the quote that opened this post is not the January 2025 quote. The New Year is a time for setting goals and making resolutions. So, this month's quote ties in with the SMART concept of goal setting, which you can google. If you do, look for the images of SMART goal setting templates. However, this New Year's writing goals quote of mine is from Master Phillip Minton, Black Belt, 1996, The Way, a publication of ATA (American Taekwondo Assn.):

Achievement means:

Number One

Determine what you want out of life.

Number Two

Find somebody who's achieved it.

Number Three

Study and practice and make a plan from what you learned from them.

Number Four

Check your plan and constantly make sure you're taking action to achieve your plan.

Number Five

Enjoy yourself while you're doing it!

Be SMART - write with one or more writing goals in mind and —

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