Using the panel discussions of the most
recent World Science Fiction Convention in Kansas City in August 2016 (to which
I was invited and had a friend pay my membership! [Thanks, Paul!] but was
unable to go (until I retire from education)), I will jump off, jump on, rail
against, and shamelessly agree with the BRIEF DESCRIPTION given in the pdf copy
of the Program Guide. This is event #2534. The link is provided below…
Watch the video, too! It better explains what I think probably happened at this event:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihKdqk_WJOI
Editing and
Crafting the Short Story: Writing on the small scale requires precision of detail
from concept to completion. What do you need to know
about openings, character development, narrative arcs, endings and more
that will make your short fiction pop?
Ellen Datlow –
Fiction editor at one time or another of: OMNI Magazine, SciFiction, Nightmare,
Subterranean, Tor.com, countless anthologies, essays, BEST OF’s, and…like
everything…
Alex Shvartsman –
editor of UNIDENTIFIED FUNNY OBJECTS, and writer of dozens of short stories…
Ms. Lynne M.
Thomas – SpecFic librarian, archivist, editor of APEX Magazine, and is
currently co-editor-in-chief of UNCANNY MAGAZINE…
Neil Clarke –
founder and editor of award-winning CLARKESWORLD online magazine…
Sheila Williams –
Editor of ASIMOV’S…
OMGosh…
I can’t even begin
to imagine what this session was like. The image that leaps to mind is the
attendees are like the people near an oil test-drilling, expecting nothing –
when the drill hits an unexpected deposit of crude oil and gases then uncontrollably
gushes out of the ground…like the video above.
Sorry I’m using so
many ellipses, but it’s intentional. There’s no telling you how deeply I regret
not having seen or heard this session. I tried to find some kind of recording
of it, but it doesn’t seem to be easily accessible.
So, I’ll punt. The
subjects covered are ones that, on the heels of my most recent rejection: “Unfortunately,
this story is way too long for our purposes, and the science fiction
content is desperately thin. I'd suggest, if you have the desire, cut it
down to the bare essentials, which should be around 5K or 6K words,
develop the gMod science more, and I think it would make a terrific story…”
makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong.
This editor, whom
I’ve worked with several time, makes some valid points, as the story is nearly
10,000 words long. But…but…but…my intent was to show how a single technological
development would affect the LIVES of characters in a story. The title even
summarizes what I was trying to do: “The Daily Use of Gravity Modification in
Rebuilding Liberian Schools”.
Cutting out half
of the story – and I know exactly what needs to be cut and “how” the gravity
modification technology works in the story – would leave it a rollicking adventure
but would eviscerate or even eliminate entirely – how the characters FEEL about
using the technology. It’s a story about the people, not the technology…
This group would
have had so much to say about “What…[I]…need to know about openings, character
development, narrative arcs, [and] endings…” As I can’t listen to them, I’ll
grab some wisdom from the internet.
Advice for
openings from here: http://bekindrewrite.com/2012/05/04/the-21-best-tips-for-writing-your-opening-scene/
The best sentence in this article: “Understand the promises you are making your
readers – both emotional and intellectual – and be prepared to follow through
(will the ending meet the expectations you encouraged your readers to have in
the beginning?)” from Nancy Kress
Advice for
character development from here: http://rickriordan.com/about/advice-for-writers/.
The best sentence in this article: “Remember, plot is what the characters do
next.” From Rick Riordan
Advice for
narrative arc from here: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-structure-a-story-the-eight-point-arc/
The best sentence in this article: “At some stage, your protagonist needs to
make a crucial decision; a critical choice. This is often when we
find out exactly who a character is, as real personalities are revealed at
moments of high stress…this has to be a decision by the character to take a
particular path – not just something that happens by chance.” From Nigel Watts
I think endings
are self-explanatory, though I will add this from my own experience – the ending
needs to reiterate the opening, giving an answer to the promise of the first
sentence/paragraph/page. Last of all, something from Nancy Kress again: “I…love
her focus on the implicit promise of a story, its necessity, and how it works…[recognize]
the existence of the implicit promise and [understand] how to nurture and
develop it to completion.”
Like I said, I
wish I’d been there. I wasn’t, but I imagine the group might have said the
above in some iteration or other. I WILL keep looking for a transcript or video
of this session!
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