| Having problems writing? I don't know why. San | | | | writing?If you're doing factual reporting-this is especially |
| Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll writes up to | | | | a MUST-DO. For instance, if you read a news article a |
| five columns a week. After all, if he can write five | | | | reader wants to know when Ms. Johnson's house |
| columns, you should be able to write a five-lined | | | | was burglarized. Did it happen June 20, 2001? June 20, |
| poem-but that does not seem to be the case. | | | | 1984? Did the events take place when it was winter |
| How does he do it? Carroll claimed to recite lines from | | | | with ten inches of snow? Or, better still, did the events |
| Rudyard Kipling's "The Elephant Child": | | | | take place at Virginia Beach mid-August? |
| "I have six humble serving men | | | | WHY did the events take place?Is there a conflict |
| They taught me all I knew | | | | within your character? A lot of times character's (and |
| Their names are what | | | | real people too) have problems only because their |
| And where and when | | | | conscious is "eating them away". Is this the case? If so, |
| And why and how and who." | | | | why does your character feel so guilty that he made |
| I'm more than sure that two incentives for Jon Carroll | | | | such decisions? Perhaps the events that take place |
| are 1.) Creating deadlines and 2.) His salary! Yes, we | | | | are only cause-effect. Most always people cause their |
| writers DO get paid every now and then! | | | | own mental downfall and breakdown. Always know |
| Basing my philosophies on those few lines of Kipling's | | | | why your characters complete every task and why |
| "The Elephant Child", my advice is to "Simply Ask | | | | the events take place. |
| Questions". Rummage through some old work | | | | How did the events happen?Too often people will say, |
| (whether it be poetry, nonfiction, or fiction) that you've | | | | "I had a car wreck today..." But, do they leave it at |
| written and use the following techniques to enhance | | | | that? No, no, no. You must always tell how the events |
| your skills. And, then, ask yourself the follow questions. | | | | happened. Were you driving in the incorrect lane, but |
| WHAT is the underlying theme? | | | | still feel it's not your fault? Did you skid uncontrollably on |
| Try to come up with a single-word or phrase to | | | | a patch of ice? Maybe, you wanted to avoid the |
| describe your story. Perhaps one reason your story | | | | slow-moving tortoise that crossed your lane? If other |
| has not been effective in the past is that you have too | | | | characters are involved, it's important to get their |
| many intertwining stories. This, in turn, can cause | | | | perspective in dialogue. Maybe they feel the events |
| confusion for the reader. So, ask yourself, "What is my | | | | happened differently. |
| story about?" And, give yourself answers such as: | | | | Who did the events happen to?Who your events |
| Desolation, Lost Hope, Self-Confidence, Racism, | | | | happen to is one of the main focuses. You have to |
| Attained Dreams, etc. If you can KISS (keep it simple | | | | choose your characters carefully. Why? Well, it would |
| stupid), then your readers won't MISS your point. | | | | change a story completely if you wrote of a 68-year |
| As practice, read some of the great contemporary | | | | old cheerleader. Your work would be a different story |
| writers and ask yourself the same question-"What is | | | | if the character were an autistic adult. How would the |
| the underlying theme?" Describe the book in one word | | | | events change if, let's say, the main character was |
| or one phrase, instead of using a high school | | | | indeed the Elephant Child, child of the deceased |
| book-report technique. | | | | Elephant Man? Be creative with your characters and |
| WHERE does your story or poem take | | | | allow their personalities to work well for you when |
| place?Knowing the setting can allow you to be a bit | | | | creating your piece. |
| more descriptive with your work. Does your poem or | | | | Sometimes writers can use techniques that allow them |
| prose take place in Alaska? Florida? China? | | | | to disregard some of these steps. Oh, Really? -You |
| Yugoslavia? Hawaii? Kentucky? Each of these places | | | | question. Yes. For instance, a writer may know the |
| is, perhaps, equal opposites of the next. To know your | | | | intentions of a character, a location-but you may not |
| setting you have two choices-- 1.) Be a good | | | | want to put it in print. My suggestion is that you KNOW |
| researcher; collect pictures and read as much as you | | | | all the answers to the above questions to make the |
| can about the location, or 2.) Take a road trip! Nothing | | | | work have more substance. By knowing all the |
| can be grander than to spend your weekend visiting | | | | answers you can create images, people, and |
| unknown territories. | | | | scenarios by using symbols and customs of a |
| WHEN did the events take place in which you are | | | | particular area. |