Chicken and Egg

Invisible Ink
Sentence Sophistication: Chicken vs Egg

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Knowing how to write good prose is one thing, but sometimes it is just as important to make sure that barriers to good prose aren’t of our own making.

Many times have I caught myself or others trying to bend sentences into a very specific sequence of events, only to find that the number of pronouns needed, or some other problem, is making every option look second rate. In my experience, this is mostly a side-effect of failing to take a breath and reconsider what it is you’re trying to write in the first place.

Does it have to happen in that order? Does you character have to say exactly that line of dialogue? Does your plot point have to be presented in exactly that way?

When something just won’t work, it’s time to make sure you aren’t constraining yourself to false requirements. A lot of new writers approach the story they’re trying to tell from the rigid confines of the half-completed ideas they have already had. It’s hard to abandon a mental image that feels so right, but this is exactly what you need to consider doing. Boil your scene down to the bare necessities of what needs to happen and see if leading with good prose nets you a better result than adhering to pre-conceived notions.

Words flow, but ideas are often static. This seems counter-intuitive on the surface, but just try it sometime. If the plot can flex to accommodate the best writing option, maybe it should? Don't make your life hard for the sake of a good mental image, and don't be afraid to re-write an entire paragraph because one sentence doesn't work.

Just a thought.

-Scott ‘Inquisitor’ Mence

Comments

[Bradel]

Good advice again (unsurprisingly).

I've tried to develop the attitude that good writing is about good communication—and part of that is understanding what you want to communicate. I think a lot of writers fall into the trap of thinking that the thing they're trying to communicate is the precise narrative that exists inside their head, rather than the characters, setting, tone, theme, etc. attached to that narrative. To me, reading good fiction is a holistic experience, involving emotion as much as logic. Understanding that helps me try to move beyond conveying a narrative, and into things like conveying emotion and experience.

Which a long way of expressing my agreement. Clarity of expression is critical to transparent prose, but so is understanding what you actually want to express.

[AugieDog]

It’s hard to abandon a mental image that feels so right, but this is exactly what you need to consider doing.

This is the advice:

I've found, that people are trying to give when they use the slighty-misleading phrase "kill your darlings"...

Mike

[Southpaw]

I've been enjoying these articles, especially because it's a nice change to read thoughtful commentary that's brief, to the point, and well-articulated (versus reading good, but lengthy "how-to" articles, which I also appreciate).

Also, I loved your take on first sentences in the One Man's Pony Ramblings blog. You and Chris both had some excellent points, but I side with the flexibility of not forcing yourself - or the story you might be reading - to an expectation of drawing you in completely within the very first sentence.

I'm looking forward to reading more, so please keep it up.