What am I doing hanging out with the distinguished authors who blog here along with me? Just lucky, I guess.
What am I talking about? Well, I just saw the nominee list for Left Coast Crime Awards which includes the following Inkspot bloggers (who make up over a quarter of the nominations).
The Lefty (most humorous mystery of 2007): Jess Lourey, Knee High by the Fourth of July
The Rocky (best mystery of 2007 set in the West): Bill Cameron, Lost Dog and Tim Maleeny, Stealing the Dragon
The Arty (best cover art of 2007): Tim Maleeny, Stealing the Dragon (again!?)
A hearty mazel tov to Jess, Bill, Tim, and Tim (again)
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Out of the Woodwork
by Sue Ann Jaffarian
Here’s a side benefit of writing that I never considered until it started happening.
My last name, Jaffarian, is not a common name, but because of my growing presence online and in the writing community, I’ve had many wonderful surprises. Here are a few examples:
After one library event, I was handed a note by the librarian with a name and number. The last name of the woman was Jaffarian. The woman was elderly and wanted to know who I was. Said she didn’t recall any “Sue Anns” in the family. Turns out, she is the widow of one of my father’s cousins and also knew my mother years ago. We had a nice chat.
Janet Gustafson, my roommate during my freshman year in college, wrote me after finding my books on the shelves at Barnes and Noble. She was working there part-time during the holidays. We had a delightful online chat and caught up on our lives.
Paul Smith was reading my blog because his mother enjoyed my books so much and saw a photo of my brother that I posted. Paul was a Boy Scout years ago in my brother’s old troop.
Recently, I heard from Ernie Jaffarian, who attached the above photo and this message: “While searching for an address online, I came across your name and was shocked at how much you look like a member of my family.” No wonder – Ernie’s grandfather was my Uncle Martin (seated). The fact that Ernie and I don’t know each other is no surprise considering my father was the youngest of 13 and we moved from the East Coast when I was 8 or 9. Though I did meet Ernie’s dad and a few of his aunts and uncles when I was very young.
I was also contacted by John Jeffire (Jafaryan), a writer in the Detroit area who was researching his Armenian ancestors. We corresponded, though I’m not sure if we’re related. Both of our ancestors came from Turkey, so there is a good chance there is some connection.
I saved the best for last:
Early last year I received an e-mail from a woman who finds birth parents for adult adoptees. In researching for her client, a Stefan Niemcewicz, she came across my website and contacted me. She gave me some details about Sefan’s birth, including the fact that his mother was a Jaffarian, and asked if I had given up a child for adoption in San Francisco years ago. I immediately responded telling her that, while it wasn’t totally impossible, I was only about 11 or 12 when this man was born. I also let her know that there were Jaffarians located in the Northwest (very distant cousins) and perhaps it was one of them. She wrote back thanking me and gave me a few more details about the birth mother, and asked if I knew anything more to please contact her.
Well, as soon as I saw the new information about Stefan, I picked up the phone and placed a call to my cousin Judy in Florida (who, by the way, is also related to Ernie Jaffarian, above).
Below are photos of Judy meeting for the first time Stefan, the son she gave up for adoption when she was a young woman. Stefan (born Michael Jaffarian) is now a welcomed member of our family.
My last name, Jaffarian, is not a common name, but because of my growing presence online and in the writing community, I’ve had many wonderful surprises. Here are a few examples:
After one library event, I was handed a note by the librarian with a name and number. The last name of the woman was Jaffarian. The woman was elderly and wanted to know who I was. Said she didn’t recall any “Sue Anns” in the family. Turns out, she is the widow of one of my father’s cousins and also knew my mother years ago. We had a nice chat.
Janet Gustafson, my roommate during my freshman year in college, wrote me after finding my books on the shelves at Barnes and Noble. She was working there part-time during the holidays. We had a delightful online chat and caught up on our lives.
Paul Smith was reading my blog because his mother enjoyed my books so much and saw a photo of my brother that I posted. Paul was a Boy Scout years ago in my brother’s old troop.
Recently, I heard from Ernie Jaffarian, who attached the above photo and this message: “While searching for an address online, I came across your name and was shocked at how much you look like a member of my family.” No wonder – Ernie’s grandfather was my Uncle Martin (seated). The fact that Ernie and I don’t know each other is no surprise considering my father was the youngest of 13 and we moved from the East Coast when I was 8 or 9. Though I did meet Ernie’s dad and a few of his aunts and uncles when I was very young.
I was also contacted by John Jeffire (Jafaryan), a writer in the Detroit area who was researching his Armenian ancestors. We corresponded, though I’m not sure if we’re related. Both of our ancestors came from Turkey, so there is a good chance there is some connection.
I saved the best for last:
Early last year I received an e-mail from a woman who finds birth parents for adult adoptees. In researching for her client, a Stefan Niemcewicz, she came across my website and contacted me. She gave me some details about Sefan’s birth, including the fact that his mother was a Jaffarian, and asked if I had given up a child for adoption in San Francisco years ago. I immediately responded telling her that, while it wasn’t totally impossible, I was only about 11 or 12 when this man was born. I also let her know that there were Jaffarians located in the Northwest (very distant cousins) and perhaps it was one of them. She wrote back thanking me and gave me a few more details about the birth mother, and asked if I knew anything more to please contact her.
Well, as soon as I saw the new information about Stefan, I picked up the phone and placed a call to my cousin Judy in Florida (who, by the way, is also related to Ernie Jaffarian, above).
Below are photos of Judy meeting for the first time Stefan, the son she gave up for adoption when she was a young woman. Stefan (born Michael Jaffarian) is now a welcomed member of our family.
It is a small world, after all, and so filled with unexpected joy.
Has your writing brought surprises like this?
Has your writing brought surprises like this?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Sticking Points
So there I am, happily pounding away at my keyboard, full of promise and verve. The words flow onto the screen, meaning takes shape; I’m in the zone.
Then it happens. That Feeling. Creeping in, growing stronger. The typing slows. Stops.
Something is wrong.
That Feeling is pretty familiar to me by now, working away on my fifth novel. And I’ve learned not to ignore it. It comes as I’m writing and also when I’m editing/rewriting. Sometimes it’s only a squiggle of a notion, but it’s always reliable. The scene isn’t working for some reason. The character is resisting the plot. There’s a logical hole I need to figure out. The tone is off. The pacing is off. The action isn’t adequately grounded. I need to do more research in a vital area. Whatever it is, I'd better fix it.
While it’s disappointing to have to move out of that magical timeless place I go when the writing is going really well, at least I have a toolbox of methods with which to tackle those hiccups in the process that I think of as sticking points.
Journaling as the character: This is particularly effective if the problem seems to be a recalcitrant character. Writers often talk about the characters taking over the story. Magic and muses surely affect the process, but a writer knows her characters pretty well. If I oh-so-cleverly plot something that’s inconsistent with the way my character would really act, then try to write them into doing it anyway, it doesn’t work. I mean, I don’t plot against my characters (so to speak) on purpose, but sometimes mistakes are made. If I journal the scene from the character’s perspective, I generally discover what they would really do in that situation. Sometimes that’s what I write. Sometimes I have to throw the scene out altogether and figure out an alternative.
Clustering: This is a method I’ve seen used in workshops, but which is probably best set out in the book Writing the Natural Way by Gabriele Lusser Rico. You start off with a word or phrasee drawn in a circle in the middle of a page, and then rapidly draw lines and circles out from that circle and the subsequent circles, free associating ideas. It taps into the right side of the brain, and oddly enough, as you do it a linear solution falls out of the process. I find it particularly helpful for working out plot points and relationships between characters. I’ve looked at old clusters, and they look more like an alien barfed words all over the page than any kind of meaningful anything, but hey, it worked at the time I did it.
Take a walk: Nothing new here. We all know how getting out and moving helps the brain kick in.
Talk to myself about the problem: Not recommended for use in coffee shops or other public places, this method can be helpful in a pinch. Something there about hearing your own voice concretizing what needs to be fixed. I do have to be careful not to let in negative self-talk. Also, it’s good to have a partner who likes to talk to themselves, too, so they don’t think you’re stark raving nuts.
Sleep on it: I love this one, especially for when I’m figuring out what needs to happen next in the plot. Go to sleep with a question in your head, and then let your brain work on it while you’re off in dreamland. Because it frequently works very well for me, I am delighted by the sheer efficiency of it. For more detailed information about how this method works, check out a little book called Sleep Thinking by Eric Maisel.
And if none of these methods work, my motto is: Don’t let it stop the writing for long – if the issue isn’t solved, make a note (always), and come back to it later. Sticking points can be paralyzing if not solved quickly, so sometimes the best thing is to move on, leaving it sticky for now. Future writing may provide just the right solution.
What do you do when you get to a sticking point? Any tried and true approaches you return to again and again?
Then it happens. That Feeling. Creeping in, growing stronger. The typing slows. Stops.
Something is wrong.
That Feeling is pretty familiar to me by now, working away on my fifth novel. And I’ve learned not to ignore it. It comes as I’m writing and also when I’m editing/rewriting. Sometimes it’s only a squiggle of a notion, but it’s always reliable. The scene isn’t working for some reason. The character is resisting the plot. There’s a logical hole I need to figure out. The tone is off. The pacing is off. The action isn’t adequately grounded. I need to do more research in a vital area. Whatever it is, I'd better fix it.
While it’s disappointing to have to move out of that magical timeless place I go when the writing is going really well, at least I have a toolbox of methods with which to tackle those hiccups in the process that I think of as sticking points.
Journaling as the character: This is particularly effective if the problem seems to be a recalcitrant character. Writers often talk about the characters taking over the story. Magic and muses surely affect the process, but a writer knows her characters pretty well. If I oh-so-cleverly plot something that’s inconsistent with the way my character would really act, then try to write them into doing it anyway, it doesn’t work. I mean, I don’t plot against my characters (so to speak) on purpose, but sometimes mistakes are made. If I journal the scene from the character’s perspective, I generally discover what they would really do in that situation. Sometimes that’s what I write. Sometimes I have to throw the scene out altogether and figure out an alternative.
Clustering: This is a method I’ve seen used in workshops, but which is probably best set out in the book Writing the Natural Way by Gabriele Lusser Rico. You start off with a word or phrasee drawn in a circle in the middle of a page, and then rapidly draw lines and circles out from that circle and the subsequent circles, free associating ideas. It taps into the right side of the brain, and oddly enough, as you do it a linear solution falls out of the process. I find it particularly helpful for working out plot points and relationships between characters. I’ve looked at old clusters, and they look more like an alien barfed words all over the page than any kind of meaningful anything, but hey, it worked at the time I did it.
Take a walk: Nothing new here. We all know how getting out and moving helps the brain kick in.
Talk to myself about the problem: Not recommended for use in coffee shops or other public places, this method can be helpful in a pinch. Something there about hearing your own voice concretizing what needs to be fixed. I do have to be careful not to let in negative self-talk. Also, it’s good to have a partner who likes to talk to themselves, too, so they don’t think you’re stark raving nuts.
Sleep on it: I love this one, especially for when I’m figuring out what needs to happen next in the plot. Go to sleep with a question in your head, and then let your brain work on it while you’re off in dreamland. Because it frequently works very well for me, I am delighted by the sheer efficiency of it. For more detailed information about how this method works, check out a little book called Sleep Thinking by Eric Maisel.
And if none of these methods work, my motto is: Don’t let it stop the writing for long – if the issue isn’t solved, make a note (always), and come back to it later. Sticking points can be paralyzing if not solved quickly, so sometimes the best thing is to move on, leaving it sticky for now. Future writing may provide just the right solution.
What do you do when you get to a sticking point? Any tried and true approaches you return to again and again?
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Funny 101
It is October1997.
In the past eighteen months I have survived an unexpected divorce, the flooding of my home, and a fractured neck. But I’m far more nervous about the latest challenge: a first-ever blind date, taking place right after my hospital shift.
My co-workers, on the other hand, are completely titillated. As I rush to the nurses' locker room to change out of my scrubs, they make me promise to stop by the ER for their approval of my "date wear".
Because I’m a fool, I agree.
I do a complete wardrobe change, top to bottom. Fresh and hopeful as a new beginning.
Short skirt, high heels, great sweater--deep breath. I frantically stuff my work clothes into an open-top tote bag. I’m late, but I promised to . . .
My co-workers, on the other hand, are completely titillated. As I rush to the nurses' locker room to change out of my scrubs, they make me promise to stop by the ER for their approval of my "date wear".
Because I’m a fool, I agree.
I do a complete wardrobe change, top to bottom. Fresh and hopeful as a new beginning.
Short skirt, high heels, great sweater--deep breath. I frantically stuff my work clothes into an open-top tote bag. I’m late, but I promised to . . .
The ER is Friday-night-packed.
I arrive to appreciative hoots and whistles from fellow nurses, doctors, paramedics--and even a few drunk patients who get caught up in the excitement.
My ego is boosted. My date jitters abate, my confidence soars.
I do a girly pirouette, like Mary Tyler Moore on steroids, right in the middle of the ER--
And something flies out of my tote bag.
I arrive to appreciative hoots and whistles from fellow nurses, doctors, paramedics--and even a few drunk patients who get caught up in the excitement.
My ego is boosted. My date jitters abate, my confidence soars.
I do a girly pirouette, like Mary Tyler Moore on steroids, right in the middle of the ER--
And something flies out of my tote bag.
It skids across the vinyl floor.
A male nurse moves to scoop it up; I rush forward to take it from him and . . .
The scene turns to slow-mo, as the horrifying truth hits me and--God help me--everyone else.
The mortified male nurse hands me my panties.
I am never the same.
A male nurse moves to scoop it up; I rush forward to take it from him and . . .
The scene turns to slow-mo, as the horrifying truth hits me and--God help me--everyone else.
The mortified male nurse hands me my panties.
I am never the same.
So . . . I turn to writing comedy.
Author John Vorhaus (The Comic ToolBox) and Billy Mernit (Writing the Romantic Comedy), agree on this basic equation:
Author John Vorhaus (The Comic ToolBox) and Billy Mernit (Writing the Romantic Comedy), agree on this basic equation:
TRUTH + PAIN = FUNNY.
The TRUTH of the blind date mishap is that to try something new involves risk. The PAIN is that sometimes you make a fool of yourself.
And when it happens to someone else, we laugh--because we see our own worst fears coming true. It could have been us.
Athena Critique Services asked me to teach a 2-week writing workshop next month, “My Funny Valentine: Writing the Romantic Comedy.” I got excited about it, and then I started to wonder--what is the best way to share the “art of funny”? Vorhaus starts with the basic element of any good story: Character. He asks the writer to define the “STRONG COMIC PERSPECTIVE” of his character, or the unique ( skewed) way that this character views the world, which differs from the “normal” world view. Then EXAGGERATE this, add FLAWS, and HUMANITY (the element that makes us bond with the character, thinking “he’s just like me”).
It’s easy for me to picture these elements, when I think of TV’s phobic Adrian “Monk.” Monk’s STRONG COMIC PERSPECTIVE: he is the infallible authority on crime solving. This perspective is EXAGGERATED because he is compelled to solve crimes despite the fact he lost his badge as a result of the effects of stress and OCD. His (also exaggerated and incapacitating) FLAWS: Monk views the world as a contagious and dangerous “jungle”--he’s even afraid of milk, for godsake! And his HUMANITY: He deeply loves his deceased wife, and feels responsible for her death.
All of which made me think of the heroine of my funny & romantic Darcy Cavanaugh Cruise Mystery series. How do Vorhaus’ elements of a comic character relate to her?
It struck me, that my tendency toward likening the series to “I Love Lucy meets ER on The Love Boat . . . to solve a murder,” was very apt. Because, like Lucy Ricardo, Darcy Cavanaugh’s:
COMIC PERSPECTIVE: is that she can do anything.
The TRUTH of the blind date mishap is that to try something new involves risk. The PAIN is that sometimes you make a fool of yourself.
And when it happens to someone else, we laugh--because we see our own worst fears coming true. It could have been us.
Athena Critique Services asked me to teach a 2-week writing workshop next month, “My Funny Valentine: Writing the Romantic Comedy.” I got excited about it, and then I started to wonder--what is the best way to share the “art of funny”? Vorhaus starts with the basic element of any good story: Character. He asks the writer to define the “STRONG COMIC PERSPECTIVE” of his character, or the unique ( skewed) way that this character views the world, which differs from the “normal” world view. Then EXAGGERATE this, add FLAWS, and HUMANITY (the element that makes us bond with the character, thinking “he’s just like me”).
It’s easy for me to picture these elements, when I think of TV’s phobic Adrian “Monk.” Monk’s STRONG COMIC PERSPECTIVE: he is the infallible authority on crime solving. This perspective is EXAGGERATED because he is compelled to solve crimes despite the fact he lost his badge as a result of the effects of stress and OCD. His (also exaggerated and incapacitating) FLAWS: Monk views the world as a contagious and dangerous “jungle”--he’s even afraid of milk, for godsake! And his HUMANITY: He deeply loves his deceased wife, and feels responsible for her death.
All of which made me think of the heroine of my funny & romantic Darcy Cavanaugh Cruise Mystery series. How do Vorhaus’ elements of a comic character relate to her?
It struck me, that my tendency toward likening the series to “I Love Lucy meets ER on The Love Boat . . . to solve a murder,” was very apt. Because, like Lucy Ricardo, Darcy Cavanaugh’s:
COMIC PERSPECTIVE: is that she can do anything.
Which is EXAGGERATED by:
A sense of responsibility to defend the underdog, and to right unjust wrongs.
Her FLAW: She’s impulsive, jumps to conclusions, leaps without looking first.
And Darcy’s HUMANITY: She cares enough to take risks. And we love her for that.
What about your characters? Regardless of whether you write humorous fiction, and even if it's "dark"--what's their comic perspective?
A sense of responsibility to defend the underdog, and to right unjust wrongs.
Her FLAW: She’s impulsive, jumps to conclusions, leaps without looking first.
And Darcy’s HUMANITY: She cares enough to take risks. And we love her for that.
What about your characters? Regardless of whether you write humorous fiction, and even if it's "dark"--what's their comic perspective?
As a medical professional, I can testify to the fact that a sense of humor is a life (and sanity) saving attribute. Accordingly--
Vorhaus also throws out this interesting challenge: What is YOUR own personal comic perspective? In what unique way do YOU view the world--and, very likely, imbue your writing?
And, finally, do check out Athena Critique Service. I’ll be starting my class, “My Funny Valentine: Writing the Romantic Comedy,” on February 5th.
No whoopee cushions, fake doggy doo, or squirting cameras allowed.
Undies to remain discreetly out of sight. Thank you.
Friday, January 4, 2008
on the hunt
The other day, the bill for my website came due, and while I was in the web site control panel to update the payment info, I spent some time checking out the Usage Statistics for my site. I haven't looked at them in forever and so I spent a while seeing what's what. And it turns out that when I got down into the Search String section—the words folks type into Google or Yahoo when they're searching for something—I discovered a magical world of wonder and delight.
Here are the search strings people have used to find my web site since the start of the New Year (and please note, some of the words are naughty, at least in what I guess is the intended context):
But. Um. That last one? All I can say is if it's you, email me. I have some questions. (One of them is, "Who actually lets you touch her there anyway, bub?" Most likely answer: no one.)
Now, if you type "she lets me touch her vagina" into Google, a link to my site appears on page 2 (as of this writing). What's amusing to me is the link is to my story "On the Road to Find Out," which, I confess, does have all those words in it, though not in that particular order and certainly not all in a row like that. And, I swear, none are used in a fashion that would in a million years elicit prurient interest. I hope.
Needless to say, after a few minutes with the January 2008 Search Strings, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. The candy shop of random Google searches, sure, but sugary sweet and delightful nonetheless. So I started looking back in the statistics for past months to see what else people were searching for when they found me. It was wonderful.
Now, sure, there are lotsa unsurprising search strings. Variations on "cameron" and "bill", which will find you not only me (and in fact, not usually me), but also a dance instructor, a prolific blogger in Great Britain, a guitarist, and links to the late and much beloved CBC broadcaster of the same name, among others.
But once I got past boring old "bill cameron," things started cooking. For instance, I was surprised to learn there seems to be a deep and abiding interest out there on the interwebs in "kept women." These strings showed up often:
Some other favorites:
Ultimately, if you've got a website, marvelous entertainment can be found just perusing the visitor statistics log to see what search strings lead to your site. I mean, come on, how else are you going to find out if "sex in the frontseat of a car" finds you?
Here are the search strings people have used to find my web site since the start of the New Year (and please note, some of the words are naughty, at least in what I guess is the intended context):
- bill cameron (okay, this one makes sense)
- bill cameron soccer (still makes sense, though my site has exactly zero soccer information on it)
- bure (huh?)
- cop looking for 6 c cell maglite (Interesting. Weird, but interesting.)
- kept woman (okay, not a search string I'd likely put into a search engine, but at least I have a short story on my site called "kept woman.")
- she lets me touch her vagina (uh, double huh?)
But. Um. That last one? All I can say is if it's you, email me. I have some questions. (One of them is, "Who actually lets you touch her there anyway, bub?" Most likely answer: no one.)
Now, if you type "she lets me touch her vagina" into Google, a link to my site appears on page 2 (as of this writing). What's amusing to me is the link is to my story "On the Road to Find Out," which, I confess, does have all those words in it, though not in that particular order and certainly not all in a row like that. And, I swear, none are used in a fashion that would in a million years elicit prurient interest. I hope.
Needless to say, after a few minutes with the January 2008 Search Strings, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. The candy shop of random Google searches, sure, but sugary sweet and delightful nonetheless. So I started looking back in the statistics for past months to see what else people were searching for when they found me. It was wonderful.
Now, sure, there are lotsa unsurprising search strings. Variations on "cameron" and "bill", which will find you not only me (and in fact, not usually me), but also a dance instructor, a prolific blogger in Great Britain, a guitarist, and links to the late and much beloved CBC broadcaster of the same name, among others.
But once I got past boring old "bill cameron," things started cooking. For instance, I was surprised to learn there seems to be a deep and abiding interest out there on the interwebs in "kept women." These strings showed up often:
- well kept woman
- are there really kept women
- looking to be a kept woman (who isn't?)
- how to be a kept woman (there's a manual?)
- kept woman find I want (Yoda has unexpected tastes)
- kept woman salary (They get a salary?)
- what if she rejects me
Some other favorites:
- nylon feet shoeless
- bill cameron chain gang (Aiieeee!)
- lost dog reviews touch wood (They do?)
- good looking woman hump (I have a feeling I know where that one was going.)
- short mysteries for fifth graders (I can assure you, I didn't even write short mysteries for fifth graders when I was IN fifth grade.)
- author of book about lost dog (That would be me. Among others. As it happens.)
- settings of the man and his dog (sandwiches of the ham and his cheese)
- cameron mysties (a deep-fried treat available from some crazy vendor down on the boardwalk)
- dipsey doodle poodle (Yes, there is an actual page on my site with those precise words on it)
- find out about a kid named jt (I would like to find out about that kid myself. I mean, seriously. What's that kid up to, anyway?)
Ultimately, if you've got a website, marvelous entertainment can be found just perusing the visitor statistics log to see what search strings lead to your site. I mean, come on, how else are you going to find out if "sex in the frontseat of a car" finds you?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Ups and Downs
January 3, 2008
I have yet to meet a writer who doesn't seem like he or she is a manic-depressive sans medication. We're elated about a contract, we're down about having to promote, we're up about how the work is going, we're down about how the work is going, we're excited about a positive review, we're down about...
You get the idea.
It's possible, of course, that all artists of one sort or another are like this. In fact, I suspect they are.
(Actually, once I became educated about depression, I realize just how many people out there are depressed and would benefit from some medication--have you ever worked with someone who's a REAL manic-depressive? I have and it ain't any fun. But that, as the saying goes, is a different story).
Part of the problem, I suspect (aside from the relative comforts of 21st century American life--I mean, if how well your novel is or is not being received is the worst of your problems, try living in Rwanda or Iraq or Darfur for a while and shut the hell up) is that any creative endeavor in the marketplace, anyway, has a lot of ups and downs.
I remind myself--daily it seems like--that very few careers in any field run in a straight line. There are a lot of zigs and a few zags and quite a number of setbacks. How we bounce back from the setbacks may be more important than anything else we do.
I had a big setback in December in one area of my creative life.
Then on the 2nd of January I got a call from a probable new big client and all I could think of was the cliche was true: when one door closes another one very often opens.
If you want to keep your sanity as a writer (or, for that matter, as a human being), it's best to get used to the capricious nature of the fates and try to enjoy the ride.
And no, I don't know how they got that 4-month-old to bounce like that on the trampoline. I'm not sure I want to know.
Cheers,
Mark Terry
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
To Every Story...There is a Season
by Nina Wright
In fiction the role of season ranges from texture to plot point to theme. Doctor Zhivago is first and foremost a story of place and time (and character), but the wintry elements are what many of us remember best, especially from the film. Planes, Trains and Automobiles, for all its hilarity, is about Thanksgiving: Steve Martin’s character wants only to be with his family while John Candy’s character has no family and nowhere to go. The Wizard of Oz depends on tornado season to provide a key plot element as well as the revelation that there's no place like home.
Season can be an efficient means of revealing character. How does our protagonist respond to a pile of soggy autumn leaves? The lack of sunlight in winter? An April Fool’s joke? Neighborhood kids playing with firecrackers the week before the Fourth of July?
Season creates reader expectation. For instance, juvenile fiction set in summertime seems to promise a lack of structure and adult supervision. But exceptions abound, as I discovered while playing with notions for my teen novel Sensitive. There could be summer school or summer camp. Or a summer job. The point is that novelists can elect to follow or flout seasonal expectations. Oh, the possibilities inherent in, say, no teachers showing up for the first day of school...or a January that's warmer in
Season is on my mind, and not just because I’m stuck in
What role does season play in the novel you are writing or reading right now? Does the author comply with seasonal expectations or defy them? How does season impact character, plot and/or theme?
As I write this, a new year is opening before us. Whether the season is sunny, snowy or rainy where you are, I wish you a bright Aught-Eight.
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