Clarity in writing

CLARITY

Lack of clarity in a submission is the number one reason why an author’s work gets rejected. Think about it. Clarity can be, and for my purposes, is found in the previous nine reasons that lead to rejection.

1.      ! The use of symbols when words are better. An exclamation point has more than one meaning.

2.      Blasting queries. Using the one size fits all approach shows the agent or editor that you either didn’t think through your submission or you didn’t care.

3.      Not reading books on writing is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Reading clarifies in the writer’s mind which of many paths to take.

4.      Not joining critique groups, going to conferences or joining genre organizations leaves the author uncertain how to proceed (and without kindred spirits).

5.      Commas are much like exclamation points regarding clarity. Using commas to show breathing, pause, surprise, confusion, stroke etc. confuses the agent or editor. Because the comma isn’t a word, it’s anybody’s guess why those extra commas are there.

6.      Overusing complicated and multi-thought sentences is like knocking out an opponent in a boxing match. Except you are the loser.

7.      If the first chapter is used to set up the story by immersing the reader in the normal life of the protagonist, the agent or editor will reject the manuscript. They don’t understand because the author’s purpose is unclear.

8.      Head hopping or omniscient narration leaves agents. editors and potential readers confused.

9.      A lack of emotion in a character leads to a lack of emotional attachment in the story by the reader. To be clear, emotion in a character, as I define it, is not all about crying, laughing, smiling, etc. It’s precisely how a character reacts, acts, thinks or talks in any given situation. Done right, the reader is hooked, because they “get” (understand) and identify with the character.

10.  Clarity.

Clarity brings a scene and book into focus. Say Moby Dick and most people will be able to speak in metaphors and about memorable characters.

Crisp dialogue gives a story a magical or charming quality. Is there anybody out there who has not a clue what movie this came from, “I’ll have what she’s having” or “Here’s looking at you, kid”? Here's a harder one, "nobody's perfect". Stilted dialogue is often bogged down and defined by clichés, unnatural usage or wordiness. Less is more and original but understood expressions are what we all want.

Although interior intimate thought can meander to show indecision, we need to keep an eye on tentative resolution in the character’s mind or, at least, some change in the arc of the character. If the character is lost for too long, often the reader will find ways to lose the book.

A character cannot remain stoic while all hell is breaking loose about him scene after scene. Why? The character shows no change, no action. A novel is all about change. Otherwise it could be called the diary of a mad author.

The Sixth Sense

There are five senses, right? Sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Fiction writers are constantly being told to use your senses. Good authors do when it organically fits the scene. But in romance fiction we need one more sense.
I’m not talking about anything paranormal, other-worldly, unexplained, ghostly, sci-fi, horror or fanciful. That’s a discussion for another time. I’m talking about the sense of humor. Okay, I know it’s not a sense, although the way some psychologists describe it, you’d think otherwise.
So why then, humor? If you’ve ever read various studies of what a mate wants in his/her opposite, a sense of humor ranks at or near the top. It often tops looks! Lightheartedness usually sustains a relationship (along with empathy, love, commitment). We write romance and yet one novel after another forgets to inject humor by either or both the heroine and hero. Sad.
This doesn’t mean you have to be a comedian or study humor, memorize jokes or construct clever phrases. Draw on your experiences at the least. Ain’t there always a cut-up in the crowd. Someone who found irony in something? Some joke during sex? Analogies will do nicely. Double entendres are easy. Deliberately taking the alternative and wrong meaning from something a person said. Just being witty.
Don’t overdo it, especially if you aren’t a Jack Benny, Henny Youngman, Robin Williams...
Consider a romance novel without humor. Would you ask yourself why the hell they got together? Would their life in the castle be as dreary as the cold damp walls?
When Harry Met Sally, 1989, the “I’ll have what she’s having, scene.”
https://youtu.be/F-bsf2x-aeE

The Parting Shot

After I got an idea for today’s blog, I resolved to continue the blog for 2017. Previously I mostly wrote about strategies for writing romance while using the male point of view. I may from time to time find another strategic idea, but now is the time for tactics. Tactics can be described as small things (that make the story).

 

Have you ever finished a conversation and started to walk away? The person you were talking with says something. You have to decide whether to turn around, come back and address it or to keep walking. Let’s complicate this. Suppose the parting shot is something sexual or something suggesting love, perhaps an invitation. Simultaneously you knew what they said but you couldn’t believe your own ears.

It is probable the person who spoke the come-on was boldly responding to your remark about needing to recharge yourself with, “I can recharge you.” The hero or heroine was afraid to say it to his/her opposite, face-to-face. Or, "I love you." Did the hero or heroine hear right? We all fear rejection, more or less. Some are bolder than others. They want you and/or your love and they rationalize that the direct approach will elicit a direct but polite rejection. They leave you with a nearly subliminal snippet, leading you to play it over-and-over.
Taking it a step further: After hearing the parting remark, you think he/she’s not really your type or maybe they could be and you haven't until that moment figured it out. Should you say something or pretend you didn’t hear it, the next time you meet? Who knows it might lead to love. Without the surreptitious remark you would have never had a clue.
Call this a cute communication instead of a cute meet, although you may be meeting the person for the first time as more than an acquaintance.

This idea is not a chapter or a plot, it’s just a scene in which the protagonist struggles. It could go either way, that is, whether the guy or gal has something to say when the opposite walks away. It can also lead to a deepening of character(s). It certainly is a technique or tactic the author can use.