Why Did You Do That In Your Story

Consider this scenario...

You are at your critique group and one of your fellow writers has suggested you add something to your story. Maybe it is adding a prologue. Maybe it is some creative way of using dialogue such as email, or text message. You trust this person so you just go ahead and follow their directions. I mean, they know what they are talking about, right? It worked for this other author, so it must be something that will work with your writing, right?

Not so fast... While that technique might have worked with another author, or in another book, it may not work for you. Do you even know WHY that other author used that technique? 

Too often, authors just blindly follow techniques that are told to them by other authors, in workshops, or even in craft books they buy. They might even be told to use this technique on a blog such as mine. While we know that techniques like this work, the key is to always know two things:

1. WHY did the author use that technique?
2. WHAT impact does that technique have on a story?

What authors fail to understand is that if they are using a technique that is not right for the story, it WILL have an impact on their story and it WILL not be a positive impact.

I see this all of the time after attending a conference such as the RWA National Convention. There will be techniques being taught all day for several days, and, sure enough, following that conference, I will have a stack of submissions where authors started using this new "technique." Unfortunately, in all of those cases, it did not work out well.

I want you to consider something. Hemingway wrote some pretty funky sentences in his novels. Fragments, run-ons, you name it. But here is the thing. Hemingway was someone who understood grammar better than most people. He knew when he could use a fragment and actually use it correctly. For the common person, using that grammar would make you look like an idiot. 

It is very important that we read other authors and see what techniques they are using. This is called research. BUT, before you start into using those techniques, take the time to understand all of the WHYS behind that technique. What was it doing to the story in that location? How did it shape that story. 

You have heard me say this over and over here on the blog. Writing well takes time. It takes the time to truly learn the craft. To learn the grammar. To learn story construction and character development. Writing is not about shoving writing conventions and techniques together to make a grand story. It just will not happen!