The Balance of Style

Even though I write science fiction, I assume most writers of other genres experience the same problem I’ve encounter regarding style.  I have had criticisms about how complex and how poetic I my writing can encompass.  However I am always trying to retain a balance between story flow and technical explanation, while maintaining ease reading to complex prose. 

With this all in mind, I have chosen to err to the side of the simpler and less complex.  I prefer for the majority of the audience to follow the story rather than lose them in overwhelming complexity.  This decision, however, must be a personal and individual choice for every author looking to improve their readers following.

The Quandary Of English Punctuation

There isn't a writer alive who has not had a manuscript rejected simply over punctuation usage.   For example, I know of editors who will count up to a particular number of supposedly mistakes they find and reject the entire manuscript after encountering a certain amount of what they consider to be errors.  This is regardless of how well the manuscript is written.  In the +20 years I have been writing technical and business documentation, it never ceases to amaze me how often this occurs.

Take for example the use of quotation marks.  If for example, you have a sentence ending such as -- the Titanic was considered to be '"unsinkable" -- where is the period placed in ending the sentence?  Between the word "unsinkable" and the final quotation marks, or after the final quotation marks?  The correct answer -- either, but it depends on what school you have attended and what style guide you may be using. Regardless that it is probably the Chicago Style of English you're adhering to, I have seen various style guides as well as editors contradict each other in usage. (In formal English, the period should be placed AFTER the quotation marks. Why it is now more than likely placed between the word and the quotation marks, because printers of newspapers wanted to used smaller sized periods in order to save space.)

The Right Approach To Blogging

Blogging is a communication skill that should be well learned and well used by any writer/author if they wish to succeed in the craft of book marketing.  I, myself, have found this out the hard way.  Not only is it associated with Name/Brand recognition, but establishes the connection and relationship between author and reader.  Most importantly, however, it broadcasts the writer’s character and writing ability.  Some simple tips to remember when blogging are these:

• Always blog to your audience’s or group’s interest – never go off topic.
• Always present a positive face or outlook when blogging – no one wants to hear someone vent about any real or perceived injustices in dealing with the abuses and abusers of the world. 
• Stay focused on subject material and the point of your current blog.
• Be professional and politely blow-off negative comments or simply ignore them.  Remember the world is filled with boneheads along with people with ulterior motives who want to see you fail.
• Offer the best you can in information and prose.  The point of any blog is to not only inform, but to entertain.
• Write often, I recommend once a day.  The more your name gets out there, the more likely you’ll succeed.

The Key To Better Writing -- Reading

One of the key processes in developmental learning is emulating the words and actions of others.  This imitation (the sincerest form of flattery), challenge our imaginations to what we each perceive as perfection.  As an example, Thomas Edison was not a great inventor himself, but a great innovator of combining other people’s inventions. 

Reading other writers’ works stimulates our minds in the very same way.  Innovative ideas are not only enhanced, but re-created as greater extensions.  Vocabulary is also increased, style improved, and the descriptive flow of tale made flawless.  Reading is probably the greatest tool for every writer looking to improve their craft and ability.

Naming Characters

Whenever writing a fictional story, it is always a good idea to have the character's name match their personality. Much can be said with the right name of a character. For example: in my book Beyond Mars Crimson Fleet, the main hero's name is Richard Wakinyan. For his given name, "Richard" means a strong leader as in "the Lionheart". The second name "Wakinyan" is taken from the Lakota word referring to the "Thunder Bird"; a mythical creature that was sent by God to fertilize the land and to destroy evil where ever it finds it.

In choosing names, one also has to take in consideration not only their personality, but their racial origins as well to help paint a more complete picture of their phyiscal features. Description enhances this and can be used to deviate to add a unique quality. However, be mindful that in certain races, people (such as in certain Scotish clans) were mortal enemies of other sur names of opposing clans.

A good source for names are the many books on baby names, which gives both male and female names and their meanings. Sur names can be had from the internet along with historic deeds and ramifications.

Understanding Peaks

Of the three types of peaks used in writing a fiction novel, the "emotional (character) peak" is the most versatile one. It can either stand alone or be used with the other types of peaks (action or mystery). The emotional peak, however, can be used by a story's character/s in accenting the mood of a scene (which is done by description, e. g. "the old abandoned and delapidated house casted long shadows in the dwindling light, giving the women a sense of foreboding"). This technique is usually done in a valley, where the writer begins to build tension and rise to another story peak. But do not get confused between the scene mood and the character's emotion. Scene mood can build, but not to either the intensity or faster rate as a character's emotion. This is what helps to give the story's forward flow and creates interest in the reader.

Peaks And Valleys

One of the things during the course of my technical writing career and association with certain fiction book authors and editors is that fiction should have a set layout and follow a line of flow, just like any other document for any other purpose. What that means is, regardless that a fiction novel is historic, romantic, scifi, horror, or any other type; it should always begin with "action". This is to grip the reader from the very beginning and draw them into the book.

This is similar process to business proposals and investigation reports where problems are stated at the very beginning, including in the "executive summary". From here, other elements are added. For the fiction novel, however, these other elements are "mystery" and "emotions" with pauses in between. Its like surfing waves, you have peaks (action, mystery, & emotions) and valleys (pauses - these divide the peaks from each other so that the reader can catch his or her breath). This is what gives forward movement to a story. However, should the peaks wander together it can overwhelm the reader, giving them a very unpleasant experience.

A good example of this is the contrast between the movies "Batman Begins" and "Dark Knight". "Batman Begins" has a terrific flow with story line. It gives the reader time to recover from the previous "peak" and catch his breath. (I have personally watched this movie at least 20 times).

"Dark Knight" is different, however, and gives a different affect. Although the story is well written, from about the middle of the movie the "action" becomes high pitched and virtually non-stop. And because of this, it becomes exhausting for the viewer. (For me, it was very good, but I've only watched it once and it will be a long time before I play the DVD again). In certain aspects, it makes the movie actually mentally painful to watch, regardless of how good it is. Had there been just a few pauses in this area, I think it would have been equal to "Batman Begins", but as a result it falls short.

The bottom line to all this is that if you writing any novel, be sure to take care in timing your peaks and valleys right. Be sure to use "pauses" in between the "peaks", because it just might make the difference between a good novel and a bad one.