Inside Ellie's Head

Writing Confusion Intentionally

"Did you know that you keep switching between pronouns when you refer to Veda?" One of the three people reading my fantasy story (current work in progress) asked me.

When I spoke to the second person on this list of three a few days later, I was asked the same question. 

"Yes," I said and proceeded to explain that it was Nathan, the main character in the story through whose eyes we see the world, who keeps switching between pronouns. Not ME.

Veda is neither masculine nor feminine, you see. He or she is a perfect balance of both. On his or her planet, there is a word for people like Veda. There is a set of pronouns to use when talking about them. Our language is quite simply insufficient. Nathan struggles with this. He doesn't know what to call Veda. Most of the time, he cannot choose and he does what I just did: he uses both pronouns. Sometimes, when Veda seems feminine to him, he refers to her as a "she" and at other times when Veda appears masculine, he calls him a "he."

Potentially confusing? 

Undoubtedly. 

So the question arrises:

How does a writer communicate the confusion inside the character's head without hitting the reader over the head with the explanation? 

Where is that sweet middle ground between  "Did the writer make a mistake here?" and "I get it already! I'm not an idiot!"?

Some of my favorite writers, those whose stories stay with me for years after reading them, have an enviable way of communicating confusion and allowing me, as a reader, to become witness to the mysteries of the situations the characters face with just the right amount of explanation. They do so without drawing my attention away from the character and his struggle. The writer remains invisible and what I hear as I read is the voice of the character. Confused. Oblivious. Frustrated. Out of control. You get the drift.

When thinking of intentional confusion, one of the books that comes to my mind is Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.  The effect that Charlie Gordon's progressively refined voice had on me when I first read Flowers for Algernon still lingers. Daniel Keyes creates a character in this haunting story who is surrounded by situations he cannot fully comprehend or effectively explain. In some instances, it is Gordon's later journal entries that shed light on the truth behind previous situations. 

Like Gordon, Nathan will attain the answers he's seeking. Until such time, however I'll have to make sure that his confusion remains his confusion and not my mistake. 

What intentional confusion have you encountered in stories lately? Did you think the confusion was really intentional? Or did you think the writer had made a mistake? 

The Predicament of Chapter Titles

As I enter Chapter 8 (and my character enters a dark hole in the ground - quite literally!), I find myself facing a serious question:

To title each chapter or to not?

Perhaps the more accurate question would be: to continue titling chapters or not? 

The arguments over whether or not to title chapters seem to be rooted deeply in personal preference. Some writers enjoy the process of titling their chapters  but might skim over them when they are reading a book. Others find the practice completely pointless or even annoying. 

I, myself, did not start out titling my chapters. I simply started each chapter with a roman numeral. I, II, III, etc. Once I got to chapter VI, I realized that my chapters are on average ten to fifteen pages long. How many chapters then will I have when I'm done with my story? 20? 25? 40? Do I really want to write out 38 in roman numerals? XXXVIII? And why use roman numerals in the first place in a story about aliens and the potential end of the world as we know it?

So I opted to using western numerals followed by chapter titles. Simple enough.

The problem began when I finished chapter 7 and had no idea what to call the chapter. And I began a new train of thought: Do I really need chapter titles? Do titles actually entice or discourage readers? Do they slow the reader down and needlessly throw him off track? Do they distract from the story? 

So, I got to doing some research. Mainly reading opinions that others (writers and readers of books) have expressed about chapter titles on the world wide web. I found that Chapter titles are both loved and hated. Here's a summery of what makes great titles great, and why some people might just not care for them:

First, we'll begin with the positive.

I found much love for chapter titles out there. Many people expressed that they enjoy chapter titles with the following characteristics:

1)  Some of the best chapter titles will add a little something to the story. Authors might try to use the titles to add another layer of depth to the story they are telling. 

2) The titles might stay within a general theme. If the story is centered around time, the titles might all have some kind of reference to time. If the story is centered around spaces or food, titles that fit within those general themes will keep the story moving forward cohesively. 

3) Good titles are NOT too obvious and will not reveal too much of what is about to happen. Many people might feel discouraged if they are told what is about to happen before they've had a chance to read the chapter.

4) Humor in titles is much appreciated. Chapter titles that are funny without being too long and too revealing get much praise. In this sense, a chapter title is a great place for the author to add a little moment of lightness to the story without detracting from it. Especially if the story he's writing is a humerous one. 

5) Good chapter titles (when kept cohesive) can set the tone for the entire book. They can be ironic, funny, clever, silly, unorthodox, serious, lighthearted, etc. You get the idea. 

Alright. I figure five are enough reasons to support titling chapters.

Now to the negative:

But what did those folk say who don't like chapter titles? Even those who expressed a fondness towards chapter titles, did not care for them when the titles made the following mistakes: 

1) The titles didn't add to the story in any way. Most people simply skip over the titles when they are not interesting or don't seem very relevant. 

2) The titles gave away too much of the story. In a difficult part of the book, this might be a death sentence for the story. Many people admitted to actually putting a book down (and NEVER finishing it) when they reached a title that rendered the story uninteresting. 

3) The titles were confusing or not relevant. Sometimes the reader has to decode the title as he or she is reading the story. This can be both good or really bad. If the title is clever and fun, it can be fun; if the title adds confusion and distracts from the story, the reader might get frustrated or indifferent. 

The Result:

There you have it. Five reasons for chapter titles, three against. Most people who didn't like titled chapters, simply skipped over them. Very few people expressed complete hatred and annoyance towards titles. On the other hand, those who enjoyed clever fun chapter titles, seem quite devoted to them. My conclusion is simple: There is more love for chapter titles out there than there is disdain. 

So if you're wondering whether or not to title those chapters you're working on, consider naming them. But keep your titles clever, fun, and cohesive. 

 

MIA but not idle!

For the past few months I have been missing in action... More specifically, I have been missing from this blog site. 

There is a good reason for this. A reason that may have been causing some annoyance for the person with whom I live. The reason for my idleness is simply this: I have been writing!! (Why would this cause him annoyance? you ask. And I'll answer: You'd be annoyed too if every few hours someone asked you "you want to hear what I just wrote???")

If you have spoken with me in person through the course of the past year, I must have mentioned to you that I have been mulling over a Science Fiction story. A whole lot! I may have given you some of the highlights. And if you asked me some more questions about it, I probably spent ten or so minutes giving you the intricate backstory and some tidbits about my main characters. 

If we had this conversation a few months ago, you would have asked me for a few chapters and I would have said: "Sorry... I haven't yet started writing it..."

The truth is, I was scared. In my mind, the story I imagined had such depth and complexity that I was afraid my writing skills may not be (how can I put this?) developed enough to carry it. The thought that I would start writing and (through my mediocre technical skills) butcher my perfectly awesome story, kept me from even trying.

Then, a few months ago, we vacationed in beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho. Some hiking, lots of fresh air, and suddenly I could think clearly again! 

If I don't write MY story, who will??? 

So I started typing and yanked chapter one out of me in a matter of a few days. Let me tell you that starting to write is the hardest part. Once I got going, the chapters started flowing. 

Two nights ago, I finished Chapter 5! And last night, I started chapter 6. And as I was wrapping up my writing session and putting laptop to sleep, I thought: "What better way to stay motivated and on track with  my writing than to share it on my blog site!"

If you've been thinking about a writing project, stop thinking!! Get to writing. And if you have trouble just dropping everything for the sake of the blank page, my recommendation is simple:

Go on a hike! A long tiring one. Somewhere beautiful and spectacular. Breathe in the fresh air, marvel at the beauty of nature, and simply feel alive! For me, this was precisely what I needed to push me over the edge fear and self-doubt into simply writing!

Skip the self loathing

I heard an interview with a man who wrote a book in less than half a year. 

Interviewer: "doesn't it take years for people to write novels?"

writer: "when it comes down to it, a writer spends about 5 or 6 months writing time on a book. So I decided to skip the self loathing and just write straight through..."

I'm probably quoting him wrongly but the gist of it is there. 

Writers... WRITE??

I am sitting cross legged at my desk ready to pull out my hair by the handfuls! 

Naturally I'm exaggerating... The source of my frustration? It's simple really:

If a writer writes, why then am I not writing? (emails, text messages, blog entries, and letters for my uninteresting job don't count!) 

Hafez told me a few minutes ago that I need to go back to the basics. "You've lost the passion" it said... or so I interpreted what he said. So what are the basics? Where are they?

I can only assume that he is referring to a time when I was not afraid of writing. Afraid of judgement. Of (my own and my imaginary) expectations. A time when I didn't need to make time for writing. When I could sit anywhere and just... write... 

It's About Time... to start...

For many months now, I have postponed writing an actual and complete book proposal. Instead, I write the book. I want to send word to publishers of the book's existence. Yet instead of putting together the proposal, I write another chapter. Well, now I'm near completion... actually I have one and a half chapters left to write, but still I'm closer than ever before and it's about time I started... not the writing of another chapter but the writing of the proposal. 

After all: No proposal, no book. 

I'm fed up with myself and my fear of rejection. Today, I say: "Let them reject!" At least if I send them a proposal, they'll have something to reject. They will also have something to accept and they may even find out about a great book that they may want to publish. 

So I shifted writing gears today... and I'm happy to announce that I have written about 7 pages of proposal material! Some more writing, some more market research, some more editing, and I might just end up with something I'll be proud to send out.

Mortified: Angst Written

Have you read your journals and diaries from your teen years lately? Bring them out! What will you find? And once you've had a good laugh, bring it to a Mortified event and let the angst-filled recourse of your daily teenage struggles evaporated in the laughter of dozens of strangers.

It's not so bad what you went through. Not after so many years. And besides, you've turned out alright. Right?!

To find upcoming events and locations visit their website and Get Mortified!