Today I wanted to address a question Claudia Burney had about simplicity in premise creation.
Claudia's concern...
My problem is that sometimes I just want to tell a very simple story. All that stuff about raising the stakes makes me wonder if using different techniques in writing books would cause me to lose the integrity of the "simple" story I want to tell.
Last year, I took a year-long writing working with Chuck Palahniuk. The workshop helped me in such a way that my query to acceptance ratio for my magazine articles and short stories have jumped from 1:10 to 1:3. For real.
One of the things that he taught me that I have tried to include in everything I right now is taking a minimalist approach to my writing. That is...building the story from a skeleton model then adding to it to create more authority, to create atmosphere, to buttress theme, etc. Chucky P teaches many techniques to help achieve this. (That is why I'm still a part of the writing workshop.)
And as I told Claudia, the Holy Spirit has been talking to me firmly this year about writing a simple story, so that Christ could be illuminated through it. Can't tell you how many stories I've review last year that was all over the place. My prayer partners and crit gal pals of the Atlanta Christian Writer's Group have been working with me all year to stay focused on that one task. So I agree with you, Claudia.
Moreover, I would like Claudia and for you to see that these tips shouldn't clutter up your story, but help you bring the heart of the story out, so that ultimately when I pick up your book to review it, your story shines on every page. Afterall, Christ gave us simple, but logically complex stories that still resonate with us today. You hope to follow in his footsteps or at least allow him to carry you through times like editorial revisions and deadlines.
As I've spoken earlier this week about my troubling premise, I want to show you how this premise hindered my first draft first chapter. Then I will also show you how raising the stakes in my premise helped my revised chapter have a simple beauty to it, if you will. (When I say beauty, I mean voice and style not ...)
Go to the Christian Fiction
Message Board to see the difference. The chapters will be uploaded around 11am EST. I have to take an interview with a Bishop in ten minutes. The job calls. :)
Thanks Claudia, for a great question.
Dee
Since you all are wondering what to get us for Christmas, Christian Fiction thought we'd hook you onto our holiday picks. Watch out for more to come as the Holidays approaches.
. To be able to write a review, while reading another at the same time would be divine. And if you are a sweets baker like myself. To have one on the kitchen counter, while I try to review the last batch of books for the year and make gingerbread cookies at the same time. You can use this thing Mmm. Mmmm. Mmmm. We need an Adapt-A-Lap.
