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There, There Now – What’s Wrong With There?

Tricky Words

A number of tricky words lie in wait to trip up even the most diligent novelist. That list may include clichés, weak verbs of the to be family, overuse of certain conjunctions (and for example), and the list could go on and on.

For this blog I will focus on the tricky word there. There is wily and sneaky and will most assuredly reach out and bite an unsuspecting writer, regardless of his or her grammar proficiency.

As I began writing the very first sentence in this blog, what words might you guess popped into my head? If you answered, “There are a number of tricky words…” you are 100% correct. Give yourself a gold star.

Why did that particular phrase pop into my mind? Because, quite obviously, that’s how we talk. But the spoken word and the written word are vastly different. Or should be. I’m not known for editing my words in casual conversation. (Although I have been guilty of editing others. Oh, for the need of restraint!) This is why the professional novelist is not content with the first words (phrase) that pops into one’s mind.

Keeping Bad Company

Let’s take a closer look at there. In and of itself, the word there is not such a bad fellow. However, he keeps bad company. There likes to hang out with weak verbs such is, was, are, have been, had been. Being verbs are lifeless, colorless, and void of strong action.

There will be an auction at the old farm house later today.

Take a good look at this sentence. If there is edited out, his buddies will be must go with him. How might the entire sentence be edited? Try this:

The auction at the old house is scheduled for later today.

Ah, now weak verbs are gone and a stronger one – scheduled – replaced it. Good work!

Sometimes it requires a mere change of word sequence.

There is something strange happening here.

Something strange is happening here.

That was pretty simple, but it’s not always that easy. Some instances require more skill.

Time to Re-Word

There was a car wreck.

Eliminating there won’t work. Change in word sequence will not help either. It’s time to re-work and re-word completely.

Suddenly there was the sound of metal grinding against metal and glass shattering.

A little better, but not much. Notice we are still encumbered with “there was.” Suddenly isn’t that bad, but it can become a clutter word as well.

Let’s try again. It’s time to stop and think exactly what it is we are attempting to say. The professional novelist wants to do more than express a thought. The professional novelist wants to impress. Or said another way, the professional novelist wants to leave an impression on the reader. How about this one?

Two cars careened into one another as metal scraped against metal and shattered glass sprayed across the asphalt.

Now we have action-packed verbs: careened, scraped, shattered and sprayed and vivid word pictures. (With a little alliteration thrown in for good measure.)

Word Power

You may be thinking that we rid ourselves of a few weak verbs and wrote a long sentence instead. True. The point here is not word count; but word power.

There is a reason why I wanted to write this blog. There were several reasons actually. There is a lesson contained within this blog for each novelist (and all writers) to grasp. There is a pressing need to be vigilant when writing.

I hope you’re getting the point! Smile.

Seriously, it’s the lazy novelist who does not take the time and effort to tend to editing details. It’s the lazy novelist who is not willing to go on a search-and-destroy mission when it comes to weak words such as there.

I think you’re getting it. There now, that’s wasn’t so difficult, was it?

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I trust the teaching and instruction given in this blog post was helpful in your goal to be a novelist. For more in-depth writer’s workshops, check out the wide variety offered at the Be A Novelist Website.

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The Art of Knowing What to Leave Out

Get to the Point

Ever have someone relate an incident to you and they feel they have to give every blessed detail? The story then strings out twice as long as necessary. If you are a “get-to-the-point” personality-type, such people drive you nuts.

You find yourself wishing they would get to the end so you will find out what they’re talking about and why they even started telling the story in the first place. It can be frustrating.

Know What to Leave Out

The same is true with your novel. Knowing what to add in and what to leave out, is most decidedly one of the more difficult and yet important techniques in the art of novel-writing.

This is especially true when you have a number of flat-out, boring facts that you’re pretty sure the reader needs to know. In fiction writing, this is known as exposition. Narrative and exposition are close cousins in the novel writing arena. The main difference is that narrative can be used to move a plot forward; alas, exposition – not so much.

Adding in large blocks of exposition into your novel is one of the surest ways of losing your reader.

The astute beginning novelist may argue this point by pointing to a long-lasting, ancient classic that does indeed have large blocks of exposition in which to present facts to the reader. I would quickly answer: “That was then; this is now.” When you read a classic novel, you know when it was penned and therefore, you understand styles were different and readers were much more patient. Not so with today’s readers.

Tips on Exposition

Here are a few tips regarding use of exposition.

Avoid introducing a series of facts in the opening of your novel. The opening page (pages) of the novel should be set up to draw the reader in, then capture and hold attention. (Click here for more great information on starting your novel.)
Avoid interrupting an action scene to insert facts. This is a great way to irritate and frustrate your reader. If you sense that you are stopping the story flow time and again just to inform the reader of needed information, then your plot is not tight enough. Characters who are being challenged from every direction (story conflict) will scarcely have time to ruminate about how they were jilted by a high school sweetheart.
Do your research. Know more facts and information than you will ever use in your story. Just because you know the information doesn’t mean the reader needs to know as well. There is a fine line between what enhances the story line and what is excessive to the point that it slows the pace of the plot. Regarding research, as well as backstory, here’s what will happen. The more you know, the more readily you will recognize the perfect spot to drop in a fact here and a fact there. Novelist and writing instructor, Jack Bickham (Apple Dumpling Gang) refers to this as “a dribble at a time.” (More about backstory here.)
One of the more obvious ways of introducing and including exposition is through character’s thoughts and dialogue. The only caution here is that you take care not to put into the character’s mouth anything that is for the reader’s information only. This can border on author intrusion. (More on author intrusion here.)

The craft of novel writing revolves around what to add in and what to leave out. Once you know what to add in, then it revolves around where, when, how, and how much to add in.

Is it difficult to pull off? Yes, it is.

Is it an incredible balancing act? Again, yes, it is.

Is it more fun than a barrel of monkeys? Well, those of us who get a little drunk on novel writing all shout out in unison: Yes, it is!

Learning how to conquer the challenge of weaving in exposition comes only one way. Practice, practice, and more practice. You can do it!

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There, There Now – What’s Wrong With There?

The Art of Knowing What to Leave Out

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