In light of conference season coming to a close, I thought I’d take a moment and deviate from my normal self-editing blog post style and chat about a topic that I’ve been hearing a lot of writers discussing recently.
When I first started writing back in the dark ages, my scenes were terrible. I didn’t have anything for my readers to look at.
No alluring sunset that reminded the reader of a mixed bag of Starburst, no grassy knoll within the confines of a wooden fence, and certainly no Paint horses with ears pricked forward in earnestness at what they saw.
Setting the scene for your writing requires more than asking six general journalism questions (5 W’s and H).
Accurately setting the scene requires three things:
If you’re writing about a space abduction, then obviously you are free to use your imagination. But if you’re writing historical or contemporary fiction or memoirs, then accuracy is key. Perhaps you may need to visit the location or setting you’re writing about in your story.
A few years ago, I wrote a short story that finaled in a college commencement contest. In “Puddle of Remorse,” a WWII story set on the American home front, my character was going through the process of canning tomatoes in her farmhouse kitchen. Since I grew up on a farm and canned salsa every summer, I knew the surroundings for the setting I was describing. And for the contest, I scored huge points in the accuracy department because I was familiar with the scene’s surroundings and the location.
The scenes I’m working on now requires much more research because I am not familiar with the location, a polio ward in a hospital in 1943. There’s a trip to my computer desk to search Pinterest and Google for images that suit my setting. Youtube is also a great resource if you’re not able to travel, or if you need visual research for historical details, settings, and places.
What’s even better than Pinterest and Google are the Historical Societies in the area you’re writing about. I contacted my local Historical Society and in just a few questions, I gathered way more information than I needed (which, by the way, is also perfect for future author interviews, blog posts, and making connections with readers who love those little details you had to leave out in your story).
Sometimes a quick chat with a local can lead to a lot of helpful information. As writers, it may be out-of-character to step out of the introvert zone and ask a question or start a conversation, but if you take a deep breath and do it, you’ll find it super rewarding. All it takes is walking up to a local, asking one question, and letting them talk the rest of the time! (I’ve had it happen!)
People like to talk about what they know, and it’s so much fun to listen.
For my hospital scene, I took a trip to Facebook and jumped on the post-polio group that I belong to and asked a bunch of questions. Pleasantly, I received a lot of helpful and detailed information for what I’m trying to describe. And, I’m thoroughly excited for the scenes I have the privilege of rewriting!
Even if you don’t like to take pictures—which I can’t imagine writers not liking—bring your camera anyway. You never know what you might find that will help give you a visual image of what you’re writing about. (A specific chair that you want to incorporate into the kitchen, or a restaurant that has the perfect table setting for your character’s first date.) And you can even print out the photo and prop it up at your computer desk for inspiration.
Also, if you have access to grandpa’s or grandma’s family photos, this is gold for you. I have a few photos from my heritage, and I love squinting at the black-and-white photos to get a taste for how to describe what my Great Aunt Icy (yes, that was her name) wore, or how to describe Great Uncle Oscar’s horse racing cart. Tangible is always good. Pinterest is also another great resource—you can become a digital hoarder of so many photos and no one will ever know. (I have a few boards of my own. . .)
Over the years I’ve learned a few things about setting each of my scenes. However, I am not a perfect writer and must go back and edit to make sure each chapter begins with my main character and describes what she sees, and that gives readers something with which to resonate with and enjoy.
So, pull up your current trouble-child scene in Word or whatever platform you use, and happy scene writing and making every scene well worth the reader’s and character’s journey.
Owner of TM Editorial, Tisha Martin specializes in historical fiction, academic editing, and creative nonfiction. An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. By being a writer and an editor, she’s tickled to have the best of both worlds. Tisha is editor and proofreader for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys organizing the conference, networking, and sharing news on PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on Facebook, Instagram, or follow her Pinterest board for writers and editors.
With my cursor at Chapter 1 in my WWII historical fiction novel, I hit Ctrl+Enter and sighed. Beginning a book all over again wasn’t what I had in mind. I liked this chapter. I mean, really liked it, even though everyone else said it wasn’t quite right. Forever, why? Why must I abandon these pages and start fresh, like erasing a favorite drawing of a flower but one petal was lopsided.
Two contests, a writing conference, and two agents later, my intuition solidified into a clear direction of where this chapter needed to begin. None of the critics’ comments were overly negative, and most of them enjoyed the few chapters I had submitted. But my first chapter lacked … heart, GPC (goal, problem, care), and solid reasons why things were happening the very moment the story began.
Beginnings
How many of you have revisited this elusive beginning, struggling to create a first chapter that pops! off the page?
I’ve always struggled to write beginnings. I’m sure I’m not the only one—and there are writers who dislike middles and endings, too.
Who are these characters, what is their goal and problem, and why do you want readers to care?
In addition to Goal, Problem, and Care, here are three things I learned about editing the first chapter that helped me introduce the GPC:
Simple writing is sometimes hard for me because I love to describe things; however, too much is not good and hurts your writing and may frustrate your readers. I love reading Anne of Green Gables, but I have a hard time staying engaged with the verbose descriptions; in Ms. Montgomery’s defense, her readers enjoyed lengthy descriptions. Today’s readers want a quick read they can enjoy.
After taking an honest and humble look at my first chapter based on the judges’ and agents’ comments, I’m glad I started over. I spent a few days pounding out a new first chapter, and it’s stronger because I’ve given my characters a goal to look forward to, a problem that stands in their way, and my readers something to care about.
Now, excuse me while I edit this post to ensure I’ve engaged you, helped you relate, and caused you to want to continue reading it.
Discussion: What is your WIP’s first chapter about? Can you describe it in Goal, Problem, and Care?
Bio:
Owner of TM Editorial, Tisha Martin specializes in historical fiction, academic editing, and creative nonfiction. An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. Tisha is editor and proofreader for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys organizing the conference, networking, and sharing news on PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on Facebook, Instagram, or follow her Pinterest board for writers and editors.