Writing and Editing Terms #3

Well, the year is coming to an end, so this will be the last Terms posting and will have to include all the words and phrases we have left over. This is the third posting in this category, so you might want to go back and read Writing and Editing Terms #1 or Writing and Editing Terms #2. If your interest lies more in getting ink on paper, then you’ll want to read Printing Terms. If you prefer to chat about how language works, then consider Grammar Terms. This time we’ll begin with some features that you may want to include in your story, then go over a few elements that are good to consider, and yet again, we’ll be finishing up with a few avoidances.

Parts of a story

  • Prologue—Introductory section that sets up the story, usually set in a time well before the story itself (also may be an extract from part way through the story, such as just before the climax)
  • Epilogue—Closing section of story, similar to a Prologue but ties up story threads and reveals characters’ lives after the story
  • Black Moment—Third point in plot (also known as Darkest Point), MC has been defeated, all is lost
  • Foreshadow—Planting hints early in the story suggesting events to occur later (see also Red Herrings)
  • Flashback—Short narration revealing some information to the reader that took place in the story’s past
  • Backstory—Information about characters or world, known to author and occasionally included in story
  • Setting—Time, place, and situation of story to establish context (be certain to reveal early enough to avoid assumptions that might turn out to be wrong later)

Details in the Story

  • Red Herring—False clue to mislead reader, must be logical and fit in the flow but allow the reader to mis-anticipate later action
  • Chekhov’s Gun—Dramatic principle requiring details to be relevant, per Anton Chekhov, if a gun is mentioned over the mantelpiece in scene one, it must be fired by scene three or it shouldn’t have been mentioned at all
  • Telling Detail—Information revealed that may seem minor at the time but may lead to understanding the characters better
  • MacGuffin—Plot device that moves the story along without being relevant in and of itself
  • Tension—Significant, dramatic elements of the plot that move the story along (as opposed to a MacGuffin)
  • Stakes—Potential rewards or consequences of MC’s actions, resulting from success or failure of plan
  • Description—Giving the reader an idea of the surroundings or characters with vivid sensory details

Items to Avoid

  • Shaggy Dog Story—Long winded story full of irrelevant details that ends with a whimper instead of a bang, often with a pun (see Roger)
  • Author Intrusion—Comments in narration not in the POV of any character, author telling us what we should think about the situation or the characters
  • Product Placement—Mentioning details that don’t add to the story (unless you’ve got them as a supporter!)
  • Pleonasm—Use of extraneous words not necessary for meaning, sometimes a style issue

Well, that seems to wrap up Terms postings for this year. We’ll see about addressing some of these terms next year…in more detail. Look for the postings that include the terms you’re most interested in.