The Narrator

The narrator is an important decision for a writer. Make the choice for narrator prior to a single syllable being written. Why? The story is told from the point-of-view character. He/she opens the door according to an one sided view, and that view is from the character telling the story. The stance covered in your work of fiction depends on which character is narrating.

It's paramount to complete a profile for characters before you start writing. You can always go back and nip and tuck information. A character's story can't be told well if you don't know him/her. The narrator's voice arrives with his/her unique experiences, attitude and culture. The educational level swirls into his/her speech pattern. These details and any others you'd like to add constitutes a character's profile. 

When a character slides into the narrator's spot, he/she is engaging. The character stirs-up the emotions of sadness, anger, happiness or fear in readers. It leads to a connection. It's why a person cheers, yells, frowns or poo-poos a character. The ability of a character to spark some emotion is why readers look for more writing projects from the writer.

I'm referring to the first person narrator. The character is limited to what he/she knows, finds out or witnesses. The story unfolds through his/her eyes. The reader identifies, cares, hates, the point-of-view character. The writer sprinkles in the right ingredients for the fit with his/her vision.

The first person, I, narrator is a mixture. The character is formed from a writer's experiences. Each writer is different with many and varied experiences. Writers are influenced by what they see, feel, hear and read. There's no limit to where writers gather writing ideas.

What if the narrator is a liar and the protagonist? The story is usually written around the protagonist. It's the writer's job to expose the character. How? Let the character's lies be uncovered. The character is left with no choice but the truth. Readers will get suspicious of the "tall tales." They will reason if the character is fibbing here, he/she could be lying about A and B. After all, they're just taking his word. Hmm. Some will watch the character more carefully. They'll pay close attention to what and how the character speaks. Readers will be looking for inconsistencies. Some other people will go along with the character to use him/her for their own purposes.

In the end, a narrator is selected based on which character best fit and the vision a writer has.

Slip Of The Tongue

A slip of the tongue happens, but take a moment to think before speaking. The tongue is used for many things, and talking, talking too much, is one of them.

The tongue can be a weapon to hurt you and others. It's wise to guard carefully what you say.

A slip of the tongue can pop-out around acquaintances or walking with another person.

A few friends, for example, gathered to go see a concert. They rented a limousine too. A back-seat driver asked the driver asked the driver, again, to stop for additional alcoholic beverages. The driver, known to them as friend, denied the third request to stop.

"M, I can't." The driver pulled-over. "All of ya had enough."

"Just cuz ya part owner of the limousine company don't mean..."

"Get out!" The driver interrupted he back-seat driver.

"Sam, ya're biz partner, and ya got the same girl-friend." The back-seat driver departed quickly.

The slip of back-seat driver's slip of the tongue hurt friendships, not sure if they'll recover. A friendship lost is hard to get back.

Most people in back-seat driver's life will find out about it, and never trust him/her.

The fact that you know or think you know isn't the "green light" to share it. It goes back to the kind of person you are, your character.

Novel Vs. Short Story Writing: A Closer Look

Have a question? Agree, disagree,
with me? Leave me your opinion.

The Novel

Writing a novel is an
exciting undertaking.
It takes passion,
determination.

First, with a novel,
narrow down ideas.
What will the novel
be about. Select
the idea with mass
appeal. Specifically,
what kind of plot?

Plot

Plot is the problem in
the novel. A book
length work can handle
more than one problem.

Usually, there's a major
problem, and one minor
issue. As you become
more experienced, you
can include as many
problems as comfortable.

Who will have the
problem? Male?
Female?

Show-Case The Plot
Immediately

The problem, plot, starts on
page one.

"Why start the problem
on page one?" You
questioned.

It gets the attention of
the reader. The reader
will want to know what
happens next, possibly
care about the character,
or is interested in seeing
how it's resolved.

So, on page one conflict,
plot, begins.

You can always go back,
and explain how the main
character's circumstances
happened.

Actually, let the character
or other characters in the
novel explain it.

Character Profiles

Make character profiles.
Describe your character.
Long hair? Bug eyes?
Always smirking. Tastes?
Dislikes? Educational
level? Put anything in it
that you feel the character
is. Or, include details
about him/her that's
pertinent to the story.

Character profiles are
information to keep close
at hand. When writing
about various characters,
you'll forget something
about one or the other
character.

I, often, referred to character
profiles. My novel, Grave
Street House, had characters
from different backgrounds.

I'd forget how a certain
character reacted
to specific circumstances.
I'd pull-out the profiles
to refresh my memory.

Protagonist/Antagonist

The main character is the
protagonist. The character
opposing the main character
is the antagonist.

The protagonist isn't a
perfect person. He/she
has flaws. Perhaps,
he/she talks too much,
isn't brave, and/or stares
at walls.

Likewise, the antagonist
isn't all bad.

Secondary Characters

Stir-in other characters
as needed. They are the
secondary characters.
The secondary characters
play small roles in your
novel.

Theme

The theme is the
message of your novel.
It's a statement made by
you through your work.

The theme of my novel,
Grave Street House, was
you get back what you
send out, bad or good.

Critiquing

Set your completed work
aside for, at least, seven
days before editing.

You are emotionally
involved with your work.
You have to take time
away before you're
able to critique it.

The break allows you
to come-back refreshed,
and full of new ideas.

Short Story Writing

This discussion is
about short stories,
five to six hundred
words.

Plot

As with a novel,
you pick an idea
to write about.

A problem, plot,
must exist for the
main character,
protagonist.

Space is limited
in a short story,
and one problem
is addressed.

Character Profiles

Each character is
profiled.

"Why?" You asked.

You are better able
to tell the story. If you
forget a character's
flaw, look it up.

In a crisis, how should
a character handle the
circumstances? His/her
character profile reminds
you.

Theme

Every short story, too,
has a theme. It's your
comment about the world,
life.

Critiquing

Place the short story
in your desk. Take a
break from it.

Conclusion

It's time to start
writing your short
story, or novel.