Tirza Bustrum

The Big Idea

Many professionals in the field of writing have sworn that waking up just an hour before your usual start of the day to write will inspire you in unimaginable ways. As a writer who often suffers from writer’s block under the pressure of being creative under time constraints, I was desperate for any method that would help me come up with an idea.

What is it?

If you are unfamiliar with the concept, Janet Burroway describes this exercise in Writing Fiction as the following: “Begin writing before you are quite awake, before you have read or talked to anyone, before reason has begun to take over from the dream-functioning of your brain.”  The basic idea is that the early writer gets the best ideas. This method encourages writers to wake up an hour or so earlier than usual (ex: If you wake up at 8 AM, set your alarm for 7 AM) and use the gained hour to write. It is recommended that the writer refrain from eating, drinking, or doing any of their daily routines before opening up the computer or picking up a pen and paper. To ensure that the writing is the most raw it can be, untainted by the stresses of life, the writer should write first thing in the morning.

Essentially, it’s a form of daylight savings for creatives. The groggy hour is supposed to be the clearest your mind will be throughout the entire day— and what will come out will either be gibberish or genius. Some are willing to gamble.

My Experience

I began this experiment anticipating a big project, a fiction piece that I had no ideas for. I went to bed with an alarm set for 6:30 AM. For a night owl, such as myself, this is a difficult task. I would not wake up early for anything—other than writing, apparently. I woke up, eyes glued together and stumbled to the table where I had set up my computer and notes the night before. The hour flew by, and by the time my usual alarm rang, I had gotten an idea and five pages of mediocre writing. It was a start.

After five days of this same routine, I had ten more pages written and the afternoons free to do other homework. Most of the time, I tend to want to focus the most on my big writing projects and forget all about all my other homework—so the extra time was much needed. I did most of my editing late at night and realized the draft I had written was not half bad. Even though there were run-on sentences and “people” was spelled “peple,” the outline of my story was present and coherent.

Is the Loss of Sleep Worth It?

Is losing sleep ever worth it? I think back to the times that I woke up early to go to class. I couldn’t stop yawning, and the lecture felt more like a lullaby than a contribution to my academic pursuits. On the other hand, I’ve had to drop someone off at the airport before dawn, and I don’t lament the loss of sleep even as I rub my eyes throughout the rest of the day. So the answer is yes, for the right reasons, it’s worth it.

Does it work?

This leads to the question: As writers, should we heed all the advice that’s sprung on us? Yes and no. Some advice isn’t tailored specifically to our lives— while it may work for some, it could hinder another’s creative process. After hearing countless contradictory tips, it can get confusing. I’ve heard some people say you should never stop writing. Others say let the right time to write come to you. Some say it’s good to take breaks in between projects. Others say this takes the writer out of the routine. Either way, take advice lightly. It’s ironic coming from someone giving you advice, but truly, use what works for you and try something new every once in a while. You might find your perfect method or maybe something that works for one week. All this to say, try waking up an hour early to write your story, novel, poem, or essay. You might be surprised at how your “worst state” of the day, when you’re hungry, tired, and dirty, might be the thing that keeps the imposter syndrome at bay and allows you to write without worrying about how it will turn out.

Works Cited

Burroway, Janet. (2019). Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo36156857.html

Jack Brown

Writing original characters from scratch can be extremely difficult. Sure, nailing down a character’s basic appearance, personality, and abilities is a start, but finding a place for them in a manuscript’s overarching plot can be especially challenging. Thankfully, Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero with A Thousand Faces (1949), has packaged together some helpful literary devices called “archetypes” that make placing a character in a narrative significantly easier. These archetypes are often associated with a universal storytelling template Campbell dubs the “monomyth” or the “hero’s journey,” but the character patterns may be observed in stories that don’t conform to the narrative cycle (28). While he isn’t the first to notice these patterns, nor is he the one to coin the term he uses for them, his analysis of archetypal characters emphasized their prominence within literature. Using the ready-made characters Campbell describes, one may craft a perfectly viable plot that people will love, but even these patterns have limits. Although the monomyth and its archetypes have been proven to create successful stories, characters can transcend basic storytelling structure and evolve into something more complex.

Using archetypes can be a great way to slot characters into a story, especially if they fall into more traditional roles. Assigning characters an archetype grants them a distinctive narrative role, providing further opportunities to develop them through structure. For example, a lax character with a bad habit of cracking jokes in serious situations and a more simplistic backstory could align with the “Ally” archetype, who lends the hero support throughout their journey. Despite starting with a somewhat typical personality, the character type may fulfill a vital role or have the potential to transform as the narrative progresses. For instance, that same “Ally” character could lose an aspect of themselves, granting them a new perspective that changes their dynamic with the protagonist and adds a layer of nuance to their character arc. This kind of development can be performed on any archetype, from the “Threshold Guardians” acting as obstacles for the hero to the “Shadow,” otherwise known as the antagonist. To this extent, archetypes can be a springboard for writers to experiment with typical storytelling structures.

For instance, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy adheres not only to the traditional hero’s journey model, but also employs archetypes to a considerable degree. Each character in the series can be mapped to one or multiple archetypes. Frodo, unsurprisingly, aligns with the hero, as the narrative focuses on his struggles as he journeys throughout Middle Earth. Gollum, or Smeagol, embodies the complex “Shapeshifter” archetype by guiding Frodo and Sam through treacherous areas, but betrays them in attempting to take the One Ring for himself. Every archetype Tolkien employs possesses a function within the narrative, and each character explores a different facet of their respective archetypes. For example, Aragorn begins as a mysterious and competent ally, but gradually reveals his ability to fulfill the role of secondary hero throughout the books. Though he is assigned one archetype, his transformation demonstrates the potential for a character like him to become something more. To this extent, Tolkien’s works exemplify how writers can utilize archetypes to their full effect.

Despite the options archetypes provide and the depths to which writers may explore them, they may restrict storytellers who rely on them through stark categorization. Though some archetypes, such as the “Shapeshifter” or the “Trickster,” offer the flexibility for a character’s alignment to fluctuate, most remain relatively static. Even if primary antagonists are created to be sympathetic, their archetypal designation restrains their capacity for change. If the hero’s opponent always conforms to the “Shadow” archetype—a manifestation of the hero’s flaws—the character can only grow so much (Gibson). In this regard, adhering only to archetypal roles limits creativity, reducing characters to cardboard cutouts. Many stories make the mistake of forsaking personality and depth in favor of easy character creation, especially with young adult protagonists. If a writer prioritizes following established patterns over creating idiosyncratic characters, archetypes become less of a building block for narrative development and more of a constraint. In essence, deviation from what is expected sparks innovation.

As such, it’s important to remember that the archetypes are not strict rules writers must follow. While they’re not entirely arbitrary and can help writers find their characters’ places in the story, they can be altered to suit the unique situations they encounter. Understanding the various archetypes and their pivotal roles in constructing compelling narratives is crucial to the writing journey, but applying the concepts requires a bit of ingenuity. Combining archetypes into one character, experimenting with subversions, and allowing the roles to expand throughout the writing process are great ways to build off the known patterns. A story that uses clear-cut, easy-to-discern archetypes can be perfectly viable, but expanding characters beyond their baseline functions will make a narrative truly stand out. Ultimately, the decision to utilize archetypes to build characters and the degree to which they conform relies on personal preference, but writers should be mindful of the benefits and restrictions conventional storytelling roles entail.

Works Cited

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. 1949. New World Library, 2008.

Gibson, Michael. “A Horde of Heroes: The Eight Character Archetypes and How to Use Them.” Presto Page, 11 Oct. 2023, https://prestopage.com/a-horde-of-heroes-the-eight-character-archetypes-and-how-to-use-them/

Lissa Gray

Imagine this. You flip open a book for the first time. It looks pretty good and you’re excited to delve into an enchanting world of adventure and new characters. You read the first words… “The sun rose over the snow-tipped mountains as the world paused for a moment to admire their splendor…blah blah blah,” the descriptions draw you in immediately. The setup is pretty good too! And then you get to the dialogue.

“Hi Sally, how’s work?”

“Work is pretty good, Lauren. How’s your family?”

“My family is okay. It’s been hard since the explosion of ‘08 that killed my grandma.”

Suddenly, the book is terrible. Nobody talks like that. And if they do, it’s one of those filler conversations that are no fun to be in, much less read about. We just met these characters, they talk like cardboard cut-outs, and why is Sally talking about a tragic event like it’s normal conversation? You put the book down. Good descriptions are not enough to keep you reading if you have to slog through dialogue like this.

So why does this happen? Why can good writers be so clueless when it comes to writing for characters? It’s an epidemic sweeping the nation, but there may be a cure.

Observe How People Talk

Not in a creepy way, but when you’re in conversation, observe speech patterns. Do people talk in complete sentences? Usually, they don’t. Even if it’s technically grammatically correct, it will stilt your writing and subconsciously take your character out of it. Instead of “yes, I agree,” try a simple “yes.” How much slang is there? Usually, a little bit but not so much that it’s distracting or trying too hard to relate. How do people converse? Is there a fast rhythm in banter? Slower in awkward moments? Would a conversation slow down in a tense scene or ramp up?

Surround Yourself with Interesting People

Let’s say you have the speech patterns down. They sound pretty natural, but are they too similar? If you have every character using the same catchphrase, they’re all carbon copies of each other. Learn from your peers. They shouldn’t be total replicas of your friends, though. Maybe your character has your friend Brian’s sass but Ava’s boldness. Mix and match to find something that works best with your characters.

Show, Don’t Tell

One of the primary details of my bad example was the very explicit “backstory” that this character has. Does it set up what’s to come quickly? Yes, but it’s such a boring way to reveal important details. Say we keep the explosion idea–in real life, that character may get quiet and have flashbacks of the moment. Maybe they take a while to admit what’s plaguing them. Depending on who the other character is (close friend, acquaintance, coworker), she may hold things closer to her chest and bury how she’s truly feeling, especially in casual conversation. We might not find out what’s happening with her until chapter fifteen or sixteen. Keeping things secret but showing the character noticeably hiding something is a great way to drive the plot forward, even if it feels slow and tedious for the author to write. 

Utilize Conflict

Take every opportunity while writing dialogue to move the story along. Is it important for Steve and Jason to discuss a boring day at work? Probably not, but you can make it important by giving each an agenda and goal (The Narrative Arc). If those goals oppose one another, that’s even better. A good conflict will hook a reader and keep them reading. This isn’t implying that all characters need to hate each other, but they should not have the same goals, internal or external. The excitement in dialogue lies in their differences. Differing personalities, goals, and tactics will make your characters and their conversation more realistic and keep your reader invested in character relationships.

You’ve Got This!

Keeping these rules in mind (especially the last one) go out and write your own terrific dialogue! Watch for your favorite authors utilizing these tips and learn from them as well.  Once you get a flow for writing dialogue, it becomes simple to make it natural and your characters will start to come alive on the page. Keep at it and write something amazing!

(As a bonus writing exercise, try rewriting the unfortunate tale of Sally, Lauren, and the explosion of ’08 🙃)

Works Cited

“How to Write Great Dialogue: Tips, Examples and Formatting.” The Narrative ARC, https://thenarrativearc.org/your-questions-answered/2021/1/20/how-do-i-write-natural-dialogue. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.

Alayna Winans

Let me paint you a picture. You sit down at your desk, crack open your laptop, and begin writing a new story. You’re typing away with, “Once upon a time, there was a farmer named… named,” and you blank. Sound familiar? I know I, for one, have found myself stumped many a time when crafting a character, hung up on that perfect name, trying to pick something memorable in consideration of the character, the place, and the very story itself. If that rings true in any sense, then here are a few things that can help you grasp that elusive perfect name.

• Katniss Everdeen
• Sherlock Holmes
• Hermione Granger
• Percy Jackson

While looking at these popular characters, it is equally important to stay away from famous or overused names as you might inadvertently cause your reader to associate your character with another. For instance, if you name your character Gandalf, and you don’t want your readers to think of a lovable wizard from Middle-earth, good luck. However, that association can be a useful tool if you want to compare your protagonist to that same great wizard, as mentioned before. But use this sparingly since it will take away from the individuality of the character you are creating.

Look at the Meaning

In Shakespeare’s world-renowned play Romeo and Juliet, he writes one of his most memorable quotes, “What’s in a name,” meaning that it is not the name of someone that truly matters but rather their character. Although this may be true in life and is certainly true for Juliet Capulet, it is not the case when writing characters. After all, one can hardly think of Juliet without her forbidden counterpart. That distinct association shows how important the meaning behind a character’s name can be.

“William Shakespeare quote” by AZ Quotes is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This second key to finding the perfect name for your character requires you to do your research. Look up the meaning behind a name you are mulling over to see if it fits the character. This is a major factor that many tend to forget when naming characters. One might name their evil antagonist “Axel” without realizing that its meaning is “Father of Peace.” While this is not a necessity, it can help have that special tie to the demeanor and beliefs of your character if you carefully consult the meaning.

Look at the Setting

In a similar manner to the last point, this one will also require research. It is crucial to pick a name that fits the setting of your narrative. One would not want to write a 1940s war novel set in Germany with an early 2000s American-named protagonist. This is why whenever a period piece is concerned, authors take time to not only consult the history of the culture but of the names as well. Even if you are writing a story that takes place today in your hometown, it is still worth a look at what names are typical in that region.

You can find the meaning, origin, popularity, and other factors of names on a variety of baby websites, such as The Bump. These aspects can be crucial to your naming process as you want to ensure that the name you choose fits well within the setting of your story. You can research the origin of the name alongside its popularity to see when and where it was typically used.

Look at the Websites

The final key to finding that perfect name for your character, as briefly mentioned above, is to utilize the sources you have at hand. There are a number of great tools to help you decide on the names of your characters. Some that I have found useful over the years are as follows:

1. Reedsy’s Character Name Generator

This website consists of over one million names from different regions of the world. All you need to do is click on the region your story takes place, and it will provide you with a list of culturally curated names. If your story is set in a fantasy world, no need to worry, as it also has sections specifically for fantastical characters ranging from humans, elves, and even dragons. If you scroll further, you will find the medieval section, which will provide period-centric names as well as a section dedicated to the different gods throughout a variety of cultures. Reeds can be a great source if you are looking for a specific name to fit your story’s setting and time period. 

• Nameberry’s Baby Names 2025

Nameberry offers a list of the top 1000 popular baby names throughout the years. This can help if you are working on a specific time period and want a name that will fit the trend at the time. The website also lists more unique names during each time frame.

• And, of course, the reliable Babynames.com

Babynames.com is a tried and true classic. It contains pretty much every name you could possibly think of, along with its meaning and origin. However, if you are looking for something specific, I would suggest first exploring the aforementioned websites before sifting this endless catalog of names.

There are a number of factors that go into naming your character. I hope that through these tips, you can find a name that fits your protagonist, antagonist, side character, or whomever you may be writing. However, there still remains the most crucial aspect of naming your character. No matter how you come across that perfect name, whether through searching the internet or researching the time period, the most important key to naming your character is that you make them your own. If you feel a name fits your character, stick with it and make it memorable. And with that, I wish you luck in crafting your characters. After all, what’s in a name but the legacy to whom they will be referred?

Works Cited

“Baby Names and Meanings.” Baby Names and Meanings – BabyNames.Com, babynames.com/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.

“Baby Names 2025.” Nameberry, Nameberry, 24 Jan. 2025, nameberry.com/.

“Character Name Generator.” Reedsy, blog.reedsy.com/character-name-generator/.

“Pregnancy, Parenting and Baby Information.” TheBump.Com – Pregnancy, Parenting and Baby Information, www.thebump.com/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Floating Press, 2008.

Rebecca Harrel

Imagine with me, you just finished the first draft of your new novel. After taking the night to celebrate a job well done, you open up the document the next day and begin noticing issues. Your plot fell flat somewhere in the middle, you’re not sure if commas go before or after conjunctions, you might have changed the hair color of the protagonist’s best friend but you can’t find proof that she used to be brunette.

When these issues arise it’s time to look for an editor, but where does your search begin? Is it worth paying a professional or should you do it yourself? What’s the difference between a copy edit and a proofread? Many developing writers must ask these questions, but the answers can be confusing until you’ve learned to decipher the editing lingo.

This article will break down the four main types of novel editing, what they do, and when to use each one. I cited multiple books that I highly recommend you look up for more detail on this incredibly complex subject. 

Developmental/Substantive Editing

What is it?

This type of edit has many names but one goal: perfect the storyline. Scott Norton defines developmental editing as, “significant structuring or restructuring of a manuscript’s discourse” (Norton 77). What does this mean? These big picture edits require rewrites that may restructure or remove entire chapters, plot points, or characters. A freelance developmental editor will write an edit letter, the length dependent on the manuscript, which breaks down what works, what doesn’t, examples of each, and suggestions for changes.

When do you need it?

Since these edits require large rewrites it’s best to complete them early on in the process. This may be your second or third draft once you have finished your story and reviewed it, before you move to sentence level edits. Some people can complete this phase themselves as they rework the plot, but publishing houses may require an in-house editor to run a developmental edit. It also may be beneficial to hire a freelance developmental editor for independent publishing to receive expert feedback.

Line Editing

What is it?

Line Edits focus on word choice, voice, and style. Rules like “show don’t tell,” techniques in sentence structure, cutting adverbs, and tightening word choice come into play here. These edits don’t rely on technical correctness as much as achieving a desired effect. George Witte, describes the line editor as, “a book’s ideal reader, the one who asks all the questions and heads off all the problems in a book” (Witte 87). This requires the editor to understand the author’s style and intended audience to make the text sound right for the genre, author, and reader. Back-and-forth discourse between the writer and editor makes the text shine.

When do you need it?

Line edits take place after developmental edits. Signs that you may need a line edit would be if your manuscript is excessively wordy, if sentences fall flat, or the voice is scattered. If you have a particularly strong voice and have already cleaned up your word choice, you may not need a line edit. If you are writing in an unfamiliar genre it a line editor who specializes in that genre may be especially helpful to ensure your voice will connect with your desired reader.

Copy Editing

What is it?

The copy edit ensures grammatical correctness and consistency throughout your manuscript. A copy editor must be familiar with the Chicago Manual of Style which explains formatting specifics, grammatical rules, copyright law, and on and on. When copyediting a fiction piece, the goal is consistency. Amy J. Schnieder wrote a book on copyediting fiction where she explained, “Instead of keeping the text 100 percent in line with the real world, a fiction copyeditor ensures that the story is internally consistent within its own world” (Schnieder 9). This process involves a style sheet where spellings, descriptions, characters, timelines, and all other facts of the story are tracked and checked for consistency and accuracy.

When do you need it?

Almost every book needs a copy edit. Most authors are not familiar enough with the Chicago Manual of Style to be confident in the technical accuracy of their piece and therefore need outside input. By the copy edit phase the plot and voice should be polished, and the text should have gone through a few rounds of self-edits to minimize errors.

Proofreading

What is it?

Proofreading, or proofing, is the final stage of edits. At this point, the manuscript is finished and nearly ready for publication. The red pen comes out and marks spelling errors, misplaced commas, and other typos. By now most of the large edits should be fixed, so this round of editing checks for lingering mistakes.

When do you need it?

Every book needs a proofread, this is the final editing step before publication to catch all remaining errors. The final proofread should begin once the manuscript is about ready to publish. There’s nothing worse than forgoing the final proofread and having readers ignore your book because they spotted a typo on page one.

Conclusion

Editing may be a time consuming, expensive, and intensive process but don’t lose hope. By finding the right editors, or learning the editing techniques yourself, you can improve the clarity of your storytelling. By understanding these terms, you can now confidently go forth into the world of editing.

Works Cited

Norton, Scott. What Editors Do: The Art, Craft and Business of Book Editing, edited by Peter Ginna. University of Chicago Press, 2017. pp. 76-85.

Schneider, Amy J. The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction. 2023.

Witte, George. What Editors Do: The Art, Craft and Business of Book Editing, edited by Peter Ginna. University of Chicago Press, 2017. pp. 86-94.

Aliya Beaupain

A Crisis of Cognizance

The primary mistake that far too many writers make when approaching poetry and prose is to regard the fields as completely discrete entities. It’s an understandable misconception, especially given the way that poetry is approached in many traditional educational models. While prose is held up as the primary vehicle for accessible and effective storytelling, poetry is often introduced as a tangential, even superfluous field. Poems are regarded as problems to be solved, esoteric objects of speculation and analysis, rather than as the foundation for virtually every other branch of artistic literary expression.

Continued Relevance

However, in an increasingly digital culture where information can be processed and immortalized in record time, a discerning literary student might question whether, divorced from its original purpose, poetry still holds intrinsic societal value. The educated reader has to concede the near-universality of prose in both storytelling and general communication, yet to neglect poetry in favor of its functional successor is to ignore the stylistic underpinnings of prose itself.

It’s easy to see the way devices like rhythm and tempo play into traditional verse. Blank verse for instance, or the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables common to renowned works such as The Odyssey and much of the Shakespearean repertoire, remains so impactful because it mimics the rhythm of the human heart and our natural patterns of speech. Yet, because poetry is so foundational to modern literary expression, this sense of subliminal musicality and flow is equally central to skillful prose. Though some cosmetic debate exists as to what constitutes “good writing,” human beings generally have enough of an intrinsic sense of beauty to recognize it when we see it. Likewise, we can easily hear when a piece feels stilted, unnatural, or otherwise “off.” What many writers fail to realize is that this sense of rightness versus wrongness is strongly aligned with how a piece integrates rhythm, lyricism, tempo, and figurative language. In other words, how the prose incorporates elements of poetry.

Making Music

How then, should the disinterested prose writer bridge this poetic divide? How should one go about incorporating elements of lyricism into text that seems divorced from the lyric form? A good place to start is to read one’s work aloud, looking for places where the natural flow of speech is interrupted by the structure of the language. In this way, the writer can begin to notice the text’s natural pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, and the ways in which internal rhythm may already be present in their prose. The ambitious writer might start exploring poetry itself, and see how the variation in line length, as well as more advanced attributes like figurative language, consonance, and assonance, can be incorporated into their own writing.

Regardless of one’s literary preferences, growing as a writer and an artist necessitates a strong foundation in the origins of one’s field. Looking backward allows one to both learn from the long history of craft that has come before them and honor the path ahead. Though poetry may not be for everyone, learning from it allows both students and professionals alike to unlock the literary tools that have carved out the stories of ages past, and to create hidden musicality of their own.

Jonathan Mejia

Something I have struggled with in my writing is proportions. This has to deal with whether my writing has descriptions that are too detailed or not detailed enough. When I realized this was a problem I dealt with, I revisited all of my writing and realized I needed to trim it down. Much of my writing featured sentences like: “Aiden walked to the sofa and sat down. He looked around and saw the TV remote across the room. He stood up, walked over to the remote, picked it up, and walked back to the sofa and sat down.” I found myself over-describing my characters’ actions.

In Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Browne and Dave King offer advice on how to deal with proportions. They argue that overdoing it with the proportions can patronize readers. But sometimes, descriptions may be used to your advantage. This article will cover some tips that Browne and King offer to better your proportions in writing or avoid proportion issues. One thing to keep in mind is that proportion issues don’t need to be fixed until your final draft is complete. Your story will be riddled with all kinds of problems in your earlier drafts, so don’t be ashamed or discouraged if you have found any, even proportion issues. I will use one of my short stories, “Stuck in the Past,” as sample of how to apply these tips.

Tip #1: Close Reading

Browne and King suggest that as you write those earlier drafts, you take time away from your work for a few days or weeks and return to your writing. Proceed to read it as a reader rather than the author and cross out the things you dislike or can be shorted.

Here is the sample from earlier shortened down:

“Aiden sat on the sofa and looked around the room. He saw the TV remote across the room and went to get it and returned to the sofa.”

Tip #2: Don’t Forget to Keep Dimension

Be cautious to avoid crossing everything out from your story so it becomes too plain and simple. It is okay to add dimension to your story with descriptions. Be sure to keep in the atmosphere of the setting or characters.

“Aiden sat on the cream leather sofa facing a large wooden TV entertainment center with a thick television ornamented with yellow, red, and white input cables. A slim vertical gaming console was next to the TV, standing on a thick cable box. The TV remote across the room. He crossed the room to retrieve it.”

Tip #3: When to Describe Action

Although we don’t need to constantly describe characters doing things like walking, interacting with the environment, and sitting, sometimes the actions can give us a glimpse into the character we are reading about. We can grasp their personality and better understand the situation that they are in.

“Aiden tip-toed into the living room. He hesitated before sitting on the worn leather sofa. The leather began to squeak the moment he touched the surface. He checked around to make sure no one had heard.”

Situations like this require a little context as to why a character might be described doing something as simple as sitting down or walking around. So, re-read your story and think about the role of descriptions in different areas of your story.

Tip #4: Details Through Your Character’s Eyes

If you are worldbuilding and want to describe the world your character is in, it might be best to show the world through their eyes. This offers an intimate point of view from your character. You can describe the setting they are in as they interact with it or describe the fast-paced final battle through your character’s eyes. As long as it moves the plot and character forward, this can be a big help in controlling the proportions of your story. There is only so much a character can see, much like you and I, which will help prevent info-dumping on the world you are building. Here’s another scene from the same story I wrote using this tip:

“Aiden stepped into the front yard. The pine tree growing the center of the yard was surrounded by several years’ worth of pine cones in various states of decay. A big red rubber ball rested on the lawn underneath the pine tree. It was covered in dew and pine needles. The minivan in driveway seemed untouched and unused, even though his parents had owned it for at least a few years.”

Here, we can see the character looking around his front yard, which limits the world to what the character sees rather than what the author knows about the world they are creating.

Conclusion

There are plenty of more things you can do to control the proportions in your story. You don’t need to make your story plain and simple lacking in descriptions; instead, experiment with when to use descriptions of action, settings, and emotions to the best effect. It is not just about shortening and cutting your story to its essentials but also adding or keeping what is moving it forward without patronizing readers or leaving them unsatisfied with your writing.

Works Cited

Browne, Renni, and Dave King. “Chapter 4: Proportion.” Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print, Second ed., HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 2004, pp. 67–81.

David Marshall

Contemporary readers can undervalue monsters as a device within literature. When asked whether there is any significance in having monsters in our literature, a focus group of readers gave responses that varied from “There is no significance at all… it’s for children” to “People just like to be scared.” While I disagree with these sentiments, I decided to dissect them. Monsters are more than mere bogeymen for children. This is not to say that there have not been poor conceptions of monsters or adaptations; however, there is a reason why, historically, humanity has been drawn to monsters. These monsters lurk within the hidden recesses of our minds and have psychological significance. I will showcase some well-known examples of monsters found in Classical, Gothic, and Contemporary literature to prove their significant value to the author and audience. This assessment may inspire writers in the successful crafting of their monsters.

Classical Literature: Using Monsters as a Symbolic Perversion of Values

Monsters can be an ornate argument to a culture, as seen in the battle between Polyphemus and Odysseus. The typical protagonist that Homer crafts tends to be, summarily, a man at war with the hostile world. In the Odyssey, Odysseus begins as a roaming pirate king; by the end, he is an impossible force of nature to overcome. But before that can happen, Odysseus must meet the cyclops Polyphemus. When Odysseus encounters the Cyclops in his time of need, the Cyclops grabs one of Odysseus’s men, bashes his body against the stone ground, and eats him. Upon seeing this, Odysseus and his remaining men cry out in terror. The contemporary reader may not flinch, as this behavior of Polyphemus is expected; however, it bears more importance to the ancient Greeks. One of the most significant virtues held by the Greeks is Xenia, which can be translated as “hospitality.” In ancient Greek culture, hospitality is a vital element of religious practice, and to refuse hospitality to another is to incur Zeus’s wrath. Cyclopes are the children of Poseidon and are referenced as cultivators with more awareness than regular beasts. Greek listeners would be mortified by Polyphemus’s violation of Xenia. Homer effectively uses his monster to showcase the perversion of Greek virtue. Odysseus can become an impossible force by facing nightmares throughout his journey. Odysseus then needs to become more powerful to subvert the perversion of hospitality.

When utilizing this approach, a writer may deconstruct a value of society, analyze its blind spots (the excluded, hypocrisy, or similar elements), and pair their monster with the value of society in a way that perverts the understanding of the value. The monster will be seen as a horrific antithesis to that value that a protagonist must overcome.

Gothic Literature: Using Monsters as an Obscure Reflection of the Self

A Freudian examination of monsters within literature lets us connect the paradoxical complexity of human living and conflict through surrealist aestheticism. Humanity has always feared monsters, for monsters manifest themselves in different ways. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory is an excellent tool for deciphering the darkness is found in gothic literature. For example, one need only look at Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Modern Prometheus. Mary Shelley tells the narrative through the young Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who, in his fervent study of forbidden magic arts and sciences, becomes nearly mad in his pursuit to defy science and craft a man. Readers are privileged to know his inner thoughts due to the first-person narrative structure that Shelley employs. Victor is successful but is terrified by his creation, which he deems an abomination. The abandoned Creature is left to his own devices in a most cruel manner. Shelley explores a series of parallels made possible through Victor Frankenstein’s dialogues with The Creature. The parallels rest upon relationship: Frankenstein and God, Frankenstein to The Creature. Many arguments are introduced throughout this extraordinary novel. However, my focus resides on the inextricable relationship between “the creator” and “the created.” Shelley asks, “What does the creator owe the created?”

One cannot separate Christianity from this novel, for it is woven throughout. We have a character, Victor Frankenstein, who feels that the punishment of death delivered by God is too great a burden to bear and seeks to unshackle humanity from it. In the pursuit of power over death, Frankenstein births the Creature. Frankenstein abandons the infantile Creature, mortified by its external appearance, condemns it to a cruel life of rejection and solitude. The Creature becomes enraged, deciding to take vengeance on Frankenstein, bringing more death into the world—upending the goals of Frankenstein. What does Frankenstein owe the Creature? Ought Frankenstein to feel a paternal instinct as The Creature suggests? Is there a kindred spirit that ought to be shared between these two created beings? The story is ironic yet communicates inner truths contained in the consciences of Frankenstein and The Monster. A Freudian understanding of the text permits the reader to examine the near-perfect reflection between Frankenstein and the Creature.

For this technique, a writer must examine the societal structures superimposed upon the individual. For example, there are recurring themes of Christianity throughout the novel utilized between Victor Frankenstein and the Monster. Additionally, the Monster is said to have read Paradise Lost, which is his superimposed structure within his mind (even admitting that he does not know if he is Adam or Satan in the story). In this type of story, your protagonist is pitted against a monster of his own making. The two ought to be of a similar nature, interlocking in an arduous and volatile fight that will seek to determine what it truly means to be human. The answer does not come quickly, nor is it altogether clear, for humanity has been trying to answer that question for quite some time.

Contemporary Literature: A Monster of the Contemporary Mind

The Monster still appears in contemporary literature. The contemporary Monster is just as real as it was centuries ago; it is harder to spot sometimes. Throughout history, a drastic shift has occurred in how monsters are portrayed in literature, curving towards more realistic narratives. However, one cannot so easily eradicate fear in such a dangerous world, where threat gnaws away at the human subconscious. The short story “Woman Hollering Creek” is a narrative of a romantic immigrant woman named Cleófilas who endures abuse from her husband. The short story establishes that Cleófilas holds an unrealistic understanding of love from the soap operas and romance books she grew up with, causing her to believe that, eventually, the sun will rise on their relationship. These beliefs erode as the story continues. Cleófilas and her husband have a child, which makes her feel trapped. There is an eerie point in the story where Cleófilas sits on the bank of the river with her child in her arms, recounting the myth of La Llorona. Summarily, a version of the myth is of a woman who drowns her children so that her husband cannot find them, then drowns herself in her guilt. La Llorona must traverse the land in a type of purgatory until she finds her children she murdered. The positioning of Cleófilas’ recounting of the horrific tale makes the reader conclude that she has begun to fantasize about taking the life of her child in the same manner. Cleófilas is desperate; however, with the demanding structures that have her locked in her marriage, she fantasizes about keeping her children from the same fate (and perhaps giving herself a better chance at escape).

Cisneros utilizes the Monster in a way that combines the two techniques I previously discussed to provide a monster palatable to the contemporary reader. For a while, La Llorona is not a real monster in the story; Cisneros creates a shift in the stories Cleófilas tells herself, going from romantic stories of hope to horror folklore containing despair. The Monster that Cisneros creates resides in the imagination of Cleófilas, but that does not make La Llorona any less real. Cisneros’ insight acknowledges that sometimes, the social structures and media we consume can influence us in ways that imitate monsters or demons.

Takeaways

These are only some of the ways that one can utilize the Monster in literature. For there are many monsters that I did not cover and many stories left unsaid. However, by examining these particular monsters and how writers utilize them historically, an author can analyze how they might effectively craft monsters and metaphors of their own. Creating monsters requires sophistication that cannot be bought with mimicry. Sophistication arrives when one understands the larger psychological and social structures. Without the intricate interlaying of themes and other more profound concepts, the Monster has no teeth.

Kaylee Houghton

Writing is so fun; finishing a piece, on the other hand, is hard. Trust me, I know. There is nothing to keep you accountable, and anytime you write, you get another grand idea about another story, so you start another story, forgetting about the old story. It’s a never-ending cycle, and your Google Drive is beginning to run out of storage space because you have so many half-finished stories. Here are some things that can keep you accountable when you don’t have a deadline approaching.

Make Your Own Goals

You probably hear this all the time, “make your own goals,” and it doesn’t work. Normal daily goals don’t work for me because not having the accountability and a grade in danger doesn’t give me the same urgency. Instead, I make goals like not starting a new story until this one has at least X number of pages done or writing down your idea on another piece of paper, but you can’t start until the last page of your current work is finished. These are goals that don’t give me a deadline but an incentive to finish the piece that I’ve already started. Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal method can also be beneficial if you have people to hold you accountable.

Accountability Matters

When setting any goal, I tend to forget about it unless I’ve written it down. Even then, it’s out of sight, out of mind. Telling someone about my goals always helps me stay accountable and on top of things. When they ask me about it later, I feel guilty if nothing has been done, prompting me to work on my pieces continuously. Telling someone can solidify the project in place, and it’s a constant reminder that you have someone either waiting to read it or looking forward to how the story will turn out. With that in mind, it will help you continue to write it because then you won’t be the only one disappointed when you leave a project unfinished.

Finding a Third Place

You have your home, where you relax, and you have school, where you learn, and associating a place with just writing can help you expand your bubble and become motivated to write. It’s a little trick I learned recently; separating each function from a place allows me to do each task better. I like to write in a coffee shop. It can be anywhere, but keep it consistent; otherwise, your brain may not understand that this is where writing gets done. I have a third place at home and when I’m away at school. It helps me finish writing, even when I am not obligated to do so.

Consistency is Key

You probably hear that all the time. ‘Consistency is Key.’ I hear this all the time, whether it was my teacher or my family telling it to me. I only understood why once I got to college. Consistency was something that helped me overall be the most productive person I can be. Once I realized this, my life became relatively easy and I regretted not having a routine in my life sooner. Putting writing into my weekly routine was a step in the right direction. It became something that I did every week without fail, and when I didn’t do it, my whole week felt off. It’s kind of like when you forget to brush your teeth; it becomes a habit. So yeah, you may have heard ‘consistency is key’ way too often, but they were on to something, and I encourage you to try it.

All of these things have helped me not only be able to write consistently but also become a better writer in the long run. This is also coming from someone who will wait until the last minute to do absolutely anything. If you’re also like that, I encourage you to try it. It won’t hurt anything, and if it doesn’t work for you, don’t give up. It took a lot of trial and error for me to get to this point, so it may not be perfect for you, but eventually, you’ll find something that works. Just don’t give up!

Caroline Zamudio

You’re about to go on a run, but first things first – you select your workout playlist, right? You’re on a road trip with your bestie, windows down and air blasts through your hair, but before you considered it your next epic adventure, I’m one-hundred percent sure you carefully created or selected a playlist that you could sing your lungs out to while on the road. There are many things we do in life that simply require a soundtrack.

Now, if you’re an avid reader, imagine you’re about to crack open a fresh new book, you settle down in your comfiest chair by the window that lets in that perfect ray of sunshine, grab your cup of steaming coffee, and you turn the page ready to dive in… but instead of encountering the first chapter, you see a playlist that the author put together as a companion for the book. What do you do? Do you ignore it? Do you grab your phone and search for the songs to play in the background while you read? Or do you wait to explore it until after you’ve finished the book?

The options are endless, but if you’re anything like me, you probably winced at the idea of a book playlist. As an avid reader as well, but most importantly as a writer who writes fiction, I cannot decide if I would be open to share my inspiration with my readers so directly. Would I be okay with influencing their thoughts about the book and its characters and deprive them of coming up with their own internal soundtrack? As a writer, as yourself – will my reader feel forced to listen to said playlist due to the fear of missing out? But here on out I’ll focus on my perspective through a reader’s eyes.

One of the greatest joys about reading works of fiction is that you as the reader, get to imagine and build the author’s world in your mind in your own way. One of my favorite professors once told our class, “You and another person can read the same book, but you do not read it the same.” Meaning, your imagination and perspective is your own! When you read fiction, you take the author’s world and you add to it – you build on it. Your mind expands beyond the words you see on paper. There is no limit to your imagination and even the author cannot control how you manipulate the world they so carefully and painfully crafted during sleepless nights. That is the beauty of reading.

Let’s say you’re reading a chapter that quickly becomes your favorite and you are now severely obsessed with the main characters. Hey, I’m not judging! But as the scene unfolds before you, it stirs in you a particular memory or perhaps one of your favorite songs, but then you remember that playlist at the beginning of the book and you can’t for the life of you put together that playlist to work in harmony with any of the author’s words. There is now unnecessary friction between you, the author, and what is quickly becoming one of your favorite books.

Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit but think about it for a minute. Do you, as the reader, want outside influence before you even start to read a new book even if the outside influence comes from the author? Let’s say an author curates a playlist to appease the Swiftie gods, but you’re not a Swiftie fan and it makes you cringe seven ways ‘til Sunday. Do you think that’ll negatively influence your reading journey? Maybe, maybe not.

On the other hand, I do understand why authors would want to share their inspiration with their readers. In today’s world where social media is so readily available to everyone, why wouldn’t an author try to bond with their readers through music as well in addition to the written word? I’ve come across a few book reels on Instagram and TikTok that have left me emotionally damaged in a beautiful way. Fans create reels by incorporating the author’s playlist and let me tell you, there are no dry eyes left in the house. So maybe… book playlists aren’t necessary evil? Probably not.

However, call me old-school, but I prefer to read books without playlists. I’m a strong believer that once authors finish their job and deliver their babies to the world to be dissected and loved – the job of interpretation without the influence falls to the reader; and if you take your job as a reader seriously like me, you don’t appreciate outside influence, thoughts, or spoilers to ruin all the fun!

If you’re a writer of fiction as well, ask yourself these important questions:

• Do I want to share my inspiration with my readers?
• How might my readers react to a playlist of music they hate or don’t relate to?
• Does it matter? Do I care?

Think of the type of relationship you want to build with your readers and lead with the heart. Happy reading (and writing)!