# A Reader's Guide to Author Jargon



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

With an eye on being creative and instructive, I have started this little thread for Readers, with both authors and reader contributions. It will contain terms and "stuff" from the author's craft - behind the scenes elements that I think will be fun (in a Final Jeopardy spirit). I ask my fellow authors to step up with their own personal favorite terms. Readers should give us feedback, comments and ask about stuff you've always wondered about.

I shall start the ball rolling with two terms (setting the pattern or template for this new thread). Here we go.

_*In Media Res*_ - This is when a story begins in the middle of an action. Nice effect, because it sweeps the reader into a mood of immediacy - sort of getting on the roller coaster as it makes its first drop and then worrying about who's in the car when the ride stops. It's a favorite movie opening mode.

_*Roman a clef*_ or _*Roman a cle*_ - A novelized memoir. Technically (from the french) a romance with a key. A true life story veiled in fiction.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Cool thread idea, Ed. . . .I'll be interested to see what other gems you folks come up with. . . .


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

*deus ex machina* - a conveniently miraculous ending or rescue. Literally it means "a god out of a machine" and refers to the way some classical comedies would end with a god descending from the heavens (with the help of a stage machine) and putting everything right.

Camille


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## maryannaevans (Apr 10, 2010)

Info dump--the opposite of _In media res_. It consists of asking your readers to wait while you explain every detail of the ice planet or fairy underworld or dark city underbelly that you have lovingly created for them.

J.K. Rowling is actually very good at this. We love her characters so much that we don't mind hearing that Ron has red hair and that Hermione is really smart and that they're Harry's best friends in the opening pages of _every single book_.


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## CCrooks (Apr 15, 2010)

Killing darlings/murdering babies. Writers can occasionally over-saturate a story with really fascinating research details, or self-indulgent tangents. To excess, these are things that detract from the main action. Cutting such elements down in a story's revision is known as "killing darlings." Even when the writer loves these elements, sometimes they have to die.


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

*Deadline* as in, 'I'm sorry, I can't, I've got a deadline.'

= I'm sitting at home in my underwear, eating chocolate biscuits. Someone has just posted something really funny on the internet and I'm reading that. I'll get back to you as soon as I have finished reading the whole of the internet.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

_As you know, Bob_ refers to an author using dialogue to info-dump or awkwardly do exposition. Character A literally tells Character B, Bob, stuff Bob knows just so the reader will know it too.

"As you know, Bob, as an infant you were left on the steps of the orphanage and wearing a note pinned to your nappy stating that your mother was a gypsy and your father an aristocrat. As you also know, you have the exact same star-shaped birthmark on the back of your neck as Bartholomew Hobnob, 1st Duke of Poofenshire."

_Mary Sue and Larry Stu_ are characters who are transparently an idealized version of the author. The author uses the surrogate to lecture others, right personal wrongs, and make other character celebrate the awesomeness of the stand-in.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

HelenSmith said:


> *Deadline* as in, 'I'm sorry, I can't, I've got a deadline.'
> 
> = I'm sitting at home in my underwear, eating chocolate biscuits. Someone has just posted something really funny on the internet and I'm reading that. I'll get back to you as soon as I have finished reading the whole of the internet.


LOL.

I've invented a term called _Truman Capote-ing_. It involves calling yourself a writer, discussing the stresses of writing, letting other people tell you how much they wish they could write, while doing very little actual writing. You basically just do the discussion boards and the imaginary talk show circuit in your head and claim to be working on unspecified stuff, but you can reveal that it's your best work ever!


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## NickSpalding (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd venture the piece of jargon that's probably most important to any author is the the following:

Rule 17: Omit Needless Words

This is from Willie Strunk's Elements of Style and anyone's who's read Steve King's On Writing will be familiar with it. I certainly am, being the type to suffer from verbosity of the highest order in my writing if I'm not _really _ careful.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Yeah, but Stephen King is one wordy bastard.  (I say this as someone who owns multiple copies of On Writing and would pass out if I met him.)

Also, NickSpalding: _In short...have I just wasted my hard earned money on a book I could have bought some chocolate with? _ Is there really a place in England where I can give someone a book and they give me chocolate? Because I sorta want in on that action. Only, do you have any idea what the airline charges for extra baggage? I'd have to get the books there, which doesn't empty out my book shelves any.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*cadence  * - a sentence or paragraph at the end of a section or chapter that leaves the reader at rest, happy or even sublime.

_*comma roulade*_ - the defiance of the chain noun comma rule (he ate, pancakes, eggs and tomatillo salad), by substituting a conjunction, such as _and _ or _or_. _Lions and tigers and bears, oh my_. An excellent way to heighten reader tension, and followed by a throwaway word, brings things to a screeching halts. It can be used with clauses also, however if the clause is too long, the effect is dissipated, i.e. Virginia Woolf's never ending sentences.

_*Jimeny Cricketing*_ - Having the _point of view _ character hear the words of their mentor during a _sequel_. Almost like bringing the reader onto the characters left shoulder (or right according to your political persuasion).

_*Sequel * _ or _*Sequeling*_ - NOT a second book in a series (a misnomer), but a section, usually at the beginning of a chapter when a character reviews the situation, usually from the previous chapter. Such reviews _in situ_ would soften the effect of the action, but the absence of reaction from the character shallows both character development and the significance of the action.

_*Hanging a lantern*_ - This is the act of drawing the readers attention to a logic lapse (eventhough the author may not correct it), before the reader gets a chance to find it and lessen their credibility in the story. Such lapses are essential for pace and exposition and, if corrected, would tear the fabric of the work. Therefore, we do not ignore them, but cover them up in plain sight. The term comes from the old silent movie days when pieces of the set were incongruously in sight. The director would yell, Hang a lantern on it.

Glad everyone is enjoying this thread.

Edward C. Patterson


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## NickSpalding (Apr 21, 2010)

MichelleR said:


> Yeah, but Stephen King is one wordy bastard.  (I say this as someone who owns multiple copies of On Writing and would pass out if I met him.)
> 
> Also, NickSpalding: _In short...have I just wasted my hard earned money on a book I could have bought some chocolate with? _ Is there really a place in England where I can give someone a book and they give me chocolate? Because I sorta want in on that action. Only, do you have any idea what the airline charges for extra baggage? I'd have to get the books there, which doesn't empty out my book shelves any.


Oh, I'm sorry...weren't you aware of the 'Books for Chocolate' scheme, announced by the government last year, here in England?

It's a wonderful scheme where old books can be traded for a variety of chocolatey consumables. There is of course a trading ratio that has to be obeyed. Classic like Of Mice And Men and Great Expectations will only secure you a couple of Snickers bars, but go along with the complete Stephen King back catalogue and they'll reproduce a life-size version of you in chocolate.

I met Stephen King once. I didn't pass out...but did nearly knock Tabitha over in childlike excitement.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

NickSpalding said:


> I met Stephen King once. I didn't pass out...but did nearly knock Tabitha over in childlike excitement.


I'm guessing she's used to it. She should be declared a saint. 
*
Show, don't tell.* The oft-given advice when someone goes exposition nuts and tells everything, illustrates nothing or next to nothing, and the story reads like a police report. It's particularly rough when a writer repeatedly tells you a character is charming, and then he -- in the one or two lines of dialogue he's allowed -- turns out to be quite creepy. (Er, there ARE times where you do want to tell though.) Readers will always believe their eyes, which means that anything that makes them feel like they're there and watching, smelling, feeling, touching, hearing, experiencing, will be more believable and real to them than a flat statement of fact.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I'm loving the behind-the-scenes info here! Thank you!


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

I guess I'll try a contribution here:

_Suspended disbelief:_ The concept of presenting an unbelievable situation to a reader while restraining the disbelief to believable bounds within the story.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Some more (we've got thousands)

_*temporal slip * _ - A technique to begin a Chapter by slipping back in the second paragaph by a few moments and then playing catch-up. Works best with a dialog statement. "That's terribly loud, you know," Hildegard said. Then in the next sentence - He had been in the quiet bathroom and decided to take a nap, but the noise upstairs was annoying. etc.etc.etc.etc. Then, "That's terribly loud, you know. You'll be deaf before you're twenty."

_*mentorial homage*_ - A phrase or reference borrowed from the author's mentor, slipped in as an easter egg somewhere in the manuscript as a homage to that mentor. An example, from my own work - In one novel I have a Chapter called _The Battle of the Somme_. The chapter is not about the Battle of the Somme. In fact, it describes going through the Infiltration Course. However, the Battle reference is not only metaphoric, it's a mentorial homage to Tolkien, who fought and began writing _The Lord of the Rings_ during the Battle of the Somme. (And for the Tolkien scholars out there, it wasn't actually LOTR, but The Last Cottage, which featured beginning of the Rivendell scenes). King does similar things all throughout The Dark Tower Series.

_*echo*_ - this is a word or phrase that repeats throughout the work, but each time it picks up new meaning or additional baggage, so that when it is used at a key point, it has a viseral effect on the reader. (Run for the Hankies). A good example is from the film Ghost, (many authorial techniques come from or lend themselves to cinematography), the word _ditto _ is an echo, which by the time it's delivered at the climax point, packs a powerful emotional whallop. My favorite echo is from the 1940's tearjerker _Imitation of Life _ (often called the tear-jerker of the century). There the echo is a phrase (I kid you not) _I want my ducky_. That's unlikely bit of echoing send millions into post-theater, trauma.  I've used such words as _clot _ and _Wham! Bam! Boom! _ as echos, and my favorite is _I am your Rachel_. go figure.

'nuff from me for now.

Edward C. Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

_a la The Sixth Sense/The Sixth Sense effect:_ reference to any book or movie which carries within it a radical twist of reality relative to the perspective of the protagonist, usually found at the end of the story. A good technique, but one that should not be overused.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

J Dean said:


> _a la The Sixth Sense/The Sixth Sense effect:_ reference to any book or movie which carries within it a radical twist of reality relative to the perspective of the protagonist, usually found at the end of the story. A good technique, but one that should not be overused.


I get that. . .but the technique predated _The Sixth Sense_. . . e.g. _To Serve Man_ by Damon Knight, but probably more well known from the _Twilight Zone_ episode.

And of course O. Henry is noted for major twists. . . .


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## Nathan (Nov 13, 2009)

*scripto sucko tamen matris*: the exact point during the writing of a story where you realize it is God-awful...but your mom says it is awesome...so you keep going.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

In the TV world they call that "jumping the shark". . .


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

That's similar to Stephen King's reaction when he was writing _The Stand_. He had so many story lines and characters, he panicked and almost put the book aside (the original 1,000 pager, not the anemic one that the publisher put out - thank God, King relaunched it later). King's solution.


Spoiler



He blew everyone and everything up. An nice way to tie up more than one story line and truncate character development.


 Perhaps he should have named that writing technique -


Spoiler



the big boom ending


.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Nathan (Nov 13, 2009)

*reviewum uglisistas*: agreeing to take out a buddy's less-than-attractive sister in exchange for a 5 star review on Amazon


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Nathan said:


> *reviewum uglisistas*: agreeing to take out a buddy's less-than-attractive sister in exchange for a 5 star review on Amazon


That's similar to the Judge in W.S. Gilbert's *Trail by Jury*, who sings:

"But I couldn't get by on dinners of bread and water,
So I fell in love with rich attoney's elderly ugly daughter."

E Patterson
(he later states, in ture sexist fashion - "She could very well pass for forty-five in the dusk with the light behind her."


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> _*echo*_ - this is a word or phrase that repeats throughout the work, but each time it picks up new meaning or additional baggage, so that when it is used at a key point, it has a viseral effect on the reader. (Run for the Hankies). A good example is from the film Ghost, (many authorial techniques come from or lend themselves to cinematography), the word _ditto _ is an echo, which by the time it's delivered at the climax point, packs a powerful emotional whallop. My favorite echo is from the 1940's tearjerker _Imitation of Life _ (often called the tear-jerker of the century). There the echo is a phrase (I kid you not) _I want my ducky_. That's unlikely bit of echoing send millions into post-theater, trauma.  I've used such words as _clot _ and _Wham! Bam! Boom! _ as echos, and my favorite is _I am your Rachel_. go figure.
> 
> 'nuff from me for now.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Country music songs do this a lot. With rock of pop, the chorus tends to be pretty static, and the meaning unchanging. In country music, the chorus often takes on additional meaning and emotional power each time. One example would be *Don't Take The Girl.*

At first, we have a little boy begging his dad not to take a little girl fishing -- Daddy, please, don't take the girl. Then, they're a young couple being mugged and Johnny is now telling the thug he can have anything but, don't take the girl. Next, we have Johnny in the hospital finding out his wife might be dying, and don't take the girl becomes a literal prayer. Lastly, the first line of the song becomes the last line and another echo: Johnny's daddy was taking him fishing when he was eight years old...

There's a Collin Raye song called *Love, Me* where the words of a letter are first use as sweetly romantic, and referring to plans to elope, and become poignant when they're used again as a renewed promise after the letter writer passes away.

_I read a note my grandma wrote back in nineteen twenty-three.
Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me. He said,
"Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago,
Grandma's daddy didn't like me none, but I loved your Grandma so."

We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together.
Get married in the first town we came to, and live forever.
But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet, instead
Of her, I found this letter, and this is what it said:

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.
I'll meet you when my chores are through;
I don't know how long I'll be.
But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me.

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away,
In the doorway of a church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray.
I know I'd never seen him cry in all my fifteen years;
But as he said these words to her, his eyes filled up with tears.

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me.
I'll meet you when my chores are through;
I don't know how long I'll be.
But I'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see.
And between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me.
Between now and then, till I see you again,
I'll be loving you. Love, me._

And, the list goes on.  I think the technique both makes you feel like you've been on a journey and sends you back to more innocent times for the character -- it often becomes about lost innocence.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I like to use echoes - for those Nicholas Sparks moments. And my reader'll tell you, I can get them to grab for the Kleenix, but only if I've wept my eyes out first.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*coda * _ - the last paragraph of a chapter, when the author abandons the main point of view (POV) in favor of another one. The effect is a palate cleanser and also reveals elements that the POV character doesn't see. It can be disorienting to the reader if not done with care, and should probably be used sparaingly and only at the end of a chapter or section. The Chinese novel tradtion of the Yuan and Ming use it constantly, often turning western readers off as it can jettison them out of the story.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*Fragmenting*_ - An incomplete sentence (sure to get you a D in Miss Bartlestein's English class), is an encouraged technique in the creative writing world, although it sometimes drives grammarians to drink (hemlock, I hope). This is removing the verb from the sentence, thus making it an incomplete sentence. It is most effective with single words and needs to be used judiciously. It is particularly helpful in turning passive measures into active measures by eliminating stative verbs, such as _is_ and _was_. Creative minds treat fragments as an opportunity to use words poetically - that is, for the sound and image quality, thus getting quite a bang for their money. Fragments can also be used as an intensifier and for hastening the pace. Speed it up. <---- fragment. (the larch). <----- another fragment. 

Ed Patterson


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## Jasmine Giacomo Author (Apr 21, 2010)

_*MacGuffin/plot coupons:*_ a plot element or series of elements that drives the story forward. They may be meaningless otherwise, and forgotten by the end of the book, or they may prove integral to the whole story. Great-grandma's lost diary which reveals secret X, a series of magical platter shards that must be stolen from three evil witches, a phone call out of the blue that sends the protagonist on the journey that takes the rest of the book.

"Plot coupons" is used if there are multiple MacGuffins which the protagonist needs to collect, so that s/he can redeem them for a dénouement.


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## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

*Bad Man is Bad*: Most common to the fantasy genre. This involves a villain who is in no way villainous other than that the author insists so. Bad Man is never seen committing crimes, interacting with the characters, or committing dastardly deeds. He is bad simply to be bad, and to provide someone or something for the hero to defeat, usually at the end of a needlessly drawn out series of books. Invariably, the conflict with said Bad Man is a letdown to its readers. (a.k.a Galbatorix Syndrome).

David Dalglish

p.s.

Made up ones are okay, right? I don't want to derail this or anything.


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## Concrete Queen (Oct 19, 2009)

Is there a name for it when the first chapter is only loosely connected to the rest of the book?  Like if a book is about a boy looking for buried treasure based on a map in his Grandma's barn, the first chapter might be set 300 years earlier and the outlaws are burying the treasure.  Related and unrelated.


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

_Pulp Fiction:_ Carries one of two meanings:

1.) The practice of putting out low quality stories en masse for the purpose of financial gain, or

2.) The genre of fiction associated with gratuitous and graphic violence in the plot.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Half-Orc said:


> [Made up ones are okay, right? I don't want to derail this or anything.


If you use it, it's valid, and if it's unique to you, I'll steal it. 

Ed Patterson


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## DebbiM (Jun 16, 2009)

*Three-act structure* It's a template used in writing screenplays that dates back to Aristotle. It works for writing novels, too.

Debbi Mack
Identity Crisis
http://www.debbimack.com
http://midlistlife.wordpress.com


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## DebbiM (Jun 16, 2009)

concrete_queen said:


> Is there a name for it when the first chapter is only loosely connected to the rest of the book? Like if a book is about a boy looking for buried treasure based on a map in his Grandma's barn, the first chapter might be set 300 years earlier and the outlaws are burying the treasure. Related and unrelated.


You're not thinking of a prologue, are you?

Debbi Mack
Identity Crisis


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## Greg Banks (May 2, 2009)

*Suspension of Disbelief* - The state the reader enters when they lay aside their conscious knowledge that they are engaged in a fictional tale and get emotionally swept along with the story.

*Fictional dream* - The story itself in which the reader invests their suspension of disbelief.

*Word painting* - The act of painting visual images with words.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Tags - you're IT*

_*dialog tag * _ - the _he said/she said _ business.

_*active dialog tag*_ - when the noun or pronoun is the the subject of the clause. _Nelson said. Mary said. He said/she said._ It is the most commonly used and acceptable dialog tag.

_*passive dialog tag*_ - when the noun or pronoun is the object in the clause. _Said Nelson. Said Mary. Said he, said she._ Most common in Youth books - less so in mainstream fiction, although not uncommon in older 19th Century works. Because it is used in YA genres (Harry Potter comes to mind), some traditional acquisition editors will reject adult genre works that are passively tagged.

_*unvoiced dialog tag*_ - commonly this is the word _said_, which although written falls into white noise and is unvoiced by the reader. Writers are cautioned when using any other word to replace it.

_*voiced dialog tag*_ - any verb in a tag that expresses a sound or verbiage - _he stammered, she yelped, Mary chuckled. _ Misaligned tags in this category are such things as _He smirked _ or _she careened _ - physical attributes beyond verbalization.

_*inferred dialog tag*_ - the omission of a dialog tag (unwritten as well as unvoiced), because the reader can infer who is speaking by tonality, dual participation or content.

_*revoiced dialog tag*_ - the omission of dialog tags to the exclusion of all other text types, so that their omission is noticed by the reader. It intensifies the dialog, makes it claustrophobic and, when done well, has a powerful emotional effect.

_*adverbial dialog tag*_ (the modified tag) - a dialog tag that includes a tonal adverb. _He said quickly. Mary said, sweetly. Nelson said, sourly. _ These are sometimes necessary, but point to an author's lack of character and mood development relying on adjectival adverbs. Some mentors call it lazy writing.

_*Swifties*_ (a derisive name for a special breed of adverbial dialog tags) - Derived from the Tom Swift novels, a long standing joke where the adverb is created to underscore the action or environment. _"I'm riding as hard as I can," he said from the saddle callously_. _"I'm on fire," Mary said alarmingly._ etc. etc. In fact, there's a game that authors play called Swifties to see who can make up the most ridiculous one. In every one of my novels (as an Easter Egg, and to annoy my editor), I include at least one Swifty. Some day I might run a contest for readers to find them.

Well, I'm all tagged out.

Edward C. Patterson


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

"I always add at least one swifty in each novel," Edward said authoritatively.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

-ly

ECP


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*Robinsonade*_ - a novel where the characters are shipwrecked or marooned on a deserted place (or Island), from _Robinson Crusoe_. Examples, _Swiss Family Robinson, Mysterious Island, Off on a Comet, Typee_.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Here's so more:

*flash-back* - a scene set out of sequence in the past.

*flash-foward* - a scene set out of sequence in the future.

*slip-back* - a section that suddenly thrusts the reader into the back-story, sometimes for a paragraph and sometimes for a longer stretch. (In Stephen King's Wizard and Glass, for example, the slip-back is over 400 pages).

*slip-forward * - a brief glimpse at the future, usually at the end of a chapter. For example, He left the apartment. He would never see it again.

*double-slip-back* - like a triple lindy - This is a difficult progression of slipping further and further into the backstory, sometimes three or four layers deep, and climbing back out. It's difficult (I've done it, and hopefully well). King's most famous double slip back is in The Gunslinger, where he slips back twice in the story before regaining the current timeline.

*string of pearls* - this is a technique of developing characters and event in a circular pattern, alternating between at least three set of story-line and characters, each time tightening to a climax that stands in the center. Usually all the characters and events come to a head. This structual technique works best in a five-act structure, between the third and fourth act.

*square dance POV* - the neat scenic structure, best used for exposition, where a scene or chapter is devided into three parts, beginning in one character's point of view and ending in anothers. The middle section is POV neutral (not an easy thing to master), but the effect is like watching a wave hit the shore.

Ed Patterson


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## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

*Law of Conservation of Errors:* there are a finite number of errors in the world, and removing one from your work only sends it to another, most often your own but not necessarily restricted.


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

*Dialogue Beat* - Words or phrases surrounding a character's spoken words. This often tells you who is speaking without the need of a dialogue tag.

"Stop that!" she yelled. - Dialogue Tag
"Stop that!" Peggy waved her arms to get his attention. - Dialogue Beat.

Vicki


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

_*Back Story*_ - All the stuff that happened before the story began. This stuff is best not explained through paragraphs of narrative, but better to sneak in little bits as the story progresses. And if you have to do a paragraph of back story, please oh please don't do it in the first chapter.  Just my opinion.

Vicki


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Sometimes back stories become new series. 

*anti-climax* - a trail off from the high point in the work, which should be reserved for sequeling and end of story clotting. Sometimes the climax is placed to close to a ore powerful scene and becomes anti-climatic, usually viewed as a major structural flaw.

*doppelganger* - a technique of creating cloned or similar characters that appear to either strengthen a view through underscore or opposition. Usually these characters have a similar look, names and are genetically related. Their use is important for continuity. Generally less important characters, they can shore up structure when the story moves to different locales and the characters do not. I look upon it as double or triple casting roles to serve the protagonist at all point in the development.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*A sword and sandal* - Traditionally a gladiatorial novel, but now any work that reflects the arena, featured in many SciFi books.

*A horse opera* - Traditionally, an American Old West setting, but now has been adopted by fantasy works as well.

*Slice of Life* - At one time a popular term for a gritty, realistic work that connects to the readers real life. Is less used now since this type can fall in many genres.

*Tolkienesque* - a particular type of fantasy where the fantasy world and the real world is express by a slight degree from each other so as to produce an illusive familiarity. Tolkien called his brand of fantasy _faerie_.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*POV filters*_ - These are words that glue the reader into the particular POV, generally the word _knew _ - Paul knew that Leslie loved apples. However, when overused, filters become the source of loose writing, so authors need vigilance in their use.

_*POV maintainers*_ - These are words and phrases that allows the non-POV character to express their probable point of view, yet maintains the POV established in the section. i.e. She probably knew him. OR Sydney always ate his sandwich with his hand, no doubt (that is when Sydney is not the POV character). These words generally do not cause reader anxiety, or less so than a slip in POV.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*tense shift * - The slight and imperceptible switch from the past tense to the present tense in an action sequence. This is done to make it more alive for the reader. However, it can also disorient readers and get you an F from Miss Biddiebartlestein's English grammar exam (not to mention a reviewer's perverse glance). It's done all the time, but can only shift from a few sentences and needs transitioning. .

*tense change* - This is a section change from past tense to present tense to indicate a break in the story line. Again it can be disorienting, however, in this case it is meant to be so.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Second person omniscient restatement * - A mode of narrative whereby the 2nd person is used and the language is puffed or pretenscious giving an epic effect. This is a good device for short stretches toward the end of a work when an author needs to bring the reader up out of the minutia and into the rarified air of summary. In this case, the distance assumed between the narrator and the reader is sufficiently startling as to reset the work on a new plane. Story elements familiar to the reader are treated as newly introduced and with different language, and main charaters are refered to in type as opposed to developed characters. Since this is used after the reader is embedded in the work, the effect is like an iceberg hitting a volcano.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*a story * - the product of events, character reaction, interaction and development, and narration that organically evolves into an engaging and satisfactory experience for a reader or a listener.

*a plot* - a hole dug in a cemetery where failed novels are buried _en masse_. Akin to outlines, plots are fabrication that are meant to hold stories together, but like a skeleton, is a fossilized contrivance.

Ed Patterson


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *a story * - the product of events, character reaction, interaction and development, and narration that organically evolves into an engaging and satisfactory experience for a reader or a listener.
> 
> *a plot* - a hole dug in a cemetery where failed novels are buried _en masse_. Akin to outlines, plots are fabrication that are meant to hold stories together, but like a skeleton, is a fossilized contrivance.
> 
> Ed Patterson


*snicker*

Love it.

Vicki


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*trade edition * - a standard 6 x 9 (technically 5.32" x 8.51') paperback edition of a book, usually perfect bound for durability.

*hardback* - a 6 x 9 (5.32" x 8.51") trade edition affixed to hardcover using a single stitch and glue. Technically not a hardcovr at all.

*library edition * - a 6 x 9 (5.32" x 8.51") true hardback, with stitched covers reinforced for durability since it must withstand the test of lending.

*mass market* - a smaller format (4.33" x 7.01") or (5.12" x 7.8") on thin paper and smaller type, glue bound and of short shelf life.

Ed Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

*Sherlock Holmes Syndrome:* the condition of being widely recognized for a piece of literature, when that particular piece was/is despised by the author.


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## Jani (May 4, 2010)

Nathan said:


> *reviewum uglisistas*: agreeing to take out a buddy's less-than-attractive sister in exchange for a 5 star review on Amazon


Nathan, that is so funny --- you made me spill my beer with that.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Deja vu event reinforcement * - a repeating event or template throughout a work that weaves the structure into a whole. Such parallel scenes can remind the reader of important events, enhance character development or heighten the effect of similar events. An example of this can be seen in Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_, which has a recurring image of a woman draped in shimmering gold and fading further and further away. (Goldberry, Galadriel, Arwin).

Edward C. Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

_*Doomed Repetition*_:The literary concept of a repeating set of circumstances through either natural, supernatural, or surreal means, giving the impression that the characters within a story are imprisoned within the circumstances and are either unwilling or unable to escape.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

J Dean said:


> _*Doomed Repetition*_:The literary concept of a repeating set of circumstances through either natural, supernatural, or surreal means, giving the impression that the characters within a story are imprisoned within the circumstances and are either unwilling or unable to escape.


Or just dense? 'Cause I completely see what you're saying, but I _hate_ it when characters do something stupid just because they have to to advance the plot. Or when people who are portrayed as more than usually intelligent doing something that is going to get someone killed when there's no reason to except to have another action sequence. Is there a name for that?


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Or just dense? 'Cause I completely see what you're saying, but I _hate_ it when characters do something stupid just because they have to to advance the plot. Or when people who are portrayed as more than usually intelligent doing something that is going to get someone killed when there's no reason to except to have another action sequence. Is there a name for that?


That's called interior logic. A _*Lack of Interior Logic*_* occurs when (as you referred to) a character does something that defies common sense and has no adequate explanation for the lack of logic, either internally (the character's thoughts) or externally (defined by circumstances). A good example of this is the short story "The Monkey" by Stephen King, found in the book SKELETON CREW. The protagonist at no point tries to destroy the monkey. He throws it down a well, puts it in a trash can, even tosses it into a lake, but at no point does it enter his head to pull out a twelve-gauge and annihilate Mr. Grinning cymbal chimp into oblivion (which, if you're curious, would be my first and most obvious preferred course of action when dealing with a death-inducing toy).*


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Or just dense? 'Cause I completely see what you're saying, but I _hate_ it when characters do something stupid just because they have to to advance the plot. Or when people who are portrayed as more than usually intelligent doing something that is going to get someone killed when there's no reason to except to have another action sequence. Is there a name for that?


Yes, Anne, it's called _*Character lapse * _ - If a character is not logically developed and is required to do something that causes a lapse in credulity or against natural inclination or abilities (without the accompanying soul searching and angst), it's a fault in the author's character development. I'll give an example from that blockbuster _Avatar_ (which I adore), but in the battle sequence Norm (who can hardly find his backpack in earlier sequences) is suddenly riding into battle on a Na'vi horse. Jake, who is more adept at this sort of thing, took quite a beating even lerning how stay on the horse's back. So we're suppose to believe that Norm instantly became an adept in horseback riding and can charge into battle. (huh) _*Character lapse*_.

Ed Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Yes, Anne, it's called _*Character lapse * _ - If a character is not logically developed and is required to do something that causes a lapse in credulity or against natural inclination or abilities (without the accompanying soul searching and angst), it's a fault in the author's character development. I'll give an example from that blockbuster _Avatar_ (which I adore), but in the battle sequence Norm (who can hardly find his backpack in earlier sequences) is suddenly riding into battle on a Na'vi horse. Jake, who is more adept at this sort of thing, took quite a beating even lerning how stay on the horse's back. So we're suppose to believe that Norm instantly became an adept in horseback riding and can charge into battle. (huh) _*Character lapse*_.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Hmmm... now that I look at it, I think you answered her question better than I, Ed.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Well, whatever you call it, it's the sort of thing that's probably a deal breaker for me in a book. I see it a lot in romances where it is apparently an accepted plot device, but I find it really annoying. . .one of the reason I mostly don't like romances. The main character, in her mind, has all these thoughts and doubts and questions, and it's clear she knows what the best thing to do would be: talk to the guy already! But nooooo, she just keeps quiet and pines away and decides every little thing he does is a sign that he _doesn't_ really love her. . . and usually the guy is doing the same thing which makes it doubly annoying. 

Yeah, I know. . . . .if they just talked in the first chapter, they'd either break up or live happily ever after and no need for the rest of the book.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*pacing*_ - the speed of delivery for a novel, which varies at different points of the work. Generally, books need a moderate to fast pacing at the onset. (The opposite is called - *slow burn*). The pace should be steady and secure for the exposition and developmental portions of the work. However, the last act should have a significantly faster pace. Pace is a tactical device, taken paragraph at a time. There are many ways to speed up or slow down deliver, including *fragmentation*, *tense shift*, *anapestic* and other rhythmic devices. Word use is important, a *simplification of language * hastens pace, while *metaphoric overlay * slows things down. A major fault in many novels (even ones by the big names) is a steady delivery through a consistent style throughout the work. This delivers a slow burn over the entire work and tends to disengage readers midstream. If I could cite on style element that can make or break the structure of a book, it is pacing.

Edward C. Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, whatever you call it, it's the sort of thing that's probably a deal breaker for me in a book. I see it a lot in romances where it is apparently an accepted plot device, but I find it really annoying. . .one of the reason I mostly don't like romances. The main character, in her mind, has all these thoughts and doubts and questions, and it's clear she knows what the best thing to do would be: talk to the guy already! But nooooo, she just keeps quiet and pines away and decides every little thing he does is a sign that he _doesn't_ really love her. . . and usually the guy is doing the same thing which makes it doubly annoying.
> 
> Yeah, I know. . . . .if they just talked in the first chapter, they'd either break up or live happily ever after and no need for the rest of the book.


I just don't like romances because they're romances. Not enough blowing people up.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*pot-boiler* - a formulaic book written for a surefire audience with the promise of steady revenue. This does not mean they are poorly written, it just means that their author depends on the income, knows where the paycheck is and writes it to readers taste, in most cases severing the creative bond between art and commerce. The name derives from the poor starving artist metaphor that needs to pay the gas bill to keep the pot boiling. The expression usually applies to books, but the concept can be applied to any art form that is driven by popular demand instead of creative integrity. It is possible to line the two up. Usually, works of this nature are not enduring, because popular tastes change leaving these whales beached.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*section break* - often misunderstood, this is an internal break within the chapter required for a major scene shift, but particularly when the Point of View changes from one character to another (another major scene change). POV rules apply most strictly in 3rd person limited story modes, where the narrator is limited to only one character point of view at a time and other character's most reveal their intentions and development through dialog and action (and other narrating devices, such as probability assumptions). The section break, in its loosest manifestation is signaled by three carriage returns, but most often is represented by three asterisks centered at the break, ( * * *). More formally (my preference) is a number sequence (1,2,3 etc) for each section break. Even if the POV switches for one paragraph or even one sentence, the section break should be observed.

Ed Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

*Closed Causal Loop*: A concept occurring in science fiction and fantasy novels in which a time travel event in the future is necessary for the causation of a past occurrence, without which such an event will not happen. An example of this is THE TERMINATOR, in which Kyle Reese's trip to the past is the catalyst for the birth of John Connor, which in turn spawns the resistance, which in turn brings Kyle Reese into the resistance, which in turn results in Kyle Reese taking a trip back to the past (Envision the plot as a sort of wheel that turns upon itself).


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Concise Inference * - The revision or rewriting of a novel from its draft manuscript employing top-drawer writing techniques that have been purposefully ignored when authoring the draft, since a draft must capture the core spirit of an author's creativity without interference from craft. Art and craft are allies only after the fact. Many readers fail to acknowlege (nor should they care), that the product they consume has been written usually three times and, in most cases, upward of eight. In the process of *concise inference*, the author travels the pages with different intent with each go-through always to make a good work better, and a fine work, great. This is not to be confused with *third party intervention * by editors, beta-readers and authorial panels. Only the author has the top-drawer tools to apply to the work, even in response to outside stimuli.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Ed, I get this.  I don't want to read a first draft.  Maybe even not a second draft.  But at some point you (the general everyone-in-the-world 'you') gotta stick a fork in it.  I find myself irked when I purchase a book and then a month or so later -- or sometimes just a week or so later -- the author is telling everyone how they've 'revised' it.  Sometimes these 'revision' announcements come again and again.  I say, don't let it go until it's ready. . . .and then leave the durn thing alone! 

This is not to be confused with revisions long after initial publication which are more like 'second printings' wherein the author takes the opportunity to correct the few minor mistakes that might have been missed first time around.  And maybe add a forward or afterward with background or explanatory information.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Ed, I get this. I don't want to read a first draft. Maybe even not a second draft. But at some point you (the general everyone-in-the-world 'you') gotta stick a fork in it. I find myself irked when I purchase a book and then a month or so later -- or sometimes just a week or so later -- the author is telling everyone how they've 'revised' it. Sometimes these 'revision' announcements come again and again. I say, don't let it go until it's ready. . . .and then leave the durn thing alone!
> 
> This is not to be confused with revisions long after initial publication which are more like 'second printings' wherein the author takes the opportunity to correct the few minor mistakes that might have been missed first time around. And maybe add a forward or afterward with background or explanatory information.


That's true. I just revised and relaunched a bunch of earlier publications, but the revisions were, for the most part, typos of the miscreant kind (and I gave a two week free replacement period). On the other hand, I have one that has taken 37 years to get to the point of publication. Glad I held it back 'til now. 

Ed the P Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sound distraction* - this is inserting an errant sound in a quiet or a dialog moment to break the reader's concetration but letting the outer world intrude in the inner one. For example, a seriious conversation between two lovers can become so weighted that it sags. So we insert - "A hawk cawed in the distant woodlands." That'll do it (corny as it sounds) and it works every time. 

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*full sensing * - this is the application of the environment so the characters (and the reader) use all five senses to convey the mood. Many authors use sight and sound primarily and forget to use touch, smell and taste. As a result they spend time describing a characters wearing apparel or the nail poilish color. *Full sensing * brings a reader further into a scene than any other technique. Aromas, in particular, can set off imagery, while touch can extend into pain or goose flesh (horripilation).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*seeding * - the introduction of memorable objects or characters that can be used as crucial elements later on in the story or not. Usually some irony is attached to *seeding*. i.e. a favorite silver letter opener might becomes the murder weapon. (I have a set of MountBlanc pens, I even name them, that have a life of their own). A *Proust character * is an example of seeding a character.

*red herring* - the introduction of a memorable object, event or character that you lead the reader to believe is crucial, but turns out to be a distraction - sleight of hand. This covers the *seeding * of a crucial element that is hidden in plain view. This is a popular device in mysteries. Irony is the key to its success, otherwise it is merely a device and not an engaging element.

Edward C. Patterson


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## RJ Keller (Mar 9, 2009)

Here's an original term that y'all are free to use. 

Near the end of my first novel, my protagonist sees a toothbrush in her ex-boyfriend's shopping cart. She immediately freaks out, because she thinks it means he's seeing someone new. I thought the line of logic was obvious, and that an explanation was not necessary, but apparently such was not the case. Upon reading an early draft of the chapter, my beta reader/editor sent me back a two word email: 

"Toothbrush? WTF" 

Needless to say, I made a few changes. And now, when I send her anything to beta read, among the questions I need answered is, "Are there any toothbrushes in this chapter?" meaning "Does this only make sense in my head, or can you see it, too?"


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

rjkeller said:


> Here's an original term that y'all are free to use.
> 
> Near the end of my first novel, my protagonist sees a toothbrush in her ex-boyfriend's shopping cart. She immediately freaks out, because she thinks it means he's seeing someone new. I thought the line of logic was obvious, and that an explanation was not necessary, but apparently such was not the case. Upon reading an early draft of the chapter, my beta reader/editor sent me back a two word email:
> 
> ...


So the term is *WTF*? (with tooth floss?)  I like it. I often find some WTFs in my books.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*anapestic * - a rhythmic device. It's the gallop we all know from the William Tell Overture, where the stress comes on the third syllable. Ta-ta-dum, ta-ta-dum, ta-ta-dum-dum-dum. It spices things up when things get dreary and too grammatical. It's effective in getting the reader's attention at the beginning of sections. ie. Flat = In the apple tree's shade, she ate a peach tart. Spicy = She sat in the shade of the old apple tree eating her peacherine tart. Most *anapests* can be formed by transforming a possessive into the more rhythmic "of the." "Peacherine," is not any word in my or your dictionary. Writers must be prepared to invent new words that have meaning outside the dictionary. A peacherine tart is a wonderful thing to behold and eat, I'll tell you.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*kinetic redundancy* - this is the inclusion of redundant words when describing an action, usually as a colloquialism. ie. _He kicked the with his foot_ (with his foot being redundant). _She clapped her hands_, (her hands being redundant). _I shrugged my shoulders_ (my shoulders being redundant). Of course, I could kick the door with your foot, or clap my knees and even shrug my duties, but when the action needs specific body parts to complete the action, they are best left on the wayside of the road in the dust. (That last clause demonstrates *triple redundancy*).


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*logic suspenders* - an impossibility presented and accepted by the reader, generally as a necessity that serves art, but sometimes as a triviality that gives an author great joy. The prime example is W.S. Gilbert's setting of _The Pirates of Penzance _ Act I on the protagonist's birthday on a sunny day on the Cornwall shore, but in Act II we learn that the protagonist was born in Leap Year on the 29th of February, which would make that first Act setting an impossibility. My own use of this is when I set a split action scene, one in San Francisco and the other in Tuscany both simultaneosly at nightime. Triviality references (mine) include a cricket chirping in February in Georgia (I *hang a lantern * on that one) and (my favorite) a reference to a hummingbird by a Chinese character (in the 12th Cenury), an impossibility, because hummingbirds are indiginous to the Americas only.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*recto* - right handed page (odd numbered page) - Titles, sections and chapters start* recto*.

*verso * - left handed page (even numbered page) - presented blank before an initial *recto * page.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*theme* - unlike the story, which is the sum of the parts, a *theme* is a universal extraction from the parts. Like an orange, the story is the pulp, while the *theme* is the juice. Most successful novels have *themes* that rise like a halo from the book, but does not drive the novel. As such, *themes * are not generally part of the original process, but are grafted on after the substance of the work is finished or in revision. Novels that start with the *theme * generally sink like lead and stink like skunk. Nipping and tucking a *theme * into the work after the bread has risen lets the work breath and fills the reader with a sweet literary aroma.

Ed Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

*unreliable narrative*: Consists of a first person story in which the narrarator is not telling the truth to the reader either through ignorance or deliberate deception. Can be an effective tool, but needs to be used wisely; an overuse of unreliable narrative can discourage the reader.


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Has anyone covered passive voice yet?


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

David McAfee said:


> Has anyone covered passive voice yet?


 *passive voice*: The opposite of active voice


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

David McAfee said:


> Has anyone covered passive voice yet?


Nope. I covered passive dialog tags, but haven't expressed the pros and cons of passive voice. Go for it.

Ed Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Nope. I covered passive dialog tags, but haven't expressed the pros and cons of passive voice. Go for it.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Actually, Ed, I was hoping to see someone else's take on the subject. I know how to purge it, but I don't know how to explain it. *shrugs* Not much of a teacher, I'm afraid. I could talk about Show vs. Tell, though. That one I can do.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

okidokee:

*passive voice* - a clause or phrase that utilizes a stative verb, such as IS or HAS and generally has no object, just a subject and verb. _The door opened. The tree was big._ There is nothing wrong with this construction, however, when it occurs frequently, it makes for sluggish and flat writing. Therefore, the first example, _The door opened _ can be converted to _Donald opened the door_. The second, _The tree was big_, can become a fragment - _Big tree_. We are encouraged to refrain from passive sentences, because in general writing, it makes for a weak delivery of information. However, using the passive voice is an important technique in writing, the use of which can allow the reader to falling into the scene on a pastel cloud. (The last 2 sentences were passive voiced). Passive voice is discouraged for action sequences (duh) and narrative. Editors who attack every passive voice sentence should be questioned, because they are being slaves to a rule. However, an author needs to recognize every passive voice clause and question its existence, usually in revision, because when drafting, passive generally predominates, because the human brain favors its use, but readers are rarely engaged by it. There is a whole science that authors must know about the difference between writing and Reading, the one being the brain engaged to the hand and the other being the eye engaged to the brain. But that's another story.

Ed Patterson

(Hope that does it justice).


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> okidokee:
> 
> *passive voice* - a clause or phrase that utilizes a stative verb, such as IS or HAS and generally has no object, just a subject and verb. _The door opened. The tree was big._ There is nothing wrong with this construction, however, when it occurs frequently, it makes for sluggish and flat writing. Therefore, the first example, _The door opened _ can be converted to _Donald opened the door_. The second, _The tree was big_, can become a fragment - _Big tree_. We are encouraged to refrain from passive sentences, because in general writing, it makes for a weak delivery of information. However, using the passive voice is an important technique in writing, the use of which can allow the reader to falling into the scene on a pastel cloud. (The last 2 sentences were passive voiced). Passive voice is discouraged for action sequences (duh) and narrative. Editors who attack every passive voice sentence should be questioned, because they are being slaves to a rule. However, an author needs to recognize every passive voice clause and question its existence, usually in revision, because when drafting, passive generally predominates, because the human brain favors its use, but readers are rarely engaged by it. There is a whole science that authors must know about the difference between writing and Reading, the one being the brain engaged to the hand and the other being the eye engaged to the brain. But that's another story.
> 
> ...


And that, Mr. Patterson, is why I asked. Much better explanation than I could have given.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sequeling* - a post action or event reacting by a single or multiple character. Usually occurs in the next or subsequent chapter from the action. This is one of the key ingredients for testing an author's mettle. Any event not worth sequeling, should probably be jettisoned from the work. Sequeling develop characters and also underscores event meaning in the readers mind, as well as summarizing what just happened by eliminating the less important details allowing the event to gel in a particular shape for future reference. A sequel is not a second book or film in a series, a misnomer for a followup piece.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*elegiac* - a noble and pompous presentation or word order usually in the second person to give a ceremonial effect. Used in poetry, but in novels can reset or commence a section making the words more iconic than the subject matter. Authors should take care it its use or readers will either enshrine you or though their Kindles against the wall. Example: the following set elegiacal. Most people would agree that wealthy men are in the market for a wife. Elegiacal (and iconically): "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." Of course, the iconic opening of Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Metaphor medley* - (also *metaphor marathon*). There are two or more metaphors strung together in the same sentence. This is effective when the two metaphors are in contrast and represent a dichotomy. However, when they are similar, it tends to give the reader a choice and, in that reasoning and pondering, readers tend to slip off the path and the story. It also gives the appearance that the author can't make up their mind and pushing a task off to the reader. Tsk Tsk. It can be effective, especially when expressing dichotomy, irony and comedy. It's also effective in dialog . . . sometimes. However, authors should evaluate usage and only retain when it works. If in doubt, cut one and run.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*epistolary* - a novel told entirely from letters. Recent examples are Alice Walker's _The Color Purple _ and Stephen King's _Dolores Claiborne_.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*fabulous * - the art of telling a fable or Ru Paul, whichever comes first.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*colori* - words and phrases that are added to shade a scene to a particular setting, literally _to add color_. So if it's about to rain and the work is set in Palermo, the tour guide could look up and use the Scicilian expression for it's about to rain. _Fra dopo poco gli santi pisceranno_, thus adding local color to the scene. One does not even need to translate. Colori could also be touches in dress or aromas, and the more sensual the more effective.

Ed Patterson


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## rndballref (Mar 29, 2009)

Expresshole:  

a reviewer who posts a drive-by negative review clearly without having read the book.

also, a shopper who gets in the express checkout line with a full basket of groceries.

Yale R. Jaffe
author, Advantage Disadvantage


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Yale:

That one has been added to my battery of author jargon. And here I was using another word altogether, one that I developed the last time I stubbed my toe.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*shared illumination*_ - This is the writing a scene by incorporating a minimal description of objects and persons, relying on the reader's experience to fill out the rest. For example, if I have a dining room with a chandelier, just the mention of chandelier should tap into the readers archive of imagery. By describing it a crystal, drives it further and perhaps the number of tiers, scopes it perfectly in the reader's eye. Of course, with just three elements, the author has created not one chandelier, but as many chandeliers as there are readers of the passage. Shared illumination engages a reader's mind and keeps them in the work. It also reminds authors that the reading experience is one on one. Now this is not an exoneration for detailed descriptions which are often needed in certain sequences and in some genres more often than others.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

ghosting - a trace of cut phrases lingering after a revision. Since good authoring means sculpting paragraphs so that sentences have a close interrelationship, when phrases, clauses and sentences are cut during revision, that structure is broken and in many cases leave evidence of the cut. This is a wonderful side effect to revision work, because it adds accidental depth to the paragraph, which readers can sense, almost like sub-text. Like ghosts, they are evident, but not actually there. It's spooky, but true. It also cannot be readily planned or implemented. It's like that errant splash on a watercolor that made the accidental difference between flat and boring and exciting and artistic.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*material overshoot* - Authors research, but when they insist on including their entire research in the work, instead of using it to suppose sound novel writing, it's called material overshoot. Details are importan - gun callibers, how things work and desciptions of murder weapons, but some authors overload a work with these details so that the reader might as well have gone to the original source materials. Details engage readers, but too much detail, esepcailly when overpowering and forced can sink a novel fast.

Ed Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *material overshoot* - Authors research, but when they insist on including their entire research in the work, instead of using it to suppose sound novel writing, it's called material overshoot. Details are importan - gun callibers, how things work and desciptions of murder weapons, but some authors overload a work with these details so that the reader might as well have gone to the original source materials. Details engage readers, but too much detail, esepcailly when overpowering and forced can sink a novel fast.
> 
> Ed Patterson


From what I understand, Ed, this is a problem that Tom Clancy has at times, which is one of the reasons why people often prefer his movies.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Actually, a number of authors have this issue (Dan brown, being another) and it isn't necessarily a fault. There a readers who thrive on the details. And details can certainly be providing in oodles without overshooting the material. It is in the imbalance that the problem occurs. Some genres (SciFi, crime and erotica ( ) attract readers who want all the details, down to the last . . . shell casing).

Ed Patterson


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## William Campbell (Feb 11, 2010)

My splendid editor, Sarah, wrote a book on this subject. Very handy having much of it in print. Every author should have one on their desk for quick reference. Great for casual reading as well, even though set up as a dictionary. Skimming a few pages is enough to refocus our attention on important aspects of writing fiction, useful when we get lost in the creative side and lose sight of the technical details that underpin good writing (happens to me often). Highly recommended.


The Editor's Lexicon: Essential Writing Terms for Novelists, by Sarah Cypher


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

William Campbell said:


> My splendid editor, Sarah, wrote a book on this subject. Very handy having much of it in print. Every author should have one on their desk for quick reference. Great for casual reading as well, even though set up as a dictionary. Skimming a few pages is enough to refocus our attention on important aspects of writing fiction, useful when we get lost in the creative side and lose sight of the technical details that underpin good writing (happens to me often). Highly recommended.
> 
> 
> The Editor's Lexicon: Essential Writing Terms for Novelists, by Sarah Cypher


Yep. I got something too. Now we just need to turn out that jargon here for our reader's benefit. 

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*alliterative phrase*_ - from the poetic form *alliteration*, a sentence that incorporates the same consonent into the stress words of a sentence. Sometimes the effect is comical (unitentionally), but sometimes memorable. We all know "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled-peppers," from our Mother Goose. Keen authors will use _*alliterative phrases * _ to accent a mood, where hard consonents create friction and soft ones, melodious flow. My favorite melodious alliterative phrase is from W. S. Gilbert: "Oh, weary wives who widowhood would win, rejoice that ye have time to weary in."

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*chiamus* - what I call Yoda speak. This is where two caluses are reversed for effect. So, You are a Jedi Knight, becomes A Jedi Knight, you are. It can be awkward when in dialog if the character doesn't normally speak that way. How it can be very effective in narrative to raise tension. Like all things in writing, if overused, or misplaced, it feels odd to the reader, and anything that feels odd to the reader, throws them out of the story (that is, disengages them).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*litote* - an understatement created by a double negative. i.e. _He was not unfriendly_. Double negatives are Miss Precious Pipkin's, the Grammarian's nightmare and sure to get you a D on the anal-retentive scale, but they are often used by authors and by people that come from Brooklyn (like me, where it is officially grammatical).  One might say, I'm pro-litote.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *litote* - an understatement created by a double negative. i.e. _He was not unfriendly_. Double negatives are Miss Precious Pipkin's, the Grammarian's nightmare and sure to get you a D on the anal-retentive scale, but they are often used by authors and by people that come from Brooklyn (like me, where it is officially grammatical).  One might say, I'm pro-litote.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Hmmm. . . .I'm not sure I read that usage as an understatement. To me, he was 'not unfriendly' means he was probably neutral, not that he was really very friendly. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding something.  I do agree that it's an unusual construction that infers something not outright stated. . . . .


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I was lazy this morning and used that example from a textbook. Let's see - extempor thought engine firing up: (misfire) so here's some examples from Wikipedia:

"Not bad." = "Good." 
"[&#8230;] no ordinary city." Acts 21:39 (NIV) = "[&#8230;] a very impressive city." 
"That [sword] was not useless / to the warrior now." (Beowulf) = "The sword was useful." 
"He was not unfamiliar with the works of Dickens." = "He was well acquainted with the works of Dickens." 
"She is not so unkind." = "She is kind." 
"The food was not undelicious." (Homer Simpson) = "The food was delicious!" (Lisa Simpson) 

Ed Patterspn


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I think it depends on context. . .the words around the unusual construction are going to hint as to the extremity of meaning.  

For instance, would you rather go to a restaurant that was "not too bad", or one that was "not too good".    Depending on who's talking to you, and their body language you might answer differently.  For instance there's "it wasn't too bad" (big smile two thumbs up).  That's very different than  "well, I guess it wasn't too bad" (wry face with rolling eyes).

The English language sure is weird.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

or we could have a *litote chiamus * - Too bad, was it not (Jedi Knight). 

What I love about words is the subtlety and nuance of phrasing, and the delivery into a reader's interpretation. Sometimes we plan it, while at other times, we don't.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Synoesthesia* - a phrase that uses one sense to describe another. Sometime it's ironic or even humorous. At other times it blend together in a duo-sense. Example (using a title section from my current WIP) "Hang them up and see what they say."

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Interior monologue * - the recorded thoughts of a character (and in this case, the POV character). These are sometimes, in first person mode, *stream-of-consciousness*.* Interior monologue * in third person limited POV is general set off in italics and tagged. _If he gives me another piece of jargon to remember_, she thought, _I'll scream_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*epiphany moment * - this is the point where a character is turned by a sudden flash of development - like Saul becoming Paul. In character driven novels, it is the turning point in the story. However, it doesn't need to come mid-point. It can be effective as a starting point, especially in short fiction.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*parenthetical clause* - sometimes known as


Spoiler



tits on a bull


. An interrupt phrase that acts as an aside to the main subject and is set off in parenthesis (). The same technique can be achieved by employing a *typographical em-dash * ( - ) which I've enclosed parenthetically . While the em-dash creates a pause, a breath and then a continuance, parathesis, although grammatically correct, generally disrupts the flow of a sentence for most readers.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*apotheosis scene * - technically, raising a subject to devine status, but in writing it is the construction of a scene so lofty that it becomes iconic and sacrosanct. Generally it's left to the last scene and is an act to hard to follow, unless you have a curtain call. A movie equivolent would be the last scene on *StarWars* in the great hall or The Hobbits being idolized at the coronation at Minas Tireth (a Jacksonian touch, but Tolkien nears that pitch with The Ride of the Rohirrim).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*falling action*, better known as *the denouement * - a point in the story where the protagonist manages the story action and the story's intricacies are resolved. Some authors leave us dangling without a *denoument*, but readers usually resolve it with their own *denouement*. They toss the book away (or delete it from their Kindles).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*episodic novel structure* - a loosely sewn series of events and scenes that need to coalesce into a whole in order to succeed. These are generally held together by a protagonist and central characters that hold the reader's sympathy throughout. Examples are _Don Quixote_, _Candide_ and most traditional Chinese novels - _Outlaws of the Marsh _ (_The Water Margin_).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*synecdoche* - using part of an entity to represent the entire entity. Useful in dialog, but in certain narative. Exmples are _my wheels _ for _my car_, _my windows _ for _my house_, my _medical degree _ for my doctor.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Zeugma* (pronouned zoygma) - the use of a single word to modify more than one objects, usually to create irony or humor. The classic Zeugma is Dickens. Mr. Pickwick took his hat and his leave.

Edwarfd C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Pastoral * - a novel exoling the life and ways of county living. (Shades of Martha Stewart - I don't think so. - That would be on how to wear orange as a fashion statement). 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Not fair! That was a clue on _Jeopardy! _last night!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

It was 6 am and even I run dry at that hour, and yes, I watch Jeopardy and did last night. BUT they never mentioned Martha Stewart.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*A Horse Opera* - a novel set in the wild, wild west.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*A Pirandello* - a technique which has the characters directly constructing the novel either with or without the author's help and directly appealing to the reader. After Luigi Pirandello's _Six Characters in Search of an Author_. In films, this is called *an audience wink*, where direct contact between the character and the audience is made, side-stepping a story. It can be a real story killer if not handled correctly, completely destroying suspended credibility. But it can also add brief and fleeting comedy at the right point. Who can forget Ferris Buehler? A recent example of *a Pirandello * in a major work is Stephen King's _Dark Tower _ series, when two major characters show up at King's house to retrieve a discarded manuscript which, if not completed, would end those characters' existence.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*A POV Fringe * - This is a word or phrase that legitimizes a clause that would otherwise violate point of view (POV). For example, in a 3rd person limited POV, where Mary is the POV, _Martin thought the sun was bright_, is *fringed* to fit POV: _Martin *probably * thought the sun was bright, *so squinted*_. OR _Martin thought the sun was bright, *no doubt, so he squinted.*

Edward C. Patterson_


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Or, you could just say, "Martin squinted in the bright sunlight".  Or leave out the 'bright' if Mary doesn't think it's so. . . . . .


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

True, but POV fringing is usually done in revision to preserve a rythmic flow or paragraph integrity. Some editors would call it a _private laziness_, however when done for the right reason, it's a thing of beauty. Readers are generally thrown out of a story when POV is violated, but a violation can catch them at that point and keep them on the stream of consciousness with a POV fringe word or phrase.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*The split infinitive * - an American grammatical error common enough, because it colloquially scans. This is where the root verb form (_to be, to see, to fall_), has an additional word, mostly and adverb between the _to_ and _the verb_. ie. _to finely see, to gloriously rule_. Although it is probably good to follow this rule because American editors and reviewers will have kittens, the truth is, it was an acceptable form of speech in England, especially among the Victorian writers. I have seen cases where a split infinite has driven a reviewer to a psychotic railing at an author, consigning the word to the fifth circle of hell. Still, _der rules are der rules_, even if it is some American school marm's concoction.  Stylewise, using the adverb is more pernicious.   Better to split a nail than to sow a pernicious adverb.

Edward C. Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

One of these days I am going to have to print this whole thread...


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

David McAfee said:


> One of these days I am going to have to print this whole thread...


One of these days I'm going to have to publish this whole thread. 

Ed Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> One of these days I'm going to have to publish this whole thread.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Why not today? Get off yer lazy bum, Ed, and get pubbin'!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Yeah. . . .that Ed. . . . .he never publishes anything. . . . . . .


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

*Magic Realism:* A sort of surrealism that blends magic with a realistic setting, often without rational explanation given as to the cause. An example of this is "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

*Surrealism:* In literature, this is often a description of a story which maintains a realistic setting, but carries with it an underlying sense of something being "not quite right" in some way, shape, or form. An example of this is the story "The Trial" by Franz Kafka, in which the protagonist is pursued by the police for being guilty of a crime, but is not told what crime he is guilty of, despite repeated attempts to try to learn his crime.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

David McAfee said:


> Why not today? Get off yer lazy bum, Ed, and get pubbin'!


"I would if I could, but I am not able," (to rhyme with Mad\bel

-- The Pirates of Penzance, Frederick
WS Gilbert

I'm working overtime at the day job for the next 2 months, a serious crimp in my time, which means 3 or 4 hours of sleep until the end of July. Yawn.

Ooops the boos is coming, closing screen.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*Jargon*_ -  The specialized language of a professional, occupational, or other group, often meaningless to others.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

What?  What are you talking about?  I can't understand a word you're saying.


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## A_J_Lath (Jun 6, 2010)

*Metafiction* or *metafic*: essentially, a work of fiction within a work of fiction which is either central or very important to the story, such as the 'Misery' novels in Stephen King's 'Misery', the 'Black Freighter' comic in 'Watchmen', 'The Grasshopper Lies Heavy' in Philip K Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle', and - my favourite - Hugo Rune's 'Book of Ultimate Truths' in Robert Rankin's 'Book of Ultimate Truths'. Does indeed make me larf.

In order to be considered a 'proper' metafictional work, the fictional work of fiction itself (!) must be supplied with enough details/excerpts to give the impression that it could be a standalone work in itself.

Hope that makes sense...


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> What? What are you talking about? I can't understand a word you're saying.


Surrener. It is useless to resist.

Klingon - StarTrek Jargon (or a SciFi laundry softener)



ecp


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Dramatic Irony* - When the author makes the reader privy to information, situations and events while keep the characters in the dark. It heightens the sense of drama through anticipation by make the reader _a voyeur_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Has anyone covered foreshadowing yet?


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

David McAfee said:


> Has anyone covered foreshadowing yet?


Nope. Go gor it.

Ed P


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## Vyrl (Jun 7, 2010)

*Contagonist* A character that, through the course of the story, acts and is otherwise portrayed as an antagonist; yet, by the end of the story, somehow ends up aiding the protagonist. _Examples: Gollum (Lord of the Rings), Snape (Harry Potter)_


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Cosmic irony* - the portrayl of fate, destiny or the Universe as being indifferent or hostile to humankind. The classic example are many of Thomas Hardy's novels.

Edward C. Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

From Wikipedia:

*Foreshadowing* is a literary technique used by many different authors to provide clues for the reader to be able to predict what might occur later on in the story. It is a literary device in which an author drops hints about the plot and what may come in the near future. It suggests certain plot developments will come later in the story. It gives hints about whats going to happen next in your story.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Pathetic fallacy* - assigning a human attribute to a inanimate object. ie. the singing wind, the weeping trees, a compassionate banana (I'd like to see that one in a sentence). 

Edward C. Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *Pathetic fallacy* - assigning a human attribute to a inanimate object. ie. the sining wind, the weeping trees, a compassionate banana (I'd like to see that one in a sentence).
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


The compassionate banana wept as he heard the screams of his freind, who was being skinned alive in front of his eyes by a hungry fourth grader.


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## A_J_Lath (Jun 6, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> The compassionate banana wept as he heard the screams of his freind, who was being skinned alive in front of his eyes by a hungry fourth grader.


The compassionate banana realised then that he had made a hell of a slip-up.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

That reminds me of Stephen King's simple (but not so simple) example for a simple clause. "Plums deify."

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*View restricting * (now called *camcording*) - writing in first person present tense severely restricting the point of view so that the reader can only see what the narrator sees and experiences it as it is happening. A difficult mode to sustain for both reader and writer, however it has been done (witness Stephanie Myers' hot Vampire series . . . what's it called?) Some authors employ it as a disruptive change (in the Dark Tower series it is used, and King writes most of _The Talisman _ in this mode). Its most effective use is for short stretches of intense action or suspense, otherwise it exhausts the reader, or it goes limp (shades of _The Blair Witch_).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*onomatopoeia * _ - the assignment of sound to replace description sometimes to add a sound track to writing, sometimes humor. It sometimes adds tension, especially when timepieces are involved (_tick tock_). It's most effective when invoked in repeated places in a novel, where carries a wealth of already seeded attributes. For example (and I'll use one of my own), _Clang Clang _ represents a San Francisco Cable car. It's imbued with an entire Cable Car ride forming a duo with the conductor yelling street names, so when, a thousand of pages later, when a chapter opens - _Lombard Street. Clang Clang_, the reader is immediately transported to the original setting without effort or need to repeat the setting. This is similar to the Chinese language form called _carrier words_, those that visually have attributes that add sound and meaning otherwise lost when not expressed.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*measure* - the length of a single line of text. The measure dictates legibility and choice of point size, because the human eye can easily get lost when transitioning from one line to another. This standard depends on space between lines (leading), paragraph justification (raggged right or left justified is more legible, although less traditional) and whether you're printing in American or Euopean standard type faces (in Europe the standard is san-serif, while in American the more legible serif fonts faces are used). Measure length can kill a book and be more disturbing to a reader than a misspelled word and author's who publish can disengage a reader even with the highest quality material by chosing the wrong point size and measure.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*the slush pile*_ - the stack of manuscripts usually found under an Acquisition Editor's desk after given a cursory scan and rejected. They usually linger there for months to give the appearance of serious consideration and, once in an atomic moon, one might be retrieved and given a more earnest read. These slush piles are less now as Acquisition Editors become a dying breed, a distant memory of a system in its swan song.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*emblem * - word or object that contains symbolic meaning and is usually brought forward to support the theme. Example from that most emblematic of works, _Lord of the Flies _ - Ralph's hair (which covers his eyes) = the inability to see clearly, as a contract to Piggy's specs.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*dystopian novel* - a work set in a futuristic work that proports to be Utopian, but is indeed deeply flawed. A famous example is Philip Dick's _Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep _ (_Blade Runner_).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*eclogue* - a poetic exchange between two shepherds. I have never used this form, and probably never will. Not to be confused with an *eclair*, a device I make frequent use of when I run out of Veronas and Milano cookies. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*literary novel* - a novel that does not attempt to tell a story, but might (quite accidentally). However, the term is applied by different schools at different times as a snub to novels that _do _ purposely tell a story (genre novels). Unfortunately, because of this, the term has become meaningless in discussion and is now viewed as a conservative crutch for the writing elite.

Edward C. Patterson


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## donna callea (Dec 25, 2009)

I posted the following on the What is Literary Fiction Thread.
Hope no one minds if I add it here:

Oooh, that's a harsh definition of literary fiction, Ed.

Amazon has a Literary Fiction Community and its top books include some really enjoyable, fun reads with plots and everything-- like Water for Elephants and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, plus some books by fellow indie authors and posters, e.g. Helen Smith's  Alison Wonderland (which is No. 6).

I don't think it's fair to disparage novels that are considered literary (by their authors or others) just because the term has snobbish connotations.

I wouldn't mind if readers considered my books to be literary fiction.  I'd take it as a compliment.  Of course, what we all want is for folks to buy and read our books however they're classified.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

donna callea said:


> I posted the following on the What is Literary Fiction Thread.
> Hope no one minds if I add it here:
> 
> Oooh, that's a harsh definition of literary fiction, Ed.
> ...


and I answered it:

"Actually, it's the other way around. Book like _Water for Elephants _ may be embraced as literary, but it's just a great book (and will make a great film with Edward and Colonel Lander starring in it), but it's no more literary than _World Without End _ or _Gone With the Wind_. Such star-chamber turned their nose up at _Lord of the Rings _ and were shocked when it was voted by the public as the most read book of the 20th century after the Bible and the London phone directory. I post in the Literary Fiction Community too, because I author fiction and the L word is just a label."

We'll agree to disagree.

ECP


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## donna callea (Dec 25, 2009)

Yep, they're all just labels.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*third person omniscient* = a Point of View (POV) rarely used today, but popular during the 19th century, where the author head hops from character to character. It can be disorienting to the reader and is mostly used with true master's of their craft, and in abstract novels or passages.

Edward C. Patterson


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## MorganMandel (Feb 15, 2010)

In Media Res - That's me- I've come onboard Kindle Boards in the middle of the action!

Seriously, how do you get all your covers on your posts? Do you have to do it each time, or can you somehow do it in your profile? I only saw one spot for loading a pic.

Also, I saw one member who has a profile pic that changes back and forth between covers. I wonder how that happens. 

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel, Kindle Board Newbie
Shame on me, since I have 3 books out on kindle!


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## A_J_Lath (Jun 6, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *literary novel* - a novel that does not attempt to tell a story, but might (quite accidentally). However, the term is applied by different schools at different times as a snub to novels that _do _ purposely tell a story (genre novels). Unfortunately, because of this, the term has become meaningless in discussion and is now viewed as a conservative crutch for the writing elite.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


:nodsinagreement: as Stephen King said (not verbatim) - what's wrong with just telling a story?


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Stock character * - a repeated characterization across the entire literary tradition. Examples are the precocious child, the witty waiter, or the femme fatale. When a stock characterization becomes central to a work, it is usually referred to as an *archtype*.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*ambivalent point of view * - this is a _false start point of view _ weakly presented at the beginning of a chapter where a character, usually already situated, is the point of view. However, when the scene gets going, another character is declared the point of view. This is effective when the author wishes to combine mood with atmosphere by allowing another character to reflect on it before the anchoring the scene in an active POV.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*free indirect discourse* - when the author narrates a character's point of view, most frequently as postulated thought. i.e _Rutabaga Jones often thought that Victor was a vagabond and sometimes expressed it in public._

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*epiphany * - a sudden realization by a character of a life changing nature usually occuring in an otherwise mundane moment. _Eureka_, the Greeks say! (only not like Yoda). In traditional melodrama, it's the _Ah Ha _ moment.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*comic relief* - a character or situation design to lighten the mood. Sometimes the contrasts between the comic, romantic and tragic elements form an indelible stamp on a work, but since comedy is always more difficult to bring off than the other two modes, it takes a keen sense of timing and pace.

Edward C. Patterson

PS: Ann - yes, I watched Jeopardy last night


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*scene leveling* - a revision technique where similar elements and scenes are removed, heightening the untouched, remaining material.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*fragments and fragmentation* - a phrase not containing a verb. In business and non-fiction writing, a grammatical error and not to be encourage. In creative and fiction writing, a device and to be encouraged. Too much fragmentation sacrifices legibility. The absence of fragmentation yield loose writing (flat writing). Unfortunately, some readers (the ones with grammar pencils tucked in their ears, fault an author for the use of fragmentation and announce that they found many grammatical errors). Pity. (to use a fragment).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*motif * _ - a repeating element such as a structure, action, setting or motivation that lends the work thematic anchorage. For example, a novel with interior scenes, mostly of a Victorian type provides an overall claustrophobib or a decorous mood, which can be tapped into a theme, perhaps restriction or meticulousness.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*novel of manners * - a work of fiction focusing on the culture of a specific group or class of people to either expose or extol them. Jane Austen is the best example of taking a microscope to the society and culture of her times.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*flat writing* - stretches of writing that are grammatically correct, but sag beneath the weight of common usage. Inspiration flags and repetition in words and structure are evident. Creativity has left the page and flat stretches usually betray an author's disinterest. Such writing will not sustain a reader and should be cut or recrafted.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*chivalric romance * - a romance set in medieval times centered on knights and the code of chivalry.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*fact shifting* - a technique where facts or events are restated within the work, but altered to redirect the reader to simple or simpler conclusions. One of the sleight of hand (in this case, words), used to spring a surprise on an unwary reader. It's important to craft these shifts so the reader is carried along by it and the author isn't tried and imprisoned for continuity issues.

Edward C. Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *fact shifting* - a technique where facts or events are restated within the work, but altered to redirect the reader to simple or simpler conclusions. One of the sleight of hand (in this case, words), used to spring a surprise on an unwary reader. It's important to craft these shifts so the reader is carried along by it and the author isn't tried and imprisoned for continuity issues.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


Can you give an example?


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Off the top of my head, the film The Sixth Sense is an example where the script focuses the viewer (in this case) along distorted and assumed facts and catches us in the last scene. 

Ed Patterson


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Off the top of my head, the film The Sixth Sense is an example where the script focuses the viewer (in this case) along distorted and assumed facts and catches us in the last scene.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Ah, gotcha. Thanks!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*bastardizing* - the creation of new and handy words from old, tired ones.  ie. *biblioaccoustical* - the muffled sound of a library. OR *paleoadministritive* (pronounced *PA*leoadmi*NIS*tratrive) - an old school work ethic. That's just a few of mine. I create a few a week, but every author has bastardized if they 1) are creative and 2) if they want to


Spoiler



piss-off


 the *grammaticalstrophic* and the *schoolmarmalades*. (That last one is a double bastardized word, because _malade _ is French for illness or malady and _marm_ is slang for _madame_, and _malady_ is a half-rhyme for _me lady _ which is slang for _my lady_). There is art and craft in madness. (_Bedlamology_).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*progressive action construction* - a sentence form using _,and then _ to create a short timeframe sequence of actions that would be otherwise simultaneous or illogical (and sometimes physcially impossible). ie. _Willis turned, and then pointed_, as opposed to _Willis turned and pointed_ or _Willis turned, then pointed_. While some stylists prefer the sudden break, the *progressive action construction*, like the dialog tag _said_, falls into the background, while still allowing the reader to walk across a secure construction.

Edward C. Patterson


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## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

One of my favorites, from a short story rejection letter I received a few months ago:

*Shaggy Dog Story* - A story that emphasizes a certain aspect of a character or situation, and plays up that characteristic for the length of the narrative, only to reveal at the end that the original emphasis was off base due to circumstance. Usually used for comedic purposes.

For example: Tom was an extremely smart man. He won every contest he entered in town, and walked around with the pride of knowing he was smarter than everyone else. Then, Tom applied for a scholarship, and the approval committee took one look at his application and said, "This guy isn't so smart."


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Three Act Structure* - a common (the most common) architechure for structuring a novel, in 3 Act - I - Exposition II - Development III - Resolution. Each Act has its particular requirements, expecially when it comes to pacing, and also avoidances. i.e. never introduce a new main character in Act III, unless they are prefigured.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*satire* - works that hold follie, vices and shortcomings of people and society up to ridicule sometimes with an aim at reform, but always with an aim to entertain. Some satires are carefully designed t be so, e.i. _Gulliver's Travels_, while others manage it after the fact, i.e. _Through the Looking Glass_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sequel (or sequeling)* - a scene following an action scene or major event scene that allows the characters to react to the circumstances. Sequeling is critical to character development and plot avoidance. The word has been misappropriated to mean a second or next book (or film) in a series.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*colophon* - information about the current edition of a book, usually printed on the reverse of the title page (now mundanely referred to as the copyright information). In the golden days of printing, colophons were elaborate etching with vellum protected trimmed companion pages and appeared at the end of the book.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Objective view* - A narrating point of view where the author only describes character action and never drifts into the character throught, the reader needing to deducd character develpment by exterior action only. The most famous example is Ernest Hemmingway's writing style, who was said to pioneer it, although the Chinese _Yuan_ novelists of the 14th Century employed the technique freely.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*global vocabulary* - the use of a defined set of words within a novel or novel series (short fiction too). If the book is nautical, the choice is nautical terms (masts, waves, albatrosses) or if it's a crime thriller, the choices would be be police jargon (perp, snitch, blatter). Keeping a defined set of vocaulary for any given work helps weave the novel into a tight entity. In fine arts, if you can turn a painting upside down and the images still adhere to the canvas, the painting succeeds. Well, *global vocabulary * helps in the weave and the work doesn't slide off the shelf when you turn it upside down. (Of course, if you're reading on a Kindle DX and it's not locked, upside down follows you like the clown's eyes).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*a novel* - a work of fiction of a minimum of 50,000 words (a western standard). The western novel emerged in the 17th Century - a new thing - thus a novel - and in its modern form from the early 19th Century. The form, however, had already been popular in Asia, appearing among the literati in Yuan and Ming China (1279 onward) and in Fujiwara Japan. In the west, novels have developed into a host of different genres and formats, many of which have been discussed and will continue to be discussed in this thread.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*a foil* - a character designed to illluminate another character's strengths or faults by contrast.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*triplicating* - a clause or objective series in which the last member is either ironic or a pun. ie. She wahsed her face, her hands and that man right out of her hair.

Edward C. Patterson


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## MachineTrooper (Jun 22, 2010)

Wow--some fantastic info on this thread.

Unless somebody else did already and I missed it, my contribution is *Moustache-Twirling*: grandiose dialog (or monologues, to be accurate) by the villain, shamelessly boasting about his own evil, in a manner which suggests he knows darn well that he is the bad guy, and dead wrong...even by his own standards...but is proud of it. The term comes from silent-era films and particularly the _Perils of Pauline_ serial in which the iconic black top-hatted villain, after tying Pauline to the railroad tracks (or whatever), would watch the freight train bearing down on her with a euphoric smile, gleefully twisting his pencil-thin moustache.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Assonance* - Vowel repition in a sentence to create a specific tone.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*meiosis* - an intentional understatement, especially using litotes or double negatives, i.e. It was not an uncommon practice to bind feet. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*perepeteia* - The point in a novel where the protagonist experiences a change of fortune - from good to bad, from bad to good and all degrees between.

Edward C. Patterson


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## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

*portmanteau* - a word created by combining two different words into one. An example that isn't really an example but I wish was is "detergent", which in my mind breaks down into "deterring agent".


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*talking head syndrome* - giving one character long stretches of dialog without interrupts (and readers long stretches to nap). Long is also subjective. Sometimes its only a paragraph. This leads to flat writing and white noise in the background. To correct this, most editor suggest introducing a relatively simple action line. i.e. he sipped his coffee and then continued. Or a descriptive. A hawk cawed in the distant forest. Or, duh, making it an actual dialog rather than a monolog. When the talking head dissolves into the narrator, then other techniques become necessary, such as changing POV, italics instead of quotes, etc.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*tautological reference* - saying the same thing twice in different words. Some would call this redundancy, but tautology generally is an underlining of meaning for stress.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*unreliable narration* - a technique of delivering narration from an unreliable source, which often setsd the reader up with red herrings and a surprise ending.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*cliche extrapolation* - taking a cliche and changing it to a variant, thereby achieving a cultural half-degree from the original and engaging the reader in the same instance (killing two Condors with the same boulder). IE. (from one of my own works, pertaining to Chinese officials) They waited to see which way the kite tail fluttered. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*pronomial referential rule* - Many grmmar rules exist to be broken. However, the pronomial referential rule is broken at an author's peril. This states that a pronoun always refers to the last noun stated in a paragraph. If ignored, it creates an ambigious mess. Yet to balance it, the alternative of using a character's name incesssantly weighs a paragraph down. Readers are lost by one and hate the other. Therefore, most authors create nicknames, titles and other reference IDs for individual characters so when resetting the pronoun to follow the rule the reader isn't bogged down with nominal anchorage.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Linda S. Prather Author (Jun 25, 2010)

Word repetition - he said, she said, finally, stared, -- 

Sentence beginnings - After, The--One of my very first tries at reading an ebook I noticed every sentence started with The or After--literally drove me crazy. And then there was the case of the "ed" ending words.  By the time I finished the first page I felt as if I had been "stomped".

Semantics - Ever run across a word that sounds right in reading, but something in the back of your mind tells you--that's not right.  Invoke and Evoke are two of the most commonly misused words I've found.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Linda S. Prather Author said:


> Word repetition - he said, she said, finally, stared, --
> 
> Sentence beginnings - After, The--One of my very first tries at reading an ebook I noticed every sentence started with The or After--literally drove me crazy. And then there was the case of the "ed" ending words. By the time I finished the first page I felt as if I had been "stomped".
> 
> Semantics - Ever run across a word that sounds right in reading, but something in the back of your mind tells you--that's not right. Invoke and Evoke are two of the most commonly misused words I've found.


The last one is usually called a *malapropism*. BTW, for the dialog tag, _he said, she said_, although a change up is good, the _said _ word becomes white noise punctuation if handled correctly.  Better a _he said/she said _ than a _he twitched/she spouted _ or (God forbid) a Switfty (discussed elsewhere above). _The _ THE and AFTER business just points to a lack of a final revision, where most of these sentences are transmuted into clauses.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*active and passive possessive* - possessives come in two forms, the *active*, where the object modifies the subject and the *passive*, where the object follows the subject. IE. *passive*: _the vision of the hills_. *active*: _the hill's vision_. This is a device where the *passive * can actually be more actively rhythmic than the *active * form. And, as in the example given, the meaning can shift entirely or become ambiguous in the active.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*foreshadowing* - a device to hint at coming events, usually taking the form of premonitions or dreams.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Luna Lindsey (Jul 5, 2010)

Fantastic thread! I loved reading new takes on things I already know about and learning a lot of terms.

Another take on foreshadowing: it is a requirement when a plot device or prop is used that the prop/plot device must have been revealed at some former time.

For example, if the astronaut pulls out a ray gun and kills the alien, we must know that the astronaut has had a ray gun all along. Anything short of this may seem a bit deus ex machina. Or if the protagonist is suddenly having his horse repossessed when we didn't know he owned a horse or was behind on his horse payments.

Here are a few more:

*Retcon* aka _Retroactive Continuity_ - Altering the previously established facts of an existing work or series of fiction. Mechanisms for doing this include time travel, "it was all a dream", or, in the worst case, from simply ignoring the fact that previous material exists.

This is typically done as a matter of convenience or due to a lack of planning, and thus it is done very poorly. It often leaves the reader doubting the reliability of the author. A perfect example of this is the TV show Heroes, which at some point became a continuous stream of retcons. "Well, it didn't really happen that way, it actually happened this way."

In contrast, an example of where this was done brilliantly is the new Star Trek movie.

*Dream Sequence* aka _But it was all just a dream..._ - A short sequence within a larger body of work that describes a dream the POV character is having. Sometimes the reader knows this is a dream, and other times the reader is jolted or surprised to learn that "it was all just a dream".

Great care must be used with dream sequences, as they can be gimmicky, especially in the case where the reader is unaware it is a dream. A writer should avoid gratuitous dream sequences. An example of its over-use would be in the TV show True Blood, where many "OMG!" moments turn out to merely be dreams. (I'm not sure if the base-novels, "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" (ab)use the same mechanic because I haven't read them.)

Dream sequences can be effective means of developing character, helping a character resolve problems, or revealing the psychology of a character.

*Free writing* - A exercise employed by writers. The writer typically sets a timer, and then begins writing non-stop until the timer ends. No censorship is to be given for grammar, spelling, topic, tone, or any other criteria. The goal is to write as much as possible, without stopping.

There are variations on this, such as a focused free write on a given topic.

Free writing is useful for a number of things: Ending writer's block, brainstorming, overcoming overly harsh self-judgment (see "ending writer's block), exercising the brain's writing muscles, and lubricating the brain's writing juices.

I have a lot more, but this is getting long, so just one more:

*Shaggy Dog Story* aka _*Feghoot*_ - Ok, I know this one has already been discussed, but I wanted to present the Shaggy Dog variant I was reared with (with which I was reared). It is *the best* variant ever, and everyone agrees no other variant even comes close. One day this variant entered a shaggy dog contest... ok just kidding. Let me do-over by jumping in my time machine (retcon).

A Shaggy Dog Story of this type, also known as a feghoot, is an overly-long long story with an absurd pun punchline. This is typically more than a one-word pun, like a pun of an entire phrase or cliche.

One famous story, featuring a shaggy dog, dramatizes these plot elements: A knight on a quest one rainy night has lost his horse and stops at an inn. He asks the inn keeper if he has a horse, a pony, an old mule, anything to help him ride on and finish his quest. (You can see how this can be made quite lengthy.) At last the knight notices a very large shaggy dog sleeping by the fire, and he begs the innkeeper (at length) to let him buy the dog to ride. The innkeeper goes on about what a bad dog he is, and finally says, "I wouldn't send a knight out on a dog like this".

My dad carried about 30 of these in his brain, and for this reason, feghoots probably count as "Dad Jokes" (see Dad Joke).


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Wonderful, Luna and today I'm taking a vacation from posting something here (other than this). Although it does get my brain going every morning as I sit in front on the blank screen and scour for another piece of jargon. Somehow something always comes — that is to say, our craft is a complex one. For those of us (like me) who work without an outline and carry these unformed tomes around in our heads all day, it sometimes makes me wonder why we've not gone barking mad. Perhaps we have. I mean there's a new thread here, which I've nicknamed Bedlam.   (THE ONE IN ALL CAPS)

Thanks again for the contribution and keep 'em coming.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*lyrical passage* - a phrase, clause or sentence (even a paragraph), where the shaping of words paints an image that bypasses the mind and go directly to the heart. Usually, a lyrical passage will stop the reader (hopefully in a good way) and still keep them in the story. They stop, reflect and smile (and perhaps sigh). However, authors who use these frequently can manage to toss their readers off the path, and for the less lyrical-minded reader, run the risk of putting the reader to sleep (a nice sleep, but sleep nonetheless). This device relates directly to the admonition to KILL YOUR DARLINGS. Such phrases can point more to the author as opposed to the novel, something that is to be avoided at all cost, except when you're dead and buried and become an assignment in Mrs. Mimsy McMaster's English Literature class.

Edward C. Patterson


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## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

Wow, Edward, that wasn't much of a break...


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## Luna Lindsey (Jul 5, 2010)

*Dead words* - Words that are too frequently used or that add no value to your descriptions or narrative. These are words that can easily be replaced with a more descriptive word, or they may be warning signs that a sentence is written in passive voice.

Example dead words: was, got/get, have to, said, like, very, then, good, awesome, big, little, and really.

You can find more lists on the internet, but they are geared towards grade school children. I've seen better lists in books on writing, but I don't remember which books. 

I'm actually happy (elated?) when I find dead words in my editing. I gives me an opportunity to make a passage that much better with the simple application of a few more brain cells -- barring that, a thesaurus.

My favorite dead word to kill is "was". How can you kill something that's already dead? By making it more alive. No, not like a zombie. Like this:

Example: "The leaf was wet." 'Was' kills this whole sentence. It's so boring!

Better: "Rainwater dripped from the leaf" or "The sun shimmered in the drops that had collected on the leaf." Much more action-oriented and visual.

Example 2: "A man was in the room." Very factual.

Better: "A man lurked in the room" or "A man rested in the room". I've only changed one word in this example. Note how this gives us a mood and provides us with imagery about the position or character of the man, a feat 'was' is incapable of accomplishing.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*appositional clause * - a clause immediately following a noun modifying it and set off by commas. IE. Madeleine Pugh, *not to be confused with Maggie Pew*, ate figs on the water margin. Usually one appositional clause to a sentence will do unless the author issues a Geiger counter to the reader.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Luna Lindsey (Jul 5, 2010)

*Query Letter* - A letter written by writers attempting to market their work to editors. It is designed to capture the attention of a busy editor, describe the subject of the story, demonstrate the author's writing abilities, and give a history of credentials.

If marketing a short story, the query letter is more of a cover letter, since the story itself will be attached.

If marketing a book-length piece, it should be accompanied by a synopsis (outline) and a couple of sample chapters. (The book is not expected to be fully written at this point, though sometimes it is.)

If marketing article-length non-fiction, the query letter is usually a proposal to write an article on a specific topic. Often the article has not yet been written, and therefore should not be included with the letter. If the periodical accepts the proposal, they will include their specifications for the finished piece (length, tone, focus, etc.)

*Rejection Letter* - The necessary followup to a query letter. Most replies to queries are rejections. Even if an editor likes the author's work, it is often too long, too short, not the right season, they already have too many stories like that, they just published a piece on the same subject last month, they never publish pieces on that subject, etc. Most rejection letters are impersonal form letters. Precious few include comments from the editor.

*Rejection* - Writers are encouraged to not take rejection seriously, and it's probably the best single skill a writer can learn. Even in the world of self-publishing, you must learn to take constructive criticism from writers groups, family members, and anyone else you show the story to. No one is born a perfect writer, so if you want to write well, you must ask other people to edit your stories, and you must take that criticism well.

Then after publishing, instead of trying to sell to one reader (the editor), you are now selling yourself and your story to every single reader. Self-publishers avoid rejection letters, but do not avoid rejection.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Luna Lindsey said:


> *Query Letter* - A letter written by writers attempting to market their work to editors. It is designed to capture the attention of a busy editor, describe the subject of the story, demonstrate the author's writing abilities, and give a history of credentials.
> 
> If marketing a short story, the query letter is more of a cover letter, since the story itself will be attached.
> 
> ...


I have no experience whatsoever with any of these.  Maybe the queer letter.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*naturalism * - a moverment of the late 19th Century of author who depicted realistic and current issue as social commentary. The movement was led by such luminaries as Zola, Breisser and Crane.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sentence sculpting* - the art of creating (as opposed to writing) szentences that impart both information and imagery, to which a reader's imagination adds a 3rd dimension. The vocabulary used draws on the works universal glossary and sews each sentence deeply into the novel's weave.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*voicing * - the art of inculcating a character's voice in the narrative. This works best with the protagonist, but when applied to any POV better bonds the reader with the character. The author picks up the style, tone and vocabulary of the character, echoing words and repeating phrases. This works best when the author is writing in 3rd person limited. If the narrator is a specific character or had a particular 1st person voice already, voicing is more difficult - but it can be done with subtle skill.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*The crumble* - a point in the novel when the story strands are many and far flung and an author realized that they will never be able to resolve them all. A seminal example of the *crumble * is from Stephen King, who confides that when he reached *the crumble * in _*The Stand*_, he


Spoiler



resolved it by blowing everyone up and letting the strands die naturally (or unnaturally)


. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

serialized novel - a novel that appears in installments weekly or monthly in a periodical (either print or electronically). In the 19th century, this distribution form was popular and helped gauge marketing, but it also effected the course of the writing as sagging sales caused the author to "step it up." Serialized novels also tend to retain their episodic nature when published under one cover and sometimes need revisions to accommodate the altered distribution method. This method of publishing has not been popular with publishers or the public in the late 20th and 21st century, however, still persists in tabloids and magazines. On successful serial novel is _*The Green Mile * _ by Stephen King, who needed to revise it for singular publication.

Edward C. Patterson
"As the World Turns"

PS: My novel _*The Jade Owl * _ started life as an online serialized work at anotherchapter.com. It needed 8 revisions to get it under one cover.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*YA* - A very popular genre (Young Adult) which has changed over the years to include more mature subject matter, usually attra cting ages 13-17 and is generally regarded as Parent approved.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Tolkienesque* - works (particularly fantasy) that follow J. R. R. Tolkien's theory of a one-degree off reality to create fantasy and a juxtaposition of anachronistic cultures and civilization to create a sense of time travel.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Digest* - A modified version of a novel, revised to be shorter for reader's that prefer shorter reads. These truncated versions of books were made famous by Reader's Digest magazines and book releases. Many prefer them - most don't.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

[thinking] How in the world would you 'digest' Ed's books. . . . . . .[/thinking]


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> [thinking] How in the world would you 'digest' Ed's books. . . . . . .[/thinking]


With a fine Chianti, Clari 

Ed Patterson
skip the fava beans


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*epistolary* - a novel consisting of correspondence - the parts forming the whole. On the whole, a difficult format to bring off. However, there are several outstanding epistolary novels. IE _*Dolores Claiborne * _ - Stephen King and _*The Color Purple * _ - Alice Walker.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*voice precedence* - a structure which begins a chapter or section with a short, catchy line of dialog (tagged or untagged), that reveals character and situation. This is followed by a paragraph of narrative or description (preferably short) bringing the reader into scenic focus. Then the dialogue continues. Sometimes called the _dialogue hook_, it is the voice version if _In Media Res_. I sometimes call it a _dialogue sandwich_. *Voice precedence * jump starts readers into a chapter and reduces wordage which easing them in would require.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*trope * - extgending word meaning by comparison (your common garden variety simile, metaphor and metonymy are examples - or if your crreative the not-so common garden variety).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*spell check* - The first line of defense to keep an editor's daily life humming and singing without anxiety and nightmares.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*split infinitives * - the intrusion of a word between a verb and its basal preposition stranding both. IE: Robert forbid the prince his right *to even rule*. The infinitive is *to rule*, and *even * is the nasty interloper.  In fact, splitting infinitives is an American school marm paranoia and a phenomena of the 20th century. Most of the masters split infinitives regularly and legally. Its enscouncement as a rule of grammar is serendipitous. However, I recently read a tirade by a reviewer who deemed an author's entire body of work worthless because of *split infinitives*. I guess the real purpose of the rule is _*to fancifully keep * _ reviewers in business.   However, in the current climate of global warming, most authors will change *split infinitives * when nudged by their grammar checker to spare themselves the rod.

Edward C. to Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*decontraction* - A devive used to heighten tension by repeating a contracted sentence, uncontracted for emphasis. IE. _*With the invisibility cloak snapped on, he couldn't be seen. He could not be seen. * _ This is effective in action sequences, where metaphors and similes are curtailed and imagery should hug the verbs. The repetition and decontraction serves as a glottal stop and is meant to derail the reader at full speed.

Edward C. Patterson


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## RJ Keller (Mar 9, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *decontraction* - A devive used to heighten tension by repeating a contracted sentence, uncontracted for emphasis. IE. _*With the invisibility cloak snapped on, he couldn't be seen. He could not be seen. * _ This is effective in action sequences, where metaphors and similes are curtailed and imagery should hug the verbs. The repetition and decontraction serves as a glottal stop and is meant to derail the reader at full speed.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I love using that one.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*poetic device conversion* - this is a funny little device used to convert a poetic device into a prose one using a passive clause, thereby emphasizing the image and grounded it. IE: The _animals migrated like a parade; and it was a parade, with trumpeting trunks and zebra floats._ The conversion from a metaphor _parade _ to a passive object _parade _ underscores and temporizes it.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*A Walk-through Chapter* - a chapter devoted entirely with setting a stage, a grand foreshadowing of sorts. It generally precedes another chapter (sometimes by a few chapters) and places objects in a scene that are important for the upcoming scene. This allows the future scene to concentrate on the action and not positioning of objects used. It is generally tied to a particular character (thus a walk-through) and allows for character development and internal sequeling since the action is rarely forwarded in a *Walk-through Chapter*. However, without it, complicated action sequences involving many objects and characters just wouldn't work.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*anatomical implausibility* - known sometimes as *acquisition editor nightmare*. This is a clause which has body parts doing things that the author did not intend, although all authors do it. IE. _He cast his eye on the floor. She threw her arms in the air. Mr. Boobie's jaw dropped. _ Unless the author truly is writing in the horror genre and means to clutter the scene with eye balls, jaws and arms (although we all can use and get away with a flipped finger), these expressions, unless used in dialog, can provoke unintentional humor. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Luna Lindsey (Jul 5, 2010)

Winston Churchill once said, "A split infinitive is something up with which I will not put."

Or at least I think he said that. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "The trouble with internet quotes is that they are very difficult to verify."

Sorry I didn't contribute for a while. I was out of town and then the big push was on to publish my latest book. 

*Write what you know* - Writers are admonished with the cliche': write what you know. The obvious way to do this is, if you are an expert at bee keeping for example, you should write about bees.

For fiction writers, this is a little more difficult to interpret. In some ways, it means you should write about the types of people you know, set them in the town you grew up in, and base the stories on your own life. For many writers, this is what they do. But if this were the extent of it, there wouldn't be much variation between novels.

The spirit of this admonition is to never try to write on topics or in genres you are uncomfortable with just because of some expectation you've placed upon yourself, or others have placed upon you. I write fantasy and sci-fi because it's what I "know". I've never met a faerie (wait, that's not true...) I've never fought an evil faerie, nor been in a space ship, never lived in medieval times, nor hacked a computer using virtual reality. Yet these are things I "know" because I've done things _like_ that. I've hacked real computers, read books about faeries, and imagined myself living in a spaceship and in medieval times. Because my subconscious likes these ideas, I _know_ them.

What it means is, I should not try to force myself to write detective fiction because I think it will sell better, or write inspiring religious poetry because my mom might approve. And when I place a story in my home town (or someplace much like it), that's just a cherry on top.

You see reflections of this in certain authors. For example, many of Steven King's novels are set in New England. Ray Bradbury drew very much on the places and memories of his childhood and later life. A plot line of the later Anne of Green Gables series shows Anne struggling to write things she thinks she _should_ write, but then discovers her true talent in writing about Green Gables. This is a little bit of meta-write-what-you-know, since the author Lucy Maud Montgomery was writing what she knew when she had her character learn to write what she knew to write about Anne's life was like Lucy writing about her life... yeah.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*revision ghosts* - this is a phenomena which enhances the quality of a novel, whereby clauses, sentences, paragraphs and even chapters that are deleted in revision leaving a residual subtext. This is caused by the remaining parts that still dovetail to the missing. It is similar to accidentals in watercoloring and add to a novel's depth. This is not to be confused with the below.

*editing artifacts* - these are extra words, phrases and punctuation remaining after revising and missed during the proofing of a book. They are like land mines, throwing readers out a story and present an unprofessional finished product. Although some of these are forgiven, many can wreck the flow of a story. It also provides reviewers and critics with a pulpit to preach on the absurdities and evils of authors in general.  Unfortunately, whoever missed it is not to blame. An author owns every inch of their work, roses and thorns.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Luna Lindsey (Jul 5, 2010)

*Irony* - Words, stories, art, or other expressions which convey an opposite meaning to what is going on or what is expected. Writing examples include, as lively as a corpse, or as heavy as a feather. Thematic examples may include a character who spends his life railing against technology and living as a hermit in a cave, only to be electrocuted to death at the end of the story.

This word is horribly misused. Often people use it to mean something that is unfortunate in an extremely appropriate way. Alanis Morisette is not ironic, and the fact that she considers herself an expert is itself an irony. Isn't it ironic?

*Apposite* - This is what most people mean when they incorrectly use the word irony. Apposite is something which is extremely appropriate, where expectations are met to such an extreme as to be notable. An example of irony which I actually saw once is that Jacque Cousteau's son drown. This is not ironic; it's apposite.

So before you're about to call something "ironic", think about it for a second. Do you mean it's the opposite of what you'd expect, or extremely what you'd expect? If the latter, then say, "Isn't it apposite?"

(I find it incredibly apposite that the opposite of ironic is apposite, which is what everyone means when they say ironic. Which itself is ironic, not apposite! Yay wordplay.)


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*omnibus* - a collection of novels or novellas that relate to a single theme or story. *Omnibuses * are particularly useful in collating a series that has been otherwise published on a per book basis. This is different from an *anthology*, which is generally a collection of short stories published for the first time or collected from periocal publications, and could be contributed by various authors.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*chap book * - a small book of poetry, sometimes collated into an anthology. These are generally associated with small hardbacked gift books. However, a well expressed *chap book * is worth a thousand page epic.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sarcasm * - used in dialogue, this is verbalized irony, saying the opposite of your meaning, only providing intonation clues that it is *sarcasm * and not truism. When not voiced, this is irony.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*scansion * - the analysis of a line of poetry or prose into its metric components, usually by annotating stresses. In poetry, this is done into metric lines, called feet. In prose, the measure is usually left as the sentence or sentence fragment. Scansion is a method for authors to determine rhythmic effects and their relationships to the body of the work. In prose, scansion is purely a proofing device. In poetry, however, it is also a method of recitation.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*paraphrase * - a clause or expression that approximates an original original, but not quite. Used when the original is not available for for reference. It should be preceded with a note indicating it is a paraphrase, otherwise it's a *misquote*, which technically it is.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*cliffhanger* - a device that places the protagonist in a precarious situation at the end of a chapter or even a book (a serializing device), meant to entice the reader to acquire the next installment. The term has been also applied to any device that entices continuance, however technically it pertains to the protagonist or a main character. It is derived from early serialized films, in particular The Perils of Pauline, where dangling from a cliff was a common element.

Edward C. Patterson


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *split infinitives * - the intrusion of a word between a verb and its basal preposition stranding both.


When I read that the whole "split infinitive" business was created to make English more like Latin - in which infinitives are all one word - I stopped worrying about it. We can't force a living language into the coffin of a dead one.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

R. Reed said:


> When I read that the whole "split infinitive" business was created to make English more like Latin - in which infinitives are all one word - I stopped worrying about it. We can't force a living language into the coffin of a dead one.


I agree, but I read a tirade on a discussion forum that an author split an infinite and "how could they call themselves a writer." The grammarian decided to denounce, even pillory the work and all further writing by the author. I decided then and there that I better not split an infinitive, else I join Quasimoto in the square. Of course, there are a host of "keepers of the language" who help us, but then there are those that have a secret closet filled with unfinished attempts. So they lash out with tirades on split infinitives.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Group noun modifier * - a measuring word used specific to a group of animate objects. Some are commonplace, like a herd of cows, a group of men, a pod of whales. Others are used to the point of cliche (although proper), a gaggle of geese, while others are downright comical - a murder of crows and a parliament of owl.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*magnum opus*_ - a novel generally regarded as an author's best or largest undertaking. Example, Stephen King's _*The Dark Tower Series*_. Melville's _*Moby Dick*_. If the author declares it, it is so. If readers and critics declare it, it's a matter for debate.

Edward C. Patterson


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> _*magnus opus*_ - a novel generally regarded as an author's best or largest undertaking.


I always thought that was "Magnum Opus."


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

R. Reed said:


> I always thought that was "Magnum Opus."


Yuo're correct.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*ballast point* - A recurring sentence in a chapter or section that anchors the section to a central theme. Sometimes it's the title of a chapter which appears in a sentence, and then several times until it ends the chapter. The ballast phrase sometime hones in on a concept or idea that the reader needs to remember and which is referenced as an echo or a global reference.

Edward C. Patterson


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## MinaVE (Apr 20, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> ghosting - a trace of cut phrases lingering after a revision. Since good authoring means sculpting paragraphs so that sentences have a close interrelationship, when phrases, clauses and sentences are cut during revision, that structure is broken and in many cases leave evidence of the cut. This is a wonderful side effect to revision work, because it adds accidental depth to the paragraph, which readers can sense, almost like sub-text. Like ghosts, they are evident, but not actually there. It's spooky, but true. It also cannot be readily planned or implemented. It's like that errant splash on a watercolor that made the accidental difference between flat and boring and exciting and artistic.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


On my first published novel ever, my editor cut out 1,500 words. I admired her effort to seamlessly reconnect everything, which might have been a headache because I did write transition between paragraphs a lot. Still, there were ghosts on the finished work.

I used to call them "surgery scars" but "ghosts" = better.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*bridge chapter* - a chapter or sub-chapter that connects two distinctly different sections in a novel. Bridge chapters are transitions. However, many authors prefer to cleanse the pallatte with an abrupt or sudden scene. *Bridge chapters * usually begin with introductory material, are passive in nature and are handy when drifting in and out of a flash back.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*overshoot and reverse* - a device whereby the author can overstep logic or truth, and then redeem the moment. ie. _He stepped off the cliff and plummeted. Well, not plummeted, but glided on drafts that caught his jacket flaps. _ By overstepping the case and backing off it, we get a dual perspective; in this case, an enriched description of the action.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*an info train* aka *the sidewinder * - A common device and indication of loose writing, whereby three or more pieces of information are crammed into a single sentence. IE (paraphrased from a piece I read yesterday in a Kindle anthology subscription - a prominent one). _"Yes," said the the bellhop in the blue suit standing by the door watching the traffic light change and the approaching woman as she exited the taxi cab and stepped in the puddle. "She's coming in fast." _ (I kid you not - and it was an opening line). These trains stop at some station, but usually the round house. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*endorsements * - a not so subtle soap boxing that authors sometimes manage in the course of novel development. Sometimes it's a narrative side-step to make a political or credo statement. Sometimes the *endorsement * comes in dialog, even aa a diatribe from a character. In any event, *endorsements * can throw a reader out of the story. This sometime known as *an axe to grind*.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*tone* - Perhaps the most difficult stylistic element for an author to impart is *tone*. It requires the establishment of a novel-wide glossary, coloration and pacing - control. It's delivered in the draft and rarely can be added after the fact in revision. It is either there or not in the first blast through. It's *tone * that embraces the reader while the story engages.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*apposition * - two phrases (or nouns) set side by side, the latter defining the former and set off between commas. IE: _Daniel Steele, the father of King Kong, danced the naked conga. _ This construction is a common way to inform without creating seperate sentence chains.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*successive progression* - a construction that reinforces for the reader that actions in a single sentence occur in succession. IE: _Marmeduke raised his hands, gnashed teeth, and then kicked the cat._ The key is the obiquitous _*, and then*_. Without it, the actions are simultaneous, as in _He walks and chews gum_, which is different than _He walked, and then chewed gum_. Like dialog tags (_he said, she said_), the *successive progression * construct disappears into white noise, but without it, the backbone of the sentence is lost, which weakens the writing.

Edward C. Patterson


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## JL Bryan (Aug 10, 2010)

Well, Edward, I've enjoyed the heck out of this thread


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*discourse * - the extension of a work to its surrounding, whereby the author's content is equal to its context and is critically analyzed as such. IE: _Uncle Tom's Cabin_, _Huckleberry Finn_, _Nicholas Nickleby_, all works that reflect context beyond their content.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Budo von Stahl (Aug 31, 2010)

Don't stop this thread, 'cause I can't stop reading it!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

You made my day.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*repartee * - dialog characterized by quick and witty content. This is particularly useful for character introduction, dinner conversation or action sequences. Good *repartee * can make a scene and well crafted repartee tonality can define a character. Humor and sarcasism usually fire it up.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*secondary stories * (sometimes called *sub-plots*) - The development of additional stories from either the protagonist or the environment that either parallel the main development or merged with it. *Secondaries* can add depth to a novel and characterization. They can also add surpises (twists), and in many cases submerge the main story. Multiple *secondaries * are like tendrils and can strangle a work, because they must follow the novel's line toward resolution and if they are just _tied-up _ to meet requirements, the novel loses focus. Dickens could keep a dozen *secondaries * going in his works, not all successfully.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*dystopian * - a novel that explores the social and political aspects on humanities disposition to servitude and totalitarian cultural structures. It could be post-apocalyptic and, in many cases, urban drear and fantasy. IE. _*Do Android Dram of Electric Sheep * _ by Philip K. Dick (better known as the film _*The Blade Runner*_).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*stock characters * - characters that tend to show up in everyone's book as essential signposts for a speific genre. IE: the spinster aunt, the prostitute with a heart of gold, the precocious child etc. Stock characters are essentials and ground the reader in a familiar world. However, when repeated over an author's universe can become cliches. Still, the challenge for authors is to play variations on a theme and provide these familiar units a proper place on the pallette. Don't confuse stock characters with incidental characters, which are usually nameless, faceless and undeveloped pieces of furniture essential to the scenery.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*incidental characters* - there are undeveloped characters that usually serve a functionary purpose in a novel - a doorman, a servant, a taxi driver. They usually remained unnamed and dissapear from the work after their purpose is served.

Edward C. Patterson


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## ClickNextPage (Oct 15, 2009)

Hey Edward, when are you going to make this into a book?  I could use a writer's reference like this!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Saga* - an epic narrative recounting the creation and establishment of the world derived from Icelandic and Scandinavia mythology. Elements from these *sagas * have inspired many fantasy works to include Norse mythology and also the entire world of dragons. Not to be confused with a dragonade, which is a French historic persecution of the protestant Huguenots.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*anagnorosis* - a moment when the protagonist makes a critical discovery - a lights on moment. IE: When Tom Jones realizes that he has slept with his mother. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*dialog lead* - A string of dialog that heralds action. IE: "_Here they come_." "_I see a big fat cow down there._" Used sparingly, *dialog leads * can aid scene transitions. When abused, they weaken writing. *Dialog leads * are derived from stagecraft, where the action needs to be described to an audience that needs the character to establish the action. In a novel, it is rarely useful beyond brief lead ins. In editing *dialog leads * usually signal the need for revision.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*bildungsroman* - better known as a _coming of age _ novel, this is a specific genre of novel dealing with the formative (foundation = *bildung*, ger.) year and development of a child or youth to maturity. Examples abound, but one of my favorites is Kipling's _*Captain's Courageous*_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

_*metafiction*_ - a fictional novel where the characters connect through another novel. A prime example is _*The Hours*_ which connects three women through Woolf's _*Mrs. Dolloway*_. My own meta-fiction,


Spoiler



_*Turning Idolater*_


, connects the characters through Melkville's Moby Dick.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*rising action* - the technique of building the main conflict in a novel, as opposed to _in media res_. Although slowly built, it should nonetheless continually do so - a crescendo, if you will, without sidetracks or interruptions.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*the hook* - the first line of a novel meant to catch the reader's attention and keep them reading. Now associated with the razzle-dazzle of commercial formulas and pot-boilers, *the hook * actually started in modern novel craft in the early 19th Century. Examples: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." (Jane Austen, _*Pride and Prejudice*_, 1813). "You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter." (Mark Twain. _*Huck Finn*_, 1885). "Call me Ismael." (Herman Melville, _*Moby Dick*_, 1851). "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show." (Charlkes Dickens, _*David Copperfield*_, 1850).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*the query letter * - every author's (who traditionally publishes) nightmare. This letter is a three paragraph introduction sent to an Publisher's acquisition editor following the "letter of the law" rules set by that house's submission guidelines. It must follow introduce the author, the book and the marketing plan, and may be the only thing read in the submission. An author's book might be the best work written in a decade, but if that one page letter does sizzle, pop or reach the editor in a good mood (after lunch, before drinking binges, between divorces), it will be cast cast in the slush pile for six months until an assistant to an assistant's secretary sends the author a form letter stating "No thinks, good luck." Like the Chinese cutting off their cues as a sign of liberation from the Manchu Dynasty, Indie authors can celebrate above all things - NO MORE QUERY LETTERS. It's almost as festive as singing the NO MORE AGENTS chorus, but that's a different jargon.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*talking head syndrome* - a long stretch of dialog that focuses squarely on dialog and nothing else. It environment is ignored and churned into white noise. This usually sends the reader into a comatose state, unless the *talking head * is presented in quoted correspondence or an epistolary. Author's need to engage the reader by engaging their character's dialog, and sometimes embrace the silence.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Cozy mystery genre* - Mystery novels that present several unlikely characters involved in a crime that form interesting or romantic relationships.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Hard-boiled mystery genre* - Mystery novels evolving around either a detective or police story, usually employing a serious, if not cold protagonist who has a dark streak and a troubled backstory. This genre is very popular mainly because authors can spin off story after story using the same protagonist and a host of stock situations and antagonists. It's the lifeblood of pulp fiction and along with *standard romances*, the royalty of ubiquitous reading.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*exterior attribute* - a method of describing a characters physical appearance and personality in terms of the scenery surrounding them. ie: _He was stout as the oak tree that shaded him, the two in competition for both sunlight and shade. _

Edward C. Patterson


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

Great thread, Ed.


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

_Flash sideways:_ The presentation of an alternate present that occurs simultaneously with the unaltered present, which directly or indirectly connect with the reality of the "normal" world (See _Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World_ and the Television show _Lost_).


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

KarenW.B. said:


> Great thread, Ed.


Thanks,

I've been recycling my contributions to it on my regular blog and have gotten quite a following for it. But it comes here first.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

J Dean said:


> That's called interior logic. A _*Lack of Interior Logic*_* occurs when (as you referred to) a character does something that defies common sense and has no adequate explanation for the lack of logic, either internally (the character's thoughts) or externally (defined by circumstances). A good example of this is the short story "The Monkey" by Stephen King, found in the book SKELETON CREW. The protagonist at no point tries to destroy the monkey. He throws it down a well, puts it in a trash can, even tosses it into a lake, but at no point does it enter his head to pull out a twelve-gauge and annihilate Mr. Grinning cymbal chimp into oblivion (which, if you're curious, would be my first and most obvious preferred course of action when dealing with a death-inducing toy).
> *


*



Edward C. Patterson said:



 Yes, Anne, it's called Character lapse   - If a character is not logically developed and is required to do something that causes a lapse in credulity or against natural inclination or abilities (without the accompanying soul searching and angst), it's a fault in the author's character development. I'll give an example from that blockbuster Avatar (which I adore), but in the battle sequence Norm (who can hardly find his backpack in earlier sequences) is suddenly riding into battle on a Na'vi horse. Jake, who is more adept at this sort of thing, took quite a beating even lerning how stay on the horse's back. So we're suppose to believe that Norm instantly became an adept in horseback riding and can charge into battle. (huh) Character lapse.

Ed Patterson

Click to expand...

Heh. Another Anne  I'm Anne, too  Anyway - on topic. Would it be fair to say that these two things are separate and distinct? I'm seeing distinction. Both fall under illogical, but still differently.

1) Lack of Interior Logic - The character does something for no logical reason or fails to do something that would seem logical. ie. Not trying to burn / shoot / drop into acid the crazed toy, or going out into the woods, alone, without so much as a flashlight even though you know that The Big Bad is out there waiting to eat you / chop you into itty-bitty pieces.
2) The character does something logical but it defies logic that he's able to. It makes sense that Norm would WANT to ride the Na'vi horse but the fact that he CAN is a bit of a "Huh? How'd that happen?"

PS: This is a fascinating thread *


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*bridge chapter * - a chapter serving to transition from one mood or venue to another, usually introducing new characters mid-book. The trick with *bridge chapters * is that they are mostly expository in either the development or closing portion of the novel and almost always disrupt the pace. Therefore, they need to move the story forward or they become a bridge to no where and will throw the reader out of the book.* Bridge chapters * should always be flagged in revision a candidates for cutting. Still, when crafted well they serve a purpose and can be memorable. They can also become the so called _darlings _ of a novel. IE: Melville's wonderful *bridge chapter * describing the color _white _ and all its various shades.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*A Pirandello moment * - a point is a species of novel where the characters recognize that they are creations and reference an author, who might show up in the story. The expression derives from Luigi Pirandello's _Six Characters in Search of an Author._. However, the technique (usually used in comedy and satire) predates that work. An example of a non-comedic work where the *moment * occurs is in Stephen King's _*Dark Tower*_ series, but no spoilers here.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*mash-up* - the incorporation of two unlikely and usually diverse genres or modalities into one work, creating an eclectic new and sometimes unsettling piece. Sometimes this is sporadic within a work, IE. Stephen King's _*The Dark Tower * _ mashing up vampires, mystics, Western cowboy tales and urban dystopia. Others are more blatant IE the *monster mash-up * _*Pride and Prejudice and Zombies * _ by Seth Grahame-Smith. I'm waiting for the *porno mash-up*, Debbie Does Abe Lincoln. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*quadrangle space* - The point in a novel where an explicit sex scene would fall, but the author elects to gloss over it and move on to the other events, perhaps a cut to post-act cigarette smoke. Sometimes suggestive euphimisms and imagery is inserted to penetrate the rising curiosity of an explosive nature, such as a boat in motion or a locomotive screeching through a tunnel.  At one time looked upon as a doff to obscenity law, now it is a literary convention applied at an author's discretion.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*eavesdropping* - "I ain't dropping no eaves," Sam said. (Couldn't help myself). This is dialog which is meant for the reader only, because both parties to the conversation already know or should already know the content. Sometimes it's feasible, beginning with, _"As you already know, I have had a history of bunions on my tushie." _ However, in most cases, its annoying, trite and the stuff of pulp fiction. With so many ways to advance a story and provide information to a reader, this is considered one of the least effective.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*foil * - a character whose specific purpose is to hold up a mirror to other characters, particularly the protagonist and occasionally, the antagonist. Where would Pickwick be without his Sam Weller? Or Don Quixote without his Sancho Panza?

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*epithet * - obstensibly, a tag to a proper name that imbues a personal attribute. ie: _Richard the Lion-Hearted, Pippin the Bald, Maud the Mad_. In novels epithets when tagged to characters as nicknames, _the Master of Kent Hal_l or _Bill of the Big Belly_, adds variety in narrative. When character names are hard to remember (foreign, such as Chinese or Russian), epithets help the reader remember the names. ie: _Xiao Ao-ling, the old Grandmother_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*canon * - the collected works of a particular author or a school of writing, catalogued for discussion or study. Sometimes, in the case of works of dubious or ascribed authorship, they are said to be noncanonical living on the fringe of the *canon*. IE: Shakespeare: _Romeo and Juliet _ is in Shakespeare's *canon*, but _Cardenio _ is noncanonical, a portion of the work ascribed to him or written under his tutelage.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*farce * - a high energy novel (or play) that involves confusion, mistaken identity and a host of other contrivances. While these elements might be present in non-farce, with farce it is the central motivation for the work. The characters might develop, but the point of the piece is a clever entertainment of shifting ironies. While eschewed by many modern authors, it is a difficult form to bring off well and when done well usually stands as a monument to craft (and sometimes art).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Skipping jargon today. Dad had a seizure and i'm texting this from the emergency room.


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## RJ Keller (Mar 9, 2009)

Ed, sending good thoughts and prayers your way.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*protest novel * - a type of novel that has an axe to grind - a social sermon to preach, usually depicting characters that represent social stratification. Examples are many, but John Steinbeck's _The Grapes of Wrath _ comes to mind. The muckraker novels of Tarbell, Steffens and Sinclair fall in this category, as well as _Oliver Twist _ and _Nicholas Nickleby_, all works that spearheaded actual social change.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sentence sculpting* (or *word sculpting*) - a method of fashioning paragraphs that resonate the novel's core. This includes word flow that considers sound and sense, and punctuation that supports the paragraph for the appropriate mood. Word choice and mode (passive/active) are key elements. Often grammar is eschewed for the good of the whole and sentence fragments are frequent. The overall result is a deep, even sensual engagement of the reader's attention, and in the case of an action sequence, a visceral response. *Sentence sculpting * is considered an advanced technique and if incorrectly rendered will damage the overall effect rather than support it.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Stumper* - a novel with an axe to grind, generally social or political in nature. Unlike satire or muckraking works, a *stumper * provides platforms for the characters to soapbox and preach. Although such works can gain popularity, they seldom bloom artistically and serve as a thin veil between fiction and the author's point of view.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*chiche straying* - authors are admonished for using cliches except in dialog, because it is hack and demonstrates lazy writing. However, cliches are powerful image and reference packets. *Cliche straying * is the use of cliche patterns or cliche wannabees, which add some levity and also access the original significance of the phrase. Some examples. _It was as hot as Helen of Troy. He was sold some pork in overalls. Hotel living is a suite spot. He took a sting of the bee that buzzed him._

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*spondee * - two stressed words in sequence. IE: Stop, thief.

*pyrrhic * - two unstress words in sequence. IE up to

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*the kicker* - a moment in a novel that throws the reader out and back into the work - the *Eureka * moment - the one that that draws a smile and a heart palpitation. It could be an event twist or a character revelation and there could be more than one in a work. However, it should give the reader good goosebumps - horripilations (for the thesaurically challenged). *The best kickers * are the ones that the author finds during the writing process and passes along to the reader uncensored and unalloyed.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*POV shift* - a subtle, but allowable shift in Point of View in 3rd person, limited POV mode that generally is placed at the beginning of a section or chapter before the first POV-setting phrase occurs. This gives a "settling in" effect. The shift can also occur at the end of a section serving as a coda and usually set-up as a postulation. _If Joe had stayed where he sat, he would have seen . . ._ I am often reminded of Sean Astin's comment to the lighting professional on the set of _Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_. "The room is dark. Where does the light come from logically?" The lighting man answers, "from the same place as the music." POV and logic violations artistically occur in all works, but if they are not a designed violation, an author can slip off the cracker pretty darn fast.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

bowdlerized - the act of changing words within an author's text to make them more acceptable to family reading. A form of censorship. It derives from the 1807 Family Edition of the Works of William Shakespeare, edited by Hamet Bowdler and published an authorized by her brother Thomas. It was designed so that words that from the plays could safely be spoken aloud in a family setting. (Balderdash).  

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*ambiguity disclaimer* - A clause that modifies a sentence to clarify the object of a noun or pronoun, which otherwise would cause ambiguity. IE: _The horses bolted, juggling the passengers. They were reined in, the horses, *not the passangers.* _ Sometimes, especially in an action sequence, a rewrite to achieve the proper syntax to prevent ambiguity would ruin the moment. So an *ambiguity disclaimer * is handy, and sometimes clever.  Of course, frequent use is tedious.

Edward C. Patterson


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

Did we already do elliptical statements?


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I don't think so. (We did something on the use of ellipsis in another thread). Be my guest.

Ed Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*caesura * (*the beat*) - This is a longer than normal pause in a sentence creating tension or forced pacing. It can be achieve with ellipses ( . . . ) or the em-dash ( - ) and, in some cases, empty words or phrases (in dialog or 1st person narrative) IE _Well, he said so. _ This, if overdone becomes annoying to the reader. Pacing is the height of authorial craft, so the art of *caesura * placement is essential to master.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*flat writing* - the lack of style or sometimes adopting a journalistic approach to authoring the novel. Flat writing usually lack verve, interest or expression, has little or nothing to engage the reader but events and _so-called _ plot-points. *Flat writing * can be used as an effect, to create a chilling vacuum at key points in a novel. However, for the most point, it's an editor's nightmare.

Edward C. Patterson


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## SuzanneTyrpak (Aug 10, 2010)

This is a great thread, thanks! Just bookmarked it.


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> I don't think so. (We did something on the use of ellipsis in another thread). Be my guest.
> 
> Ed Patterson


Alrighty then!

_Elliptical statement:_ A statement made which, by its very construction and nature, implies a negative antithesis in its meaning. For example: "Honor thy father and thy mother" carries with it an implicit warning to not dishonor your father and your mother. Other examples can be found in mob-speak (or Soprano-speak), in which a mafia member may use an elliptical statement for the purpose of a threat ("Such a lovely daughter you have there. I'd sure hate to see something happen to her....")


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Due to a family crisis (Dad's in hospital) I haven't done the daily Jargon post. Hope to get back on track next week.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*foreshadowing * (*prefiguring*) - The art of setting up events or objects in a novel so they do not appear coincidental. Nothing destroyed credibility faster than a candlestick that appears from a table that appears in a room that was never described as a dining, and then that candlestick is used as a projectile to break a window that never existed before. OR the hero who escape capture by stealing a motorboat that he couldn't possibly know how to operate, because he's never set foot on the water before. In each case, an author needs to identify and develop objects, placement, skills and settings before they are used in a story, so that the event is not only plausible, it is never questioned within the realm of belief.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*legend * - a story based on the life and adventures of an historical figure, not necessarily adhering to fact, and most likely obficating it. Not to be cofused with myth, which is not based on an historical figure.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*language logic* - an author's method of handling foreign or fantasy languages for the reader audience to rationalize why they (the reader) can understand dialog that they shouldn't logically comprehend. Some authors ignore it and hope it goes away. Others, like Tolkien, acknowledge that the work is in a foreign language, but the narrator is translating to a common tongue (in his case the Common Speech). Some authors use translators, while others balance foreign words to English. It's an interesting skill that can blow art out of the water if not handled correctly.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Double Entendre* - a word or phrase that connotes a secondary meaning, and, in many cases, a derogatory or off-color one. In English, *double entendres * are phonetic and single layered. In other languages, IE Chinese, where characters have both visual and sound connotations, the *entendres * can be multi-layer ed. In fact, some Chinese poetry forms are based on creating two separate works from the same verse. Many Odes to gardens and mountains, when read aloud, form political protests. Poets in China have been exiled for an injudicious use of sound and syntax.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Fair Use - Brief excerpting from a copyrighted work without permission usually in a review or for scholastic purposes. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Rough * - a draft manuscript in much need of revision. Some authors complete the *rough * first and then approach revision work. Others *rough * a chapter and then revise on the spot to a draft, and then revise the entire work from a draft. A *rough * is generally not for public consumption or even editor consumption, while a draft can be submitted to editors. Revisions are reserved for beta readers and proofers.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*anaphora * - the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of a sentence, usually done for emphasis. IE: _His gut told him of danger. His gut told him the knife drew near. His gut readied for splaying._ When *anaphora * is intentional, it can increase tension. When it isn't, it doesn't. IE: _The tree was tall. The tree was also wide. The tree was also a member of genus *dendriphadiferus rusticarum elmus*._ (shades of Monty Python's - _The Larch_).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Madame Butterfly Effect * - The opening of a new section using the exact closing phrase from the previous section. This bonds the sections together for continuation but with a time lapse. Taken from an effect that Giacomo Puccini uses between Act II and Act III of his opera _Madama Butterfly_, where the visual opening of the new act mirrors the close of the previous act, only with a time lapse.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*elaboration* - the art of taking a single fact and enhancing it by degrees over the course of a chapter or the entire work. *Elaboration * intends to lay a firm base to the fact, but also to skewer it in the stories favor without the reader noticing that they are being directed in a specific direction. IE: Professor Snapes' lessons on werewolves is thorough, but through *elaboration * skewers the facts toward the rising moon, which is the key point for the story and future events.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sensory shifting* - the art of calling on one sense while using another. IE: As the bladed pendulum swung close to the gut, the prisoner's howls could be heard in the highest tower. In this case sound calling upon the visual cutting open of the prisoner's belly. Sometimes the most heightened sensory effects are those that are shifted. The squeals from a gored pig might be more disturbing and less gratuitous than a blood fest sight. The smell of death sometimes evokes more horror than the sight of it.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*daylight savings trick* (*time shifting*) - an effect whereby the author wants to hasten the time pace (turn the clock ahead), but a formal break is not desireable. This is done by having a slight shift in time backwards, and then a return to a shift in time forward. This creates a warping effect with the least number of words. It's perception, but it works.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

I want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers during this hard time for my family. Dad was laid to rest yesterday - in style - with a full military funeral and a 21 guns salute. He laid beside Mom and is a peace. Now, because I know it is his wish, I'm getting back on the horse and refiring up my current novel project, recommencing by blogs and network posts and even some light promotion.  It might take a day or two to get back in the saddle, but I'll get there.

Thanks again for all you support.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*loop back* - A type of short cadence that succinctly ends a section or chapter that *loops back * and repeats or refernces a phrase from within the paragraph. IE: _"Let no one say that I do not honor a woman's virginity." *And no one ever did.*_

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*title validation * - the art of selecting a title that conveys mood and uniqueness to a novel. Authors struggle with this, sometimes opting for bland titles that might convey something, but are forgettable, lost forever in the hundreds of thousands of titles available. Sometimes a title sets the wrong mood also. fictitious example: _The Pooper-scooper_, should be a comic novel and not a Veterinarian Mystery. Although titles are not copyrighted, it should be unique. There's a special place in author's hell (perhaps the 3rd circle) for author's who cop other author's titles, even if they plead ignorance, a hard thing to do in these Google times.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Summary Title* - A Chapter or Section Heading Title that embodies a summation of the ensuing material. IE: A chapter describing a certain former Alaskan governor's career might be entitled _A Bridge to Nowhere_. Many modern authors eschew titles for chapters and sections, preferring the lazy approach - numerals (although Chapters should also be numbered). However, a well crafted title can say much and direct intent for the ensuing chapter adding to a reader's overall enjoyment, IE: the example given. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*quirking * - a characterization technique that helps variety and identification during narratives and dialog scenes, in which the author bestows on a character a *quirk*, IE: knuckle cracking, a twitch, a mustache tinged with yellow, a gold tooth. Some are physical attributes, but all can be incorporated during the course of a novel helping o avoid the repetition of proper names or to duck ambiguous pronominal bullets.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

enchantments - a description techinque that animates the inanimate leaving the original object inanimate. IE: _A silver railing fled down the stairway_. By enlivening a description by applying actions to inanimate object usually attributed to animate objects highlights particular aspects in the description. *Enchantment * is an enriching technique in word painting, leaving an lasting impression with the reader.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*pre-bonding * - a technique to heighten the resolution of a novel by creating a situation earlier in the work that bonds two characters together. Usually, for developmental purposes, these characters have drifted apart and if they came together at the end the novel would become contrived. Therefore, the contrivance is moved up earlier in the action and is less intrusive. That these characters work through thematic and eventful issues together at the novels end is therefore no surprise and precludes anti-0climax and a pulp fiction ending. IE: from my own work, _*The Third Peregrination*_, the principles, who are at odds with one another, are unexpectedly thrown into a Chinese detention center, where their characters bond, a necessary prerequisite for the wild and woolly ending.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*positional passive conversion* - one of three methods to convert a passice sentence to the active. Passive sentences are not uncommon and not an error. They are desireable in many instances (as I have just created one).  However, every passive sentence should be inspected for a possible active alternative, even the one I just wrote, which could be positionally converted thus: Authors should inspect every passive sentence . . . Since a passive sentence has taken the object and made it a weak subject (objectival nominative). the simplest conversion positions the object in the post-verbal place and a nominal object is created for the sentence. IE: The door opened (passive). Kelly Fitzbattleaxe opened the door. (*positional passive conversion to active*). This is the most common method. There are two more creative ways, to be discussed in the days to come.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Judi Coltman (Aug 23, 2010)

MichelleR said:


> LOL.
> 
> I've invented a term called _Truman Capote-ing_. It involves calling yourself a writer, discussing the stresses of writing, letting other people tell you how much they wish they could write, while doing very little actual writing. You basically just do the discussion boards and the imaginary talk show circuit in your head and claim to be working on unspecified stuff, but you can reveal that it's your best work ever!


OMG! I think that's, me right now! Is there a cure?


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Betsala said:


> OMG! I think that's, me right now! Is there a cure?
> [/quote
> 
> Yes, Polyjuice Potion.
> ...


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*apositional passive conversion* - a second method to make a passive sentence active. Replace the stative verb (ie: _is, was_) with a comma, placing the resulting phrase in aposition. Then complete the sentence with additional material, either existing or logical. IE. _The house was on fire_. change to - _The house, on fire, lit the midnight sky._ Here another. _Mary was forceful wshen confronted by her torturers._ becomes - _Mary, forceful when confronted by torturers, lashed out with a broadsword._

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*fragmented passive conversion* - a technique (although Grammarians quake at it) to convert some (not all) passive sentences to fragments. IE: _Rupert slit his wrists. It was bleeding and was painful_. Conversed to. _Rupert slit his wrists, Bleeding. Pain. Agony. Rage. Despair. He fainted away waiting death's claim. _ (Well, I rounded it out a bit), but you get the picture). Notice that the fragments are single word sentences not wordy phrases missing a verb, at which grammarians can continue to quake. (Agony. Rage. Despair and all that Funk and Wagner).

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*road work* - a novel wrapped around a physical journey, mostly a quest, either for an object or truth or maturity. Road works cannot be classified as a genre because they show up in a variety of forms from _Gulliver's Travels _ to _Everything Is Illuminated _ to _The Wizard of Oz_ to _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*offstage voice * - a technique of introducing unattached dialog into a scene before introducing the character. This can be done as a suspense mechanism or an element of surprise. IE: _"Keep out," came a voice from behind him ," _ or _"You dropped your pencil," _ someone said from the crowd.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*POV Bridge * (*Suspended POV*) - a short section or stretch where there's no identifiable POV character. This is a tricky technique and can belly-flop. It is used when there are multiple characters who contribute to dialog and action. The secret is to withhold the point of view and should not be confused with multiple POV's (*head hopping*). Like head hopping, a *POV Bridge * unsettles the reader. However, that's the effect the author is seeking. It should only be used for a brief period of time, otherwise chaos will prevail. It should be preceded and followed by sections with clear, even pronounced, POVs, thus the term *bridge*.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*sidewink * - a moment in a novel when the author (apart from narrating) turns aside and comments on the action directly. Usually a sidewink is humorous or satirical. The technique can be effective. However, it also can be disruptive, the Creator addressing the audience from the burning bush. 

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Resonance * - the art of choosing words and crafting phrases that resonate with the reader, the characters and the author. When a novel resonates it lasts far beyond the closing pages.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*Split dialogue* - A technique generally used at the opening of a chapter whereby dialogue introduces the section - dialogue that is interrupted by a narrative or descriptive phrase of some length that sets action and place or even slips into back story. Once concluded, the original dialogue recommences from the top. _da capo_. This technique is effective in launching scene or time shifts and excellent for introducing new characters, even fleeting ones, into the soup.

Edward C. Patterson


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## Rhynedahll (Oct 23, 2010)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> *road work* - a novel wrapped around a physical journey, mostly a quest, either for an object or truth or maturity. Road works cannot be classified as a genre because they show up in a variety of forms from _Gulliver's Travels _ to _Everything Is Illuminated _ to _The Wizard of Oz_ to _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_.
> 
> Edward C. Patterson


I've always referred to these as road trip books.


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