In an ideal world, we would all be able to express ourselves through literature. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, which is why creative writing workshops exist and why we need to understand how to emphasize a work in narrative creative writing (also known as flash fiction).
In this article, we will discuss different techniques and tools for the literary artist.
Set The Tone
Setting the tone of your piece is essential. This is not only to provide the reader with a clearer understanding of what is being discussed but even more so, to establish the literary voice you will be using.
When deciding on the overall tone of your narrative, it is important to consider the genre and styles you are working within. Generally, flash fiction is going to be much lighter and more accessible than, for example, the work of William Shakespeare. As the name suggests, flash fiction tends to be more compressed in nature, containing fewer sentences and a lot more action.
Even though Shakespeare is known for his elaborate sentences, modern-day playwrights tend to use short, punchy phrases when writing in the classical mode. In general, you want to keep the tone as consistent as possible throughout, particularly if you are writing in a haiku-style. Making minor adjustments to your language, such as switching from the first person to the third person, can help establish this consistent tone.
Choose The Right Place
Location is everything in a narrative. This place can be real or imagined, physical or emotional, but it must be credible.
Obviously, you are going to write from a physical location, so you must choose a space that is comfortable and conducive to your writing. Ideally, you want to find a quiet corner with good lighting and somewhere that has a seating area so that you can enjoy a break while you are writing. You don’t want to be distracted by noise and clutter.
It is also important to consider the time of day when choosing the location for your narrative. Late at night, while the rest of the world is sleeping, is generally a good time to write. This is when the characters in your story are likely to be performing the most important actions.
The morning hours are generally better for writing as well, as you will have had time to think about your story and flesh out the details. However, if you are determined to write in the middle of the night, then so be it, as long as you can keep the lights off and the noise down.
Start From The Outside In
When you begin to write your story, you want to start from the outside and work your way in. Throwing in too many specific details at the beginning can actually hold your reader’s interest for much longer than you would like. This is why you should avoid including too many descriptive passages at the start of your narrative. Ideally, you want to start with a short, succinct sentence that contains all the necessary information.
The more you include at the beginning, the more you are going to have to explain at the end. Therefore, less is more in terms of the opening. You want to intrigue the reader without wasting too much time on unnecessary details.
Use Action
Action is important in any story. Without it, your narrative would just be a collection of words, as there is no possibility of scene or dialogue raising some kind of story problem and subsequently prompting a narrative arc. In the same way that you would not watch a film without some kind of action shot, you must include some kind of movement in your narrative to keep your reader engaged.
If you are writing within a film noir framework, then the actions you choose will be greatly influenced by the genre. You will want to keep the action concise and to the point, using a minimum of dialogue and adding as much description as necessary. Whether you are writing in an epic fantasy or horror setting, your descriptions of action must serve to advance the plot and move the story forward.
Use Words That Mean Something
Another important point to consider when writing within a narrative is the choice of words. You want your language to match the theme and setting of your story. This is why when deciding on the tone and location for your narrative, you must ensure that your words are appropriate. Vague or obscure language can make your reader confused as to what is actually being talked about. Even if you have a character speaking in a made-up language, you must find the right English translation for it. A word of advice: avoid using big words that you do not know how to pronounce. Instead, look for words that are easy to understand and that fit comfortably within the context of your narrative.
Bold Is Beautiful
Bold is beautiful and simple as that. If you are writing in a narrative and want to emphasize a specific word or phrase, then you should choose the font size to be larger than usual so that it stands out. You are also free to choose a different color for it, as long as you keep the meaning the same. This can help establish the tone of your narrative if you are using a brighter color for a period of time, before returning to the usual style. Remember, though, that too much emphasis can actually spoil the meaning of the word or phrase you are trying to emphasize. Therefore, always opt for a simpler solution whenever possible. If you need a nicer way to express yourself, then you can either use a different word or simply add more emphasis by increasing the font size or changing the color of the text.
Keep To The Theme
Speaking of fonts, you have probably seen the term ‘fontification’ appearing on blogs and websites. This refers to the process of taking a normally displayed piece of text and turning it into a series of graphic symbols, often in a different colors, which then have to be copied and pasted into your document. Essentially, it is a way of making words pop off the page.
This can be a great way of emphasizing a work, especially if you are using a lot of big words that the average reader may not know. It is also a quick and easy way to add some variety to your work. As a general rule, never put a summary at the end of your narrative. This is simply because the summary was not needed and could actually get in the way of the flow of your story. If you are just filling up pages, then include a couple of summary lines at the very end, otherwise, leave them for the reader to discover.
Literary artists sometimes get too tangled in the minutiae of their work. While it is important to develop an intimate understanding of your chosen genre and styles, it is also important to keep your focus on the bigger picture. A good narrative will always have logic and coherence, even if it seems like a jumble at first. Once you get into the habit of thinking in terms of storytelling, you will start seeing the forest for the trees and the bigger picture will become clear.