| Having problems writing? I don't know
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| | one word or one phrase, instead of using
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| why. San Francisco Chronicle columnist
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| | a high school book-report technique.WHERE
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| Jon Carroll writes up to five columns a
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| | does your story or poem take
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| week. After all, if he can write five
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| | place?Knowing the setting can allow you
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| columns, you should be able to write a
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| | to be a bit more descriptive with your
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| five-lined poem-but that does not seem to
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| | work. Does your poem or prose take place
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| be the case.How does he do it? Carroll
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| | in Alaska? Florida? China? Yugoslavia?
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| claimed to recite lines from Rudyard
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| | Hawaii? Kentucky? Each of these places
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| Kipling's "The Elephant Child":"I have
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| | is, perhaps, equal opposites of the next.
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| six humble serving menThey taught me all
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| | To know your setting you have two
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| I knewTheir names are whatAnd where and
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| | choices-- 1.) Be a good researcher;
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| whenAnd why and how and who."I'm more
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| | collect pictures and read as much as you
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| than sure that two incentives for Jon
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| | can about the location, or 2.) Take a
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| Carroll are 1.) Creating deadlines and
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| | road trip! Nothing can be grander than
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| 2.) His salary! Yes, we writers DO get
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| | to spend your weekend visiting unknown
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| paid every now and then!Basing my
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| | territories.WHEN did the events take
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| philosophies on those few lines of
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| | place in which you are writing?If you're
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| Kipling's "The Elephant Child", my advice
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| | doing factual reporting-this is
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| is to "Simply Ask Questions". Rummage
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| | especially a MUST-DO. For instance, if
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| through some old work (whether it be
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| | you read a news article a reader wants to
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| poetry, nonfiction, or fiction) that
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| | know when Ms. Johnson's house was
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| you've written and use the following
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| | burglarized. Did it happen June 20, 2001?
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| techniques to enhance your skills. And,
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| | June 20, 1984? Did the events take place
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| then, ask yourself the follow
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| | when it was winter with ten inches of
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| questions.WHAT is the underlying
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| | snow? Or, better still, did the events
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| theme?Try to come up with a single-word
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| | take place at Virginia Beach
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| or phrase to describe your story. Perhaps
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| | mid-August?WHY did the events take
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| one reason your story has not been
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| | place?Is there a conflict within your
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| effective in the past is that you have
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| | character? A lot of times character's
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| too many intertwining stories. This, in
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| | (and real people too) have problems only
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| turn, can cause confusion for the reader.
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| | because their conscious is "eating them
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| So, ask yourself, "What is my story
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| | away". Is this the case? If so, why does
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| about?" And, give yourself answers such
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| | your character feel so guilty that he
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| as: Desolation, Lost Hope,
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| | made such decisions? Perhaps the events
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| Self-Confidence, Racism, Attained Dreams,
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| | that take place are only cause-effect.
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| etc. If you can KISS (keep it simple
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| | Most always people cause their own mental
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| stupid), then your readers won't MISS
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| | downfall and breakdown. Always know why
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| your point.As practice, read some of the
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| | your characters complete every task and
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| great contemporary writers and ask
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| | why the events take place.How did the
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| yourself the same question-"What is the
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| | events happen?
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| underlying theme?" Describe the book in
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|
