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