SHALLA ON Reading Fiction

“It makes me wonder though . . . Can stories still be good if told and not shown? Or is that an absolute and forbidden no-no. I wonder because I also learned in fiction that there really are no rules.”

Now, I’m still learning too but I have read in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King (great book, highly recommended) that it is good to have a good balance of both Showing and Telling. For instance “Narrative summary (telling) can give continuity to your story on a larger scale.”

“There will be times when telling will create more engagement than showing.” Page 19

And of course there are no hard and fast rules.

Right now, I’m reading Master Class in Fiction Writing: Techniques from Austen, Hemingway, and Other Greats (Paperback) by Adam Sexton where the Foreword says: “I’ve learned to write by mimicking outer writers.” And “Steal from other writers.” Of course he doesn’t mean plagiarize but by reading great works of fiction, a writer can tune into the “consciousness, soul, talent, spirit” of great works of art.

Reading works from Carve Magazine, Zoetrope, Quick Fiction, classic novels etc. I get a feel for what editors like and also, how to solve certain craft questions such as: how to resolve a story that may have more than one protagonist? (Austen’s Sense and Sensibility)

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Shalla On:

“The Disappearance of Luísa Porto.”

On my first reading, I felt the story didn’t have much on the exciting/fun department. The characters seemed pathetic and quite disengaged with the beauty of life (an understatement).

Well, if it’s published in Zoetrope, it must be good, so I waited for the big twist and when it finally arrived, it was satisfying. Then the rest of it fit. Its characters’ gloomy lives added to the shocking revelations in the end.

Anyway, reading this, I was inspired to edit the short story I’m submitting to class. I’m making sure to include more background information on my characters, dramatize the scenes more, etc.

One thing I may not like about the telling of “The Disappearance of Luísa Porto,” though, is the redundancy. I felt it can be streamlined more. I mean, how many times must the writer reiterate “assets required of a young lady to make a good marriage”? (3/4 of the way through) It was loud and clear the first few pages.

And, maybe this is just a personal preference, but can’t the characters be a little more attractive, not all but--Luisa’s mole being “black and round as a papaya seed”--that was just disturbing.

Yes, the ending helped make it a good story but I have to ask, do we really have to wait until the end (pages and pages and pages) to like the story?

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Did You Know?

Shalla Wins Mad Hatter's Review Writing Competition!

Read Shalla's Award Winning Fiction

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Questions Writers Ask

Okay, here’s one, if I’m submitting my short story to a literary journal via snail mail, do I use a regular #10 envelope?

Or do I submit it in one of those large envelopes so that there aren’t any creases on the pages? (So far, I’ve only submitted using email)

Most people submit stories in the big 9X12 envelopes.

Second: It’s true, I really would like to know more about Fellowships to apply to, what would you recommend?

There are a lot of fellowships.You might want to start here:

ARTIST COLONIES and RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

PEN American Center

Can a writer "win" several fellowships?

Or, if a writer has already won a fellowship, will the "Fellowship Committee" be less inclined to award that writer again?

A writer can win as many fellowships as she wants. I would suggest applying to as many as you can handle and crossing your fingers.