One thing I really liked in this week's section of the book was when Bob Dotson explained about twisting cliches to make them at least a little bit new and interesting again. Cliches are so easy to use without even thinking about it, but it makes the writing so much better if you use original ideas or at least use the cliche differently than everybody else has. The idea about having a surprise in your story reminds me of poetry, especially haikus - you want to give the reader a twist that keeps them interested rather than letting them assume they know where the story is headed. If you're predictable, people stop listening, so having a twist in the story will keep them from changing the channel.
In the first story, the surprise is that the family decides to give the money back. It makes the story a lot more interesting right away - a family that wins $50,000 and returns it is a lot more unusual and interesting. The author is also using an "active voice" throughout the story, making it seem more alive and current than if he wrote in the past tense. He also writes conversationally, as if he's speaking to the reader, saying with a nudge,"You've already guessed what happens next." It feels like the author is telling us personally, rather than spewing out facts for the masses, and that, too makes the story more readable.
In the second story, one of the things the reporter does to make the story more interesting is talk about how cold it was. It makes the viewer feel like they were right there with there nose being frozen by the bitter wind, too. He also has an element of surprise at the beginning of the story to capture the reader's attention - we want to know why the woman in the stands is crying. He also writes in threes, describing how the couple is " screaming like teenagers, cursing like true Minnesotans, cheering on each child. This rule of three gives a rhythm and pleasing sound to the story.
I liked how you brought in the idea that poetry has surprises too, specifically haikus. I never really thought about how surprises was make any type of writing more interesting and entertaining,even poetry. In addition, I also never thought about how in the second story talking about how cold it was on the night of he last football game was important. Though, I now see that it is because it makes the story more interesting by getting the audience more involved.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that using clichés reminded me of poetry. I agree with you that there should be a twist on a story. Additionally, I thought telling your story personally was a good idea. Lastly, I also like how the writer incorporated elements of surprise and detail to make their reader feel like they were in the book.
ReplyDelete