When thinking what to write about this week, I realized there were a few
aspects about the first person point of view which I hadn’t covered in last
week’s post, so it seemed practical to include those points this week.
When you choose to tell a story using the first person point of view
your narrator generally knows the entire story, but a writer still has several
crucial decisions to make.
One choice you will have to make is who your narrator is telling their
story to - another character, the reader or is the narrator remembering past
experiences? If the latter is the case, then you will need to consider how much
time do you want to leave between the events taking place and the telling? Are
the incidents recent or being remembered from a long time ago? What are the
narrator’s feelings towards their younger self who experienced the events – and
has the narrator come to terms with their past?
Another option is to tell the story as events unfold.
I think one of the most important decisions is the form of your
narration. Interior monologue, where the reader knows the thoughts and feelings
of the narrator about events, is the most widely used method. Diaries use of this type of narration where
the speaker’s voice can be more laid-back and informal – think Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Dramatic monologue – where the protagonist speaks to someone else, or
uses letters for the same purpose – allows an intimacy to enter the writing. J.
M. Coetzee in Age of Iron has a
terminally ill woman write the story in letter form to her daughter.
Detached autobiography, where the narrator is recounting events from the
past, has the advantage of enabling the speaker to take a more objective
position. Biggest Elvis by P. F. Kluge is
a great example of how to use detached autobiography.
In the first two, interior monologue and dramatic monologue, it is as if
the reader is overhearing the story, but in detached autobiography the reader
is recognised as the audience.
Whichever form you choose for your narrator, you will need to develop
one convincing voice telling its own story, in such a manner that you create an
authentic reality for the reader.
Writing Update
I pushed myself hard over the last few days and felt rewarded by my
progress – that bit of late night editing paid off. I know I’ve said this
before, (when I thought it was the final tunnel...silly me) but I can see the
end of the tunnel as I start chapter fifteen. Only six more to go.
Of course, I understand more clearly now there are several more
tunnels after this one. But to quote – one day (or should I say one word, one
sentence, one paragraph, one chapter...) at a time. And I do relish the small
satisfaction of knowing that at the end of each chapter, the writing is just
that bit tighter, and reads just that bit more smoothly. Sending the manuscript
off to a professional editor by mid October is appearing to be a realistic
proposition.
TODAY’S HAIKU
curtains of grey mist
spread ethereal fingers -
the earth veils herself
Useful Links
This post has a great upbeat encouraging mood:
A good informative post well worthwhile checking out – including the
further links:
Reading Recommendations:
http://amzn.to/18SbSaG Gold Dragon Haiku - my first attempt at publishing poetry!
Join me on Twitter at: teagankearney@modhaiku
To all story lovers out there, good reading, and to those of you who
write, good writing.
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