Resources for Giving Your Story Depth
Three writing resources infrequently mentioned, but exquisitely wrought.
Edgerton, Les. Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One and Never Lets Them Go. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books, 2007.
This entertaining read explains the ins and outs of the opening scene in a comprehensive way I’ve read nowhere else. Edgerton details the modern requirements of opening scenes in story—which apply whether you’re writing short story, novels, memoir, or any narrative nonfiction—and then walks readers through how to achieve this kind of opening. With plenty of concrete examples and easy-to-understand language, he covers how to fit together in a small space all the pieces of the inciting incident, the story-worthy problem, the initial surface problem, setup, and backstory. He also includes an excellent discussion for how to establish character from the character’s first appearance, eschewing physical detail for character details that matter to the story.
Egri, Lajos. The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1960.
Why such a dated book (its first version published in 1942)? Because in all the books about story craft I’ve read, none explain the necessity of paying attention to human motive better. In this somewhat advanced read—Egri writes with a vocabulary and style reflective of his times—the author discusses what makes a story cohere and seem authentic. The first edition was titled How to Write a Play, which hints at how invested Egri is in the underlying subtext of all human dialogue and action. He won’t explain the difference between showing and telling so necessary to today’s craft, but if you understand his idea of a moral premise when you close the cover of this book, no surface-level plot will ever satisfy you again.
Check out The Art of Dramatic Writing→
Jauss, David. On Writing Fiction: Rethinking Conventional Wisdom about the Craft. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books, 2011.
Less a comprehensive book on writing than a collection of essays for craft topics usually poorly explained, this book is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand point of view. No other teacher of writing or literature (that I’ve come across) explains the nuances and necessary fluidity of point of view in story better. Even Hemingway “breaks” point of view, as it’s commonly explained. Jauss shows you how, tells you why, and educates you on how to make brilliant use of this valuable tool in your own writing. Jauss also gives a helpful discussion about crafting flowing, memorable prose, and delves into other issues more specific to short story.