Story Grid Writers' Room Bite Size Edition - Thawing the Fiction Freeze
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Dec 5, 2018 Writers struggling with the shift from nonfiction to fiction explore the concept of 'fiction freeze.' The importance of emotional engagement over mere information is highlighted, emphasizing how resonant details enchant readers. Analyzing 'A Little Princess,' the discussion focuses on character values and narrative dynamics. The challenges of adapting to new realities are examined through a young girl's emotional journey. Finally, listeners learn how to balance engaging details with story structure to captivate their audience.
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Engage, Entertain, Enchant
- Focus on engaging, entertaining, and enchanting your readers.
- In fiction, informing and persuading are less important than evoking emotion.
Newspaper vs. Novel
- Anne Hawley contrasts a newspaper article about a girl's arrival at school with the opening of A Little Princess.
- The article informs, but the novel evokes questions and engages the reader.
Show, Don't Tell
- Avoid info dumping; omit details like the character's name, age, or appearance initially.
- Focus on evocative details that create mood and raise questions, like "dark winter's day" or "odd-looking little girl".
