Learning to Use Your Tools

One evening at a party, a svelte, sophisticated woman in a sleek black dress with — what I had no doubt were perfect accessories — asked this question of me: “When you write a book or story, do you have to know where all the punctuation goes? You know, like the quotation marks and commas, or does an editor do that?”

The woman who asked the question is a successful advertising executive with a degree in art who probably earns ten times more than I ever have. Obviously, she is not stupid. Knowing this, I waited just long enough to see if a punch line was coming before answering. Also, being a guest in someone else’s house, I swallowed the sarcasm that bubbled up before replying, “yes” to the question.

The question was not unique; I have been asked it several times before. Usually, though, it came from elementary school children in a class where I was a guest author or instructor. A few times it had come from retirees who were looking for a second career and were certain the entire world would interested in the adventures of a dentist or chiropractor.

Coming as it did from an educated woman in a designer dress, the point was driven home just how little most people get from the twelve to sixteen years of English to which we are exposed from first grade to graduation. I am not talking about linguistic intricacies — just the nuts and bolts stuff of simple communication in writing with the mother tongue.

When a person sits down with the serious intention of writing, he or she should at least know the parts of speech and have an understanding of English punctuation. If fiction is the choice, the aspiring writer should understand — at the very least — the meaning of plot. You need an opening, a conflict and ending.

Two people standing on a street discussing the hazards of life is not a plot, no matter how interesting the dialogue. Dropping a piano on the two people or having a trolley jump the track and run over them would be a proper ending and finish the plot in a nice, ironic manner. Without the three elements, there is no plot and no story — no matter how vivid the writing.

Speaking of endings, learn when to type “The End.”

As a contributing editor and fiction judge for New Millennium Writings, I read dozens of short stories a year for the short fiction contest. The stories pass through two layers of readers before I ever see the cream. There are writers who paint vivid word pictures, have the three elements of a plot, then screw it up by running on after reaching a perfectly good conclusion.

When you come to the end, stop. If you feel the urge to explain the ending, stifle it. If you haven’t made the reader understand what is happening, elaboration only makes things worse. You have insulted the intelligence of your reader, ruined the story and shown you have no confidence in yourself as a storyteller.

The art and craft of writing is not all about technical details. We all split the occasional infinitive — sometimes on purpose — and misspell words; editors expect it. But there is an old saying I just made up that goes like this: “Students follow the rules and masters make and break the rules.” Unless you consider yourself a master, stick to the blueprints.

The carpenter’s basic tools are a saw, measuring tape, level, a hammer and nails, A writer’s basic tools are words, grammar and punctuation. If you expect to sell your work, become familiar with your tools. The best way to do it is by reading the work of good, solid writers. Every author hopes to write a masterpiece, but first you must be an apprentice and journeyman.

The story is told that when Aristotle was teaching geometry to the youngster who one day be called Alexander the Great, his student complained of how difficult it was. “There is no royal road to geometry,” Aristotle told him. And there is no royal road to becoming a skilled writer.