In our discussions, I've noticed that when someone wants to illustrate a point about the writing of fiction, the example chosen is often from popular films or television. In part, this reflects the pervasive presence of film and television in contemporary culture -- most everyone is apt to be familiar with a popular film or TV show. However, I think it also reflects the contemporary reader's preference for dramatic fiction. Let me see if I can clarify what I mean by "Dramatic Fiction." We are in the Information Age, and a majority of today's prose is written to inform. For my own clarification, I have updated "Show, don't tell" into "Dramatize, don't just inform." Thus, dramatic fiction shows/dramatizes events rather than simply summing them up.
"Tuesday afternoon, three masked men entered the Westchester bank, brandished pistols and forced the tellers to hand over a large sum of cash."
That sentence tells/sums up the events. To dramatize, one would need to:
1) set the scene (establish where/when)
2) introduce principal character(s) (who)
3) unfold events in a logical manner -- event A leads to event B leads to C, etc. (what/how)
The bank might be contemporary small-town USA, 1930's Chicago or 1880's Texas. The robber's masks might be bandannas or Halloween masks, and the events might be told through the consciousness of a robber or of one of the victims inside the bank or through the POV of several characters. It all depends on the story one wishes to craft from the bare-bones information.
Of course, when one thinks "dramatic", one often thinks of dialogue. As to how much dialogue is enough dialogue, whole novels have been crafted around a single extended conversation. However, that conversation did not occur in limbo. It played out against a backdrop (where/when) and the characters acted in a logical manner. They frowned, smiled, sipped tea, etc. They acted and reacted to the words and events. Otherwise, it was not dramatized, it was spoken information.
John Wayne is reputed to have said: "I don't act; I react."
For me, this reflects one of the keys to dramatizing fiction. To react implies a mental and/or emotional response. When this response/reaction is dramatized, the associated emotions are implicit, and when those reactions/responses are dramatized through the consciousness of a POV character, the emotions are even more dramatically conveyed to the reader. An author employing a 3rd person narrator's POV might describe an abandoned house at midnight. Broken windows like empty eyes, the smell of mildew and rat droppings, the moan of the wind -- all could be used to evoke a mood and atmosphere. Yet, there is no emotion because there is no one to react. Insert a character into the scene. Let the character describe and react to the smells, the atmosphere. Let the character try to hear above the pounding of her own pulse; let him think about the spiders and the rats, and you have dramatic description full of emotional/mental responses that can evoke similar responses in readers.
A 3rd person narrator may describe a character in telling detail, detail that paints a vivid picture and characterizes. Yet, it remains a summing up of that character. Filter the description of character B through the POV of character A, including thoughts and reactions, and you add the drama of emotion to the description. Perhaps character A is envious of character B or is attracted to or repelled by character B. Filtering descriptive details through a character's POV personalizes the information. Readers know that first impressions are not always accurate and they wonder if character B's behavior will match character A's impressions/expectations. Personalize story information and one evokes more emotion; more emotion equates to more drama and a fictional reality that more fully engages the reader.
These musings address only the bare bones of Dramatic Fiction. To do it justice would require several essays -- perhaps even a entire book. Yet, with these bare-bones as a guide, i can review my latest efforts with a critical eye. Have I dramatized rather than summarized/informed? Have I answered the "W" questions (who, where, when, what, how and why)? Do events unfold in a logical sequence? Do I have a strong POV character who acts and reacts to the environment, the events and other characters? Are my characters' motives (needs/wants) clear and their actions/reactions consistent with those motives? Is there conflict and tension? Have I, in fact, managed to craft a bit of dramatic fiction?
© 2000 Dave Swinford.
