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A few years ago, I read the Learn Writing with Uncle Jim thread at the beginning, and thought: "Oookay, he says go get this book and read it, because it will teach me important things about writing, even though it is not about writing."
Got it, read it, said "oh, there are some similarities... okay." And thought not much more of it.
Then I started writing seriously again, and decided to re-read it and see if anything new came out. Nope.
And then a few days I realized, as I was doing critiques and marking up my own work: there is something very important covered in the book, that is not emphasized elsewhere, where technique is emphasized. And that is atmosphere and set-up.
Throughout the book, that's what's talked about constantly. A magic trick is just a trick if you do it on the street, with no story around it. It's not particularly memorable to folks, and they smile and think "oh, it's a trick."
But if you set up the atmosphere and story behind it--the whys of the trick; creating a special world where the trick has significance; an appropriate atmosphere of contemplation of telepathy, special powers, or whatever is appropriate to your "trick", even if you're a bumbling conjurer... suddenly your trick is no longer a trick. It's a full-fledged magic act. People get caught up in your world, and events are no longer "just tricks".
This is important to establish during your act, yes, but it is even more important to establish before your act, at the very beginning. Because without drawing people in and establishing the world, they just see your act as one more trick.
Mind you, there are lousy tricks, good tricks, and GREAT tricks. But in the end, they are only tricks and have no lasting impact on the audience.
As for how this applies to writing...
Say you take a reader and dump them into an action scene at the beginning. This is a popular way to start a story:
"Suddenly, Y acted in this way and things happened as a result."
But there's no context. There's no atmosphere. It's the equivalent of plunking your shell game out in the street. Your trick can be the best in the world, but there is nothing framing it right now---and to agents, editors, and readers, it's just a trick.
It's just a random scene.
Step back. What is Y doing and where is Y right now? Who is Y? Why do we care about Y? Do we have any idea what's going on?
The "card mind reading" trick is very bare bones. But depending on the context you develop around it, you can either have a cozy session with friends when discussing telepathy (remembering to dissolve the illusion gently at the end), or you can develop into part of an act--and acts can go many different ways. Or you can do nothing and just have a trick.
Setting up context shouldn't take long. It's enough to step out onto the stage and act the debonair magician for a while: walk out with top hat and tails, maybe with a cape, smoothly. Remove a handkerchief and turn it into a cigarette. With a wave of the hand, light the cigarette. Then turn the cigarette into a wand. Then begin your show. You've just established a personality and an atmosphere, with a few simple strokes.
And I thought: good gods. It makes so much sense. I don't think I've read any other writing books that talks about this, because it's NOT a technique, it's more like... a principle.
And then: Dang it. Now I have to go look back at every beginning I've ever written (as beginnings are my weak point).
It has helped.
Got it, read it, said "oh, there are some similarities... okay." And thought not much more of it.
Then I started writing seriously again, and decided to re-read it and see if anything new came out. Nope.
And then a few days I realized, as I was doing critiques and marking up my own work: there is something very important covered in the book, that is not emphasized elsewhere, where technique is emphasized. And that is atmosphere and set-up.
Throughout the book, that's what's talked about constantly. A magic trick is just a trick if you do it on the street, with no story around it. It's not particularly memorable to folks, and they smile and think "oh, it's a trick."
But if you set up the atmosphere and story behind it--the whys of the trick; creating a special world where the trick has significance; an appropriate atmosphere of contemplation of telepathy, special powers, or whatever is appropriate to your "trick", even if you're a bumbling conjurer... suddenly your trick is no longer a trick. It's a full-fledged magic act. People get caught up in your world, and events are no longer "just tricks".
This is important to establish during your act, yes, but it is even more important to establish before your act, at the very beginning. Because without drawing people in and establishing the world, they just see your act as one more trick.
Mind you, there are lousy tricks, good tricks, and GREAT tricks. But in the end, they are only tricks and have no lasting impact on the audience.
As for how this applies to writing...
Say you take a reader and dump them into an action scene at the beginning. This is a popular way to start a story:
"Suddenly, Y acted in this way and things happened as a result."
But there's no context. There's no atmosphere. It's the equivalent of plunking your shell game out in the street. Your trick can be the best in the world, but there is nothing framing it right now---and to agents, editors, and readers, it's just a trick.
It's just a random scene.
Step back. What is Y doing and where is Y right now? Who is Y? Why do we care about Y? Do we have any idea what's going on?
The "card mind reading" trick is very bare bones. But depending on the context you develop around it, you can either have a cozy session with friends when discussing telepathy (remembering to dissolve the illusion gently at the end), or you can develop into part of an act--and acts can go many different ways. Or you can do nothing and just have a trick.
Setting up context shouldn't take long. It's enough to step out onto the stage and act the debonair magician for a while: walk out with top hat and tails, maybe with a cape, smoothly. Remove a handkerchief and turn it into a cigarette. With a wave of the hand, light the cigarette. Then turn the cigarette into a wand. Then begin your show. You've just established a personality and an atmosphere, with a few simple strokes.
And I thought: good gods. It makes so much sense. I don't think I've read any other writing books that talks about this, because it's NOT a technique, it's more like... a principle.
And then: Dang it. Now I have to go look back at every beginning I've ever written (as beginnings are my weak point).
It has helped.
