Category: fancy footwork

Opening paragraphs #003: Shake it up!

Jul 27, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, power punch, short stories, writing technique

For day three of our investigation of openings, I thought I’d show you one that is powerful, sarcastic, hilarious, and tragic–all at the same time! Check out the beginning to “Property,” by Elizabeth McCracken: The ad should have said, For rent, six-room hovel. Quarter-filled Mrs. Butterworth’s bottle in living room, sandy sheets throughout, lingering…
Opening paragraphs #002: Add a bit of mystery!

Jul 26, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

Let’s jump right into today’s opening paragraph by taking a look at the start of Allegra Goodman’s “La Vita Nuova”: The day her fiance left, Amanda went walking in the Colonial cemetery off Garden Street. The gravestones were so worn that she could hardly read them. They were melting away into the weedy grass.…
Poetry from newspapers!

Jul 24, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, poetry, writing technique

Well, after all our serious study of Cody Klippenstein’s amazing fiction, it’s time to take a bit of a break and take a lighter look at that daily newspaper that’s in your hands while you’re drinking your morning coffee… First, take a peek at what I did with one headline that I found…
Cody Klippenstein #005: A gentle touch with personification…

Jul 23, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

Is it day five already? Our final day of looking at some of the writing technique Cody Klippenstein uses in “Case Studies in Ascension”? It’s gone by quickly. For today, I decided to end with a tool familiar to most every writer: personification. Let’s read the passage first: Neither Obaa-san nor I have been…
Cody Klippenstein #004: Long sentences for description…

Jul 22, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, Uncategorized, writing technique

In the past three days, we’ve seen pathos, simplicity, soft sounds, euphony, hard sounds, cacophony, and connotation in Cody Klippenstein’s award-winning story, “Case Studies in Ascension.” Today, we’ll see another technique she makes use of that puts the reader THERE in the moment, visualizing what’s happening in the story. Here’s the example, first: I…
Cody Klippenstein #003: Connotation and cacophony!

Jul 21, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, power punch, writing technique

Yesterday, we saw simplicity, softness, and single-syllable words in a romantic passage in Klippenstein’s “Case Studies in Ascension.” Today, we’re going to see the tougher side of this young, talented writer. While she may have used short, soft words to describe a loving moment, look what she does as we near the END…
Cody Klippenstein #002: Simplicity, softness, and single-syllable words

Jul 20, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, novels, short stories, writing technique

Before we get to today’s lesson, here are a few of the accolades for Cody Klippenstein and her work that I’m aware of: 2011 She’s a finalist for Malahat’s Open Season Awards 2011 She wins The Fiddlehead’s fiction contest 2011 She wins Prism International’s short story contest 2012 She wins Malahat’s Open Season Awards for…
Cody Klippenstein #001 VOICE through pathos!

Jul 19, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, fiction, knockout idea, novels, power punch, short stories, writing technique

If you want to add VOICE to your writing, Cody Klippenstein is the one to turn to. She has won many major writing awards for her short fiction, including “Case Studies for Ascension,” which won the Zoetrope All-Story Short Fiction Contest. It’ll be our study text for this week and it’s up on…
Golden Gloves to Wilder Soul

Jul 19, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, golden gloves, poetry, writing technique

Ok, the symbolism task was NOT EASY yesterday, but one writer took the challenge head on and did a great job–connotation, symbolism, and allusion to show depth. The trouble is, I don’t know the NAME of this person, or where she’s from, but her (his?) pseudonym is… WILDER SOUL It’s 15:23 and I am…
Poetry week #004: Crozier and symbolism

Jul 17, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fancy footwork, poetry, writing technique

First, read this poem by Lorna Crozier quickly: CROSSING WILLOW BRIDGE On the farm a willow bridge though this is Saltspring Island not Japan. Sometimes it crosses water, sometimes not. This morning after rain the ground slides into mud. My mother and I tread our way to see the baby llama in the far…