Tag: contrast

POWER POSITIONS IN PROSE: Niloufar-Lily Soltani’s ZULAIKHA

Nov 20, 2023

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by

Ace Baker

in champion, choose your weapon, fancy footwork, golden gloves, novels, power punch, starters, writing technique

I met Lily Soltani at the Robson Indigo bookstore this past weekend, where she was doing a book signing. In fact, I was the first to get a signed copy… I cracked open the cover, began to read, and quickly discovered what the publisher, Inanna, must have noticed when they selected this book for publication;…
Opening paragraphs #005: SUPER CHALLENGE!

Jul 29, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, knockout idea, novels, short stories, writing technique

Let’s do a quick review of our look at beginnings in the past four days: Day one: sharp contrast: tough, tough soft Day two: a bit of mystery Day three: 3-line description that ends with a powerful short line Day four: help NOT wanted; hesitation at interaction And now, on day five, we’re…
Opening paragraphs #004: Help NOT wanted!

Jul 28, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

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

Have you ever been in a situation where you want to help someone, but they don’t want to be helped? Take a look at this opening by Jess Row in “The Call of Blood“: Mornings he finds Mrs. Kang upright in bed, peeling invisible ginger with an invisible knife. She watches her hands with…
Opening paragraphs #001: Strength AND vulnerability, at the same time!

Jul 25, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

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

For today’s starting paragraph, I decided to go with one that packs quite a punch. First, read how Megan Mayhew Bergman begins “Housewifely Arts”: I am my own housewife, my own breadwinner. I make lunches and change light bulbs. I kiss bruises and kill copperheads from the backyard creek with a steel hoe. I change…
Gaiman #005: Explore a difference

Jul 13, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

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

As I’ve said before, contrast makes writing interesting. But in a longer work of fiction, it’s possible to REVISIT the same contrast in different ways. Here’s how Neil Gaiman does that in The Ocean at the End of the Lane: “Adults follow paths. Children explore. Adults are content to walk the same way, hundreds…
Braunstein: Contrast and time shift

Jul 8, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

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

Check out a few interesting techniques that are being combined in Sarah Braunstein’s short story, “Marjorie Lemke.” The first is that it is like she’s holding a conversation…with herself. The second is a time shift: the “selves” who are talking with each other are the person she used to be and the person she…
Sara Dailey #006: Character foils–another interesting contrast for your writing

Jun 29, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

in fiction, nonfiction, novels, poetry, power punch, short stories, writing technique

Character foils are two characters in the same situation who react differently. Picture two kids with an alcoholic parent. One grows up and never touches a drop of alcohol. The other becomes alcoholic. Those are foils, and they’re another way to show contrast, just like the rhetorical questions we explored yesterday. Let’s see…
Sara Dailey #005: Rhetorical questions and contrast

Jun 28, 2013

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by

Ace Baker

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

I know what you’re thinking…POWER PUNCH? For a rhetorical question? Are you kidding me? But rhetorical questions are powerful because they automatically imply a CONTRAST and contrast is what makes writing interesting. What I mean is that there are usually two opposite ways of answering a question, so conflict is naturally indicated this…