Damon Knight on structure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Structure is there to draw the reader into the story, keep them reading, and satisfy them at the end. “Whatever in a work of art is not used, is doing harm.” (C.S. Lewis.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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If tension falls to zero anywhere before the end, the story will probably fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Plot is one way of organising a story – not the only one. In the “lean-to” story, the structure leans against our expectations of how things work, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Physical movement through different spaces is another structure, economical because it also provides setting and background at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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A group of people anticipate an arrival, then there’s conflict, then a resolution. That’s a structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Beginners often have “tunnel vision” – they look down the story from the beginning, hoping to reach the end, but can’t see (or create) the structure until they look at the tunnel from the side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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To fix:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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– Vivid image. If you started with one, look for one at the end. You may need one in the middle as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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– What else is nearby? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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– Who else is nearby? What’s their relationship with the main character?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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– What happened before the story started that’s important to how it unfolds? Does the character have a secret?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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– What does the story mean? Does the ending support that?\ufeff<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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#shortfiction<\/p>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Damon Knight on structure:
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