It's been a while. Things happened. Open heart surgery, pandemic, depression--you know, the usual stuff.
But I never stopped writing--well, not for long. And I still enjoy talking and writing about writing and sharing ideas. (And yes, I've made a note to update the photo...). Anyway, let's talk about writing!
This post was triggered by looking at an old (2005) book called Photo Idea Index, by Jim Krause. The blurb on the front cover reads, "Explore new ways to capture and create exceptional images with digital cameras and software." What struck me is how many of the core concepts he covers can also be applied to making your writing stand out.
The first thing he talks about is point of view: the angle from which you shoot your photo. The point of view from which you tell your story in a screenplay or novel or short story can also set your work apart from the overly familiar. We know there are only so many basic stories, like the love triangle, the quest for revenge, and so on. The challenge always is finding a fresh way to tell the story. Point of view can come to the rescue.
Let's look at an example, crime stories. The majority of the time these are told from the point of view of a cop or a detective. Especially in "cozy" detective stories, the protagonist is an amateur detective or a group that functions as such. A recent TV example is "Only Murders in the Building." But let's brainstorm some alternative points of view that might freshen up a traditional story:
The victim (if a murder victim, maybe speaking from the afterlife)
A witness who is pressured by the police to make a positive I.D., and threatened by friends or family members of the prime suspect not to do so.
The victim's dog (hey, one of the rules of brainstorming is not to censor.
A psychic who gets a message but has to piece everything together (this puts us back into amateur detective territory, but at least with a twist).
The murder weapon that passes between several people.
A Coroner or Medical Examiner who finds new bits of evidence that change the conclusions about what happened, and how, as they build up. Or the viewpoint of the body as it yields the secrets of what took place.
A mixture of viewpoints, either conflicting for a Rashomon effect, or a Kaliedescopic effect in which each new perspective adds a piece of the puzzle.
The Bottom Line: If there's a story you've been wanting to write but are concerned that it may be too familiar, consider telling it from an unusual point of view.
Next time we'll look at the crucial part played by the environment of your story.
