literaryvein-basics

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Writing Notes: Plagiarism

Most students know it’s not okay to copy and paste someone else’s writing into a document and pass it off as their own. However, there are times when students are trying to paraphrase or are quoting a source where things are less black and white, and the concept of plagiarism can become unclear.

In most of your college writing assignments, you’ll be asked to use information from outside sources. Therefore, it is essential you know how to avoid plagiarism and why writers should properly give credit to the authors of those sources.

What is Plagiarism?

The use of someone else’s ideas as your own.

If you take someone else’s ideas and use them in your paper without giving proper credit, you are plagiarizing.

Although, most of the time, plagiarism is unintentional, it is still each student’s responsibility to learn how to properly attribute material to the original author/s.

Citing Correctly

A common mistaken belief is that citations are only needed for direct quotes, but this is not the case.

Generally, you should provide a citation for any information that is not common knowledge or your own ideas.

Example: You wouldn’t need a citation to write that the sky is blue because that is common knowledge.

However, if you write that the sky is blue because blue light is reflected by particles in the atmosphere more than other colors, your reader may expect you to provide a citation.

Can’t I Just Paraphrase?

Another possible misconception regarding plagiarism is that paraphrasing means taking a sentence from a source, changing a couple words, and providing a citation.

However, paraphrasing is more than just changing a word or two.

Rather, it is taking another person’s ideas and putting them in your own unique words.

Still, any lengthy series of words taken verbatim from a source need to be placed in quotation marks.

A rule to keep in mind is when four or more consecutive, verbatim words are used from a source, place them in quotes.

Strategies for Avoiding Plagiarism

When in Doubt, Cite

Many students worry that too many citations makes it appear that they are relying too heavily on source material and not thinking for themselves.

While some assignments will require you to use more of your own words and ideas, if you are in doubt about whether to cite something, it is wise to go ahead and cite it.

This way, you do not have to worry about being accused of plagiarism if the sentence in question reads more similarly to an idea taken from one of your sources than to your own ideas.

Because plagiarism is considered a fairly serious offense in academia, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Take Notes

When conducting research, it’s a good idea to write down the bibliographic information for your sources in addition to what you plan to use from those sources.

Make sure you have, at the very least, the author’s name and title of the work to help you cite your source material later.

In addition, be sure to place appropriate quotation marks around material taken directly from your sources so you do not confuse it with your own thoughts.

Otherwise, you might forget where you got a particular piece of information and/or whether or not it is in your own words.

It can be anxiety-inducing to be nearing a deadline but unable to find the citation details for a source.

To avoid this stress, record bibliographic information as you research.

It is also helpful to think of this notetaking as a halfway point between initial research and writing the paper.

Breaking down your source material by putting the author’s argument and main points into your own words helps you to better understand the sources with which you are working.

Moreover, active notetaking is good practice for putting the author’s ideas into your own words.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers

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more notes on: writer's block

It is an anxiety we feel when we are unable to transfer ideas from our heads to the page.

It is a feeling of inadequacy—that whatever we write will be unoriginal, unimaginative, or have very little value.

It is a temporary state in which we are so overwhelmed with the expectations of an assignment, instructor, ourselves (inner editor) that we can’t get started.

Techniques to Combat Writer's Block

Stream of consciousness writing

There are variations to this type of writing. In general, the ideas are the same: writing freely without considering grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

The most important aspect of this exercise is to just write.

Variations include: write what comes to your mind as you focus on your topic; write with your eyes closed; cover your computer screen and type freely; write slowly while focusing on each shaping of the letters; or set a timer/alarm and write non-stop for 10-15 minutes.

Change your location

If you usually write at a computer, try the kitchen or dining room table.

If you usually write at a desk, try a seat by a window. Or how about a coffee shop, a park, or the library?

Relaxation techniques

Take a break from trying to write. This will help you to rejuvenate (but come back soon)!

Take some deep breaths. People who tell you that physical exercise is important for mental activity are telling the truth.

If nothing's happening on the computer screen or paper, take a walk around the block. Hit the treadmill or tennis courts or drive to the gym. But take your notebook with you.

Fresh blood will be flowing through your brain and jogging might just jog something loose in your head. It happens.

Start in the middle of your writing project

Avoid the problem of getting started by starting on a part of the project that interests you more and then come back to the introductory matter later.

After all, your readers will never know you wrote the introduction last (another joy of word-processing technology!).

Talking aloud

Talk over your paper with a friend, or just blab away into a tape recorder (even better).

Play the tape back and write down what you hear in clusters of ideas or free write about them.

Accountability & community

Set up a time and place to write with someone else or a few other writers.

Start by talking about what you are working on, your struggle, and what needs to be done.

You can set a specific amount of time for everyone to write silently (an hour or a few).

Then come back together in the end to vocalize what you accomplished (and what you still want to accomplish if more needs to be done).

This goal setting, accountability, and community are highly valuable for the writing process.

more on: writer's block

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Writing Notes: Sentence Types

There are 4 types of sentences in English. Each has a specific purpose.

4 Types of Sentences

DECLARATIVE SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to make a statement.

It is the most common sentence in writing, and it ends with a period. Examples:

"Larry ate chocolate ice cream covered with almonds."

"Susan was declared class president at the pep rally."

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to ask a question.

The sentence ends with a question mark.

There are 2 kinds of questions in English:

1. The "yes/no" question

Places the helping verb in a declarative sentence before the subject in the interrogative sentence. Example:

"I can go to Jamaica this summer." (declarative)

Is transformed to: "Can I go to Jamaica this summer?" (interrogative)

2. The "wh-"question

Begins with a question word: who, what, when, where, why, and how. These words always appear first in the interrogative sentence. Examples:

Who is that student?

What are Mary and Robin doing?

When will you be home?

Where is Mark going?

Why are you sad?

How does that work?

IMPERATIVE SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to issue a request or command.

It has no written subject; however, the subject is implied, and it is always "you." Examples:

"Go to school." = (You) Go to school.

"Don't drive too fast." = (You) Don't drive too fast.

EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE

The purpose of this sentence is to express a strong feeling.

Exclamatory sentences always end with an exclamation point. Examples: 

"That is an unusual color!"

"John sounded brilliant!"

Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers

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Writing Notes: Mixed Metaphors

A metaphor (from the Greek “metaphorá”) is a figure of speech that directly compares one thing to another for rhetorical effect.

While the most common metaphors use the structure “X is Y,” the term “metaphor” itself is broad and can sometimes be used to include other literary terms, like similes.

Metaphors provide literary descriptions, can serve as figures of speech, and sometimes end up as tropes, idioms, and cliches.

A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the head”); when you start mixing imagery ("hitting the nail on the nose"), you can create a type of malapropism known as a mixed metaphor.

Some examples of common metaphors used in a sentence:

“Time flies when we’re having fun.”

“He was always the black sheep of the family.”

“If last week's crisis was a rainstorm, this one is a hurricane.”

A mixed metaphor is a figure of speech in which the speaker or writer combines two different metaphors that are incompatible.

All metaphors should be accepted for their figurative meaning rather than their literal meaning, but mixed metaphors make this difficult by offering inconsistent imagery and ludicrous comparisons that strain the boundaries of linguistics.

The use of mixed metaphors can derail a piece of otherwise strong writing.

But it can also be used effectively in creative writing.

To create an example of a mixed metaphor, simply cut and paste sections of two incompatible metaphors. Consider some ways mixed metaphors can pop up to ridiculous effect.

We were flying through a sea of success.

He seemed scary, but he was all bark with no place to go.

The substitute teacher screamed her hair out, but the kids wouldn't listen.

When the going gets tough, the early bird gets the worm.

Too many cooks break the camel's back.

This is hardly rocket surgery.

A rolling stone gathers a rock and a hard place.

I'll be here 'til the cows come home to roost.

Source

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Writing Notes: Signal Verbs

Signal verbs are verbs that show your understanding of an author's purpose and alert the reader to the context in which the source’s statement should be viewed.

They help your reader understand the author's intentions and the degree to which the author supports his statements.

Common Signal Verbs

acknowledges, advises, agrees, allows, analyzes, answers, appreciates, asserts, assumes, believes, charges, claims, considers, criticizes, declares, describes, disagrees, discusses, embraces, emphasizes, explains, expresses, holds, implies, interprets, leaves us with, lists, objects, observes, offers, opposes, points to, presents, proposes, recognizes, regards, remarks, replies, reports, responds, reveals, says, states, suggests, supports, tells us, thinks, wants to, wishes, wonders

Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers

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Writing Notes: POV

Point of view - the perspective from which the story is told.

The most obvious point of view is probably first person or "I."

The omniscient narrator knows everything, may reveal the motivations, thoughts and feelings of the characters, and gives the reader information.

With a limited omniscient narrator, the material is presented from the point of view of a character, in third person.

The objective point of view presents the action and the characters' speech, without comment or emotion. The reader has to interpret them and uncover their meaning.

Note: A narrator may be trustworthy or untrustworthy, s/he can also be intimately close to the action or distant and uninvolved. This "aesthetic distance" helps to establish the tone of the work.

[literaryvein-basics]

a list of "troublesome" words

inculcate

To persistently impress a habit upon or belief into another person. You inculcate an idea, not a person:

“My father inculcated me with a belief in democracy”

should be “My father inculcated in me a belief in democracy.”

inveigh, inveigle

Inveigh - to speak strongly against: (“She inveighed against the rise in taxes”)

Inveigle - to entice or cajole: (“They inveigled an invitation to the party”)

irony, sarcasm

Irony - the use of words to convey a contradiction between the literal and intended meanings.

Sarcasm - very like irony except that it is more stinging.

Whereas the primary intent behind irony is to amuse,

with sarcasm, it is to wound or score points.

kudos

”He did not feel he had received the kudos that were his due” (Washington Post).

Kudos - a Greek word meaning fame or glory, is singular.

Thus it should be “the kudos that was his due.”

There is no such thing, incidentally, as one kudo.

languid, limpid

Limpid - clear, calm, untroubled (“a limpid stream”).

It has nothing to do with being limp or listless—meanings that are covered by languid.

laudable, laudatory

Laudable - deserving praise

Laudatory - expressing praise

lawful, legal

In many contexts they can be used interchangeably.

Lawful - permissible under the law (“lawful behavior,” “lawful protest”).

Legal - has that meaning plus the additional sense of “relating to the law,” as in “legal system” and “legal profession.”

lay, lie

”Laying on his back, Dalton used a long exposure of two seconds so as to achieve maximum depth of field” (Photography magazine).

Unless Dalton was producing eggs, he was lying on his back.

Lay and lie, in all their manifestations, are a constant source of errors. There are no simple rules for dealing with them.

You must either commit their various forms to memory or avoid them altogether. The forms are:

LAY ⚜ LIE

Present: I lay the book on the table. ⚜ I lie down; I am lying down.

Past: Yesterday I laid the book on the table. ⚜ Last night I lay down to sleep.

Present Perfect: I have already laid the book on the table. ⚜ I have lain in bed all day.

The most common error is to say, “If you’re not feeling well, go upstairs and lay down.” It should be “lie down.”

lighted, lit

Either is correct.

Lighted, however, is more usual when the word is being used as an adjective (“a lighted torch”).

loath, loathe

Loath - an adjective meaning reluctant,

Loathe - a verb meaning to despise.

luxuriant, luxurious

Not interchangeable, but their meanings sometimes overlap.

Luxuriant - indicates profusion (“luxuriant hair”).

Luxurious - sumptuous and expensive (“a luxurious house”).

A luxuriant carpet is a shaggy one;

a luxurious carpet is an expensive one.

Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Grammar & Vocabulary

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Writing Notes: Rejection

Rejection is part of a writer's life. Anyone who wants to make it as a writer needs to learn to face rejection bravely, gracefully, and frequently.

3 tips for coping with rejection

Laugh at your rejections.

Learn from your rejections.

Always have a new project underway, something that will give you hope no matter how many rejections come your way for the previous project.

You may take some consolation in knowing the rejection history of these writers and works:

Dune by Frank Herbert – 13 rejections

Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis – 17 rejections

Jonathan Livingston Seagull – 18 rejections

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle – 29 rejections

Carrie by Stephen King – over 30 rejections

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell – 38 rejections

A Time to Kill by John Grisham – 45 rejections

Louis L'Amour, author of over 100 western novels – over 300 rejections before publishing his first book

John Creasy, author of 564 mystery novels – 743 rejections before publishing his first book

Ray Bradbury, author of over 100 science fiction novels and stories – around 800 rejections before selling his first story

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter – rejected so universally the author decided to self-publish the book

From rejection slip for George Orwell's Animal Farm:

“It is impossible to sell animal stories in the U.S.A."

From rejection slip for Norman MacLean's A River Runs Through It:

“These stories have trees in them."

From rejection slip for article sent to the San Francisco Examiner to Rudyard Kipling:

“I'm sorry, Mr. Kipling, but you just don't know how to use the English language."

From rejection slip for The Diary of Anne Frank:

“The girl doesn't, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the curiosity level."

Rejection slip for Dr. Seuss's And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street:

“Too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling."

Source

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Tips for Writing Concisely

“Instant prose” can come from being forced to write papers of a particular length or being told that a paragraph must always contain exactly five sentences. This habit leads to the opposite of conciseness—wordiness in sentences and redundancy in paragraphs, which can confuse the reader and cloud your ideas.

Write what you mean—nothing more and nothing less.

Trust and respect yourself as a writer enough to not overstate what you mean.

Study sentences in your first draft to see what you can delete without losing meaning.

Read each paragraph aloud. Be sure that all sentences support the topic sentence.

Keep concrete, specific examples. Cut out extra words, empty phrases, weak qualifiers, negative constructions, and unnecessary “to be” verbs.

Also, watch for sentences and clauses beginning with it is, this is, and there are.

EXAMPLE 1

Wordy: The economic situation of Anne Moody was also a crucial factor in the formation of her character.

Concise: Anne Moody’s poverty also helped form her character.

EXAMPLE 2

Wordy: Frequently, a chapter in a book reveals to the reader the main point that the author desires to bring out during the course of the chapter.

Concise: A chapter’s title often reveals its thesis.

WEAK INTENSIFIERS & QUALIFIERS

Sentences are more forceful without them.

Notice how much clearer the following sentences are without the words in brackets:

We found the proposal [quite] feasible.

The remark, though unkind, was [entirely] accurate.

The scene was [extremely] typical.

That behavior is [fairly] unique for such an intelligent animal.

The first line [definitely] establishes that the father had been drinking.

SPECIFIC & CONCRETE Make sure that sentences are specific and concrete in their conclusions instead of raising more questions:

Wordy: In both Orwell’s and Baldwin’s essays, the feeling of white supremacy is very important. (This raises the questions: How is it important? Why?)

Concise: Both Orwell and Baldwin trace the consequences of white supremacy. (This revision states its point conclusively.)

"TO BE" Avoid unnecessary use of “to be” verbs:

Wordy: There are two pine trees which are growing behind this house.

Concise: Two pine trees grow behind this house.

REDUNDANT WORDS/PHRASES

Wordy: Any student could randomly sit anywhere.

Concise: Students could sit anywhere. (If they could sit “anywhere,” seating was clearly “random.”)

NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS TO POSITIVE

Wordy: Housing for married students is not unworthy of consideration.

Concise: Housing for married students is worthy of consideration.

SIMPLIFY

Wordy: This is a quote from Black Elk’s autobiography that discloses his prophetic powers.

Concise: This quote from Black Elk’s autobiography discloses his prophetic powers.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Basics ⚜ Avoid Wordiness

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5 Literary Terms for Studying Prose Narratives

AESTHETIC DISTANCE: An effect of tone, diction, and presentation in poetry creating a sense of an experience removed from irrelevant or accidental events. This sense of intentional focus seems intentionally organized or framed by events in the poem so that it can be more fully understood by quiet contemplation. Typically, the reader is less emotionally involved or impassioned—reacting to the material in a calmer manner.

CATHARSIS: An emotional discharge that brings about a moral or spiritual renewal or welcome relief from tension and anxiety. According to Aristotle, catharsis is the marking feature and ultimate end of any tragic artistic work. He writes in his Poetics (c. 350 BCE): "Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; . . . through pity [eleos] and fear [phobos] effecting the proper purgation [catharsis] of these emotions" (Book 6.2).

IN MEDIAS RES (Latin: "In the middle[s] of things"): The classical tradition of opening an epic not in the chronological point at which the sequence of events would start, but rather at the midway point of the story. Later on in the narrative, the hero will recount verbally to others what events took place earlier. Usually in medias res is a technique used to heighten dramatic tension or to create a sense of mystery. This term is the opposite of the phrase ab ovo, when a story begins in the beginning and then proceeds in a strictly chronological manner without using the characters' dialogue, flashbacks, or memories. (Contrast with flashback, in which the past events are experienced as a memory, and anastrophe, in which the entire story is cut into chronological pieces and experienced in a seemingly random or inverted pattern.)

JUXTAPOSITION: The arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development. 

PERIPETEIA (Also spelled peripetea, Greek for "sudden change"): The sudden reversal of fortune in a story, play, or any narrative in which there is an observable change in direction. In tragedy, this is often a change from stability and happiness toward the destruction or downfall of the protagonist.

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Writing Notes: Clauses

Clause - a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.

2 kinds of clauses:

The independent clause is a complete sentence that makes sense on its own, like this: "She eats a big breakfast."

The dependent clause is an incomplete sentence that doesn’t make sense on its own, like this: "When she wakes up each morning."

Dependent clauses cannot be left on their own because they express incomplete thoughts.

They have to be joined with an independent clause.

2 basic ways to join clauses

Put the independent clause first, and don’t use a comma, like this: "She eats a big breakfast when she wakes up each morning."

Put the dependent clause first, and use a comma, like this: "When she wakes up each morning, she eats a big breakfast."

Tip to Remember: Although both types of clauses have a subject and a verb, dependent clauses can’t stand on their own and must be joined to an independent clause.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers

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Writing Notes: The Rhetorical Triangle

Rhetorical Triangle - a simple, useful tool that can help you develop a strong and well thought-out essay, especially in persuasive writing and speeches.

Each side of the triangle represents one of the three classical rhetorical approaches used to build informative, persuasive arguments that influence audiences in specific, powerful ways.

There are many visual representations of the Rhetorical Triangle available online, such as the following:

The 3 Classical Appeals: Ethos, Pathos and Logos

Each of the three approaches attempts to prove arguments and persuade readers by emphasizing a specific type of appeal.

These appeals are not mutually exclusive, and you will often find elements of all three working together in effective writing.

Ethos: Appeals to Credibility and Authority

To use this appeal, you might emphasize experience or educational background, your own or those of your sources, as the reason the reader should believe you.

By citing credentials, the argument is being built on the word of experts.

Your reader expects to acknowledge the qualifications of the individuals or organizations presented as capable of supporting an argument with valid, factual, and credible information.

Pathos: Appeals to Emotions

Although this appeal is not as commonly used in academic writing as the other two, it does appear regularly in literary work.

Recognizing and using pathos appeals to personal values and emotions, which are some of the most powerful appeals.

Logos: Appeals to Logic and Reasoning

When you think about academic writing, you probably think of logic-based writing, which targets a reader’s intellect and often includes facts that build upon each other to support complex arguments.

Because this appeal relies on a reader being able to follow well-constructed arguments, it is critical this writing is clear, organized, and focused.

Extra information that does not directly support the logic of the arguments can distract and confuse a reader, and ultimately weaken an argument.

Identifying and Using Rhetorical Appeals

Now that you are familiar with each of the three rhetorical appeals, you can consider how you might use them in your writing, based on the specific rhetorical situation you are working with.

ETHOS

If your paper is discussing the effects of drinking and driving, you might include an interview with a veteran DPS Trooper who can discuss his fifteen years of experience working New Year’s Eve patrols. His professional credentials help your readers believe his observations and ideas are informed, relevant, and appropriate to the topic. By citing them, you are presenting your source’s DPS training, certifications, and experience as the reason your readers should accept your argument.

Incorporating topic information from reliable, well-informed sources strengthens your argument and makes it easier for your reader to accept.

Writers present their source’s credentials through in-text citations as well as through their Works Cited listings.

These citations provide your readers with the background and information they need to evaluate the quality and credibility of your sources.

PATHOS

If your goal is to get your reader to feel something, or to take a certain action, you may find this appeal highly effective.

Think about the popular TV commercials that raise money for abused animals. Those commercials are designed to make viewers feel sadness by showing images of pain and suffering. By the end, they switch to hopeful images and dialogue to inspire viewers to take a specific action and become supporters of their cause.

Pathos is often used in literature. Think about stories that seem to come alive in some way. Perhaps it is a character to whom readers can genuinely relate or stories that make readers feel happy, sad, or angry.

Writing that evokes emotion often uses Pathos. It is also commonly used in spoken word compositions like speeches, poetry, and theater.

When possible, including thoughtfully chosen images and music is another way you can use pathos through sensory details to connect with your audience’s emotions.

LOGOS

To create logical support in your work, you might include data, case studies, statistics, lab reports, and other similar information.

This is a popular appeal, and if you watch for it, you will find it used to support claims in everything from scientific reports to advertising, such as the familiar “Nine out of ten dentists recommend using an automatic toothbrush over regular brushing.”

COMBINING RHETORICAL APPEALS

As you start planning your essay, you may find that a combination of appeals works best.

Example: You might decide that case studies and lab reports will provide the best data to support your claims, focusing on only highly-qualified sources that are well known in your field.

By making these choices, you are employing the power of both Logos and Ethos into your essay, a combination that will result in a clear, organized, credible, and effective argument that conveys your message.

Source

[literaryvein-basics]

Common Writing Terms and Concepts in the Writing Process

Writing prompt - introduces and focuses the writing topic. The purposes of a writing prompt are to encourage the writer’s interest in a topic and encourage them to write about it in a thoughtful and creative way. While an effective prompt introduces and limits the writing topic, it should also provide clear instructions about the writing task.

Brainstorming - exercises and techniques that help you find and organize ideas, arguments, and theses for a paper.

Freewriting - a form of brainstorming where you write without stopping for a period of time.

Draft - the initial version of a paper before revisions and proofreading.

Feedback - comments on your paper that praise or provide suggestions for improving your draft.

Revising - correcting or making changes to the paper’s thesis, organization, argument or evidence.

Proofreading - correcting the sentence structure, spelling, and other grammar issues in the paper. This step comes after revising the paper.

Peer Review Workshop - students get into pairs or groups to write feedback and to talk about improving the paper.

Rubric - a scoring guide that a teacher uses to grade your paper. It usually includes a description of what an excellent, good, or poor score may look like. (e.g. have a clear thesis statement, address the audience appropriately)

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

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Writing Notes: Subplots

Subplot - a side story that runs parallel to the main plot.

It has a secondary strand of characters and events that can infuse important information into the main storyline.

Also known as a minor story, a subplot creates a richer, more complex narrative arc in novel writing and other storytelling mediums.

When crafting a narrative, a writer’s job is to create a compelling story.

One way to do that is through subplots—secondary storylines found in novels, plays, television shows, and movies.

In creative writing, a subplot can reveal more about secondary characters, create plot twists, and add another dimension to a story.

Most importantly, a good subplot raises the stakes for a main character.

An Example: Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare weaves several subplots throughout this tragic love story.

The backstory of the long-running feud between rival families, the Capulets and Montagues, creates the central conflict in the play—two young lovers from warring families desperate to find a way to be together.

The subplots involving the warring families create dramatic plot points that escalate the tension, like when Romeo’s best friend Mercutio is killed by Juliet’s cousin Tybalt.

4 Types of Subplots

When coming up with writing ideas to enhance your main plot, think of using one or more subplots. These could include any of the following:

Mirror subplot: A smaller-scale conflict mirrors the main character’s in order to teach them a valuable lesson or illuminate how to resolve the conflict.

Contrasting subplot: A secondary character faces similar circumstances and dilemmas as the main character but makes different decisions with the opposite outcome.

Complicating subplot: A secondary character makes matters worse for the main character.

Romantic subplot: The main character has a love interest, and this relationship complicates the main plot.

6 Tips for Writing Better Subplots

When you’re writing a book, always brainstorm the best subplot ideas that can deepen the tension and make your main character’s scenario more complex.

Try these tips when you craft your next narrative:

Ensure that your subplots play second fiddle.

A subplot exists to support your main storyline but should never overpower it.

Subplots should end before the main plot.

The exception to this rule is a romantic subplot, which often concludes in the final scene.

Give your subplots a narrative arc.

Subplots are stories, too.

Create a narrative framework for each, though on a smaller scale than your main plot.

Use this technique to tell a supporting character’s story that affects the protagonist’s actions.

You might even incorporate flashbacks as a subplot, mirroring a character’s journey with something that happened in their earlier days, like high school.

Write character-driven subplots.

Just like your main story, characters should drive the action in a subplot.

Create foils that can highlight qualities in your main character.

These characters will either help or hinder the protagonist in the story.

Try a new POV.

Your subplot might provide information that your main character is unaware of.

If your main plot is told in first person, try changing the point of view in the subplot to third person.

Figure out how to connect the subplot and the main plot.

There are numerous ways to use subplots.

A parallel subplot runs throughout the entirety of the story, showing different sides of the same plot.

This builds suspense as the reader waits for the two plots to collide (think The Fugitive).

You can also write small, isolated subplots.

Briefly introduce a character who drops in early on, then revisit their journey near the end of the story to shed light on the deeper meaning of your main plot.

Ramp up the tension with a subplot.

Propel your main story with information revealed in your side stories.

Subplots are a strong medium for foreshadowing events, so use them to drop hints and clues.

Source

[literaryvein-basics]

Writing Refresher: "Each"

Each - refers to every one of two (or more) individuals/objects within a group.

Typically describes countable nouns (which you can represent in singular or plural form), rather than uncountable nouns (which cannot occur in plural form).

Can function as a distributive, pronoun, adjective, or adverb:

Distributive - a word that refers to one or multiple entities within a group of countable nouns. In some situations, words like “individually,” “exclusively,” or “separately” can be synonyms for “each.”

As an indefinite pronoun - “each” refers to a general group without naming who or what it refers to.

As an indefinite adjective, "which "each" describes nouns in a general manner without specifically naming who or what they are.

As an adverb, you can use “each” to mean “apiece.”

SINGULAR & PLURAL FORMS

The word “each” refers to a singular subject (within a group of countable nouns), so it is technically a singular word.

Writers who use “each” to refer to the subject of a sentence should modify the number of the verb depending on whether the subject is singular or plural.

If “each” appears before a singular noun or subject, use the singular verb form.

If it follows a plural subject, use the plural verb form.

THE PRONOUN PHRASE: "EACH OF"

Can be confusing to use before a plural noun or other pronoun.

Often incorrectly used: the plural verb form (“each of them have”).

In this case, the correct choice is the singular form of the verb (“each of them has”).

EXAMPLES

“Each member of the team is interested in becoming a leader.”

The phrase “each member of the team” (which is singular) calls for using the singular present tense form of the verb “to be” (which is “is”).

“They each have multiple degrees in different subjects.”

In this example, the plural pronoun “they” requires the plural verb “have,” separated by “each,” which means that every individual member of the group possesses the same distinctions (“multiple degrees in different subjects”).

“Each one of the houses has a brand new window treatment.”

A singular verb is still correct to use with collective nouns (which are singular nouns that refer to more than one person, place, or thing).

Using the phrase “each one of” before the collective noun “the houses” makes the singular verb “has” correct.

This rule also applies to plural pronouns such as “them.”

“Each photograph in the collection was beautiful.”

In this example, “was” is the correct verb choice to refer to each singular photograph in the whole collection, which is a group.

“Each of my siblings is going to school.”

Even though “siblings” is a plural subject, the modifying phrase “each of my” requires using the singular form of the verb “to be,” which is “is.”

Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers

[literaryvein-basics]

Writing Notes: Exploring your Setting

(Excerpted from the Young Novelist Workbook)

PART 1: Settings That Create Moods

Mood - the feeling of your novel; its emotional quality.

You can also think of the mood as how you want someone to feel while reading your novel. 

Examples: playful, serious, mysterious, tense, warm, dangerous, joyous

The setting of a novel - where and when the story takes place. As you know, most novels have more than one setting.

Usually, the author decides to have one large setting.

Example: Los Angeles in 1995

and then many smaller settings

Examples: The laundromat where the characters hang out on the weekends, or the classroom where they get in a fight

Settings do more than serve as a backdrop to the action in your novel. They can also create or enhance the mood of your novel. 

Example

If you wanted to create a creepy mood for a scene in your novel, you could start with something like: 

"A dead tree stood alone in a dark field. Its branches creaked in a cold wind, and in the distance, something howled.”

These images remind us of dark, disturbing things, and show the reader that the scene of the novel is “creepy” without having to tell them directly.

Describing the Setting: A Sample Exercise

Describe the settings that would help create each of the moods listed below.

Try to write 2 or 3 sentences for each mood.

Include specific details about the sights, sounds, sensations (and maybe even smells) of the settings you choose:

Creepy, Joyous, Suspenseful/tense

Now make up 2-3 of your own moods and describe a setting that would go along with each one. 

The last step is to apply your new skills to your upcoming novel.

Think of a scene from each section of your novel.

Then, write or list details to describe a setting that will help create the right mood for each scene.

Example: You might set your climax on the edge of a crumbling cliff at sunset in the middle of a thunderstorm. 

A setting from your set-up:

A setting from your inciting incident:

A setting from your rising action:

A setting from your climax:

A setting from your falling action:

A setting from your resolution:

Now you have settings to enhance the different moods that will be in your novel.

PART 2: Settings That Reinforce Characters

Another advanced writing trick is to show things about your characters just by putting them in specific settings.

Examples: If you were writing about a mysterious person, you might place them in a dark mansion on a hill outside of town; if you were writing about a musician, you might place them in a messy room filled with instruments, speakers, and microphones.

Sample Exercise

For each of the following characters, try to come up with a setting that will reflect or reinforce what you imagine about them.

As you write, try to be as detailed as possible.

Don’t forget colors, sounds, and even smells.

Focus on where the character is.

The shy new kid in town:

A secret scientist superhero:

A character from your novel:

Another character from your novel:

Source

[literaryvein-basics]

Writing Refresher: Verb Tenses

Only 2 tenses are conveyed through the verb alone: present (“sing") and past (“sang").

Most English tenses, as many as thirty of them, are marked by other words called auxiliaries.

Understanding the 6 basic tenses allows writers to re-create much of the reality of time in their writing.

Simple Present: They walk.

Present Perfect: They have walked.

Simple Past: They walked.

Past Perfect: They had walked.

Future: They will walk.

Future Perfect: They will have walked.

12 MAIN TENSES

Simple present: She writes every day.

Present progressive: She is writing right now.

Simple past: She wrote last night.

Past progressive: She was writing when he called.

Simple future: She will write tomorrow.

Future progressive: She will be writing when you arrive.

Present perfect: She has written Chapter 1.

Present perfect progressive: She has been writing for 2 hours.

Past perfect: She had written Chapter 3 before she started Chapter 4.

Past perfect progressive: She had been writing for 2 hours before her friends arrived.

Future perfect: She will have written Chapter 4 before she writes Chapter 5.

Future perfect progressive: She will have been writing for 2 hours by the time her friends come over.

PERFECT TENSES

Usually, the perfect tenses are the hardest to remember. Here’s a useful tip: all of the perfect tenses are formed by adding an auxiliary or auxiliaries to the past participle, the third principal part.

1st principal part (simple present): ring, walk

2nd principal part (simple past): rang, walked

3rd principal part (past participle): rung, walked

In the above examples, will or will have are the auxiliaries.

Most common auxiliaries: be, being, been, can, do, may, must, might, could, should, ought, shall, will, would, has, have, had.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Basics & Refreshers