Jargon for Writers: Part Oneby Gayle Heston The following three part article first appeared in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers' newsletter Write From the Heart. In the August, September and November issues. As writers, we know how every profession has its own language. Words evolve special meanings for each group. The craft of writing, in which words and their meanings are so important, is no different from any other profession. I've collected some of the most commonly used definitions. This is neither a complete vocabulary list, nor are these the only descriptions available. ALPHA MALE: Macho male character, usually portrayed as muscular and handsome, sexist, brash, and bold. ANTAGONIST: A person or force that is against the hero or main character of a story: A.K.A [also known as] "The Villain". ARCHETYPE: A word used by Dr. Carl Jung, meaning an image
or myth that everyone shares on a subconscious level. Tami Cowden, Carol BACKSTORY: Everything that happened before your story begins. According to some published writers, it shouldn't be included in the first three chapters. When it is included, it should only be a couple lines or paragraph and only when it is absolutely necessary to advance the story. BEGINNING: The first quarter of your book in which you introduce the characters, the situation, and the tone of the story. A good beginning also hints at how the story ends. It is generally proposed that the story begin in the middle of an action. BETA MALE: Sensitive, caring male character, usually portrayed as respectful and politically correct, with one or two attractive features. CHAPTER: Segments of a book, usually the end of a scene or action. A chapter may contain one large scene or several short scenes. CHARACTER: A person in a play, movie, story, or novel. CHARACTER ARC: How the character changes from the beginning of the book to the end. Christopher Vogler in the Writer's Journey, 2nd Edition; Mythic Structure for Writers; writes that flaws give a character somewhere to go. In the so-called "character arc," a character develops from condition A to condition Z through a series of steps. Flaws are a starting point of imperfection or incompleteness from which the character can grow. CHARACTERIZATION: The details and emotions that turn a cliché into a character we care about, by describing actions, using dialogue, and gestures. According to Nancy Kress in Dynamic Characters, we should let our characters reveal themselves through what they say about their own tastes, hopes, dreams, prejudices, goals, worldviews and their views of the other characters in the novel. CLICHÉ: A word or phrase that has become trite through repetition. CLIFFHANGER: Fictional event in which the reader is left in suspense at the end of a chapter or episode, so that interest in the stories outcome will be sustained. CLIMAX/RESOLUTION: During your climax/resolution, the action should unfold in such a way to resolve the character's dilemma, putting happiness back within his/her grasp. It is best if this involves a change in the character, a realization that enables him to truly become a hero who deserves his happy ending. The aftermath of the climax is the resolution. This is where you tie up all the loose ends of the plot; a final resolution of all the story problems. CONFLICT: The reason your hero can't have what he wants. Deb Dixon, in her book, Goal Motivation and Conflict—The Building Blocks of Good Fiction says conflict is an obstacle or impediment your character MUST face in obtaining or achieving his goal. Conflict is not an optional element in today's fiction. Conflict is generally divided into four categories: Man against nature; man against man; man against society; and man against himself. CRISIS/BLACK MOMENT: An event to compound the problems the character encountered during the 3rd Plot Point; a point of high tension in which your hero/heroine must make a life-changing decision. All must appear lost—as if the obstacles to her happiness will overwhelm her. The writer must keep the scene bleak; keep the reader in suspense, wondering until the last second how such a crisis can be solved. The brief, grim period (after the action of the crisis) is your "black moment." DENOUMENT: The outcome, solution, unraveling, or clarification of a plot, where all the loose ends are tied up. DESCRIPTION: This paints a picture of a scene's location, characters, or any important objects. Description should advance the plot, provide necessary information, and the details used should affect the characters in the story. DIALOGUE: Conversations taking place among the stories characters. It should be distinctive to each character, and it should move the story forward, reveal character, and hint at what is coming next. ENDING/CONCLUSION: What comes at the finish of a story. It can be a happy ending, an unhappy ending, or an open-ended resolution in which the problem is not solved and the characters have learned nothing. EXTERNAL CONFLICT: If you can hear it, taste it, touch it, smell it, or see it—in other words, outside and physical. EXPOSITION: Narrative or dialogue that explains facts and details that the readers require in order to understand what is happening in the story. FLASHBACK: Information that interrupts the forward flow of the story to show the reader something that happened in the character's past. FORESHADOWING: A technique that gives a subtle hint of some important event that will occur later in the story. GAMMA MALE: A combination of the Alpha and Beta male; a sensitive caring guy who can kick butt. Think Steven Segal characters. GOAL: What your character wants. Your hero's first goal is not necessarily the final goal. Deb Dixon states that a goal is a desired result, a purpose, or an objective. HERO'S JOURNEY: For Romance writers, the most well-known story pattern probably comes from Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey 2nd Edition, Mythic Structure for Writers. In it, Vogler applies ideas from Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces to today's writing. In this book, he has laid out a path followed by fairy tales, movies, and novels. This patter consists of twelve parts: 1. Ordinary World; 2. Call to Adventure; 3. Refusal of the Call; 4. Meeting with the Mentor; 5. Crossing the First Threshold; 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies; 7. Approach to the Inmost Cave; 8. Ordeal; 9. Reward (Seizing the Sword); 10. The Road Back; 11. Resurrection; 12. Return with the Elixir. HEAD-HOPPING: Using multiple points of view in a single scene. This can be very frustrating for a reader who doesn't know who is speaking. Sometimes it can be used effectively in love scenes but the transitions must be clear. HOOK/GRABBER: First line, paragraph, or page of a book or chapter written in a way to catch the reader's interest and draw them into the story or next major scene. INTERNAL CONFLICT: If the character feels it emotionally, then it is internal. A moral tenant or belief held by a protagonist that directly clashes with a belief held by an opposing character; hate; love; distrust. INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE: A love story between a man and a woman with strong religious overtones. The following books and internet sites were used in the article: Gayle Heston, who writes mysteries and romantic suspense, is trying her hand at a thriller. She is a member of RWA#61666,COFW and Sisters in Crime.
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