I'm not any sort of classically trained writer. My website at www.jackriston.com describes me just the way I see myself, as just a story teller. My training, if you can call it that, came from years of writing volunteer articles for one base newspaper, or another, where space was always at a premium. As a result, my style developed into what might be called the “cut” in movie parlance. I just don't have the interest (or, seemingly, the ability) to write a lot of exposition in the beginning of a chapter. Rather, the reader's own ability to “fill in the blanks” is important to me.
This doesn't mean that the story can be written like a screenplay. As Mr. B. pointed out in another article, too little information will leave your reader adrift, while too much information may put them to sleep, or worse yet, insult them. I want to give the reader total credit for being able to figure things out, while still providing some clues to help them along if they missed something in an earlier section of the book.
In the snippet below, for example, from “Mandate” (You can read the first full chapter at my website) Grace Dakan, wife of a US Senator, and heir to her family's fortune, has come to the offices of Arlo DuPlesser, prominent Washington, DC private investigator. She has told him what she thinks about the circumstances surrounding her husband's death, which has been presented by Russian authorities as a sex-drug-murder-suicide while the Senator was on a trip. During that conversation, she has given permission for Arlo to talk to the corporation's counsel, Jacob Kunis.
As she leaves the PI's office, the reader must know that the first call the PI is going to make is to the attorney. So, rather than do a lot of expository stuff about the law firm, or picking up the phone to call the attorney, or talking to the receptionist, or the time of day, etc, I just parachuted right into the middle of the conversation between the PI and the attorney, as Chapter 2 began, doing my exposition as I moved along.
It might not be the correct form. Did I mention earlier that I grew up in the TV-Movie age? I'm mostly visual. But, it's a technique that my “test” readers have found effective enough that they can't seem to stop reading. Sounds like a good thing to me.
“There's something else?”
“Yes, there is. I have seen the pictures taken in the Moscow apartment. There’s something you should know about Hugh. He was left handed.” Then, in a voice that said she didn’t think Arlo was convinced that he should take her case, she also said, “...and I think someone is following me!”
Chapter 2
“No, I don’t think you could classify her as a paranoid. Still in shock? Yes. Under a great deal of stress? Most certainly.” The voice on the other end of the phone connection was Jacob Kunis, senior partner at Kunis & Dowd, probably the largest, but certainly the most prominent law firm in all of Washington. Their list of corporate clients looked more or less like a photo copy of the Fortune 500. There were reportedly over 200 partners in the firm, and Arlo didn’t doubt it for a moment. With offices sprinkled among the major US cities and a half dozen foreign capitals, Kunis & Dowd cast an amazing shadow in the corporate world. “We’re not even certain that she is being followed yet. Her driver was the one to notice what appeared to be the same dark gray sedan on a number of consecutive days. Under the circumstances, we felt that it was prudent to investigate this, but as discreetly as possible.”
Hope this will help you as you make your transitions from chapter to chapter.
Write on!
JR
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