VONNEGUT'S 8 RULES OF FICTION

[Smiley]

These rules were briefly discussed during our June 9, 2012 chat about one of Vonnegut's short stories, "The No Talent Kid". They are listed on the following web site: http://beigor.blogspot.com/2007/04/no-talent-kid.html

• Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
  
• Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
  
• Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
  
• Every sentence must do one of two things -- reveal character or advance the action.
  
• Start as close to the end as possible.
  
• Be a sadist. Now matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them -- in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
  
• Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
  
• Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
  

[Koach]

I love these rules. I think we should read some stories with these rules in mind to see how often they are used or are unused.

[Smiley]

One of my English comp professors had one additional rule for successful writing (especially of essays or other factual or descriptive works): "Short sentences, short paragraphs, and NO bullshit!" That rule served me well for many many years of writing reports and analyses for various government agencies.

[Nan]

Not sure I agree with some of the rules - perhaps we could have a discussion on the rules themselves, it could be interesting