Essential Writing Tools: Q&A With Author David Pereda

My guest today is award-winning author and college creative writing instructor David Pereda. He is the regional director of Florida Writers Association’s Western North Carolina division and the founder of Asheville Writing Enthusiasts (AWE). His latest novel, Havana: Top Secret, published by Eternal Press, has garnered him rave reviews and will be available in May.

Brian: What are some of the things beginning writers should do to improve their craft?

David: First thing they should do is know the basic tools of writing and learn how to use them. While a carpenter’s basic tools might be a hammer, nails and a saw, a writer has basic tools too.

Brian: Can you share the basic tools that are essential to writers?

David: Good writers know their tools and know how to use them.  The three basic tools  are narrative summary, description and dialogue. Those are the basic tools that help writers build memorable stories. The difference in the quality and poignancy of the stories has to do with how well or how badly writers use those tools – the techniques of writing.

Brian: Would you give a brief description of those tools for our readers?

David: Sure. Narrative summary tells readers what happens offstage. It’s a scene that is told rather than shown and is usually used to bring in the backstory – or “the history” of what happened before the story began. To use computer jargon, narrative summary takes place offline. The best use of narrative summary in modern fiction is simply to connect scenes. It should be brief and used with discretion. Too much narrative summary will bog down your story.

Description is the depiction of a locale or person. While well-done description adds color and richness, it should be used sparingly. A hundred years ago, writers – who were often paid by the word — indulged in pages and pages of description. Modern readers, “trained” by TV, film and the Internet, are much more impatient. So, however beautiful you believe you write description, don’t overindulge or you’ll lose your readers.

Dialogue is an invented language that resembles everyday speech. Dialogue in fiction breaks the monotony of lengthy descriptive passages, advances the action and lends insight and personality to characters. Pitch-perfect dialogue involves conflict, either internal or external.

Brian: Thank you for being my guest today, David. It’s been quite informative. Would you consider being my guest in the future again to discuss some of those techniques you mentioned?.

David: It would be my pleasure, Brian. Thank you for inviting me to be your guest today.

To find out more about David Pereda or his new novel: http://www.davidpereda.com/havanatopsecret.html

To become a Pereda Pal and read David’s musings at his Front Porch Chat: http://davidperedabooks.blogspot.com/