Damon Knight: Creating Short Fiction

 

Damon Knight: Creating Short Fiction
Review by Francis

going point spec

Adrian Crossing, a Short Story Chronicle

Knight calls the short story many things. What is the short story really? Why be a short story writer? These are the central questions in books on short story writing. Damon Knight wrote “Creating Short Fiction” at a time when short stories were slowing falling away. Now they are, much like essays, returning to print publications and online journals.

Knight opens the book explaining that writing cannot be taught, and if it could, a book would not teach it. Well, why write the book? The answer is never given.

Knight says much is known of the writer he or she is an individualist, a skeptic, a taboo-breaker, moocher, loner, undependable, usually behind on rent, keep irregular hours, and do odd things. I don't necessarily agree with this either.

“Writing talent is not all one thing: it is a cluster of abilities,” like imagination and determination.

Four stages of writing, beginning with writing for yourself, and ending when you're writing at a professional writing level solving technical problems.

Knight believes fiction writing should not be forced: time is the friend of the writer. Learning to see, hear, remember, and feel are key to the writer growing (my interpretation somewhat).

Knight wants you to complicate stories. How? You might add conflicts. You always want to make it hard on your characters. He shows how he works ideas, and how even bad ideas can be sold as stories if done right. I agree: no idea is wrong, especially an idea influenced by another writer.

How is your character perfect?

How is yoru character an opposite to the antagonist? Remember: your main character is the protagonist, and he must give conflict to the world.

All ideas must apply to character, setting, situation, and emotion before there can be a story.Knight is against thinking of theme in story first; it will become clarity and sound mechanical.

Plot is power. Plot is key. All writers have natural instincts on writing. You need not code the outline or make a million dollars. I believe this book is good, it teaches well, and it influenced me young. Damon Knight was a good science fiction author and teacher. Some things must be reminded by the professionals, and he is a professional.

Is the book worth buying?

Are there better books?

All books have power. There are better books, but no one book will hold you. I personally prefer screenwriting books for my story mechanics. These men work insanely to get the plot right, to get the treatment done, to sell the screenplay, and to share it with others. But short stories, where much of writing began, must continue to grow and win. There may be better books, but there are few focusing on short stories.