New Tools in the Kit
Perspective Devices and Music as Tonal Beats
Been a minute since I’ve checked in here. I’ve been nose on the grindstone in the day-to-day hustle and the next novel, the writing of which I’ve been taking a lot of new approaches with. I thought a couple of those would be interesting or useful to share here.
Perspective Devices
Keeping plot and premise details close to the chest, but this joint I’m working on right now, let’s just call it complicated. Lot of characters with intersecting backgrounds and deep-rooted history and complex dynamics, but I’ve chosen to write it in first person present tense. Sonically, for the rhythm and syntax and overall vibe of the thing, this is what feels right to me. Structurally, that choice presents some obvious challenges, like how to unravel and progress with the story from the perspectives of characters other than the narrator.
My solution to that is a pretty simple one, but something I’ve never done before. I made a list of characters on one half of a notebook page, and a list of perspective devices on the other half. What are ways in which a singular narrator could know things about other characters we’re not privy to the internal thoughts or immediate actions of? Obviously there’s the scenes in which the narrator is present, experiencing the same situation as the other characters in that moment. But separately, more can be told through tall tales, gossip, and memories spread through conversations the narrator has with other characters about someone else crucial to the plot. Articles and radio, sure. Stolen journals. Childhood memories. Any way in which one person might tell the story of another person, I’ve labeled that a perspective device and added it to the list, drawing lines from the character list to match which devices would work for telling their story.
Like I said, nothing groundbreaking, but it’s been helpful, and a method I’ve never tried before.
Tonal Playlist
I know of a lot of writers who come up with soundtracks for each project, like what you could put on in the background to read along with. The tonal playlist is different; it’s not for the reading experience, or the writing process, but for the structural work in outlining. I made a playlist on Spotify that I’ll share below full of songs I’d like to tonally match the rhythm of for individual chapters. I’m not cuffing myself to the order of the playlist, but each of these tracks is one that really hits for me, gives off a sequence of vibes I’d like to translate into prose.
Most rappers I know will let a beat play and they’ll mumble gibberish in the syllabic rhythm and cadence and delivery they feel best matches that beat, then the actual lyrics follow accordingly. That’s what I’m doing with this playlist. The songs are the emotional, structural, or tonal beats to the story.
That make sense?
Say you got some ethereal high-pitched vocals waxing angelic over a soft piano riff with the reverb up and no accompanying instruments. Two minutes of that before the 808s rattle in and that ethereal angel is now spitting bars before the double bass/crunchy distortion orchestra that crescendos at the climax of the whole thing. Those shifts in prose form—how would you replicate those shifts in tone and rhythm within a scene?
On that note, back to the grindstone.
Go listen to Agitator, where
and I have been dissing Kendrick, interviewing anime directors, and sharing more writing tools.Be easy.