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A fiction-writing mode is a manner of writing with its own set of conventions regarding how, when, and where it should be used.
Fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
is a form of
narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travel literature, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller (ge ...
, one of the four
rhetorical modes The rhetorical modes (also known as modes of discourse) are a long-standing attempt to broadly classify the major kinds of language-based communication, particularly writing and speaking, into narration, description, exposition, and argumentation ...
of discourse. Fiction-writing also has distinct forms of expression, or modes, each with its own purposes and conventions. Currently, there is no consensus within the writing community regarding the number and composition of fiction-writing modes and their uses. Some writing modes suggested include action, dialogue, thoughts, summary, scene, description, background, exposition and transition.


Overview

The concept goes back at least as far as Aristotle who, in ''Poetics'', referred to narration and action as different modes or manner of representing something. For many years, fiction writing was described as having two types: narration and dialogue. Evan Marshall, in ''The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing'' (1998) noted that writers should know what they are doing at all times. He described what he called ''fiction-writing modes''—the types of writing of which all fiction is made. He listed five modes: action, summary, dialogue, feelings/thoughts, and background, each with its own set of conventions regarding how, when, and where it should be used. *Jessica Page Morrell, in ''Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing'' (2006), mentioned six ''delivery modes'': action, exposition, description, dialogue, summary, and transition. *Peter Selgin, in ''By Cunning and Craft: Sound Advice and Practical Wisdom for Fiction Writers'' (2007), mentioned five writing ''methods'': action, dialogue, thoughts, summary, and description. *Mike Klaassen, in ''Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for Bringing Your Story to Life'' (2015), addressed eleven modes: action, summarization, narration, description, exposition, transition, conversation (dialogue), sensation, introspection, emotion, and recollection.


Narration

In ''Poetics'', Aristotle mentions narration as a mode, or manner of representing something. As a fiction-writing mode, narration is how the
narrator Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the ...
communicates directly to the reader. This contrasts with the use of the term "narration" as a
rhetorical mode The rhetorical modes (also known as modes of discourse) are a long-standing attempt to broadly classify the major kinds of language-based communication, particularly writing and speaking, into narration, description, exposition, and argumentation ...
of discourse, where it has a broader meaning which encompasses all written fiction.


Description

Description Description is the pattern of narrative development that aims to make vivid a place, object, character, or group. Description is one of four rhetorical modes (also known as ''modes of discourse''), along with exposition, argumentation, and narr ...
is the fiction-writing mode for transmitting a mental image of the particulars of a story. Together with
dialogue Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. As a philosophical or didactic device, it is c ...
, narration, exposition, and summarization, description is one of the most widely recognized of the fiction-writing modes. Description is more than the amassing of details, it is bringing a scene to life by carefully choosing and arranging words and phrases to produce the desired effect.


Exposition

Broadly defined, exposition is one of four rhetorical modes of discourse. Within the context of fiction-writing modes, exposition is used to convey information. Exposition may be used to add
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
to a story, but too much exposition at one time may slow the pace of the story.


Summarization

Summarization, or narrative summary, condenses events to convey, rather than to show, what happens within a story. The "tell" in the
axiom An axiom, postulate, or assumption is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning 'that which is thought worthy or f ...
"
Show, don't tell Show, don't tell is a technique used in various kinds of texts to allow the reader to experience the story through actions, words, thoughts, senses, and feelings rather than through the author's exposition, summarization, and description. It av ...
" is often in the form of summarization. Summarization may be used to: * connect parts of a story * report details of less important events * skip events that are irrelevant to the plot * convey an emotional state over an extended period of time * vary the rhythm and texture of the writing The main advantage of summary is that it takes up less space than other fiction-writing modes. Effective use of summarization requires a balance between showing and telling, action and summary, with rhythm, pace and tone playing a role.


Introspection

Introspection (also referred to as internal dialogue, interior monologue, or self-talk) is the fiction-writing mode used to convey the thoughts of a character, allowing the expression of normally unexpressed thoughts. Introspection may also be used to: * enhance a story by allowing the character's thoughts to deepen
characterisation Characterization or characterisation is the representation of persons (or other beings or creatures) in narrative and dramatic works. The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym. This representation may include direct method ...
* increase tension * widen the scope of a story * play a critical role in both
scene and sequel Scene and sequel are two types of written passages used by authors to advance the plot of a story. ''Scenes'' propel a story forward as the character attempts to achieve a goal.Swain, p. 84-85. ''Sequels'' provide an opportunity for the character ...


Recollection

Recollection Recall in memory refers to the mental process of retrieval of information from the past. Along with encoding and storage, it is one of the three core processes of memory. There are three main types of recall: free recall, cued recall and serial ...
is the fiction-writing mode whereby a character remembers a detail or event. It plays a vital role in conveying
backstory A backstory, background story, back-story, or background is a set of events invented for a plot, presented as preceding and leading up to that plot. It is a literary device of a narrative history all chronologically earlier than the narrative o ...
by allowing writers to convey information from earlier in the story or from before the beginning of the story. Although recollection is not widely recognized as a distinct mode of fiction-writing, it is a common tool. Recollection could be considered a subset of
introspection Introspection is the examination of one's own conscious thoughts and feelings. In psychology, the process of introspection relies on the observation of one's mental state, while in a spiritual context it may refer to the examination of one's s ...
, but its role in developing backstory separates it from the other thoughts of a character. Effective presentation of recollection has its own unique issues and challenges. For example, timing a recollection to avoid implausible-seeming memories (such as when a character must make a key decision) can be difficult, and should be prompted by a recent plot event.


Sensation

Sensation Sensation (psychology) refers to the processing of the senses by the sensory system. Sensation or sensations may also refer to: In arts and entertainment In literature * Sensation (fiction), a fiction writing mode * Sensation novel, a Britis ...
is used to portray a character's
perception Perception () is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment. All perception involves signals that go through the nervous system ...
s. It can help draw the reader in by conveying the actual sensations of things comprising the story, breathing life into its physical world. Since the reader has experienced only a portion of the sensations experienced by the character, the author aims to either provoke recall from the reader, or convey the experience, drawing the reader in and maintaining interest in the story.


Emotion

The fiction-writing mode of
emotion Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. ...
conveys the feelings of the character, and is a vital component of
creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary ...
. Connecting the character to his or her own emotions allows the author to connect with the reader on an emotional level.


Action

In ''Poetics'', Aristotle refers to action as a mode, or manner of representing something.
Action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
is the demonstration of events as they are happening in a story, and may help readers feel as if they were participating in the plot.


Transition

Transitions in fiction are words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, or punctuation that may be used to signal various changes in a story, including changes in time, location, point-of-view character, mood, tone, emotion, and pace.


Categories

Fiction-writing modes may be classified into categories of modes with common features. * ''Interiority'' includes modes that reflect the inner workings of the character's mind: introspection, recollection, emotion, and sensation. * ''Exteriority'' includes modes that represent what is outside the character's mind: narration, description, exposition, and transition. * ''Dialogue'' represents a character's speech: conversation. * ''Activity'' includes modes used to portray story events: action and summarization.Klaassen, p. 63.


See also

*
Exposition Exposition (also the French for exhibition) may refer to: *Universal exposition or World's Fair * Expository writing ** Exposition (narrative) * Exposition (music) *Trade fair A trade fair, also known as trade show, trade exhibition, or trade e ...
*
Narrative mode Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to storytelling, convey a narrative, story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deli ...
*
Scene and sequel Scene and sequel are two types of written passages used by authors to advance the plot of a story. ''Scenes'' propel a story forward as the character attempts to achieve a goal.Swain, p. 84-85. ''Sequels'' provide an opportunity for the character ...
*
Style Style is a manner of doing or presenting things and may refer to: * Architectural style, the features that make a building or structure historically identifiable * Design, the process of creating something * Fashion, a prevailing mode of clothing ...
*
Writing Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically Epigraphy, inscribed, Printing press, mechanically transferred, or Word processor, digitally represented Symbols (semiot ...


Footnotes


References

*Aristotle (1996). ''Poetics''. New York, NY: Penguin Books. . * * * * * *Klaassen, M (2015). ''Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for Bringing Your Story to Life''. Pennsauken, NJ: Bookbaby. . * * * * * * * *Scofield, S (2007). ''The Scene Book: A Primer for the Fiction Writer''. New York, NY: Penguin Books. . *


External links

* {{Narrative modes Rhetoric Narratology *