A guide for writing
Great writing is the movement of the soul with respect to and as a response to the changes in this world and the conflict that the external world presents with respect to the internal world which is unblemished by experience and knowledge given by people and circumstances in the external world. It is the struggle of the soul to make things better in the external world to bring it in accordance with the internal world. That is the reason why Sanskrit is the language of great literature because it is the language of the soul.
Sankritized English- to portray matters of the soul
Hindi-fied English- to portray matters of the heart
British English- to portray the non-living and hostile external world.
Which writing is boring?
The Secrets of Story Structure
Setup and Payoff
The setup is the foreshadowing itself. It’s created by the clues, the tone, and the framing introduced in the early part of your story—especially the First Act. It doesn’t prepare readers for the specifics of what will happen later (’cuz spoilers!). Rather, its chief job is to prepare readers for the fact that a particular brand of something will happen later on. The setup only makes the foreshadowing thing work. It may be related to a minor part of the main plot or something but it is not a part of the main plot.
Next comes the payoff, the most important part of the plot. It is where the real thing that will amaze the readers will take place.
The setup must not give away the pay off or it will be a spoiler. But, the set up should be as interesting as the payoff too otherwise the readers will lose their patience and will not want to continue despite the amazing payoff.
Harry Potter for example
In the Chapter, 'The Prince's Tale' where Snape gives his memory to Harry during the battle, it uses that technique. Snape and Petunia both hated Harry out of jealousy. Petunia hated Harry because she hated Harry's mother for being a witch. Snape hated Harry because of his rivalry with Harry's father. Every book shows us that these two people have hated Harry and the boy has disrespected these unworthy authority figures in return. Snape's memory shows Petunia requesting Professor Dumbledore to accept her into Hogwarts too only to be declined. It is the set up and a very minor thing in the middle of a battle. But, as a pay off, Snape had wanted Lily to wed him too which is the most interesting turning point. It explains why Snape has to hate Harry while protect the boy at the same time.
Also, when dementors attack Dudley, Petunia says that an awful boy was telling her about Azkaban and dementors. Harry guesses that this boy was his father and this girl was his mother.
Snape's worst memory was being bullied by James as we get to know in the fifth book. But, it is even worse that that because Lily broke her friendship with Snape in that memory which we get to know only in the seventh book. The set up was in the fifth book because when Voldy is back, there is interesting Order business going on, and Umbridge is wreaking havoc in Hogwarts, Snape's rivalry with James is an interesting but trivial tidbit. That it broke his friendship with Lily is important as revealed in the middle of the battle.
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