In this chapter we are going to discuss different writing styles as well as narrations in which a story can be told. Also I will try my best to make it clear which narration and writing style can be used with what type of stories.
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There are two basic styles of writing which have been so popular that they had been classified as different revolutions.
~ Romanticism
~ Classicism/Realism
There are many differences in both these styles. So we will discuss them both one by one.
Romanticism:
Basically, there is a very simple way to understand romanticism.
Imagination + Sentiments = Romanticism
This style of writing is more art than literature. All types of fiction/fantasy can be classified under this category. Romanticism deals with literature that gives freedom of expression, which can be written on any topic in any way. The style which exhibits artful descriptions, comparisons and imaginative stuff is clearly a reflector of Romanticism.
Classicism/Realism:
Similarly, the equation for classicism/realism can be written as:
Society + Human Flaws + Moral Values = Classicism/Realism
This style of writing focuses more on the everyday aspects of life and the problems humans face in the society. It is centered on the truth and facts and instead of being art it is best classified as scientific. The style which seems to lack descriptions, is brief and to the point and wavers away from imagination is a reflector of Classicism/Realism.
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Actually both of these styles are used alternatively in all types of genres either fictional or nonfictional. The only problem which comes up is when to use which style.
So this chapter has been formulated to help you out with a few basics of writing in a certain style or type of literary expression.
Since our main topic is Harry Potter Fanfictions, I will have to focus more on Romanticism because clearly the only style of writing you can use here without any fail is romanticism. Of course you will see a few examples of Classicism/Realism in here as well but the main object under discussion is the Romantic Style of Writing.
Fiction is normally categorized as a form of Romantic expression but nowadays the sub genres in fiction have expanded a great deal. And so the requirements for writing have also shifted accordingly.
Harry Potter fanfictions can be classified under the following sub-genres:
1. Fantasy
2. Young Adult
3. Romance
4. Magical Realism
5. Mythopoeia
And nearly all fanfics revolve around these five main sub genres. You will never find a Harry Potter fanfic which deals with mystery or detective case sort of thing until or unless it's a Sherlock crossover. Similarly, all the fanfics are a sort of romance and it is hard chance for you to ever find any fanfic that follows a completely different outlook.
You can not use Classicism while writing a Harry Potter fanfic because of two main reasons:
a) The audience wouldn't like it.
b) It would seem illogical.
I mean have you ever come across a fanfic where Dumbledore runs a Stop Environmental Pollution Campaign or the pureblood Sacred 28 hold meetings to work for the elimination of poverty and injustice?
No, you don't.
But one thing to be kept in mind while using Romanticism style of writing is that it does not always deal with love stories.
Romance is not equal to love.
The actual definition of romance is:
A quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.
It is us, people, who have generally formed the concept of romance being love.
Anyhow, in short, the main point is that such sort of fiction is written in a descriptive style where emotions are focused and sentiments are centralized.
I will be elaborating this in the upcoming chapter which deals withe narratives used in fanfictions.
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Now, moving on towards the next part of this lesson. One of the major problems writers face on Wattpad is choosing the appropriate narration. Many authors can't decide how to present their story and in what narration.
What is meant by narration?
Narration is the voice of your story, the voice with which you convey the story to your readers.
Narration is always a very important aspect of writing a story. If you have selected the right narration, your story can leave a long lasting impact on your readers but if the narration is not appropriate with respect to the type of book you are writing, then things can take an opposite turn.
Note that this is not always the case but mostly those books are widely acclaimed which have an appealing narrative style.
What are the main types of narration?
There are three basic types of narration. The first person, the second person and the third person.
Obviously all of you are familiar with the types of speech, similarly these narrative styles are quite similar to that concept as well.
1. First Person Narration:
The first person narration is the type of narration in which the person who communicates with the readers is the main character itself. This type of story is written from the " I " perspective.
The main character supplies the voice of the story and the story itself is written entirely from the main character's point of view. Therefore, the author gets a chance to present the whole story in a slightly biased perspective.
From biased, I mean focused on a few points while the rest of the points are ignored. For instance, the whole plot revolves around the character and you get to know all about the main character, his/her likes or dislikes, his/her view on other people's personalities etc etc. Basically in this narration, the reader finds himself/herself in the main character's shoes.
The reader gets to connect with the story, more so through the main itself, and nowadays this narration is the most used narration all over the world of online writing.
2. Second Person Narration:
The second person narration is the type of narration in which the reader itself is the part of the story and involved in the action. Such stories are written from the " you " perspective.
The reader is the focus of the story since the story revolves around a sort of make believe or roleplay in which the reader is invested.
For instance, consider this piece of writing for clearance of concepts:
"The wind was howling loudly and the windows were opening and shutting by themselves with the sheer force of the storm. You were all alone, trembling in the basement. You had no idea what to do, where to go and how to escape from the horror of the night. The only thing you could think of was somehow get out of the basement in which you were trapped. Suddenly, you heard the lock twisting in the door that jammed your exit from the basement. The door creaked open and what you saw, was something you were not expecting in the least. "
Okay so, I guess I got a bit too carried away and the example turned out much larger than preferable. Anyhow, I hope you get the idea on how these stories work.
People feel most connected to such stories because the main point of focus in these books are the readers themselves.
3. Third Person Narration:
From general publishing point of view, this narration is the most favorable. It is the most flexible type of narration in literature and can perfectly cope up with any type of story. And hence it is most preferable too.
The third person narration is the type of narration in which the author (or some third person) is the voice of the story. Such stories are written from the " he/she " perspective.
This story is written from the author's point of view and hence the author gets a full hold on all situations. Even though this narration is difficult to write but stories following this narration are most likely to be free of flaws since everything is taken into consideration.
And by difficult, I meant that you have to keep the whole story unbiased. You have to show things exactly as they took place. You get the freedom of hiding a side of the picture when writing from the first person narration, but in the third person narration you have to show both faces of the picture.
Such stories deal with all characters and should not be biased at all. The story should provide a general outlook on what's going on with the characters and how the plot is shaping up.
How to select the Narration with respect to genres?
Even though you can use any narration in any genre, it is still preferable if you use them accordingly.
First Person Narration:
The first person narration can be used with a lot of genres. The appropriate genres for which it can be used are given below:
Romance
Vampire
Werewolf
Adventure
Humor
Spiritual
Fantasy
Teen Fiction
Chicklit
Second Person Narration:
The second person narration though is a bit limited. There are very few genres in which you can accurately use it. The appropriate genres for which it can be used are given below:
Action
Horror
Adventure
Roleplay
Third Person Narration:
The third person narration is the general and oldest form of narration. It can be used anywhere and is not seasonal. It can provide any story with a fitting voice. But there are a few genres which should strictly abide by this narration and they are given below:
Mystery/Thriller
Historical Fiction
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Hope this chapter helped. Go pick out the best narration for your story and start writing straight away.
See you soon.
And thanks for supporting this book.