Pick one of your favourites among your published fiction stories or a story which is an interesting example of published fiction. What makes this story one of your favourites or an interesting example from your fiction?
My story “Say to the Waves” (Glimmer Train, Summer 2004) is one of my favourites as it successfully weaves several narratives with common themes and even characters whose lives intersect, but in multilayered and not immediately obvious ways.
What genre(s) do you consider this story primarily to be, or how would you describe this story?
This definitely is a “literary fiction” story, that presents a slightly more complex reading than a simple beginning, middle and end.
What is a published fiction story by another author you would compare this story to and why are they similar?
Though is seems like gross hubris to suggest it, I think there are elements of many Alice Munro stories that are constructed in similar ways—seemingly disparate threads that wre woven together thematically, rather than merely by by plot.
To what extent did you use any pre-existing story formula, template, paradigm, plot design, archetype, or theory or principle of story/plot structure in planning, writing, editing or rewriting this story?
As with characters, I tend to let the structure of my stories (though not so much my novels) surprise me on the page.
How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?
An elderly woman is mourning the recent suicide of her husband, who took his life for no apparent reason, though she has a glimmer of understanding that his hopelessness was merely the recognition that his life had run out of challenge and danger, and thus was no longer worth the effort.
What makes this chapter, scene or section an effective opening for this story?
It presents just enough detail about the deceased man’s life to create a thematic framework for the other narratives that follow it.
What major stages, twists or turns does the story conflict take in this story before the conflict is resolved (or not resolved)?
This story evolves slowly, with different characters (albeit in more or less the same setting) traveling parts of the dead man’s life arc on their own, with different resolutions but similar constitutions.
How would you summarise the major sub-plot or sub-plots in this story? If this story has no sub-plots, how would you describe the main sub-plot or sub-plots from one of your favourite published fiction stories by another author?
I suppose that the sub-plots woven through this piece have to do with the way the worlds both big and small of the protagonists (of which there are three) both support and deny their natures and searches for fulfillment even at the risk of danger and annihilation.
What does the story gain from the sub-plot or sub-plots?
The sub-plots work to tie the themes together, of three men who are torn between their proclivities and their environments.
To what extent would you describe your story discussed here as typical or atypical of your fiction stories?
“Say to the Waves” is somewhat atypical as the majority of my stories follow a simpler narrative line and, with some notable exceptions, are less multi-layered.
Author website: http://www.paulmichel.com/
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