Parker column: A writer teaches writing

For weeks, Michael, my son, and I had eagerly awaited our trip to Buena Vista, Va. He had discovered that Orson Scott Card was holding a writing class at Southern Virginia University, so we immediately made plans to attend.

Michael has read a number of Card’s books. At the point he learned about the workshop, I had read only one: “Ender’s Game.” Before we arrived, I had finished “Ender in Exile.” The thought of spending a couple of long days in class with such an excellent storyteller excited us both.

The campus of Southern Virginia University was not easy to find. My GPS even let me down. This small Mormon school of roughly 700 students sits atop one of the gorgeous mountains near Lexington.

This year’s edition of “Uncle Orson’s Writers Workshop” took place in a large classroom housed in a residence hall. Fifty-seven of us filled that classroom from front to back and side to side. I met writers and would-be writers from California and Texas – and even Puerto Rico.

Writing is a composite art. After reading Mark Twain’s essay “Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offense,” I discovered Twain did not have a good grasp of plot development. Only two of the 18 rules Twain sets forth deal with plot.

Most of Twain’s rules deal with characterization and style – and Twain’s works display his mastery of those elements.

From the time Card opened the first session, I understood why his writing is so compelling. He has an absolute understanding of the importance of letting the reader know – at all times – “point of view.” The reader wants to know who is telling the story.

Card is also a master of drawing characters. Two illustrations are Ender in “Ender’s Game” and Bean in “Ender’s Shadow.” The voice of each child is authentic. The workings of their minds seem believable. To me, all stories begin with strong characters.

As the first day came to a close around 5:30 p.m., I was a little disappointed. Even though my backside was tired of sitting, I thought the session was going to last until 9 p.m. But Card was not through with us yet.

“You are going to have homework this evening,” he said. His voice is rich and musical.

We had to do some research and write a plot line for a story based on our research. Then we had to think of a story line related to our research, but not specifically based on it. Next, we had to interview a person and use that information as the basis for creating a story line. Then we had to go to a place where people congregate, such as Wal Mart, pick two people to observe for a few minutes, and then write a story line for each of them.

Five story lines – beginning, middle and end – to create in one evening is a heavy assignment. Needless to say, Michael and I went to bed late and rose up early. When we arrived for breakfast the next day, the dining hall was mostly deserted. I thought everyone else had come early and left. No so. They, like us, were still working on their story cards.

The second day focused on the nuts and bolts of proper manuscript form, of how to create clear dialogue, and of how to create effective readers to provide useful feedback.

As I am reading “Ender’s Shadow,” I sometimes hear Card’s voice stressing some point of writing that I see him doing particularly well in this novel.

Insightful, articulate writers are the best teachers of this craft.

Mike Parker is a columnist for The Free Press. You can reach him at mparker16@suddenlink.net or in care of this newspaper.