Revision Challenge: Does Your Story Have a Proportion Problem?
If the narrative ratios in your work are off, the meaning will be skewed
Pay close attention, in constructing the scene, to the relationship, in each of its elements, of emphasis and function. By emphasis we mean the amount of time spent on a particular detail; by function we mean the work done by that detail within the scene and the story as a whole. —John Gardner
Hello Loreates,
I’ve been meaning to write about proportion for awhile. This week, work on my own essay and a Take5 Extra piece convinced me that it’s time. But I want to frame this as a revision challenge. Proportion is not something to worry about in early drafts. It’s another of those concerns that only becomes critical in the revision process. Critical it is, though, because proportion acts like a secret handshake to guide the reader toward what matters and means the most in your work.
Proportion is determined largely by narrative real estate: how much page space is devoted to a particular character, question, idea, theme, or voice. It’s also defined by density: how many layers of meaning are concentrated in certain sections vs. other looser passages.
Proportion controls what John Gardner calls “emphasis.” If proportion is working correctly, the sections that receive the most narrative real estate will also be doing the most important work in the story. Proportion signals the reader to pay keen attention to certain elements —and to view others, like background information, comic relief, or subplot, as secondary.
The simple truth is that great writing breathes. Every line may be necessary, but not every line is urgent. Not every character of a novel can be the protagonist or antagonist; secondary characters also play useful roles. And even if every scene delivers a turning point, not every turning point delivers a major plot twist. Also, readers need opportunities to catch their breath between highly intense and important passages.
Proportion lets the reader know when to pay close attention, and when they can relax a little.
As a revision challenge, assessing proportion will help you identify and cut fruitless tangents and distracting redundancies while clarifying the core themes and shoring up the story’s essential elements. This post offers several approaches to that challenge.
Read on!
Aimee
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Everything in Proportion
The legions of writers who’ve studied with Jim Shepard know that he takes proportion seriously. In fact, he’s created a signature system for assessing proportion, which also helps him gauge the themes of any given work. Below, I’ve posted Jim’s assessment of a memoir segment I submitted when working with him at Sirenland Writers Conference a few years back. I’m sharing this system not because I expect you to follow it (though you’re welcome to try it!) but because it showcases the challenge of refining proportion.
