Collection of ABs

Introduction

There were several factors that influenced my research. For starters, I wanted to learn about Whitey Bulger and his criminal empire so I could be informed on how to structure his character in my story. This was not difficult. The internet has a plethora of information regarding Bulger since he’s a significant character in US history. I learned he was a ruthless mobster who rose to power in the lower end of South Boston, but more importantly, I discovered he was an FBI informant who used his connections to his advantage. Additionally, I wanted to learn about the setting of my story. To do that, I did extensive research regarding what South Boston was like in the 1980s. I learned South Boston had a section devoted to the rich and another area that was rundown where the poor resided. Lastly, I needed to learn more about flash fiction, which was completely new to me before I began my research. After analyzing several example pieces, I now feel comfortable in my ability to write a meaningful story. I did, however, struggle to find advice regarding how to describe the setting of a story without dumping too much information.

Most of my ABs are secondary sources, including articles and books that are intended to share tips, tricks, and other forms of advice. However, Snowstorm (AB No. 4) was a primary source that gave me a good idea of how to structure my story; for that reason, Snowstorm was my most valuable source. Switching gears, my research shifted dramatically overtime. Initially, I wanted to write a short story, but while researching how to write such a piece, I learned about flash fiction; the conciseness and brevity of flash fiction is what I found most appealing. Additionally, I changed my mind multiple times regarding whether I should include Bulger’s name in my story. Ultimately, I decided I will use his name in my story; I can’t be sued for libel since Bulger is no longer alive.

When writing my ABs, I stuck to the recommended format for most. Doing so allowed me to go into each source with a clear idea of what I should be observing. For some ABs, though, I broke away from the provided structure and added bullet points at the bottom with brief tips I plan on applying to my story. ABs 1-3 have already been scored.

AB No. 1

Klein, Christopher. How Whitey Bulger Manipulated the FBI Into Locking Up His Enemies. History, 1 Nov. 2018, https://www.history.com/news/whitey-bulger-fbi-informant.

In “How Whitey Bulger Manipulated the FBI Into Locking Up His Enemies,” Christopher Klein, an author of four books whose work has appeared in numerous publications, discusses how although Whitey Bulger was an FBI informant, he manipulated the FBI more than the agency used him for secrets regarding the criminal underworld in South Boston. A major source referenced throughout the article is “Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal,” a book by Dick Lehr and Gerald O’Neill which mentions how the FBI’s decision to work with Bulger triggered the most drastic crime spree in South Boston’s history; in addition, Klein quotes conversations between Bulger and corrupt FBI officials. Given the article’s publication by an educational service known for its intriguing documentaries and the wide scope of information Klein provides, the intended audience is individuals who enjoy learning about notable characters and events in US history but don’t have any prior knowledge about Bulger. The purpose of Klein’s text is to highlight the corruptness in the FBI informant system and how impactful money can be in determining the loyalty of law enforcement officials.

This source was extremely useful. In particular, the article provided an in-depth summary of the relationship between Bulger and John Connolly, who managed to convince Bulger to become an FBI informant. The two grew up in the same rundown housing project in South Boston, and when Connolly was young, Bulger rescued Connolly when Connolly was attacked. After joining forces with the FBI, most of Bulger’s competition in South Boston was eliminated by the FBI, “creating a vacuum in the Boston underworld” that Bulger quickly filled. Due to Bulger’s generous gifts to the FBI, he was “less of a target of law enforcement,” allowing him to get away with a multitude of crimes. This information improves my short story tremendously since it gives Bulger a corrupt sidekick, and it explains in my story how Bulger will be able to manipulate desperate individuals into robbing banks for him.

AB No. 2

Padnani, Amy, and Katharine Seelye. Whitey Bulger: The Capture of a Legend. The New York Times, 2 Aug. 2013, https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/bulger-timeline.html#/#time256_7822.

In “Whitey Bulger: The Capture of a Legend,” Amy Padnani and Katharine Seelye, writers for The New York Times, provide a brief account of Whitey Bulger’s life, ranging from when he was a delinquent in his youth to when he became the most powerful mob boss in South Boston. The article has pictures and footage of Bulger and his partners in crime, which helped me gain a better idea of their appearances and demeanor; in addition, the article quotes conversations between Bulger and his hitman, Stephen Flemmi. The intended audience is frequent readers of The New York Times as well as those wanting to gain a well-rounded understanding of Bulger’s life. Since the article offers testimonies from many individuals who were close to Bulger, the purpose is to highlight how betrayed they felt when they discovered Bulger lived a separate life as an FBI informant.

This article was useful because it informed me about the types of crime Bulger would commit: namely murder and theft. However, in most cases, Bulger did not perform the dirty work; he left that job to his hitman (Flemmi). Since I now know this information, I can add a new character to my short story who will play a key role in threatening Bulger’s clients and who will operate as the muscle of Bulger’s organization.

AB No. 3

Gaffney, David. Stories in your pocket: how to write flash fiction. The Guardian, 14 May 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/may/14/how-to-write-flash-fiction.

In Stories in your pocket: how to write flash fiction, David Gaffney, a well-credited author of flash fiction, recognizes the value of flash fiction, identifies the difficulty of writing such stories, and provides tips to improve one’s work. At one point in the article, Gaffney supports his reasoning by paraphrasing a quote from Elmore Leonard, one of Gaffney’s colleagues who’s an expert in flash fiction; additionally, Gaffney uses his personal experience with writing flash fiction to support his arguments. Hence the title of the article, the intended audience is aspiring writers who similarly value the simplicity of flash fiction and seek to improve their craft. In addition to honoring the importance of flash fiction, the purpose of the article is to provide helpful strategies that have worked for Gaffney in his pursuit of flash fiction; his goal isn’t to tell his audience there’s only one way to write flash fiction.

Before reading this article, I was struck between writing a short story and flash fiction (also referred to as a short-short story). Fortunately, now that I have read the article, I feel better informed to make my decision. In the text, Gaffney mentions he aims for exactly 150 words when he writes flash fiction; however, he adds there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. In my opinion, 150 words is too short, so I’ll aim for a story slightly longer than that, say roughly 1,000 words (still staying in the realm of flash fiction). Some of the tips he mentioned that I may implement include:

• Start in the middle (don’t have time to write conventionally with a drawn out introduction)
• Don’t include too many characters
• Provide most of the important information in the first few lines
• Pick the title carefully (it should add meaning to the story)
• Make the ending complex (leave the reader confused with something to think about)
• Start long then chip away

AB No. 4

Lobato, Bruna. Snowstorm. The New Yorker, 11 August 2022, https://www.newyorker.com/books/flash-fiction/snowstorm.

In Snowstorm, Bruna Lobato, a writer and literary translator who’s at work on her first novel, tells a sweet piece of flash fiction involving a foreign student studying in America; she becomes lonely when all the other students at her college leave for break, and she is left to experience the cold alone. Within the story, nothing is cited; however, for the purpose of my research project, the story operates as a primary source since it’s a piece of work I’m analyzing to become better informed about the best practices when writing flash fiction. Because the story emphasizes emotion by highlighting the relationship between the mother and daughter who are located far from each other, the intended audience is individuals who have similarly experienced homesickness, especially when they go to college. In addition to providing a quality example of flash fiction, the purpose is to emphasize there’s nothing wrong with feeling detached or isolated; everyone experiences these emotions at some point in their lives and must find strategies to cope, such as talking with those closest to one frequently.

This source was enlightening, and it will definitely help me during the writing process of my piece of flash fiction. Before reading the story, I had some notes regarding flash fiction, but I didn’t have an example I could use for inspiration. This story put into action the ideas of flash fiction I have been exploring. Obviously, I’ll make my story unique from this one; however, I love the format of this story and plan on structuring my story in a similar way. I love how concise the story is, and since I’m a minimalist, I think I’ll have a lot of fun when I get to the editing phase of my story. Here are additional notes about flash fiction observed after reading the story:

• Under 1,500 words
• Shocking and impactful
• Enigmatic
• Focus less on plot and character and more on how every single word should advance the story
• There shouldn’t be a chain of multiple events
• Don’t tell too much
• The most meaning in the fewest words possible
• The reader can be confused throughout but the ending should be clear
• The last line can be similar to the punch line of a joke
• Don’t make it too confusing
• No backstory
• Narrow focus
• Vivid imagery
• First person
• Intriguing but confusing title
• Little details that reveal aspects of the story and give hints about the plot and setting

AB No. 5

Tankard, James, and Laura Hendrickson. Specificity, imagery in writing: Testing the effects of “show, don’t tell”. Newspaper Research Journal, 1996, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/073953299601700105.

In Specificity, imagery in writing: Testing the effects of “show, don’t tell”, James Tankard and Laura Hendrickson describe the importance of showing not telling in writing, and they explain “telling makes readers passive,” while “showing engages readers by making them draw the conclusions, see the significance of the facts the writer presents.” The article contains a plethora of sources to back up the authors’ claims, ranging from quotes from prestigious writers, such as Melvin Mencher and William Noble, to in-depth experiments; in one experiment, for example, sentences were presented to one set of readers in a show version and another group in a tell version, and the article highlights how the show version sentences garnered greater interest and engagement. Due to all the facts and tips presented throughout the article, the intended audience is aspiring writers who want to learn how to craft vivid stories that come to life. The purpose is to emphasize there is little entertainment from a story that tells you what you are reading, similar to a textbook; rather, one should be engaged and forced to think for themself in a complex way.

Thus far, this source has been the most beneficial. Previously, in writing, I’ve had people inform me to show not tell, but I never knew what that meant. Thanks to this article, I now have a much better understanding that I can utilize for my piece of flash fiction. Tips I plan on using include:

• Craft a word-picture
• Realism (make your story realistic; as a result, your reader will relate more)
• Utilize figures of speech (e.g., similes, metaphors, and other literary devices)
• There is no verb weaker than “is”
• Dialogue is necessary for establishing character (you can’t instill life into characters without using their own words)

AB No. 6

Jassin, Lloyd. The Legal Consequences of Using Real People in Fiction. The Law Offices of Lloyd J. Jassin, https://www.copylaw.com/new_articles/real_people_in_fiction.html.

In The Legal Consequences of Using Real People in Fiction, Lloyd Jassin, a lawyer whose expertise is in intellectual property, provides a basic understanding of libel law and highlights the dangers of using real people in fiction; in essence, Jassin argues one can create a piece of fiction that has characters inspired by real people; however, the descriptions should not be too closely aligned, especially if the characters are portrayed negatively. The article cites court cases that give the reader a better understanding of libel law; for example, Jassin mentions the “Red Hat Club” case, which involved an author being sued $100,000 for a fictional portrayal of a real person. The intended audience is authors wanting to learn more about the risks associated with writing fictional stories based on real people. Jassin is clearly passionate about his work, and his purpose in writing the article was to provide a comprehensive source that clearly explains the necessary precautions one should take when writing a fictional story inspired by real people.

I can’t overstate the usefulness of this source. If I continued with my original idea, there was a chance (although small) that I could’ve gotten in serious trouble. Previously, my idea was to create a piece of flash fiction that included some real characters and some fictional characters, and the events of my story were going to be influenced by actual events but for the most part fake. Now, I plan on changing the names of the real people in my story, which will make them less recognizable. Additionally, Jassin mentions the importance of including a disclaimer. I can do so by labeling the book as flash fiction and by integrating a full disclaimer that claims the characters and events in the story are completely fictional. Lastly, it’s important to note deceased individuals can’t be defamed under common law, which is beneficial in my case since a key influence in my story (Whitey Bulger) is no longer alive. Regardless, Jassin argues it’s not in one’s best interest to include a real name, even if they are dead.

AB No. 7

MacDonald, Michael. Whitey Bulger, Boston Busing, and Southie’s Lost Generation. Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University, 2014, https://www.schusterinstituteinvestigations.org/southies-lost-generation.

In Whitey Bulger, Boston Busing, and Southie’s Lost Generation, Michael MacDonald, who grew up in a South Boston housing project, shares his personal experience of being a Southie resident in the 1980s, and he describes how impoverished and poor the living conditions were in his neighborhood, the Lower End. Most of the evidence MacDonald uses consists of first-hand accounts discussing what life was like being a project rat (as he calls it), but he also includes primary artifacts, such as newspaper headlines, to support his reasoning and allow the reader to visualize the severity of his situation. The intended audience is individuals unfamiliar with the history of South Boston who want to learn about how the area was divided between the rich and the poor. In addition to scrutinizing Whitey Bulger for seizing his criminal empire when South Boston was in disarray, MacDonald’s purpose is to write a telling article that causes readers to sympathize for the youth that grew up in the broken down portion of South Boston; he refers to this youth as “Southie’s Lost Generation.”

Although my story will contain fictional elements to advance my plot, I want it to also be somewhat historically accurate, which will give it deeper meaning and cause the story to resonate with readers who grew up in Southie housing projects. In my opinion, giving fictional stories real elements allows such stories to be more believable. A main component of my story is how Wyatt and Beth want to leave their housing project because they have a baby on the way. After reading this article, I have a better sense of what the Lower End was like, improving my ability to accurately describe the setting of my story. In addition to having high unemployment, I want to mention in my story that a main reason why Beth and Wyatt want to leave the Lower End is due to the underfunded public schools that aren’t safe.

AB No. 8

Kempton, Gloria. Write Great Fiction-Dialogue. Penguin, 2004, https://www.scribd.com/document/607763976/Write-Great-Fiction-Dialogue-by-Gloria-Kempton.

In Write Great Fiction-Dialogue, Kempton Gloria discusses how writing dialogue is not an easy task and explains how most writers don’t get it right. Throughout the book, Gloria uses numerous examples of dialogue to prove her point and display how dialogue can enhance storytelling through building tension and setting the atmosphere. The intended audience is authors who aren’t confident in their writing capabilities and want to learn how to write less dialogue that dumps information and more dialogue that is brief and advances the plot. The purpose is to allow the reader to recognize that they’re not alone in their struggle to write dialogue and to provide tips on how they can make their dialogue more reflective of real conversations between people.

This source was helpful in explaining how difficult it is to capture the natural rhythm of language. Before analyzing the book, I didn’t have a strong understanding of how dialogue can evoke so much emotion in an audience. I always knew dialogue was important to include in writing, but I didn’t understand how crucial it is to be concise with dialogue, such as avoiding small talk which adds nothing to one’s story. Without a doubt, I plan on using a lot of the tips mentioned in the source when I write my piece of flash fiction. Because my story will have to be brief, utilizing dialogue will be a great way to share details about characters and the plot without writing too much. For Whitey Bulger, for example, since he’s Irish-American, I want to give him a unique way of speaking that will give hints about his personality.

AB No. 9

Cleland, Jane. Mastering Plot Twists: How to Use Suspense, Targeted Storytelling Strategies, and Structure to Captivate Your Readers. Penguin, 2018, https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=uKtPEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA2&dq=how+to+write+a+plot+twist&ots=-V3DHOOdjR&sig=l45ofpGg9ZbNhxu6oc4jK1xYz2w#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20write%20a%20plot%20twist&f=false.

In Mastering Plot Twists: How to Use Suspense, Targeted Storytelling Strategies, and Structure to Captivate Your Readers, Jane Cleland, a bestselling author, argues the necessity of plot twists; she says in order to have a story that truly resonates with people and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, an author must include “unexpected twists and turns” that surprise the intended audience. At the beginning of each section of the book, Cleland includes a quote from a famous author, such as Ernest Hemingway or Thomas Paine, to foreshadow what the ensuing chapter will entail and to give the reader something to think about as they continue to read. The intended audience is writers who want to improve their work by learning to turn their stories in the opposite direction and create suspense. The purpose is to not teach the reader how to craft the perfect plot twist since that’s impossible; instead, Cleland’s goal is to provide some examples and cues that can place the reader one step closer to mastering arguably one of the hardest skills in storytelling.

I enjoyed analyzing this source because it went beyond telling me what to do and instead showed me how to do it; hence, I was satisfied with the quality of the source. A lot of times, someone will explain a concept, and I will slightly understand what they said. It’s not until I’m provided with examples do I truly learn, and this source provided numerous examples of how to insight moments of heightened danger that intrigue the reader. In my story, I plan on including a plot twist when Wyatt discovers Whitey Bulger is an FBI informant, and consequently, Wyatt isn’t able to get the money he and his wife need to escape the lower end of South Boston, which is riddled with crime. Now that I have read this source, I understand that to make my plot twist compelling, I must emphasize how badly Wyatt and Beth need to leave South Boston. Doing so will cause the reader to feel happy for them once Wyatt thinks he’s received the money. However, at that moment, when the reader is least expecting it, I will leave them in shambles with a heartless twist.

AB No. 10

Marcelo, Philip, and Denise Lavoie. Gangster’s death brings abrupt end to old South Boston. Associated Press, 30 October 2018, https://apnews.com/article/97752f565f9147ac8ce9756973298648.

In Gangster’s death brings abrupt end to old South Boston, Philip Marcelo and Denise Lavoie explain how South Boston changed from being a “gritty, rough-around-the-edges” area to becoming a “hip, urban neighborhood.” In the article, the authors interview multiple residents who grew up in the neighborhood when Bulger “ran a ruthless gang responsible for loansharking, extortion and a string of murders”; one of the residents mentions that the area “feels safer today than it did in Bulger’s day,” but newcomers have added “new headaches.” This article was published around the time when Bulger passed, so the intended audience is individuals who have heard about his death and want to learn about his lasting impact on South Boston. The purpose is to allow readers to understand the history of South Boston, the significant role Bulger played in crafting South Boston’s past, and the sense of identity many longtime residents of the neighborhood feel for one another.

Since the article cited the words of many longtime residents, the quality of the story was reliable, considering the residents can provide the best idea of what South Boston was previously like. Most of the article wasn’t too helpful since it mainly talked about the new polished feel of South Boston (I don’t plan on including any of that information in my story). However, the authors did mention some useful information. For example, I now feel better equipped to describe the overall setting, atmosphere, and mood of my story, with groups of kids playing hockey in the streets and gangsters flocking to Triple O’s Lounge (a dive bar where, according to the article, Bulger would conduct his illegal activities).