All Write - Fiction Advice_ March 2012
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2/23/2015 AllWriteFictionAdvice:March2012
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SA T URDA Y , 3 1 MA R CH 2 0 1 2
UseofPrepositionsAprepositionisawordwhichdemonstratesalogicalrelationshipwithotherwordswithinasentence,byhighlightingtime,placeanddirection.Theyusuallyprecedenounsorpronouns,andtheyrethekindofwordswedontthinktoomuchabout.
Takethisexample,Theenvelopeisonthetable,justunderthealcove.Thesentenceshowsuswheretheenvelopeis.Anothersimpleexampleis,Hewentouttothecarandgotin.Mostprepositionsusuallyfallattheendofasentence.
Butthethingwithprepositionsisthattherearetoomanyofthem(150),sohalfthetime,mostareusuallyunnecessary.
Itshowthewriterpositionsprepositionsthatmakethemmoreeffective.Lookagainatthesentenceabove.Itstartswiththeproposition,But.Ichosethisbecauseitbroughtthesentenceintoeffectitdirectlymadethepoint.
Mostofushaveprobablybeentaughtthatstartingandendingsentenceswithprepositionsisfrownedupon,especiallybygrammarianswhoeschewthatwordslikeButshouldonlybeusedwithinthesentence,andnottostartone.
Butthinkaboutit.
Awellplacedprepositioncanactuallybeapositiveandconstructivething.Thatsbecauseitsaverysimpletoolthathelpscreatealittlebitofdramaticeffectorsenseof
A LL WR IT E F I C T IONADVICE
IsBackstoryNecessary?CreatingLastingImagesTrustYourMemoriesReadingYourMSSOutLoudSortingFactfromFiction
WE LCOME T O A L L WR IT E
Soyou'veembarkedonyourfictionwritingjourney.
It'soneofthehardestthingstodocreateawhole,believableworldforotherpeopletoenjoy,especiallyifyou'renewtowriting.It'salsooneoftheloneliestjobs,especiallywhenthereisnohelporadviceorsupport...sorightheretherewillbehandyarticles,examplesandsimplestepbystepguidestohelpmakethecreativeprocessthatmucheasier.
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Thisnewdeliciouslydarkanthologyisoutnow,witharangeofstunningfemalewriterstoscareanddelightinequal
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A L L WR I T E F I C T I ON ADV I C EA D V I C E O N C R E A T I V E WR I T I NG
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atmosphere,orwhenawriterwantstoemphasiseapointsuccinctly.
Withoutthem,narrativemightseemalittleboring.
Infact,itssometimesmorefavourabletostartasentencewithaButoranAtorOn.Theireffectcanbringgravity,brevityordirectnesstothenarrative,butthatdoesntmeanthatthewritercandropthemwhereverheorshewants.Carefulplacementcounts.Itsthecumulativeeffectoftheoverallscenethatyouneed,ratherthanjustplacingthemforthesakeofitandthinkingitworks.
Ifyouplaceprepositionsincorrectly,itwilljustmakethewritinglookamateurish.Inotherwords,dontstartasentencewithaprepositionforthesakeofit,andcertainlydontoverloadthenarrativewiththem.Thinkabouthoweffectivetheymightbefirst.Forexample:
Onthefaceofit,hewashappy.
ButJillfrownedathisexpression.
Withaderisivesnort,heturnedfromherandmadehiswayout...
Yougetthepicture.Sometimes,lessismore.
Heresanexampleofbrevityanddirecteffect:
Hewasntsurewhotheywereorwheretheyweregoingthehumanmiserycoopedupinthefoul,stainedwoodentrain.
Buthewasdeterminedtofindout.
TheplacementoftheprepositionofButcreatesdirectness,abluntatmosphereforthescene,anditalsobecomesaneffectivewaytofinishthescenewithinadeterminedstatementofintent,thusinformingthereaderofwhatisyettocome.
Heresanotherexampleofeffectiveplacement:
Hesteppedbackfromher,unwillingtoengage.
Shecouldntfindthewords...
SincewhendidJohnstartcarryingaknife?
measure.Iamprivilegedtohaveeightshortstories/poemspublishedinthisbook,soifyoulikeyourdamesalittledarkanddangerous,thisisthebookforyou.
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WISE WORDS . . .
Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.
A BOUT ME
AJHUMPAGE
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publishingindustry.I'vepublishedarticles,studyguides,poems,flashfiction,shortstoriesandanovel.IalsoworkfulltimesoI'mALWAYSworking.
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Thiscanbeusefulwhenaskingthereaderarhetoricalaquestion,asabove,leavingthemtopondertheanswer.
Otherexamples:
Fromsomewheredeepinhismind,hisconsciencestirred...
Bythetimethesunpokedovertheocean,threeofthemlaydead.
Beforesundown,shedberidofhim.
Allthreecreatebrevity,allthreearedirect,andallthreehelpfostertheatmosphere.
Theideaistothinkabouttheeffectofthesentenceyouwant,andthenchoosethebestprepositiontogiveyouthateffectonesthathelpmakethescene,accentuateit,butnotspoilit.
Correctlyplacedprepositionsdothefollowing:
Createdramaticeffectorflourish.Enablethewritertofinishscenes/chaptersbymakingastatementofintent.Helpheightenatmospherewithasenseofimmediacy.Makeadirectpoint.Askrhetoricalquestions.
CommonlyusedPrepositionsatthebeginningofsentences
ButByUntilOnBeforeAfterAtSinceFrom
Thekeyhereistousethemsparinglytoaddtherighteffectforwhenitmattersandtonotoverusethem.So,chuckout
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theoldpedanticadvicefromyourschoolteachers,andstartusingprepositionstoyouradvantage.Nextweek:Cleverlyplacedconjunctions.
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, MARCH31, 20124COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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Writingisn'tjustaboutimagery...Everywriterknowshowimportantimageryis.Itswhatconnectsthewritertothereaderandallowsthemtoimaginemorethanmerewords.Butimageryisntjustaboutstimulatingthereaderbybuildingupwordsandsentencestocreatescenes.Thereismuchmoretoit.
Dontjustwrite,butfeelthewordsthatyouwrite.Thismightsoundalittlecrazy,butessentiallywritingisallaboutfeelingnotjusttheemotionsandthetensionswithinastory,butitsaboutfeelingthedepthandrichnessofthewordsyouarewriting,thesoundtheymake,thecolourstheyevoke.
Effectivewritingisalsoaboutbeingabletolistentothewords,tobeabletohearhowtheysoundwithinasceneandthereforehelpyouvisualiseeverything.Writingisundoubtedlyasensoryexperience,ifdonecorrectly.Listentoanyonereadingaloudandyouwillunderstandwhatitistolistentotheflow,thespeed,theinflectionandrichnessofwords.Thisishowwefeelthosewords.
Intuitive,attentivewriterstakeagreatdealofcareaboutthewordstheywrite,tocreatetherighteffectandtherightemotion.Itisntjustabouttellingyourreaderwhatshappeningitsaboutinvolvingthemonasmanylevelsaspossible.Theyhavetobepartofthestory,tofeelit,tasteit,touchitandsenseit.Itneedstobeasrealasitcouldeverbe.
Andwritingisntjustaboutcreatingwords,either.Itsaboutcreatingaperfectrelationshipbetweenthewriterandthewordscreated,andtheimportanceofcreatingand
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structuringthosewordsandsentencesforthereadertotrulyunderstand.
Therelationshipissuchthatsometimesweknowinstinctivelywhenwevechosentherightwords,andmomentsthatwerealisethatwevewrittenthewrongwords.Theydontfeelright.Itsonlywhentheyfeelrightthatwerehappy.
Thewordsyouchoosemakeitpossibleforthereadertolistentothewords,tofeelthenarrative,notjustreadaboutit,andtobecomepartofthestory.Howoftendoyoulistentothewordsyouwritedoesthenarrativesingtoyouwithvivid,rhythmicfluidityordoesitclompawkwardlyandlackanysenseoftempo?
Areyoursensesevokedorheightenedbywhatyouvewritten?Ifnot,thentryharderuntilitdoes.Feelthemagicofyourownwords.
Themoreyouengagethereaderandmakethemfeelthescenes,thebetteryourabilitytoillicitempathyandunderstanding,aswellasenjoymentandsatisfaction.
Somethingalreadytoucheduponinpreviousarticlesissibilance.Thisplaysahugepartincreatingsounds,andhelpsthereaderfeelthewritingithelpssupporttheimageryyoucreate.Usingthesenseswhereverpossiblealsohelps.
Iwrotetheflashstorybelow,SongofSilence,lastyear.Itcontainssibilanceandrhythm,itcreatesimagery,anditallowsthereadertofeelthewholescene.
Athousandhollow,alabasterfacesstaredoutfrombeyondthewire.Sunkeneyesandlostexpressionsfilledtheheavyatmosphere.Thesullenpatterofrainspiralledfromaslateladensky.
Ribspushedthroughtaut,parchedskin.Fingersclungtothefencelikebrokenclaws.Desperationbledfromgreycadaverskinmen,womanandchildren,strippedofclothesanddignity,stoodcrushedtogether,holdingeachotherup.
Theairstankofmisery.Fearstalkedthemuddyfieldsandstifledthebirds.
Injustunderanhour,theywouldallbedeadlifestolenby
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poisonousgas.
Theovensburned,ready.
AJHumpage
SomepeoplehearmusicinvariouscoloursSynethesia.Somewritershearwordsincolours,bethemdeepreds,velvetymauvesorstrikingpastels.Theassociationwithcolourandwordsisnotfarfetchedtheabilitytocreatemultidimensionalimagerythroughcoloursisnotalwaysexploredbywriters.
Anotherofmyflashfictionpieces,ABadColour,givesyouanideaabouttheuseofcolourinnarrative:
Amberslicesprojectedthroughthetrees,thehazeofthefirebegantoswell.Thehintofburntsiennawaftedclose,scorchedapathbeneaththeirnoses.
Ropefibresmoanedastheybecametaut,totempertheweight.
Shadowsappearedthroughthesmoke,circledhim.Milkcolouredrobesflappedinthebreeze,bathedbythefireglow,theirfaceshiddenbyhoods.
Redoverblackthecolouroflifeslinkeddownhisskin,snakeddownthechannelstheyhadgougedthroughhisflesh.Openvisceragleamed.
Heswungfromthetreeasthecrossburnedthepriceforbeingdifferent.
AJHumpage
Sowhenyousetouttowriteyournextmasterpiece,thinkcarefullyaboutthewordsyouwant,thewordsyouthinkevoketherightemotion,therightatmosphere,therightsound,therightimage,therightfeeling,ortherightcolours.
Writingisntjustaboutimageryitencompassessomuchmore.
Nextweek:Useofprepositions
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POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, MARCH24, 20125COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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HowtouseSubtextFewwriterstakethetimetounderstandsubtextandthepartitplaysinastory,andyetironicallymostusesubtextwithoutreallythinkingaboutit.Itisoneofthosethingsthatmaysometimesnaturallymanifestitselfduringwriting,whileotherwriterstakethetimetopouroverwhattheywanttosubliminallysaywiththeirsubtext.
Sowhatexactlyissubtext?
Wecanbestdescribesubtextasasubtleundercurrentrunningthroughyourstory,justbelowthesurface.Itswhatremainshiddenfromobviousnotice,butitsimmersjustenoughtocatchtheattentionofthereader.Itsanunderstatedthreadthatbecomesapparenttothereaderasthestoryunfolds.
Basically,itsumsupwhatliesbeneaththestory,thosehiddenmeaningssosubtlethatitmaynotalwaysbeapparentonthefirstreading.Itstheundertonetoyourstoryhoweverthatisnottosayeverystoryshouldhavesubtext,becausethatisnotthecase.Notallstoriesdo.
Subtextissimplyawayofenrichingyourstoryorcreatingextradepthtoit.Itcouldbesomethingimpliedorhidden,somethingtodowiththethemeofthestory,itcouldbebasedthecharactersortheirdialogue,ormaybetheirthoughtsandactions,oritcouldbesomethingtodowiththeplotapoliticalorsexualsubtext,asubversiveone,andsoon.Perhapsyouwanttomakeasocialcommentaboutinjustice,inequalityorconflictetc.
Itstheimpliednatureofitthatattractsthereader,thosehiddenelementswhichgiveusdeepermeaningswithinastory.
Forexample,asimplesubtexttoalovestorywouldbetheboysattractiontothegirl,butitshiddenbyhisnegativebehaviourtowardsher,whichisharshandunfair.Thereader
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willinstinctivelyseethroughhishorriblebehaviourandknowitsreallydowntothefactthathefanciesherbutistooshytoapproachherthatway,sohehidesbehindabadboyfacade.
Whatifyouhaveacharacterthat,onthefaceofit,seemssoniceandfriendlytoallyourothercharacters,buthidessomethingaltogetherdarkerbeneathhissurface?Whatifyoualludedtothekindofpersonhereallyis,butdidsowithoutgivingtoomuchaway?
Whatifyourmaincharacterisanalcoholicindenial,andthosearoundhimdontrealise?Andasthewriter,youneverrevealit,butbyreferencingalcoholwithinthenarrativeatcertainpoints,youarelayingthefoundationsofsubtext,andthereaderwillbeastuteenoughtonoticethecluesandmaketheirownconclusionsaboutthecharacter.
BramStokersDraculais,onthesurface,aboutavampire,butthesubtextbubbleswithsexualdesireandimagery.GeorgeOrwellsAnimalFarmwasbasicallyaboutabunchofanimalsrunningtheirownfarm,freefromhumans,butthenarrativebrimswithpoliticalandsocialsubtexttheanimalswereametaphortoshowhowbadlyhumansactuallybehavedtowardsoneanother,keenlyobservedbyOrwell.
IfyouveeverreadDHLawrence,youllknowthereisastronghomosexualsubtextthatflowsthroughouthisstories,eventhoughheiscommentatingonthegeneralsocialordermiddleandupperclassesofthattime.
Buthowdoyouachievesubtext?
Subtextisabouthintingatsomethingatcertainpoints,orbyweavingdeepsetimageryandsymbolismwithinthenarrative,allwithoutactuallyrevealinganything.Youareshowingthereader,butnottellingthem.
Readerswillnoticethiskindofthing.Youmightusemetaphorstocreatecluesforthereaderinordertogetthemtoreadbetweenthelines.
Subtextcomplimentsandenrichesyourstory,butdoesntstealthelimelight.Itbringsdimensionandcomplexityandhiddenmeaning,withoutbeingovert.
Subtextisanotherwayawritercanaddextralayersof
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understandingtotheirstories.Astoryisaboutmanythings,someofthemobvious,someofthemlessso.Subtextisaboutfindingthosedeeperlevelsandhiddenmeaningsandlayeringyourstorywiththem,whetheritsa5000wordshortstoryorablockbusting100,000novel.
Whicheverone,thereaderwillenjoyyourstoryallthemore.
Nextweek:Whywritingisntjustaboutimagery.
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Docharactersneedgoals?Newwritersoftenaskmeaboutwhethercharactersreallyneedgoals,andmyanswerisyes,always.
Yourmaincharactermusthaveagoalotherwisethereisnobackbonetoyourstory.Theirgoal(s)formtheheartoftheentirestory,theyformpartofthereasonyourcharacterembarksontheirjourneyinthefirstplace.Thiscouldbeanythingfromsavingsomeoneslife,avertingadisaster,solvingacrime,uncoveringthetruthaboutsomethingorsomeone,rescuingthegirl(orboy),findinglove,gettingrevengeorevensavingtheworldetc.Allofthesearegoalsforwhichcharactersstrive.
Thereisonethingthatmustalwayshappeninastory,whateverthegoalthecharactermustachievehisorhergoalbytheendofthestory.Iftheydont,youwillleaveyourreaderfeelingshortchanged,andyourcharacterwillhaveachievedlittleornothingatall,becausebyachievingtheirgoalswhattheysetouttodoatthebeginningofastoryistheirpersonaljourneywhichwillultimatelychangethembytheendofthestory.
Characterswithgoalsmakeforaninterestingstory.Characterswithoutgoals,however,makelittleornostory.Ifwethinkofreallife,weallhavegoalsinoneformoranother,whethertheyarethesmalldaytodaygoals,orthegrandlifechanginggoals.Theonlydifferenceisthatwedonthave85,000wordsinwhichtoaccomplishthem.
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Oneofthemainreasonsforgivingyourcharactersgoalsisthatyouaregivingthemmotivation,andwithoutmotivation,thereisnomovementwithinyourstory,andultimately,noconflict.
Goal=motivation=conflict=overcomingproblems=resolution,goalachievementandcharacterchange.
Thisshowsthatyourcharacterhastochangeinsomewaybytheendoftheirjourney,souponachievinghisorhergoalwhethertheyhavelearnedsomethingaboutthemselves,learnedaboutotherpeople,theirenvirons,orwhethertheyhavefundamentallychangedbecauseofwhathashappenedtothemtheymustbeseenbythereadertohavechangedinsomeway.
Asthewriter,youhavetoshowthereaderhowandwhyyourcharacterhaschangedastheyhavestrivedtoachievetheirgoals.Thisistheirpersonaldevelopmentjustlikeoursinreallife.
Andjustlikereallife,theycanhavemorethanonegoalwithinthestory,largeorsmall,aslongastheyarerealisticandrelatetothestory(avoidwildlyunrealisticones).
Butwhymustacharacterhaveagoalinthefirstplace?
Itgivesthecharactersomethingtostriveforthestoryhastobeaboutsomething.Havinganultimategoalformsthebackboneofthestory.Itprovidesmotivationtoachievethegoalthecharactermustembarkonhisorherjourneyforwardandformspartofthestory.Withoutmotivation,thereisntmuchpointtothestory.Itsadrivingfactortomovethestoryforwardthefactthatyourcharacterhastoreachthegoalbeittosavethegirlorfindtheserialkilleretcitmovesthestoryforwardtoitsconclusion.Itactsasacatalystforsubplotdevelopmentthecharactersjourneytowardshisorhergoal(s)mightprovidesubplotopportunitiesandfurthergoalsandsubsequentbarrier/conflictstoovercome.Itgivesthecharactersandstorypurposejustasinreallife,withoutgoalstostrivefor,thenthereisnopersonaldevelopmenttakingplace,andthesameistrueofyourcharacters.
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So,theanswertothequestiondoesacharacterreallyneedgoals?Yes,always.Theyneedpurpose,theyneedtostrivetoachievesomething,theyneedtopersonallydevelopandtheyneedmotivation,becausewithoutalltheseyouwontachieveasatisfactoryresolutionorconclusiontothestory.
Nextweek:Howtousesubtext.
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TurningPointsinNovelsWeoftenhearaboutturningpointsinnovels,butwhatexactlyaretheyandhowdotheywork?
Aturningpointisadefiningmomentwithinthestory,andofteninvolvesthemaincharacter.Invariablyitinvolvesahighmomentoftensionandactionandmaybefollowedbysomesortofresolution.Thisdoesnthavetohappenattheendofthenovelthatstheclimax,thedenouement,anditisverydifferentfromaturningpoint.
Turningpointscanhappenatthosemomentsyourcharacterhasanepiphany,theylearnsomethingsignificant,orsomethingveryimportantisrevealed.Perhapsthestorygoesinanotherdirection.Sometimesaturningpointcomeswithachangeofdynamicssuchasseriouseventsthathappentocharacters,theirdarkestmomentsthroughsomethingterrible,oritmightinvolveachangeofmomentum,i.e.steppingupagearwithfastpacedaction,thustakingthecharacterinacompletelynewdirection.
Turningpointsareabouttheexperiencesanddramaticeventsthathappeninthestoryasyourcharacterworkshisorherwaytowardstheendofthenovel.
Notonlythat,butturningpointsactasawaytomoveyourstoryforward.Theyarehighlyvisualwaystoshowthereaderthechangesthatyourcharactersundertakeontheirjourneyandhowthoseexperienceschangethemasthey
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worktowardsthefinaloutcome.
Thebestwaytolookatitisthisyourcharacterbeginsajourneyinyournovel,walkingalongroadandnotknowingwhereitmightend,butthatroadisneverstraight.Itsfulloftwistsandturnsandhighsandlows,andsometimesitreachesforksintheroadthisiswherethestoryturnsandyourcharactersactionsformpartofaseriesofeventsthatwilleventuallyculminateinthefinalscenesofthenovel.
Thesekindofsignificanteventsdonthavetobeonagrandscaleeitherlikebigactionscenesbutinsteadtheycanbesubtleemotionalevents,theycanbesmallthoughtprovokingevents,theycanbequietmomentsofrevelationhoweversmallorlarge,theyletthereaderseehowyourmaincharacterisevolvingwithinthestory.
Byplantingtheseturningpointsthroughoutthestory,youcankeepthereadersinterest,youcanheightentensionandvarythepaceandyoucanmovethestoryforward.Theyenableyoutotakethestoryinanewdirectionyoucanrevealinformationandchangeyourcharacterslivesandsoon.
Eventually,allthesedramaticeventsbuilduptofinallyculminateintheclimaxofthestory.
Whatthoseturningpointsmaybeorwheretheyappearwilldependonthekindofstoryyouaretelling.Maybeyourcharacterfindsoutthatthemanwhokidnappedhiswifeisreallyhisbrother...orthecarhesbeendrivingaroundinformsthecluetoamurderinvestigation...perhapsyourcharacterdiscoversadoptionpapersstashedawayinanattic...ormaybeyourcharactersimplyhasdodecidetofightforwhatheorshebelievesin...
Whatevertheyare,theyshouldcomenaturallywiththeprogressionofyourstoryandshouldneverbeforcedtoillicitdramaticeffectthiswillprovecounterproductiveandstiflethecreativityofthewholepiece.
Studyanynovelandyouwillseethatbytheendofthestorythecharacterhaschangedinsomeway,theyhavediscoveredsomethingaboutthemselves,theyhaverealisedorlearnedsomething.Thatsbecausealltheturningpointsalongthatjourneyhaveshapedthecharactersview,andtheirfinaloutcomeattheendofthenovel.
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Everystoryneedsturningpoints,becausewithoutthem,themaincharacterwontevolve,thereaderwontlearnaboutthestoryandthestorywontactuallymoveforwardinaseamless,naturalway.
Turningpoints:
DecisivechangeRevelationsCharactersepiphanyActionoremotionalscenesDarkestmomentsChangeofpaceDefiningmomentsAllowsthecharactertoevolve
Nextweek:Doesacharacterreallyneedgoals?
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