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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.

    FE BRUA R Y FE MME SFA T A LE S

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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.

    NOW A VA I LA BLE ONAMA ZON

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    WISE WORDS . . .

    Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.

    A BOUT ME

    AJHUMPAGE

    UNITEDKINGDOM

    I'vebeenwritingforover25yearsandstartedoutinthe

    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.

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    SA T URDA Y , 2 4 MA R CH 2 0 1 2

    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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    Docharactersneedgoals?

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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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    SA T URDA Y , 1 7 MA R CH 2 0 1 2

    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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    SA T URDA Y , 1 0 MA R CH 2 0 1 2

    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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    SUNDA Y , 4 MA R CH 2 0 1 2

    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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