all write - fiction advice_ august 2014

2/23/2015 AllWriteFictionAdvice:August2014

http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2014_08_01_archive.html 1/15

SUNDA Y , 2 4 A UGUST 2 0 1 4

HowtoMakeReadersCareAboutYourStory

Itsanageoldquestion.Howdoyoumakeyourreaderscareaboutyourstory?

Itstheultimategoalforwriters,tomaketheirreaderscareenoughaboutthestoryandcharacters,becausethatiswhatmakesthemreadyourbookandcontinuereadingrightuntiltheend.

Thereisntastraightforwardanswerforthisonesimplybecausethereissomuchinvolvedintheprocessandlotsforawritertoconsider.

Itsnotreallyaboutthestory,perse,becausethestorycanbeaboutanything,andsoitbecomesasecondarything,butitshowthewriterusesthecharacterswithinthestorythatmakesuscareaboutwhathappensandthereforeitmakesuscareabouttheoverallstory.Wewantthecharacterstoreachtheirgoal,wewantthemtowintheday,wewantthemtosucceed,andthatsbecausewecareaboutwhathappenstothem.

Howdowecare?

Firstly,youshouldwritethestoryforthereader,notyourself.Thisisvitallyimportant.Itisnotyourstory.SomanywritersstillwritewiththeattitudeofwhyshouldIcareaboutwhatthereadersthink?

Theyshouldcare,becausethestorybelongstoyourmaincharacter,andultimately,toyourreader.Ifyouwritewithoutthereaderinmind,youwillfailtoengagethemandyourstorywillfail.Youarewritingforthem.

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Writersneedtocreatesomethingknownasimmediacy,rightfromtheopeningchapter,inordertopersuadethereadertoinvestemotionallywiththestory,sojumpingstraightintoalifechangingmomentforthemaincharacter,orcreatingaterribledilemmatointroducethebasisofthestoryalwaysworkswell.

Immediacyiswhatconnectsthestoryandcharacterstothereader.Inotherwords,readerswantamaincharactertheycansympathisewith,feelemotiontowardsordinarypeoplewhoarethrustintoextraordinarysituations.Theyarenotspecialtheyarejustlikeyouandme.

Butthedifferenceliesinthejourneytheytake,theoverallstory,andwhathappenstothem.Andtoachievethatwehaveconflict.Allwritersshouldunderstandthefundamentalprincipleofconflictandhowitworks.

Characters+conflict=tensionanddrama.

Withoutconflict,thereisnotensionordramaoraction.Thatmeansthereisnostorytotell.Andreaderslovedrama.

Conflictcreatesallsortsoftensionsandatmosphere,itcreatesdramaticsituationsandthatmeansthereaderwillwanttoknowwhathappenstothemaincharacter,soconflictintheformofanantagonistandplentyofdilemmashelptodrawemotionfromyourreader,itmakesthemsympathiseandempathisewiththecharactersstruggles.Theybecomeemotionallyattachedtoyourcharacters.Andthatmeanstheycare.

Theotherthingtoconsideris:whatisatstakeforthemaincharacter?Whatwilltheylose?Howwoulditaffectthemandthestory?Willtheprotagonistlosesomeonetheylove?Willtheyloseafortune?Willtheylosetheirhouse?Theirjob?

Thehigherthestakes,themorechanceyourreaderwillcareaboutwhathappensandtheseissueswilllurethereaderintothestorybecausetheywillreadontoseewhathappens.Theyhavetoknowwhathappens.

dangerous,thisisthebookforyou.

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Howwillyourcharactersovercomesuchhighstakes?Willtheycompromise,willtheysacrificesomething,willtheydosomethingmomentous?Willtheychangeasaperson?

Thinkaboutitweallhavesomethingtolose.Soshouldyourcharacters.Andthatswhatmakesuscarebecausethecharacters,too,careaboutwhathappens.

Anotherimportantthingthatmakesthereadercareaboutthestoryisthecharactersyoucreate.Theyhavetobelikeable,almostreal,people.Asalreadymentioned,theyshouldbepeoplewecanconnectwithbecausetheyareordinarytheyhavefaultsandflaws,andtheymakemistakes,justlikeus,buttheyhavebeenforcedintoasituationandhowtheytackleitandovercomeitbecomestheirsandourstory.

Aherodoesnthavetobeheroictomakethereaderlikethem.Theyarehuman,andthatmakesthemvulnerable.Suchvulnerabilitiesmakeusconnecttothecharacter.Whatthosevulnerabilitiesareisdowntoyouasawriter.

Onethingtoremember:charactersshouldneverbeperfect,becausepeopleinreallifearenot.Thereisnosuchthingasperfect.

Lastly,relatablethemeshelpmakethereadercare,too.Andthatsbecausereadersfacethesamethingsinreallife.Wecanrelatetoloveorhate.Wecanrelatetoforgiveness,orlackofit.Wecanrelatetodeathandlife.Wecanrelatetopainandloss.Wecanrelatetojusticeandretribution.Allthesethemeshavetouchedthelivesofprettymucheveryoneinsomewayoranother,sothethemesinyournovelwillhelpthereaderconnecttothestory.

Withalltheseaspectsinplace,youshouldhavenoproblemismakingthereaderwillcareaboutyourcharactersstory.

Tosummarise:

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Thestoryisforthereader,notthewriter.Createimmediacyconnectwiththereader.Createconflict=tensionanddrama.Makesuretherearehighstakesforyourmaincharacter.Createbelievable,likeablecharacters,peoplewecanrelateto,peoplewhoarenotperfect,butpeoplewhohavetheirownvulnerabilities.Relatablethemeshelpyourreaderconnectwiththestory.

Inessence,whyshouldthereadercareaboutyourstory?Becausetheyretheoneswhowillreadinandenjoyitandcomebackformore,timeaftertime.

Nextweek:Howmanycharactersinastoryistoomany?

POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSUNDAY, AUGUST24, 2014NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST

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SA T URDA Y , 1 6 A UGUST 2 0 1 4

WhatMakesaBadWriter?

Weveallbeenbadwritersatsomepoint.Beingabadwriterisallpartoftheritualofbecomingagoodwriter.Everyonestartsoutabadwriterandbecomesagoodwriterovertime.(Goodwriterswillalsoknowthatgoodwritingisntformedinstantlyittakesyearsofpractice).

Buthowcanyoutellabadwriterfromagoodone?Howdoyouknowifyouareabadwriter?

Themaindifferencewithgoodwritersandbadwritersisthatgoodwritersarealwayslearning,alwaysdevelopingandarealwaysopentofeedback.Goodwritersknowtheirlimitationsandtheirskilllevels,andtheyrealwaysstrivingtobecomebetterthebesttheycanbe.

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Badwriters,however,areadifferentbeastaltogether.

Badwritershavenorealgraspoftheirlimitations,theypresumetoknoweverythingthereistoknowaboutwriting,withouttheexperiencetobackitup.ButeveniftheyhavethreeselfpublishedbooksonAmazon,itdoesntmakethemanexpertonfictionwriting.Itjustmeanstheyhavealongwaytogo,becausebeingagoodwritercantakeyears,evendecadestoachieve.

Onlybadwritersassumetheyhaveasuperiorlevelofwritingexcellence.Goodwritersneverassumeit,theyearnit.

Also,badwritersdontunderstandtheconceptofconstantlyeditingandrewritingandtheneedtopolishto(almost)perfection,somethingthatsrequiredbeforeitentersthepublicdomain.Mostsimplydonthavethepatienceforsuchthings.

Goodwriters,ontheotherhand,willreadthroughandedittheirworkseveraltimestoeliminateerrorsandplotflawsandtheywillhavethepatiencetodosountiltheworkistrulyready,untiltheyhaveaqualitypieceofwork.

Badwritersdontneedtogothroughallthis,theyrealreadyexcellent.

Thisisturnleadstothearrogancefactor.Thereisnothingmoreunbecominginfictionwritingthatawriterwhoisarrogantandhasanattitudetogowithit.Moreoftenthannot,thosewhoarehaughtyandoverconfidentaresimplynotasgoodastheythink.Andmoreoftenthannot,thisnotionisprovenwithwhattheyactuallywrite,simplybecausetheiregohasovershadowedanyexistingrawtalent.

Goodwritersknowthatperfectionisnotattainable,butthenextbestthingis,sotheyalwaystrytoachievethis.Atthesametimetheywillacknowledgethatnooneisperfect.Thatswhytheyarealwayslearning,becausewritingisaconstantlyevolvingprocess.Theyknowthattobebetterwriters,theyhavetolearnandevolve.Thatshowweallbecomenotjustgoodwriters,butgreatwriters.

WhatMakesaBadWriter?

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Abadwriter,however,willdismisstheneedtolearn.Theyalreadyknowallthereistoknow.Theydontrealisethattobeabetterwritertheyhavetolearn.

Haveyoueverreceivednegativefeedbackthatmadeyougetangryanddefensive?Theansweristhatweallhave.

Whatwewriteandhowwewriteitwontbelikedbyeveryone.Goodwritersacceptandunderstandthisconcept.Butbadwritersdontunderstandthisatall.Negativefeedbackismetwithevenmorenegativityandsometimesthesewriterswillbecomeinvolvedinonlineargumentswithotherwritersorengageinemailswiththosewhomayhaveofferedthenegativefeedback.Itsextremelyunprofessional.

Thisleadstothatotherbignegativeforwritersthedreadedrejection.Goodwritersacceptthattheyarenotperfectandthatrejectionsareapartofthewritingprocess.Theywillalsotakeonboardthefeedbackandcommentsinaconstructivewayandtheywillexaminewheretheycanimprovetheirworkanddeveloptheirwritingskillaccordingly.

Badwriterswont.Theywontseerejectionasanopportunitytoimprove.Theywontseethepositiveinit.Theywillthinkitsapersonalattackonthemandarejectionoftheirgenius.Theywillbecomeangryanddefensive,evenpetulant,andthatarrogancewilljustgrow.

Ifyoucannotcopewithrejectionorcriticismofyourwriting,thenunfortunatelythatmakesyouabadwriter.

Anotherthingisthatbadwritersdontunderstandtheconceptofprofessionalism.

Andthatbringsmetothesubjectofsubmittingworktoagentsandpublishers.Thegoodwritersamongstuswillpayvitalattentiontotheguidelinesofthepublishinghouseortheagentsrequirements,becauseguidelinesarethereforareason.

Abadwriterwillignoretheseguidelines.ThenobodycantellmewhatIshouldandshouldntdoattitude

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wontwashwithpotentialpublishers.Ifyoucantbebotheredtofollowinstructions,thendontbotherbeingawriter.

Lastly,thenewphenomenonofshamelessselfpromotionhasbecomeanuisance.Thepesterpowerofselfpublishedwritersisntendearing,itsannoying.Andthelookatmeandmyfantasticnovelconstantpromotiononeveryavailablemediumwontwinreaders.

Goodwriterspromote,buttheyalsoengagewithpotentialreaders,theyaskquestions,theyanswerquestions,theyhaveopendiscussionsabouttheirwriting,theyusethelikesofTwitterorFacebook,Goodreadsorwritingforumstonetworkandsocialiseandgenerateinterestinaproductiveway.

Whattheydontdoisselfishlyspamthehelloutofeveryone.Andthatspreciselywhatabadwriterwilldo.Badwritersarenotbotheredaboutnetworkingorsocialisingorengagingindiscussionsabouttheirwritingorindeedanyconstructivefeedback.Theyjustwantthesales.

Ultimately,abadwriterisonethatdoesntlistenandthereforeneverlearns.So,areyouoneofthem?

Nextweek:Howtomakeyourreaderscareaboutyourstory.

POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, AUGUST16, 20144COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST


SA T URDA Y , 9 A UGUST 2 0 1 4

SelfpublishorTraditional?

Therehasbeenalotofdebaterecentlyaboutwhetheranauthorshouldgodownthetraditionalpublishingrouteorwhethertoselfpublishthroughthelikesof

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AmazonorCreateSpace.

Whatevertheauthordecides,thesetwoprospectsofferdifferentprosandcons.Thereisacertainelementofthequalityofwritingandprestigewithtraditionallypublishedbooksthatisnotyetpresentwithselfpublishedbooks,somanyauthorsstillpursuetraditionalpublishing,despitethelureofbecomingselfpublished.

TraditionalPublishing

Despitewhatthenaysayersmightthink,traditionalpublishingisstillverystronganditisstillimportanttowriters.

Findinganagentisusuallythestartingblockformostwriterswishingtolookforthetraditionalpublishedpath.Otherssubmittheirworktopublishersdirect,whetherlargepublishinghousesorsmallindiepublishers.

Itcanbealong,drawnoutprocesstogetonthatpublishingladder,soanywriterwhowantstopursuetraditionalpublishingmustbepatient,determinedandshouldgrowaverythickskin.

Pros

Traditionalpublishingoffersprestigeandacertainamountofquality.

Thereisawiderdistributionofsaleablebooksandthereforeanexpectationofmoreexposureorpublicity

Manypublishersofferanadvancetheamountvariesdependingonhowwelltheythinkyourbookwillsell.Theyeditthebook,polishitandprovidethecoverartworkforit.Theauthormaybeexpectedtoparticipateinafewmarketingdrives,muchofthemarketingisprovidedbythepublisherbecausetheyhavetheadvertisingpower.Itcouldhelpyoutobecomeawellknownauthor.

Cons



ItsextremelyhardtobreakintoIttakesanythingbetween12monthsto18monthsfortheworktobepublished.Theyhavealotofpoweroverthewayyourbookshouldbepresented,especiallywithcoverdesign.Theymaymakesomechangestoyourwork,includingchangingthetitle.Ifyouhaveanagent,youhavetopayAgentsfees.Youmayendupwithfewerroyaltiesthanyouexpected.Manyfirsttimeauthorsmakeverylittlemoney.Publishersrarelymakemoneyonfirsttimeauthors,andsoonlyproduceshortprintrunsbecauseofthecostofmakingandprintingthebooks.

SelfPublishing

Selfpublishingcanmakeanauthorofanyone.Andthatisnotnecessarilyagoodthing.

Thisplatformallowsanyonetowritesomethingandpublishit,regardlessofexperienceorknowledge.Formanywriterswhohavestrugglesforyears,itisveryalluring,becausefinallytheyhavesomethingtangible,theycanpublishtheirworkandcallthemselvesanauthor.

Thedrawback,ofcourse,isthattheemphasisisonthewordeveryone.Andunfortunately,noteveryauthorcanactuallywritetoastandardthatwouldbeconsideredacceptableinthetraditionalsense.Thequality,atpresent,isextremelydirebecauseauthorsjusthaventtakenthetimetolearnaboutcreativewritingandallthatitentails.

Writersmusthaveadetailedknowledgeofthecrafthowtostructuresentences,howtodeliverdialogueproperly,howtousethecorrectgrammarandsyntax,howtobalancenarrativeanddescriptionwithdialogue,howtoweavesubplotsandthemes,howtomanageaplotfromstarttofinish,howtocharacterise.Andthosearejustthebasics.Mostselfpublishedauthorsdont



understandmorecomplexconceptssuchasforeshadowing,symbolism,metaphor,layering,flashback,correctexposition,tensesandPOV.

Mostimportantlytheyhaventlearnedhowtoevenedittheirownbooktoapublishablestandard.Anyselfrespectingauthorwhoissupposedtobegoodatwritingshouldbecapableofthis.

Thisiswhyover80%ofselfpublishedbooksarewrittensobadlybypeoplewhodontknowhowtowriteanddontunderstandthebasics.

Pros

Selfpublishingmeansthatanyonecandoit.Becauseitisdigital,therearenocostsinvolvedintheactualpublishingofanebook.Authorshavecompletecontrolofthecreativeprocess.Authorscontrolwhatpricetocharge.Authorscandecidewhatcoverarttheywouldlike.Publicationisalmostinstant.Itmakesiteasyforauthorstogobackandapplychangestotheirbooks.Itofferslargerroyaltyrates(butonlyifthebookssellinthefirstplace).

Cons

Becauseanyonecanselfpublish,thepotentialtofloodthemarketwithpoorlywrittenrubbishincreasesandtherebydamagesthereputationofpublishingingeneral.

Thenumbersofselfpublishedauthorsisincreasingdaily,meaningtheselfpublishingmarketisalreadysaturated.

Anyartworkorprofessionaleditingcomesatacost,providedbycoverartistsandeditors.

Notalleditorsareexperiencedinediting,and



becausetheywantyourmoney,theywillnotnecessarilytellyouthatyourbookisrubbish.

Fewauthorsmakealivingfromit.Thereturnsareminimal.

Authorshavetodoalltheirownmarketingandpublicity.Itrequiresaconstantpushandtakesupalotofanauthorstime.

Itsextremelyhardtogetbooksintobookstores,andevenifyoudid,dontexpectwonderfulsales.

Aswithmostthingsinlife,thereareprosandcons.Whetheranauthorwantstogodowntheselfpublishingrouteorthetraditionalroute,eachoneshouldbejudgedonitsownmerits,butitisworthrememberingthatA)peopledonotturnintowritersovernightandB)noteveryonecanwrite.

Ifyouaredeterminedtoselfpublish,thenmakesurethatyouhavewrittensomethingofsubstantialquality,thatyouunderstandthefundamentalbasicsofcreativewriting,youvespentafewyearsatthecraftandhaveabasicgraspofthecomplexitiesinvolvedincreatinganovel.

Ifyoudont,youllbeoneofthecountlessauthorschurningoutunreadablegarbage.

Ifyouwanttogofortraditionalpublishing,thenmakesureyouvewrittenthebest,welledited,polishedpieceoffictionpossible,otherwiseyoumayfindthegoingverylongandarduous.

Nextweek:Whatmakesabadwriter?POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, AUGUST09, 20143COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST


T UE SDA Y , 5 A UGUST 2 0 1 4

EverythingYouEverWantedtoKnowAbout




Subplots

Ivetouchedonthesubjectofplotsinthepast,butlotsofpeoplehaveemailedaskingtoknowmoreaboutthem,sohereseverythingyouneedtoknowaboutthem:

Whatarethey?

Thefirstthingtoknowisthattheyrenottheenemy.Thesubplotisasecondaryplot(thinkofitasaminiplot)tothemainstory,anadditionalstorystrandthatalsorunsparalleltothemainstory,orisinterwovenwiththenarrative.

Subplotsmustalwaysconnectandrelatetothemainstory.Theyplayasupportingroletothemainstory.Itsnousehavingasubplotaboutcharactersthatonlybrieflyappearinyournovel,becausetheywonthavebeeninthenovellongenoughforthereadertocareaboutthem.Thesameistrueifyouhaveasubplotaboutsomethingthathasabsolutelynothingwhatevertodowiththestory.Itwontmakesensetothereader,anditwontmakesensetothestoryasawhole.

Whydotheyhappen?

Subplotshappenbecauseofthemainstory,notbecauseitmightbeagoodideatoaddinsomethingthatistotallyunrelated,oryouneedtofillthestorywithextraunwantedpadding.Theyshouldariselogicallyandorganicallyfromthemainstory,sotrynottoforcethemotherwiseyoullendupwithsomethingthatiscontrived.

Sometimestheyemergenaturallyduringwriting,whichcouldbeanythingfromthesituationsthecharactersgetinto,thebackstory,thecharacters,aflashbackoreventhetheme(s).

Sometimesweknowbeforewestartthenovelthattheremaybeoneortwosubplots,wemayhavesomeideaswhattheyare.

Whatstheirpurpose?



Subplotshavemanyfunctions.Primarilytheyaretheretomaintainthereadersinterestandtoalsomovethestoryforwardbyrevealingeithernewcharactersornewinformationwhichispertinenttothestory.

Theymaybeusedtoaddadditionalobstaclesandproblemsforthemaincharacterthesubplotsgenerallyinvolvesextrastufftheprotagonisthastoseetoandyetstillbeabletoreachhisorhergoalbytheendofthenovel.

Theyalsohelpwithcharacterisation,allowingthereadertoseethemaincharacterinadifferentway,withrelationshipsandsituationsetc.

Anotherthingtoconsiderwithsubplotsisthattheylayerandhelpbringnumerouselementstogether,collectivelywovenintothefabricofthemainstory.Theyenrichanovelwithcontextandcomplexity.

Doingthiswillmeanthatthereaderwillthenbecamepartofthedeepeningstorythroughbecausetheyareprivytonewparallelstorylines,whereasyourmaincharactermaynot.Thiscanaddsuspenseandtension.

Anotherreasonwritersusesubplotsistoallowthereaderabreakfromthemainthrustofthestory,sotheycanbreatheandreflectonwhatshappenedsofarbeforereturningbacktothemainthread.

DoIhavetohaveone?

No,youdonthaveto.Therearenorulesthatsayyouneedone,butitjusthelpsthestoryoverallifyoudohaveoneortwo.Theydoenrichthestory.

HowmanycanIhave?

Somestorieshavejustonesubplotothershavetwoorthree.Cleverandcomplexnovelsmayhaveuptofivesubplots.Again,therearenorules,justcommonsense.

Writersmustrealisethatthemoresubplotstheyincorporate,however,themorecomplexthewholestorygetsandthemoreheadachesitwillcausetryingtokeepthemfromwildlyunravellingintoabigmess.



Onetothreesubplotsismorethanadequate.

WhatSubplotsshouldneverdo

Theyshouldneverbeforced,neverthrowsomethingintothestorybecauseyouthinkthestoryneedsit.TheyshouldneveroverwhelmortakeoverfromthemainstoryTheyshouldneverleadawayfromthemainplotandbecomelostinaseaofcomplexityTheyshouldneverincludestuffthathasnothingtodowiththemainstoryTheyshouldneverbeaboutperipheralorwalkoncharactersthatmakenoimpactonthestoryarc.Theyshouldneverbestandalonestoriestheyhavetohaveaconnectiontothemainstory.Theyshouldneverbeusedaspaddingtofillyourstoryout.Iftheydonthavepurpose,dontusethem.

Remembertoresolveallsubplots

Themostimportantthingyouneedtodowithanysubplotistoresolveitbytheendofthenovel,otherwiseyouwillleaveyourreaderwonderingwhathappenedtothequestionsthatthesubplotposedbybeingthereinthefirstplace.

Thereisnothingworsethanfollowingasubplotandnotknowingwhathappensattheend!

Makesurethatyoutieupthoselooseends.

Tosummarise:

Subplotsmustconnecttothemainstory.Subplotsmusthappenforareasonandmakesensetogetherwiththemainstory.Subplotsshouldmovethestoryforward.Theyshouldenrich,supportanddeepentheoverallstory.



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Subplotsshouldrevealinformationaboutthemainstory,thesituationorcharacters,whichreadersshouldbecomeprivy.Subplotsshouldkeepyourreaderinterested.Subplotsmustalwaysberesolved.Thereshouldideallybenomorethan23subplots

Somepeopleviewsubplotsasdifficult,othersseethemasachore,whenthey'reneitherofthesethings.Asubplotaddstotheenjoymentofthestory,thereadercanbecomeimmersedinallthedifferentthreadsyoucreate,theywillappreciatethereismoretothestorythatfirstmeetstheeye.

They'renottheenemy.Instead,usesubplotstoyouradvantage.

Nextweek:Selfpublishortraditional?POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATTUESDAY, AUGUST05, 2014

NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST


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