Some writers believe that dialogue is all about the characters – what they say, how they say it, and what they’re doing as they speak. If you’re one of those writers, you are almost correct. Yes, dialogue is about your characters. But more importantly, dialogue is the voice of your entire book.
Let’s look at it this way. You will lose huge readership potential if you only use dialogue to make your characters speak during scenes. A brilliant plot may be worthless without good dialogue.
The Purpose of Dialogue
“What are you doing here?” said Sally. “You’re supposed to be at work.”
What is going on here? You might follow up with some narration that describes Sally’s situation. Maybe she’s upset that this person is not working, or perhaps she is happy or surprised.
“What are you doing here?” said Sally, frowning slightly. “You’re supposed to be at work.”
A smile spread across Sally’s face. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at work.”
Sally’s eyes grew very wide. “What are you doing here?” she said, choking on her iced tea. “You’re supposed to be at work.”
Without narration, we know how Sally feels in each of the three scenarios. In each case, the dialogue serves the purpose of making the character speak, informing the reader as to what is going on, and the feeling and emotions involved in the situation.
Most writers know the power of dialogue, but it’s easy to forget in the heat of a powerful plot. Remember, too much narration is boring. Instead of pages and pages of narration describing what’s going on, make your characters act it out instead. When narrating, you have to lay everything out on the table – what happened, how it happened, what the characters are thinking, and how the characters feel. Use the perfect blend of dialogue and narration to create an effective story.
Don’t Tell Them – Let the Characters Speak
You might feel compelled to describe scenery and image through narration. You can certainly do so, but don’t go over the top. Painting pictures with words is a true art, but ten pages of image descriptions will have your readers yawning. You can incorporate narration and dialogue to paint the perfect image.
There’s a huge difference between telling the story through narration, and the characters telling the story through dialogue and thoughts. When your characters are interacting, the story is always more interesting. How many times have you told a funny incident to your friends and they didn’t find it funny? Many times, you just have to be there to get the joke. It’s the same for your book. Let your characters act it out. Even in narration, always include your characters’ thoughts and emotions.
Who Said It?
“I apologize I could not hear a thing. She closed the door so that I was unable to hear their conversation.”
“What would you like me to do?”
Just imagine an average 10-year-old American boy saying the above phrases. It hardly fits at all! Our 10-year-old Johnny would say it more like this:
“Sorry, didn’t hear anything. She closed the door so I didn’t hear what they said.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Similarly so, a macho-man would never use the words “mauve”, “cashmere”, “baby blue”, or “bunny rabbit”. When it comes to speech, gender matters. Determine whether your characters are male or female, then decide whether they will be masculine male, feminine female, or vice versa. Perhaps you have a masculine female character to portray her life with her father and five brothers. You decide, but make sure their speech fits the part.
Your characters’ way of speaking should fit their age, sex, class, level of intelligence and location. Use regional slang for your character who grew up in the mean streets of New York. If your character was born and raised in England, perhaps words such as “loo” or “lift” naturally belong in her vocabulary. Your character’s education is also important. For someone who has no formal education, grammar and vocabulary may not be perfect. Whatever situation your characters are in, their way of speaking should be a natural fit.
As a word of caution, use regional slang wisely. It should work well with the time period your story is set in. And it has to be used correctly, and in the right context or your book may not please certain readers. It might pay to study or even visit the area where your story will take place, if it exists. Research everything about your character to see how he or she should speak.
Play it by Ear
After your dialogue is written, read it out loud. You’ll see that saying it and writing it will produce a different effect. What sounds good on paper might not sound so great when said out loud.
Watch out for awkward dialogue. If it doesn’t sound right, you don’t want to use it in your book unless it happens to fit your character. A tape recorder may help you in the process. Record each piece of dialogue you aren’t sure about and listen to it a few times. When you finally find the right words, record and listen to your new dialogue. And in any given scene, make sure the dialogue flows well together.
Take note that you might end up changing your dialogue two, three, or 100 times. It’s this kind of attention to detail that matters to your publisher. All in all, your dialogue should sound great. Your readers will love and appreciate it.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Fiction: How to Start Writing Your First Novel
If your dream is to create a bestselling novel, join the club of millions. Writing fiction can be one of the most rewarding things you may do as a writer. You’re here because you want to begin writing fiction. Many of you are confused as to where to begin. Use this guide to clear up the confusion and anxiety that many new writers face.
The First Step is All About the Mindset
You already took a baby step – you decided to write a novel. If you feel the urge to start writing your story right away, hold back for just a second.
First, let’s try to understand the world of fiction. Not every writer survives. Everyday, thousands of writers decide to write a novel. Some begin to write the first pages of their story. A precious few end up finishing their novels.
What accounts for the failure of so many would-be fiction writers? Perhaps it’s a busy schedule or a lack of motivation. Each writer has his or her own reasons for not finishing their novels.
With that said, here’s lesson #1:
99 out of 100 reasons are actually excuses. For the purpose of becoming a successful writer, use the word, “excuse” whenever you have a bad reason for not writing. Remember, reasons are excuses, and excuses are lies. Ultimately, reasons are lies that you tell yourself, and these lies will come between you and success. Start with a clean slate – make a promise to ignore the excuses that enter your mind. This may be the most important thing you will ever learn as a writer.
Technical Information – Let’s get this out of the way
A novel consists of about 100,000 words, which comes out to about 400 double-spaced, typed pages. Sounds like a huge amount of work, doesn’t it? Yes, it’s a lot of work, not to mention dedication and drive. If you feel discouraged at this point, go back and read the previous paragraph.
Reflect back on your favorite novel. It may contain anywhere between 80,000 and 100,000 words, give or take a few. Nowadays, some novels go over by up to 50,000 words. If you think that your fiction novel will go longer than 100,000 words, consider breaking it up into several books. For example, if you have 400,000 words, you should create a series of four books. On the other hand, if the idea of 100,000 words or more sounds frightening, perhaps you should consider writing a short story. A short story may contain up to 40,000 words.
The Name of the Game
The first thing any fiction writer should do is choose a genre – a category or style, so to speak. The genre will determine where or how it will be classified in a bookstore. Examples of genres include mystery, romance, horror, science fiction, fantasy and mainstream. These are not the only genres out there – many more exist and there are sub-genres for each category, not to mention mixed genres such as science fiction mystery. Do your homework and read up on various genres.
Dealing with the Creative Process
If you have even the smallest idea for a story, that’s enough juice to get you through. Even for those of you who have no clue what to write about, you can still get the creative process started.
Understand the creative process. I consider the creative process to be a time where you think, create, and write. It is the ultimate tool to finish your novel. Call it anything you want – some writers call it “quiet time”. It’s a bad term, however, because there are writers who talk out loud to make sense of what’s going on in their minds.
Gather your ideas. Don’t lose them.
Ideas come and go throughout the day. You may think that great writers have this rare gift of coming up with wonderful ideas for their stories. The truth is anyone can come up with a knock-you-socks-off idea. The trick is to gather those ideas in one place, whether in a notebook or in an index card box.
You never know when a fabulous idea will come to you. Keep a small notebook in your pocket or purse, and one by your bed. I know several people who pop up at 3 am to write down an idea.
Some of your ideas may seem “stupid”. Write them down anyway. It could become the best idea yet, once you play around with it. Too many writers “throw away” their ideas by not writing them down. A lost idea is just that – lost. You can always go back to a “stupid” idea, but you can’t do that with a lost one.
Make a schedule. Keep to it.
Include time in your daily schedule to work on your novel. It could be 15 minutes in the morning before your family wakes up, or a half hour during your lunch break. You don’t necessarily have to write during the creative process. You could use the time to think over your ideas or create new ones. Remember, a great novel can take two weeks or two years. Don’t restrict yourself – the quality of your novel will suffer.
Improve yourself and your novel will follow.
Make sure your facts are straight. Use the internet and other resources to help you find the correct information. Unless you meant it to be so, always use the correct info or your book may lose steam with some readers.
There are many great books at your local library or bookstore that can aid you in developing your plot, characters, and your overall story. Consider taking a workshop or course in creative writing if your story doesn’t excite you. Grammar, spelling, and sentence structure are also important to your book, so always get help in this area when you need it.
Revise, revise, revise.
If your story isn’t perfect in your eyes, correct it. It could mean erasing fifty pages of text, or changing a scene. Some writers get half way through their books and realize that something doesn’t make sense, so they rewrite the whole thing. Constantly reread, edit, and revise for a well-written, polished novel.
Here’s to Your Success
This guide will not be the only thing you need to succeed. You will go on and read many more books, articles, and magazines. Fiction writing is very multifaceted and the art of fiction writing will come to you in its own way. Never wrap yourself up in following an exact method – it won’t work. You can follow directions and take the advice of others, but your story will only unfold with your imagination. Word hard and stay motivated!
The First Step is All About the Mindset
You already took a baby step – you decided to write a novel. If you feel the urge to start writing your story right away, hold back for just a second.
First, let’s try to understand the world of fiction. Not every writer survives. Everyday, thousands of writers decide to write a novel. Some begin to write the first pages of their story. A precious few end up finishing their novels.
What accounts for the failure of so many would-be fiction writers? Perhaps it’s a busy schedule or a lack of motivation. Each writer has his or her own reasons for not finishing their novels.
With that said, here’s lesson #1:
99 out of 100 reasons are actually excuses. For the purpose of becoming a successful writer, use the word, “excuse” whenever you have a bad reason for not writing. Remember, reasons are excuses, and excuses are lies. Ultimately, reasons are lies that you tell yourself, and these lies will come between you and success. Start with a clean slate – make a promise to ignore the excuses that enter your mind. This may be the most important thing you will ever learn as a writer.
Technical Information – Let’s get this out of the way
A novel consists of about 100,000 words, which comes out to about 400 double-spaced, typed pages. Sounds like a huge amount of work, doesn’t it? Yes, it’s a lot of work, not to mention dedication and drive. If you feel discouraged at this point, go back and read the previous paragraph.
Reflect back on your favorite novel. It may contain anywhere between 80,000 and 100,000 words, give or take a few. Nowadays, some novels go over by up to 50,000 words. If you think that your fiction novel will go longer than 100,000 words, consider breaking it up into several books. For example, if you have 400,000 words, you should create a series of four books. On the other hand, if the idea of 100,000 words or more sounds frightening, perhaps you should consider writing a short story. A short story may contain up to 40,000 words.
The Name of the Game
The first thing any fiction writer should do is choose a genre – a category or style, so to speak. The genre will determine where or how it will be classified in a bookstore. Examples of genres include mystery, romance, horror, science fiction, fantasy and mainstream. These are not the only genres out there – many more exist and there are sub-genres for each category, not to mention mixed genres such as science fiction mystery. Do your homework and read up on various genres.
Dealing with the Creative Process
If you have even the smallest idea for a story, that’s enough juice to get you through. Even for those of you who have no clue what to write about, you can still get the creative process started.
Understand the creative process. I consider the creative process to be a time where you think, create, and write. It is the ultimate tool to finish your novel. Call it anything you want – some writers call it “quiet time”. It’s a bad term, however, because there are writers who talk out loud to make sense of what’s going on in their minds.
Gather your ideas. Don’t lose them.
Ideas come and go throughout the day. You may think that great writers have this rare gift of coming up with wonderful ideas for their stories. The truth is anyone can come up with a knock-you-socks-off idea. The trick is to gather those ideas in one place, whether in a notebook or in an index card box.
You never know when a fabulous idea will come to you. Keep a small notebook in your pocket or purse, and one by your bed. I know several people who pop up at 3 am to write down an idea.
Some of your ideas may seem “stupid”. Write them down anyway. It could become the best idea yet, once you play around with it. Too many writers “throw away” their ideas by not writing them down. A lost idea is just that – lost. You can always go back to a “stupid” idea, but you can’t do that with a lost one.
Make a schedule. Keep to it.
Include time in your daily schedule to work on your novel. It could be 15 minutes in the morning before your family wakes up, or a half hour during your lunch break. You don’t necessarily have to write during the creative process. You could use the time to think over your ideas or create new ones. Remember, a great novel can take two weeks or two years. Don’t restrict yourself – the quality of your novel will suffer.
Improve yourself and your novel will follow.
Make sure your facts are straight. Use the internet and other resources to help you find the correct information. Unless you meant it to be so, always use the correct info or your book may lose steam with some readers.
There are many great books at your local library or bookstore that can aid you in developing your plot, characters, and your overall story. Consider taking a workshop or course in creative writing if your story doesn’t excite you. Grammar, spelling, and sentence structure are also important to your book, so always get help in this area when you need it.
Revise, revise, revise.
If your story isn’t perfect in your eyes, correct it. It could mean erasing fifty pages of text, or changing a scene. Some writers get half way through their books and realize that something doesn’t make sense, so they rewrite the whole thing. Constantly reread, edit, and revise for a well-written, polished novel.
Here’s to Your Success
This guide will not be the only thing you need to succeed. You will go on and read many more books, articles, and magazines. Fiction writing is very multifaceted and the art of fiction writing will come to you in its own way. Never wrap yourself up in following an exact method – it won’t work. You can follow directions and take the advice of others, but your story will only unfold with your imagination. Word hard and stay motivated!
Fiction: A Villain to Remember
The antagonists, or villains, are the manna of a story’s power. Without them, our oh so noble heroes (protagonists) would still be stamping out their secret I.D.s as newspaper journalists, photographers and kings of Ithaca. We all know a few. In fact, I’ll wager you could name more of the scary guys than the good guys…the following is why.
Way back in the good ol’ days of the Roman Marius Event, phalanx formation and the nursing of democracy in Athens, the die of our modern conception of hero and villain was cast. Priests and poets declared tales of exploits upon Mt. Olympus, whether it be one of Zeus’ many affairs (which led to the birth of many heroes) or the gods’ defiance against human creations. The Greeks, Romans and much of the civilized Mediterranean world thus set into action the snowball effect of our modern literature. Take, for example, Heracles and his twelve tasks to purge himself of killing his own children or Perseus accepting the wager to slay the Gorgan and Aeneas while facing his hated destiny as the founder of the Roman race, tales of this caliber are what distinguish a memorable work of literature.
Now what made tales such as these, or of the ilk of “Moby Dick,” “Silence of the Lambs,” or even the “Trial of Socrates” so memorable? The answer is the villain. Antagonists, the immortal ones of our mind, are of the same consistency as your bleakest nightmare. We all still have them, and they should be recorded! Wake up sweating, grasping at your chest to ensure your heart doesn’t burst from your bosom? Write down what you saw. Villains are what our parents always warned us to avoid.
That dark corner, the stranger without a name, the vacant house at the edge of town, our secret wishes that would tear our social lives upside down! Harness this.
Villains that are memorable offer a similarity, even so slight, with their audience. There is something congenially sinister in all of us. This is why we love the carnage, the suspense and the rage of their fury. Take Hannibal Lector, we all know him, but why? Is it because he cooked people and ate them? What about because he’s a genius? No, it’s because of his lauded compassion for style and wit. The reason he ate people was because they were rude, now imagine that! How many times did you line up ways to dispose of that annoying, pitiless employee at the DMV? That is what makes Dr. Lector and all in his company so, well, loveable. They perform the atrocities of society so that we don’t have to. Admit it. We watch, read and fear them because we all think the same. Create villains to be believable, bearable and loveable, for the villain of imagination is the only mode the sane and moderate possess to commit one standing ovation of a crime.
Way back in the good ol’ days of the Roman Marius Event, phalanx formation and the nursing of democracy in Athens, the die of our modern conception of hero and villain was cast. Priests and poets declared tales of exploits upon Mt. Olympus, whether it be one of Zeus’ many affairs (which led to the birth of many heroes) or the gods’ defiance against human creations. The Greeks, Romans and much of the civilized Mediterranean world thus set into action the snowball effect of our modern literature. Take, for example, Heracles and his twelve tasks to purge himself of killing his own children or Perseus accepting the wager to slay the Gorgan and Aeneas while facing his hated destiny as the founder of the Roman race, tales of this caliber are what distinguish a memorable work of literature.
Now what made tales such as these, or of the ilk of “Moby Dick,” “Silence of the Lambs,” or even the “Trial of Socrates” so memorable? The answer is the villain. Antagonists, the immortal ones of our mind, are of the same consistency as your bleakest nightmare. We all still have them, and they should be recorded! Wake up sweating, grasping at your chest to ensure your heart doesn’t burst from your bosom? Write down what you saw. Villains are what our parents always warned us to avoid.
That dark corner, the stranger without a name, the vacant house at the edge of town, our secret wishes that would tear our social lives upside down! Harness this.
Villains that are memorable offer a similarity, even so slight, with their audience. There is something congenially sinister in all of us. This is why we love the carnage, the suspense and the rage of their fury. Take Hannibal Lector, we all know him, but why? Is it because he cooked people and ate them? What about because he’s a genius? No, it’s because of his lauded compassion for style and wit. The reason he ate people was because they were rude, now imagine that! How many times did you line up ways to dispose of that annoying, pitiless employee at the DMV? That is what makes Dr. Lector and all in his company so, well, loveable. They perform the atrocities of society so that we don’t have to. Admit it. We watch, read and fear them because we all think the same. Create villains to be believable, bearable and loveable, for the villain of imagination is the only mode the sane and moderate possess to commit one standing ovation of a crime.
Fiction: Creating Believable 3-D Characters
Characters are the most important part of stories – they can make or break it. They need to be realistic; if they’re not real to you, how can they be real
to your readers?
Keep these following points in mind when creating your next characters.
Sketch out what they look like in your mind’s eye.
Describe their hair, body, clothes, etc. in detail. Does this seem realistic?
Then, create families and relationships with family members. What was their childhood like?
What was their favorite color, pet, school subject, movie, book, actor and singer?
What will they be like in 5-10 years?
Also, create realistic attitudes, personalities and lifestyles.
How would they speak?
What would they say?
What is their occupation, and does their job fit with their personality?
Does their name fit them?
Does this work?
Juliet
19 years old
Hourglass figure
5’2”-5’4”
Sallow face/eyes
Smeared, mangy lips
Nicotine-stained nails
Prostitute
Short, black hair, dyed
Left home at 16
Drug addiction
Steals
Working the streets since 17
High heels
Miniskirt
Plunge style bra/vest
High school dropout (age 15)
Quiet, lanky kid (age 12-14)
Greasy hair
No father
Mother abused by string of boyfriends
to your readers?
Keep these following points in mind when creating your next characters.
Sketch out what they look like in your mind’s eye.
Describe their hair, body, clothes, etc. in detail. Does this seem realistic?
Then, create families and relationships with family members. What was their childhood like?
What was their favorite color, pet, school subject, movie, book, actor and singer?
What will they be like in 5-10 years?
Also, create realistic attitudes, personalities and lifestyles.
How would they speak?
What would they say?
What is their occupation, and does their job fit with their personality?
Does their name fit them?
Does this work?
Juliet
19 years old
Hourglass figure
5’2”-5’4”
Sallow face/eyes
Smeared, mangy lips
Nicotine-stained nails
Prostitute
Short, black hair, dyed
Left home at 16
Drug addiction
Steals
Working the streets since 17
High heels
Miniskirt
Plunge style bra/vest
High school dropout (age 15)
Quiet, lanky kid (age 12-14)
Greasy hair
No father
Mother abused by string of boyfriends
Fiction: 5 Ways To Improve Your Fiction Writing
The five ways to improve your fiction writing skills I present here are by no means comprehensive. The very nature of the sentence former is a case in point. No one is the same and, the gods willing, no one’s writing or collective acumen is the same either. So, let’s get started.
(1) Style:
A conspicuous little word that every creative writing teacher and “inspired” coffee house junkie loves to use. However my friends, for every 15% of stylistic BS there is 85% of truth. In short, style is very important, yet one must take caution, as with eating too much of one thing.
Imagine for a moment you are writing a brilliant piece, you see the dollar signs, the juicy advance check and fan website… all of this swimming in your brain starting around page 43. I would bet the bottom dollar, I wish I had, that if you read from page 41 and back you would notice your writing style had changed. Why? Because your style changed from raw love and emotion for writing to a commercialized, insatiable appetite for fame and riches. Neither intentions are bad, but this goes to show that while writing fictitiously your emotions influence your style, so be mindful and train your thoughts. Recognize your voice and embrace it.
(2) Read:
If you’ve ever read/heard anyone say that they don’t like to read for risk it will taint their style, grab a voodoo doll and wish that they fall in a pot hole (ok…perhaps not that far). Omit yourself from the conversation immediately and cling to a police officer because to claim “writing” as a pastime or profession implies, and demands, that you read avidly. It would be the idealistic equivalent to say that you are a body builder but you don’t lift weights because you might end up with 20 inch biceps like that guy over there. Reading trains you, inspires you, and racks at your intuition. How can you build an empire of novels or poems if you don’t know how to read a blueprint?
(3) Be humble:
Be prepared to admit to yourself that you simply aren’t the best and won’t be until 100% of the world says you are. A king never ruled anything without citizens. Aristotle said that a man will never be wise until he accepts that he is a fool. Ask questions, ask for advice, and force yourself to be a sponge everyday you wake.
(4) Grow a set of scriptor testicles (writer balls):
Prepare yourself if you are serious about fiction. The road is hard, impious and throttling. If you perform the art correctly, you’ll discover things about this world and your own that will keep you up sweating. What torments do you think Poe, Stephen King or Dante endured? Nightmares perhaps or creeping revelations...who knows?
We often come to love what we fear because of that rush, the rush of self discovery or if that editor will, *gasp,* accept your work. Suck it up and face it like you’ve got dignity to burn and I promise, the world will lap up you and your “ballsy” writing like sweet wine.
(5) Find a soul mate:
In every endeavor, my friends, we need a soul mate for support. This soul mate of course doesn’t have to be a cuddly photo of a wife, husband or the lesser levels of the two. The item of this description is your backbone or trampoline that creates a cushion and a motivator, (the rougher the better) for you to continue your craft.
You’ve thrown a pity party for yourself before, yes you have don’t shake your head because you’re in good company. All of use need to whine and gripe about how rough it is to sit on our tails all day and basically lie for a hobby, (frustrating I know). Thus the need for our soul mates, perhaps it’s your Literature-loving father, a cat that warms the room’s ambiance, or a wife, such as mine, who threatens to pull my leg hair if I don’t keep on with my dream. Of all the advice in the world that writers can receive, support of morale and faith is paramount. Hold this dear, for with no allies war will bare you no victory.
(1) Style:
A conspicuous little word that every creative writing teacher and “inspired” coffee house junkie loves to use. However my friends, for every 15% of stylistic BS there is 85% of truth. In short, style is very important, yet one must take caution, as with eating too much of one thing.
Imagine for a moment you are writing a brilliant piece, you see the dollar signs, the juicy advance check and fan website… all of this swimming in your brain starting around page 43. I would bet the bottom dollar, I wish I had, that if you read from page 41 and back you would notice your writing style had changed. Why? Because your style changed from raw love and emotion for writing to a commercialized, insatiable appetite for fame and riches. Neither intentions are bad, but this goes to show that while writing fictitiously your emotions influence your style, so be mindful and train your thoughts. Recognize your voice and embrace it.
(2) Read:
If you’ve ever read/heard anyone say that they don’t like to read for risk it will taint their style, grab a voodoo doll and wish that they fall in a pot hole (ok…perhaps not that far). Omit yourself from the conversation immediately and cling to a police officer because to claim “writing” as a pastime or profession implies, and demands, that you read avidly. It would be the idealistic equivalent to say that you are a body builder but you don’t lift weights because you might end up with 20 inch biceps like that guy over there. Reading trains you, inspires you, and racks at your intuition. How can you build an empire of novels or poems if you don’t know how to read a blueprint?
(3) Be humble:
Be prepared to admit to yourself that you simply aren’t the best and won’t be until 100% of the world says you are. A king never ruled anything without citizens. Aristotle said that a man will never be wise until he accepts that he is a fool. Ask questions, ask for advice, and force yourself to be a sponge everyday you wake.
(4) Grow a set of scriptor testicles (writer balls):
Prepare yourself if you are serious about fiction. The road is hard, impious and throttling. If you perform the art correctly, you’ll discover things about this world and your own that will keep you up sweating. What torments do you think Poe, Stephen King or Dante endured? Nightmares perhaps or creeping revelations...who knows?
We often come to love what we fear because of that rush, the rush of self discovery or if that editor will, *gasp,* accept your work. Suck it up and face it like you’ve got dignity to burn and I promise, the world will lap up you and your “ballsy” writing like sweet wine.
(5) Find a soul mate:
In every endeavor, my friends, we need a soul mate for support. This soul mate of course doesn’t have to be a cuddly photo of a wife, husband or the lesser levels of the two. The item of this description is your backbone or trampoline that creates a cushion and a motivator, (the rougher the better) for you to continue your craft.
You’ve thrown a pity party for yourself before, yes you have don’t shake your head because you’re in good company. All of use need to whine and gripe about how rough it is to sit on our tails all day and basically lie for a hobby, (frustrating I know). Thus the need for our soul mates, perhaps it’s your Literature-loving father, a cat that warms the room’s ambiance, or a wife, such as mine, who threatens to pull my leg hair if I don’t keep on with my dream. Of all the advice in the world that writers can receive, support of morale and faith is paramount. Hold this dear, for with no allies war will bare you no victory.
Fiction: Character With a Zing
Bob has to be great; he has to snatch your readers’ attention (and keep it) almost immediately. It’s essential for good fiction, and a must for great, memorable fiction.
But getting Bob to be all you want him to be isn’t the easiest task, is it? In fact, it’s one of the most difficult you’ll have to accomplish in writing your story. You may have a terrific plot, excellent writing style and know how to write incredible descriptions...BUT, if Bob doesn’t entertain, stir the emotions, or tickle your readers’ fancies, your book or short story won’t do nearly as well.
I say this as a writer, and an avid reader: there have been many books that I really enjoyed at first—the plot line was original, and the descriptions beautiful—but I couldn’t sympathize with, enjoy, or sometimes, even understand Bob, because he was flat, boring and uninteresting. Trust me, Bob will make, or break, your story. Making Bob life-like and original is the key to attracting readers, so GET HIM RIGHT!!
And the way to do that is: to determine who Bob is as a person.
Yes, this is the most difficult, yet critical step to getting your book off the ground. I know from experience that if you can’t anticipate Bob’s next move, it will often be a hindrance, and even a severe problem, (though there are exceptions), even if you have a specific plotline to follow. I can’t over emphasize it enough: KNOW BOB!
Now, having said that, I don’t mean that you have to scrutinize every single tiny detail about him, unless it helps you. Knowing how many centimeters tall Bob is isn’t going to help you figure out what he’ll say to the bad guy (well, in most cases!) Don’t over-do it; it shouldn’t be a burden for you to write about him. I personally, have NOT over-scrutinized my character, and it allows freedom for him to flower and develop in my mind, without causing panic because he said or did something different than I expected.
a) Give him a history.
You are going to know Bob better than anyone else; readers won’t know anything about him until you tell them, so know his back-story. You’ll need to know the details of things like: a death in the family, a football accident he had, or whatever life situations you give him in order to make him alive, and to keep your readers’ interest up. Know how life has affected him, and how he dealt with it, which will also affect the next point.
b) Know his motivations and emotional status.
Ok, we have to admit it. There’s a common misconception out there that male characters are supposed to lack emotion and be big, tough and controlling. But, we in real life know this is not the case. We’re all human, and we all have emotions, whether we like it or not.
SO, even if Bob is not normally the emotional type, you as the author still need to know what he is thinking and feeling during different scenes. You may not want or need to tell your readers what he’s feeling, but you need to know his motivation, or he’ll go_________________--flat as the Sahara.
c) Know how he interacts with people around him.
This coincides with the above as well; determine whether Bob is outgoing, a wallflower, generous, quick-tempered, studious, creative, dull, hard working, cowardly, whatever you want, but figure out his general attitude towards things and people. Again, don’t overdo it; leave him some breathing room to grow and mature in your mind, but have a general idea of his personal feelings toward life. Don’t suffocate him, but have some expectations as to what he’ll do next.
So, there are a few little tips on how to make your characters more life-like and sympathetic to your readers. I hope it helps you out, and that your Bob, Mark, Kate, Liz, whoever, turns out just the way you want them!
But getting Bob to be all you want him to be isn’t the easiest task, is it? In fact, it’s one of the most difficult you’ll have to accomplish in writing your story. You may have a terrific plot, excellent writing style and know how to write incredible descriptions...BUT, if Bob doesn’t entertain, stir the emotions, or tickle your readers’ fancies, your book or short story won’t do nearly as well.
I say this as a writer, and an avid reader: there have been many books that I really enjoyed at first—the plot line was original, and the descriptions beautiful—but I couldn’t sympathize with, enjoy, or sometimes, even understand Bob, because he was flat, boring and uninteresting. Trust me, Bob will make, or break, your story. Making Bob life-like and original is the key to attracting readers, so GET HIM RIGHT!!
And the way to do that is: to determine who Bob is as a person.
Yes, this is the most difficult, yet critical step to getting your book off the ground. I know from experience that if you can’t anticipate Bob’s next move, it will often be a hindrance, and even a severe problem, (though there are exceptions), even if you have a specific plotline to follow. I can’t over emphasize it enough: KNOW BOB!
Now, having said that, I don’t mean that you have to scrutinize every single tiny detail about him, unless it helps you. Knowing how many centimeters tall Bob is isn’t going to help you figure out what he’ll say to the bad guy (well, in most cases!) Don’t over-do it; it shouldn’t be a burden for you to write about him. I personally, have NOT over-scrutinized my character, and it allows freedom for him to flower and develop in my mind, without causing panic because he said or did something different than I expected.
a) Give him a history.
You are going to know Bob better than anyone else; readers won’t know anything about him until you tell them, so know his back-story. You’ll need to know the details of things like: a death in the family, a football accident he had, or whatever life situations you give him in order to make him alive, and to keep your readers’ interest up. Know how life has affected him, and how he dealt with it, which will also affect the next point.
b) Know his motivations and emotional status.
Ok, we have to admit it. There’s a common misconception out there that male characters are supposed to lack emotion and be big, tough and controlling. But, we in real life know this is not the case. We’re all human, and we all have emotions, whether we like it or not.
SO, even if Bob is not normally the emotional type, you as the author still need to know what he is thinking and feeling during different scenes. You may not want or need to tell your readers what he’s feeling, but you need to know his motivation, or he’ll go_________________--flat as the Sahara.
c) Know how he interacts with people around him.
This coincides with the above as well; determine whether Bob is outgoing, a wallflower, generous, quick-tempered, studious, creative, dull, hard working, cowardly, whatever you want, but figure out his general attitude towards things and people. Again, don’t overdo it; leave him some breathing room to grow and mature in your mind, but have a general idea of his personal feelings toward life. Don’t suffocate him, but have some expectations as to what he’ll do next.
So, there are a few little tips on how to make your characters more life-like and sympathetic to your readers. I hope it helps you out, and that your Bob, Mark, Kate, Liz, whoever, turns out just the way you want them!
Fiction: Creating Suspense
Hands down, the most superb suspense authors are fishermen, especially the ones with the cool bumper stickers. Try this one, lean back in your chair, close your eyes and think about all the epic ichthyological tales of the attempt to pull in the “one that got away”. Astounding enough, not one is the same. You may ask, “But why Scott?” It is because savants of suspense are the masters of our tall tale art of fiction.
The act of creating suspense is the bullet-riddled attempt to create a feeling of relative anxiety, panic or excitement in a reader/audience. Basically, we are creating a copy of a copy. And since all things second hand are naturally a little Panglossian (sort of like second hand smoke or your best friend’s attempts at hooking up with your ex) this requires a degree of creativity and effort. To recapture the feeling of unequivocal fear, pain, savagery or love…to leave the reader as breathless as you were or your characters is a feat of great pursuit rivaling that of the stream of consciousness.
We are responsible as professional liars to dig into our guts and face not only our fears, but also the collective nightmare of the planet. If suspense is a meal, then its medium of preparation is the crock-pot. Yeah, I’m getting somewhere just hold on. This element of fiction cannot under any circumstances be half-baked or thrown together. Suspense takes its time, like a dull knife sliding into the character’s ribs, initially fracturing the bone, then cracking the marrow out and restraining the victim’s screams. The style is slow, deliberate and potent enough to fog a room. For purposes of lesson, discriminate against your reader and imagine they are def, mute, blind and disabled from the eyes down. Suspense requires that you carry the reader through every detail and then suddenly without warning, as their hearts are preparing to explode, launch them into the climax of the story and gracefully allow them to breathe.
Suspense is the orgasm of literature. No one wants an imitation.
The act of creating suspense is the bullet-riddled attempt to create a feeling of relative anxiety, panic or excitement in a reader/audience. Basically, we are creating a copy of a copy. And since all things second hand are naturally a little Panglossian (sort of like second hand smoke or your best friend’s attempts at hooking up with your ex) this requires a degree of creativity and effort. To recapture the feeling of unequivocal fear, pain, savagery or love…to leave the reader as breathless as you were or your characters is a feat of great pursuit rivaling that of the stream of consciousness.
We are responsible as professional liars to dig into our guts and face not only our fears, but also the collective nightmare of the planet. If suspense is a meal, then its medium of preparation is the crock-pot. Yeah, I’m getting somewhere just hold on. This element of fiction cannot under any circumstances be half-baked or thrown together. Suspense takes its time, like a dull knife sliding into the character’s ribs, initially fracturing the bone, then cracking the marrow out and restraining the victim’s screams. The style is slow, deliberate and potent enough to fog a room. For purposes of lesson, discriminate against your reader and imagine they are def, mute, blind and disabled from the eyes down. Suspense requires that you carry the reader through every detail and then suddenly without warning, as their hearts are preparing to explode, launch them into the climax of the story and gracefully allow them to breathe.
Suspense is the orgasm of literature. No one wants an imitation.
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