%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |  This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC |
|
This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario. An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"  Feel free to comment and interact. |
| Apostrophes Another request (last one). Apostrophes are used for two things – contractions and possession. Contractions are when letters are dropped when two words are combined. Would not = wouldn’t Cannot = can’t Of the clock/On the clock = o’clock I would have = I’d’ve (this one is not really accepted by some editors) I would/I had = I’d It is = it’s OR ‘tis (archaic) ...and so on. A common question is are these sort of contractions okay to use in prose or should they only be used in dialogue. The answer is it depends on your publisher and your own personal style. Personally, I think they are fine anywhere. Capital-L Literature publishers only like them in dialogue, and some high fantasy publishers feel the same. Some editors prefer them to be used sparingly. Some children’s publishers also do not like them. Basically, if going the traditional publishing route, check with their house style first. The second usage is possession. This is when some-one owns something. In this case we add apostrophe-s. Mike’s car The cat’s food The sun’s rays A house’s roof If the word ends in s already, just put an apostrophe except if you would say the extra s out loud. This is confusing, so if you leave the extra ‘s’ off, then that’s acceptable as well. The cows’ field The stars’ light James’s suit The bus’s wheels So, again, say it out loud, and what sounds right, use it. There is one possessive that does not use an apostrophe – its, meaning belonging to it. In fact, just to confuse matters, all pronoun possessives have no apostrophes: his, her, hers, their, theirs, our, etc. Apostrophes are NOT used for plurals! Cow = one cow Cows = more than one cow Cow’s = belongs to the one cow Cows’ = belongs to many cows. However, some guides and some English writing courses state you do use an apostrophe if you are doing a plural of a single letter or digit. Technically, this is correct, but has fallen out of fashion. I got four A’s on my report card. The gymnast got three 10’s for her routine. This is not universal. Use it if you want, or not. I tend not to, but at least 2 publishers I have worked with have changed it. That's it. Apostrophes. |
| Direct Speech Another reader request. Apparently I did this some time ago, they lost it, and asked me to repost it. I can't find it either (!), so I have rewritten it. When it comes to punctuation, direct speech is where I see the most mistakes. First, the use of quotation marks that surround direct speech is generally double: “ . However, most Australian publishers, some smaller UK publishers and some in the Asian countries use single quotation marks: ‘ . Personally, I’d go double because it really separates the dialogue well and doesn’t look like an apostrophe, and the vast majority of publishers expect it. But do check the publisher's style guide before submitting. Next, every new speaker gets a new paragraph. This is vital to reduce confusion in a reader. While we're here, not all direct speech needs dialogue tags. If there's only two people talking, then it should be obvious who is sating what. “I saw you at the shops,” he said. “Where?” she asked. “Smith Street.” “Oh, there.” She smiled at him. “I was buying milk.” Note the use of commas to separate dialogue tags from what is spoken. This is something that some people get confused by. I hope my examples to follow will make it clear. (ish...) Sentences inside quotation marks follow the rules of sentences everywhere. If it is a standard sentence, then this happens: She went to the shops. becomes “She went to the shops,” he said. The last full stop becomes a comma. The punctuation stays inside the quotation marks. However, if reversed: He said, “She went to the shops.” Now the comma is after ‘said’ and the full stop ends it inside the quotation marks. If there are two sentences being said and you want it broken up by the dialogue tag, then: “She went to the shops,” he said. “She was going to buy milk.” Note the second part is a complete sentence with a full stop, and there is a full stop after ‘said’, not a comma. This is because the dialogue tag is attached to the first sentence. If it is one sentence split by a dialogue tag, then it changes: “She went,” he said, “to the shops.” Note the commas everywhere and no capital letter to start the second bit. But only if it is one sentence broken up. We do not replace question marks or exclamation marks with commas, nor add a comma as well as the other punctuation mark. “Where is she going?” he asked. *note the lower case ‘h’ at the start of ‘he’. “Stop!” he yelled. *same here. If it is not a dialogue tag, then the commas are not necessary. “I went to the shops.” She smiled and held out a cake. “I bought this for you.” If an action actually interrupts the speech while the talking continues, the generally accepted punctuation involves em-dashes: “I came from over there" — he jerked his thumb over his shoulder — "and it was empty." Note the action has a lower case letter to start, and the dialogue continues as if it had not been interrupted. If you are talking to some-one, use a comma to separate the person being addressed. “Mum, you’re embarrassing me.” “You’re embarrassing me, mum.” “You, mum, are embarrassing me.” If more than one person: “Mum and dad, I love you, but you are embarrassing me.” Also applies to greetings. “Hello, mum.” “Goodbye, my friend.” Then there is the really technical one. When a person gives a speech and it goes over more than one paragraph, then there is no closing quotation marks until the final paragraph: “I am pleased to be here,” the king said. “Standing in front of you, I am reminded of the greatness of our nation. “However, dark times are ahead and we must all now come together to defend the realm. All able-bodied people should take up arms and defend the land. We must work together to keep our lands safe from the invaders! “So, please, join me and the armies to keep the invaders at bay.” In this case there are three (short) paragraphs, so closing quotation makes only occur at the end, and in that first sentence where we have a dialogue tag. And I’ll close with a very technical one. If a person’s voice trails off while they are speaking, then use an ellipsis. She looked at the sky dreamily. “I wish I still had…” she whispered. If some-one is cut off, then use an extended m-dash. “Will you leave that—” “Be quiet!” his mother interrupted. Use of dialogue tags is sometimes contentious. Some publishers say only use basic ones – said, asked, yelled, etc. But some say that to add variety and some extra emphasis, use whatever you want – screamed, sighed, whispered, murmured, groaned, etc. You will find whatever works with your style, so go with what works for you. Some publishers/editors might ask you to change some for their house style, but unless they are going to actually publish you, then if you do or not is up to you. My one bit of advice is don’t overuse them. I have read some books where all characters do is ‘murmur’. As a final note, some writers don’t use dialogue punctuation at all. This is considered experimental, and it takes a really good writer to carry it off and make the dialogue still feel like dialogue. Also, many publishers will reject it straight away. It is your call, but it is not recommended by virtually anyone in the publishing industry. |
| Finding Publishers Another question from a reader! You’ve had so much published! Congratulations. Where do you find your publishers? Fair question. This is going to be purely about traditional publishers, small to large. Self-publishing, I am not your person. Early on, I had to bite the bullet and enter competitions. It’s how my first novel was picked up. Competitions can be found with a simple Google search. The thing about competitions is that it gives you three things: 1) a chance to write to prescription, which is important when submitting; 2) getting used to rejection, which can be easier for many people when it is a competition as opposed to just being rejected, because you know there has to be one winner; & 3) if you do well, getting used to being edited by an external person you do not know. Competitions are a place many people find non-threatening because, mentally, you know there will only be one winner, and your odds are low it’s going to be you. Next… I need to put something in here. Do not submit a novel first. Most publishers, even if they are interested in your work, will not risk such a huge investment as a novel if that is all you have done. They need to make sure you can be edited without fighting the process, and that you can write an ending to a work. Most trad publishers sort of demand you have at least one short story published they can look at and talk to that publisher. Yes, publishers talk. If you get a bad reputation with one, you will have a bad reputation with many of them. It’s simple. So, now that I’ve said that, short stories. Magazines used to be the go-to market, but the number available has shrunk in the past 20 years. They tend to be specialist – horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, Western and capital-L Literature are all out there – but get hundreds of submissions every week. Tough markets, but go for it. Rejections don’t hurt, and so long as you don’t annoy them, you can try again at some point. Annoy them? you may ask. Send them work that is not polished. Use AI. Keep asking if they’ve read it yet. Sending an obnoxious response email after being rejected. So many ways to annoy a publisher… So, nowadays, it is anthologies that are the best places for short story sales. Again, they are specialist, but even more so. Not just horror, but horror about bugs, for example (yes, I appeared in that one). Not just romance, but romance set in the 1980s. Not just science fiction, but dystopian steampunk. Not just Western, but one featuring a sheriff. What this means is that while there are going to be a heap of submissions, there won’t be as many because these niche topics are not as broad. Where do I find magazines and short story anthologies? My main go-to is Duotrope . I pay the yearly subscription fee, which means I get a list every week of anthologies coming up that are closing, so I don’t have to search the site as often. But searching the site is perfectly valid, and something I do every month. It also has a submission tracker, but I don’t use that. I just use it to find markets. You can choose which market types you want, by the way.The second one is my daily emails from this group . This covers a lot of journals and stuff that Duotrope might miss. It also covers the releases from the Horror Tree, which I used to use, but their emails have become messy and I had a falling out with the owner. (This got so bad, by the way, when he found out we were in an anthology together, he told the publisher either him or me. The publisher chose me because I wasn’t being a dick. The guy has since apologised to said publisher… but not me.)The final is an irregular email from Authors Publish . The issue with this one is that they have only one or two publishers at a time and half are looking for books. However, they have a better non-fiction reach, and the collator really makes sure they are above board and that they produce good quality publications.Then there is doing a Google search. Just be careful you are looking at recent ones and they are legitimate. That’s all. Now, once you’ve found a publisher, what next? Well, on Duotrope and Authors Publish, they only advertise legitimate publishers; the writers group does not. So, I would recommend going to one of the writer beware websites to check if the publisher is listed there as a “watch out” prospect. That’s it. When it comes to the novels, I found all my publishers but one on Duotrope. The one I didn’t, I’d had 2 short stories published by them already, they had an internal call for books from those already published by them, and I got lucky. One final thing – any publisher who approaches you… AVOID! No legitimate publisher will do that. None. Good luck! Of course, you do you, though. This is just where I sell. |
| Non-Linear Narratives Most stories are written in linear narrative. You start at point A, and events happen in order until you get to point B. Simple. Sometimes, you might start in point A and go to point B in this timeline, but in a past timeline you start at point C and go to point D to give backstory, and the story tells them both at the same time. This latter technique is done well in the film The Godfather Part II; it is 2 stories being told at the same time. Another way of doing it is to have timelines disrupted and cut and pasted all over the place, almost at random. This is called non-linear narrative, and for years it was considered experimental and did not sell well, and was mainly done for personal interest, for a writer to see if they could do it. Then came Christopher Nolan, and his non-linear narrative movies, and now it is becoming more and more accepted across story-telling. So, a non-linear narrative is a story where the events are told out of order. It does have a through-line, but the climax might come at the start or in the middle, the initial meeting of characters might come after we discover they're married. It is an intricate method of story-telling and there is a fine balance between giving too much information too early and not giving enough so that it does make sense. As for making sense, often these stories do not come together in a reader's mind until part of the way through, so the writing needs to keep them enthralled. To my mind, non-linear narrative can work. You just have to make sure you don’t give away too many spoilers before you get near the end. These sorts of books do require at least some modicum of planning; do it as a pantser and you get lost. Some claim they write it as a linear narrative and then mix it up. However, that tends to not work because it feels like a story that's been cut up. Writing it as a non-linear narrative gives it a more natural feel. If you are going to try, I would personally recommend keeping a flow chart of events and marking which chapter they appear in so you don’t get confused, double up, leave things out, etc. I enjoy a good non-linear narrative but they are really difficult to write. Flashbacks, memories or dreams are not non-linear narrative. They are merely a means of letting the audience know what is happening in a straight-forward linear tale. On that topic, the use of flashbacks in novels is often debated. Basically, if it works for the story, if you think it works and is needed, then keep them. In fact, they are a good way to avoid the tell instead of show, and also means you don’t have to start the story so long ago. If used sparingly, they can be useful. However, I read a novel not that long ago which had embedded flashbacks. At one stage, it was a flashback within a flashback within a memory. It was so confusing. Of course, if done for comedic effect, then that's fine, but this was a serious novel about a fractured family. I tend to treat flashbacks like salt. A little is fine. Too much can be nauseating. While this is not non-linear narrative but it can feel that way to some readers, and that is something you need to be aware of. |
| Prologue/Epilogue For some reason, this question comes up a lot – should my novel/novella use a prologue and/or an epilogue? The answer is simple – does it fit the story? If yes, then use one or both. If it feels tacked on and bogs the tale down or does not add anything, then no, don’t use them. Prologues and epilogues are seen as slightly archaic means of delivering a story by many modern people, readers and publishers alike. However, some see them as a nice way to bookend a story. Cons: * why not make it chapter 1 and/or chapter (last)? * seen as old-fashioned. * they have become clichéd * it became a movie technique sometime during the 1960s, peaking in the 1980s, so it’s seen as a cinematic stylistic device * some see it as just a means of upping the word count. Pros: * it can set a scene without interrupting story flow * can bookend a story well * a harkening back to some old-styled story-telling devices (this goes to the oral process of story-telling, and the first written accounts), and this can work well with some genres * can give a feeling of atmosphere * introduces the main character away from the story * can be set at a different time, so we have an introduction away from the main action, or a ‘where are they now?’ style ending As to the length of a prologue/epilogue – there is never a set length for anything; it’s whatever works for the story. However, your prologue and epilogue should not be the longest chapters in a book as a general rule. The reader will lose focus. Generally, the shorter the better. As to how to write them. In the past, the “letter”/epistolary form is quite common, and has become a cliché (but I like it personally). Modern day blog/ email/ Twitter/ Facebook styles are becoming slightly more frequent. The reason this was done was to give an idea of the MC’s inner thoughts – you got to know the MC better before the story began. And there are hints of action to come while other characters can be introduced, but no spoilers at the same time. As for if it is necessary – write it. If it doesn’t work, in your second draft get rid of it. Or change it. Or make it chapter 1. Or make it chapter 5. It does not matter. Experiment while you’re doing early drafts. And, finally, yes, they are considered obsolete. However, traditional publishers will keep them if they work. As to self-publishing, I’ve never gone that route, but I guess you write and publish what you want. This is one of those cases where the concept of the work being yours and what you want to do with it is tantamount. |
| Point Of View The first posting based on a request! Woo-hoo! Point Of View (PoV) is the “person” who tells the story. There are three points of view. First person – this is “I” and “we” Second person – this is “you” Third person – this is “he”, “she”, “it” and “them” All have been used in writing. All have positives and negatives. Now, before I begin, changes in POV are not really accepted in writing. Having said that, I have read some fine works that shifts between third person and first person in alternate chapters. But this is rare. It can work, though. So, there are generally accepted to be four different forms of PoV used in fiction. 1. First Person First person restricts everything to one person’s perspective, and that can work for some genres (e.g. thrillers, horror and detective) because the reader learns things as the narrator does, and so they can become more invested in the character. This gets us to know the main character very well and we see the world through their eyes, including their personal relationships. First person works well when there's going to be one MC and a lot of intensely emotional stuff. First person works well when used as a sort of blank slate onto which the reader can project themselves as well. While this is a negative aspect to some, publishers of books for teenagers seem to have come to prefer it in the past 30 years. The problem with first person is that it tends towards the introspective and, to coin the vernacular, that can come across as whiny real fast. First person makes it harder to get a good balance between characters. In many cases, this results in the narrator-character either becoming an author avatar, in which case everything is exaggerated (good and bad), or becoming a person of only a few traits, not well-rounded at all, because they are the personification of something the author wants to get across. Another negative is that if the main character is also the narrator, it can come across as boasting. In some cases it actually seems to work better if the narrator is a secondary character who can put a realistic perspective on the main character’s actions. But first person can work really well. 2. Second Person This is very uncommon, but I have seen it used in three ways. First, in poetry, when the poet is addressing some-one specifically. This can make a poem very intensely personal which can be very emotional or alienate the reader. It depends on the quality of the poem. Second is in those old choose-your-own-adventure style books. These have fallen out of fashion in recent years, but they were very popular when I was a youngster. They engage a reader and get the reader involved in the story, which works in the choice-based stories. Third, it can be used effectively in a well-written psychological horror. I have seen a couple of good examples of this as well. But traditional publishers are not fans, and selling books in second person (or even short stories) is almost impossible. Going back to the pre-1960s, though, the second person was often used to help description. For example, "When you go down Washington Blvd, just before you come to the dead end, on your left you will see an old house, rotting in the weather," comes from a book by Lionel Fanthorpe. This has fallen out of fashion, but is still a legitimate use of the second person. 3. Third person limited From my experience, third person limited is preferred by most traditional publishers because it is felt you can show so much more than first person, but it does not feel overdone, as can occur in third person omniscient. Third person limited is where the point of view is focused on one character, maybe two. Like first person, third person limited restricts most of the action to one person’s perspective (or maybe two), and that can work for some genres. This works well when you want to focus on one character, but also want to let the reader know things the character cannot possibly know. As a technical aside, if introducing something the PoV character cannot know, it is felt by publishers that this is best done at the end of a section, chapter, etc. It is the most common PoV used in fiction. There are very few negatives with using this POV, to be honest. But it does not really work with multiple characters. 4. Third person omniscient Third person omniscient is when the reader is allowed to see everything from all perspectives. This is the preferred POV for fantasy with most traditional publishers. Third person omniscient has one huge advantage, and that is you get to really know more motivations of more characters. It is a great way to make your “bad guys” sympathetic. You can show how different people respond to one another, thus setting up more complex personal dynamics. And you can show how groups respond and the herd mentality at work. Unfortunately, it does mean that some authors who use this do fall into third person tell not show habits because they have such a large sand-box to play with. This is actually a challenge to write well. But there are many stories that would not work without it, especially with multiple character arcs and action in different places. 5. Third Person Caveat There is an issue with third person that authors need to be aware of - ‘head-hopping’ or changing PoV. It is known to happen a lot in third person omniscient and at times in third person limited. What this means is that each section should sit within the head of one character, otherwise you hop from head to head, and this can confuse the reader. If you are going to change points of view in a story (and that is perfectly valid to do), it is recommended you separate the changes (three asterisks is usual in published works: * * *) to help your reader follow what is going on. When it comes to short stories, traditional publishers rarely want multiple points of view. Now, in first person, publishers and most readers only want one first person narrator in a story. If you do have a second person throw in some chapters, they need to be separated completely, either using a font change or italicised. Rare, but it happens. Don't do what Naomi Campbell did in her "novel" and change the first person narrator from one paragraph to the next. 6. Fourth Wall Breaks I'll throw this here because, this has become quite popular in stories following the Deadpool movies (despite Deadpool doing it in the comics for years). As to whether it should be used, so long as it works in the context of the story, nothing's out of bounds. Some fine comedy writing (like Douglas Adams) breaks the fourth wall, and some really good first person POV horror can do the same. It tends to work best in first person if in present tense. Some would say the second person descriptions I mentioned above is also a form of fourth wall breaking. Generally, outside of comedy, it does not work well in third person PoV stories. Having said that, most publishers I have worked with think it's just the author being too clever and hate it. |
| Plotting and Planning There are three ways to go about writing something. First is the Pantser model, where you just write. Second is the Plotter model, where you make meticulous plans of every aspect of your story. Third is the Plotser or Plantser model, where you have a vague outline and use that. Before I go on, I need to say – none are better than any other. It is whatever works for you. And you might even find that you need to do all of them depending on what you write. 1. Pantser This is me! Basically, 90 percent of what I write I write from the seat of my pants. I have my “what if…?” question, a character or two, and then I go for it. I might not even have the bad guy (antagonist) when I start. An ending might not even come to me until the very end when I reach it, and it’s what feels right or natural. This works best if you are a fast writer, like me, because you can remember the details you have put into the story and don’t have to look back through notes or whatever to make sure it stays on track. The positives are that you are free to take your story where it wants to go, and are not mentally tied down to a set plan of attack. Further, whatever genre you like reading, if you write in that genre as well, you already know how the stories go, know the tropes, know the expectations, so you have an idea of what a story like that should contain before you even begin. The negatives are that you can lose your way, you can meander, you can take the story in directions that make no sense when you read back over them, even though they felt good at the time. You are also open, unfortunately, to external stimuli. This means you are more likely to be influenced by something else you are reading or see on TV or the like. It could turn your work into bad fan fiction, a pastiche of something else, or become a direct copy without you realising it until too late. But, for me, I just write. I do not sit down and think, I am going to write a 95k word horror novel right now! I have a simple idea and I write that idea until the idea has run its course. It might be 1000 words or 100,000 words. It doesn't matter. The story and the idea tell me how far they go. I don't plan, I don't do character studies, I just write. 2. Plotter In my opinion, you cannot write a non-fiction book without plotting. A memoir, sure, because you lived it, it’s in your head. But, for example, my book on Australian history took me 6 months of research, planning and getting everything in a decent order before I even began to fill in the gaps. This from some-one who can write a novel in a month! When it comes to fiction, though, I have also plotted some things. Particularly fantasy books where I have a map of a world that I have created for just that book. I also worked in a story that took me two years, and was meticulously plotted out. The reason is some of the themes are hard to write about for me and I can’t just live in that world for too long. So, that’s me. Plotting gives a story a skeleton before putting meat on the bones. All the beats are there. The twists, the turns, everything, and the writer knows when to do reveals for maximum impact. Especially when there are a lot of characters and they do not do things together, plotting makes life for the writer easier, and stops mistakes being made. It means a story can be put away for a while when the writer works on other things, and then the return to that work is simple. The writer does not have to read back through everything and try to remember where they were headed. The main negative is that it sets the writer in a mindset that the story has to go a certain way. Some plotters can change their plan part-way through the work, but many cannot. They feel that they have everything so carefully worked out that changing one thing will result in an avalanche of changes later – the butterfly effect in writing. So they stick to the plan even if it does not work. But plotting is not just the story beats – it also involves the characters. Serious plotters will have all the main characters and secondary characters well thought out, with back-stories, descriptions, everything worked out, and this informs the story. This means the characters are easier to keep separate and they don’t become ciphers of one another. However, if a character’s personality does not fit the story as it goes ahead, once again a plotter is stuck in everything they have created for themselves. Again, experienced writers know how to change their plans, but many feel they cannot. (As a side tangent, a common mistake a number of plotters fall into, especially early on in their career, is the need to include every single detail of back-story they have created in the final work. This is not needed, and so long as it exists somewhere, it will inform the work.) Plotting also means if you are stuck in a scene or at a point, you can go to a different part of the story and write from there, knowing perfectly where it fits in with the overall story, and come back later to the sticking point. That is a huge advantage and really helps keep writer’s block at bay. Plotting is a great way to make sure the story you want to tell makes sense, has a good three-act structure, has decent characters, and everything ties together and makes sense. It allows for time to take care with the story-writing craft. And it can really give peace of mind to a writer as to where they are headed. One last thing – if your planning involves use of a self-generated map, then put that map into your book or work. If it helps you, it will help a reader, and readers (especially of fantasy) love maps. 3. Plotser or Plantser These strange terms relate to a person who is a mix of the two extremes, and I think most writers would fall somewhere along this part of the spectrum. Yes, there are no definites. People tend not to be exclusively one or the other (tend to… I have met a small number who are pure plotters and some who are pure pantsers), and so they would fall here. These writers might do a very minimal skeletal outline with huge gaps to be filled in. They might not have an ending. They might only have a beginning and an ending. They might only flesh out one or two main characters and let the rest grow organically. The map they use might only have a few things marked on it. Like I said, it is very common to fall somewhere here. You might be mostly a pantser, but you know where the story is going to go. Or you might be a complete plotter, but you leave some aspects of your characters open to fit into what happens over the course of the story. As I said, none of these are right or wrong. What works for you is what you should do. And what works for one project may not work for another. You might start life as a die-hard plotter, but after a few years you discover you’ve become a complete middle of the road plotser/plantser. Everyone’s journey is different. I will finish here by saying the majority of writing courses I have done (and this includes my university degree – Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing)) have said that you need to be a plotter and this is the only “proper” way to write. I disagree 100%. Write the way that works for you. 4. Chekhov’s Gun This is an odd thing to put here, at the end of this, but I think this is the best place to put it. In its simplest terms, Chekhov’s gun is a rule for writers that says if you introduce a gun in act one, it had better be used before the end of act three. Okay, you can include things to add colour, but they need to help with a description. Describing a girl as having “hair like a hippy from the 1960s” when the story is set now tells us a little bit about her. You can, of course, describe things. A description of a house will show a reader that this place is a part of normal suburbia. They all have relevance. However, it is the details that are not normal that fill in the Chekhov’s gun component. You describe John Smith as having a long coat that he wears all the time. Great. That is not normal. Does it come out later? Is it the way the main character recognises John’s body when he is found dead, his face ripped off? Or does it tell the main character John is the man who saved the children from the burning orphanage and ran away before anyone could recognise him? Or does it get in the way and make him trip when he runs from the suburban lion? Great. But if he wears it and it’s mentioned in one scene as something odd, then never makes another appearance, it should not have been there. This is something that plotting can help you overcome. In fiction, we have been conditioned to expect that these things matter. You will leave your reader unfulfilled (and so less likely to read something else of yours) and even a little bit of plotting (or judicious editing) can eliminate this. For what it’s worth, this rule is even more important when writing for middle grades or children, especially picture books. Children will want to know everything and why it’s there, and a lack of answers will turn them off. The reason I bring it up is that this is something many writers at the start of their journey get wrong. Of course, if you think John Smith’s out of place long coat in one scene that is never explained or brought up again is cool, then keep it. I am just saying that remembering Chekhov’s gun will help keep your readers satisfied. |
| Where (My) Ideas Come From I think the question I am most often asked at authors things is, “Where do you get your ideas from?” Most often my story ideas are based on a simple “What if…” scenario. Some examples can be demonstrated in my published novels: “What if what we did as kids came back and affected our own kids?” “What if a farm was ruled by plants?” “What if a mythical European monster was set loose in Australia?” Then more questions come. That last one led to: How did it get there? Then came: How is it defeated? Then came: Who could the main characters be? This “what if…?” could also be based on a book or film or TV show. I wrote a novelette (published by Alban Lake Publishing) where the question was, “What if Godzilla was a comedy?” I also have a collection dating back to 1987 of newspaper articles which have supplied me with a few ideas for stories based on “What if this story involved a demon?” or the like. Sometimes, and this doesn't happen that often, I get an idea for an actual, fleshed-out character. This could also come from a newspaper article, a person I meet in real life, a combination of people. I rarely (in fact, I don’t think I have unless doing it for a deliberate parody) take a character already created by somebody else and place them in a different situation, even if I change settings and names. A couple of times I have used dreams. Or other people have told me their dreams and I have taken them and run with them. I had a story published about a road strewn with dead cars that came from the dream of a guy I was living with at the time. That used to happen more when I was a teenager, but it is still there. Then there is taking what I have already done and reworking it. So, going back to the mythical creature in Australia story, I took a character I had already developed for a different story (a short story) that had just not worked. I changed her occupation, kept her appearance and age, made her daughter younger and suddenly I had my female main character. Some people use real-world things people believe in, like conspiracy theories, and treating them as real. Slight tangent here: The problem with conspiracy theories is that they ignore Occam's Razor. And the more convoluted the theory, the less plausible. But, really, Watergate started because a group of burglars couldn't do their job properly in a hotel, so how are thousands going to keep their mouth shut? Conspiracies make for fun reading. Yes, some (very, very few) turn out to have a modicum of truth in them, but not really. They do make for good stories, though; I have read some awesome stuff based on conspiracy theories. I do like to say that I have characters and I just write their stories, and I honestly feel that way, but that usually results in me being called pretentious. Now, that is me. I have a friend who I met through university recently whose way of writing a story is she has a message she wants to get across and then she couches it in a fantasy setting and tries to make it as subtle as possible. Another writer I know reads history books and just lets stories flow from that. Another, a romance writer, says she likes to write about situations that would make her feel good if she was the main character. She is such a good writer that I would never guess every character (by her own admission) starts as a version of her. There is no one way to get started with a story. It is whatever works for you. But then comes a scenario like this: I have ideas but have no idea how to start writing. Or I come up with lots of great ideas for scenes, but can’t expand them. This is tough. In both cases, my first thing would be don’t try to write a story. Just write scenes as they come to you. This could well result in you having a folder (real or on the computer) made up of just scenes, and these could seem unrelated to anything. The main thing is that you are writing (more on that later). The more you write, the chances are the longer these scenes will become and then, suddenly, you’ve written a complete story in 100 words (a drabble), or you’ve got a second related scene, or you can join it to a scene you’ve already written. If you force it, it will not be as natural and the story will have more trouble flowing. But there is nothing wrong with just writing scenes, conversations, descriptions, whatever, and let the thoughts just come out onto paper.. |
| Ideas v Technical In my Writing Advice post, some people expressed confusion as to why the advice would garner abuse. Well, that's simple: In this day and age of everyone being sensitive snowflakes, and language being completely personal, picking on someone's spelling or grammar or punctuation (etc.) is seen as elitist, ableist, whatever. As I said in the advice, though, I would not expect someone to be perfect at it, just that they try to improve if they have issues. Yet that apparently is still seen as gatekeeping. Because we can do whatever we want and people who don't publish us are just haters who are abusing us for our culture. Always "them", never us. Now, a few years ago I had an argument with a writer here at WdC who said that it does not matter if you don’t have the technical tools because ideas are all that matter. My response was: if that imagination does not come with tools, then how can the writer express it so others will want to read it? Their response? People will look past it because my ideas are so great and unique. I don’t think there is any “ONE” thing to being a good author. Some truly terrible ideas and lack of imagination have still made some intriguing books; some great ideas and imagination in the hands of clumsy writers have made some truly horrendous books. So, yes, imagination is important. Ideas are important. The ability to express them in words is important. The ability to put it in a form that people want to read is important. Having compelling characters is important. Having a narrative flow is important. Having a grasp of language, grammar, punctuation, syntax, etc. is important. To me, all are equally important. Having said that, as I have said, I have been accused of being elitist with this thinking, but to my mind grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., are the tools of a writer. You might have the best idea in the world, but if you can't put it across, then no-one is going to want to read it. It would be like an architect saying he has the best plans for a house, but he can't draw, use a ruler or do the mathematical equations necessary to ensure it gets done. Ideas are ten a penny; to make yours stand out you need the basic tools. In fact, I think all ideas have been used. What we do now is manipulate old ideas into new situations. For any writer who says they cannot "do" these things, then learn. Find some-one somewhere to teach you. If you are serious about wanting to be a writer, then go and learn. Sorry, but it is that simple. YouTube has videos. Brittanica.com has free online workshops. Oxford has free online pamphlets. There is so much out there! If you want affirmation, then show your work to your friends and family. If you want to be a writer, then get ready for people telling you that things need work. Heaven help these people if they ever try to submit to a trad publisher... or if they ever get a one-star review on Amazon for their self-published work. You know, I sometimes prefer the pre-Internet days in some ways. At least, the days before everyone felt they had "the right" to be treated as perfect and not be criticised for anything. |
| Word Count This is something that comes up a lot in writing circles - what word counts are there for various forms of fiction writing? The answer is... complicated. Yes, complicated. First and foremost, my suggestion would be don't aim for a word count. Let the story take you where it wants to go and how it wants to get there. If it ends up being a short story, poem, novella, novel, trilogy... that's up to the work. Do not force it. Let it be natural. Write what you are writing and let the length decide itself. But that is my opinion. See, in my experience, sitting down to "write a novel" is fraught with danger. You are automatically setting yourself up for a mental failure – on the terms you yourself have set – if you do not meet that arbitrary word count. Just sit down to write whatever story or poem you are writing. Do not press it for word count. Lengths: Now, I have dealt with a lot of different publishers over the past 25-plus years, and I have come to see the following definitions for lengths of works. Remember, poetry follows its own rules for length depending on style. The definitions I have found are as follows. You will see multiple definitions for most writing length forms here, and that is because very few publishers tend to agree: Drabble: exactly 100 words (this is standard, though some include the title in this word count and some do not) Flash fiction: up to 500 words exactly 500 words up to 1000 words Short short: 500 to 1000 words Short story: anything up to 10,000 words 500 to 10,000 (or 12,500) words 1000 to 12,500 (or 17,500) words 500 to 9,999 words Long short: 10,000 to 20,000 words Novella: 17,500 to 40,000 words 15,000 to 25,000 words 12,500 to 25,000 words 20,000 to 40,000 words Novelette: 25,000 to 40,000 (or 50,000) words Short novel: 40,000 to 60,000 words 50,000 to 75,000 words Novel: 60,000+ words 75,000+ words 75,000-150,000 words Yes, a lot of differences there! Some other novel-based generalisations (and these definitions can change from publisher to publisher, from country to country, from source to source) include: 150,000 as a maximum because after that they will split into 2 books. (However some can exceed 200,000 words!) Horror, fantasy and sci-fi generally have a novel start at 80,000 words. However, some fantasy starts at 90,000 words and some horror at 60,000 words. Romance novels generally start at 40,000 words (no short novel), and some of these companies have a maximum of 80,000 words. As an aside, when it comes to a short story, Edgar Allan Poe had three dictums (dicta): 1) Length: the story can be read in one sitting. 2) Ending: the story should end in its climax. 3) Unity of effect: the story should only have one mood. (taken from the essay ‘The Philosophy of Composition’). When thinking about length, this is another way of looking at it. Chapters. The length of chapters in a longer work being pretty consistent is what beginner writers are told, to give them a guideline. But I have read a book recently from one of the Big 4 publishers which follows a 20-page chapter with a 2-page chapter. It's whatever the story needs and what works for the story in question. There are no set hard and fast chapter rules. Write whatever suits your story. Having said that, chapters that are too long may be edited into separate chapters by publishers/editors. May be. Not necessarily. Again, like everything, it depends on the publisher. Conclusion: This is all traditional publishing (which is all I do). In self-publishing, do whatever you want, I guess. No idea. Now, for those who feel that they really want to hit that big novel right now, then think about it like this: a novel is written one chapter at a time. A chapter is written a paragraph at a time. A paragraph comes from a sentence, one after the other. And a sentence comes from a single word put next to another word. Don’t think of it as a novel and get overwhelmed. Think of it as one word then another word, and see where it takes you. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
