Dedicated to the classic books on fiction writing. Learn to write short stories, novels, and plays by studying the classic how-to books. I believe fiction writing is a Craft. In the hands of a writer who has mastered the Craft, it can become more than that. It can become Art. Art = Talent + Craft But the bedrock is Craft. There are fundamental techniques to be studied, unfamiliar tools to be mastered, tricks of the trade to be learned. And it all takes time. (Writing Mastery) (Writing Craft)
Many good writers go through a stage of using overwrought purple prose as they develop their own signature writing style. Fine writing is concise, and experienced writers aren’t afraid to cut a phrase or sentence that might sound pretty but in reality, is an extraneous ornament that doesn’t serve the overall piece.
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One of the best writing tips for aspiring writers is using a prompt. You can find endless writing prompts online that are suited for all types of genres. Pick one that stimulates your imagination and encourages you to get creative.
Some writing prompts for you to try. More Writing Tips of the Day.
There is no one answer to this question, as the practice of writing literary fiction varies greatly from author to author. However, some tips on how to write literary fiction may include understanding the elements of good storytelling, developing a strong sense of character, and creating a powerful and evocative narrative voice. Additionally, it is often helpful to read as many works of literary fiction as possible in order to better understand the genre and its conventions.
Here are some websites to help you on your journey:
Research isn't only for nonfiction, my friend. If you want to know what readers are expecting from your genre, you need to read that genre. You need to have a good understanding of the tropes that work and the tropes that don't work. You need to know what's been done to death a thousand times and what's new and fresh. You need to love that genre and have respect for it. I don't care if you're writing books about seven-foot-tall blue aliens who are obsessed with finding their soulmates (hello there!) or if you're writing a thriller about a gritty navy seal who has to stop a military coup.
Digging Deep: Strong characters are key elements in any well-constructed story. You may have clearly illustrated their history, occupation, likes, and dislikes, but to make them truly compelling you must have a basic understanding of these characters' psyches. Choose a story you've written and make a list of the characters you don't really know yet. Next to each name, jot down notes about what that character's aspirations and motivations are. How do these characters see the world? Who are the people they look up to, want to impress, or model themselves after? Where do these characters want to be in the next five years—or in the next fifty? Will they reach their dreams, or are they destined to get sidetracked? Let this information serve as a reference when you are deciding how a character should react in a situation, or how the plot should progress.
Also see:
.jpg "Reading Great Writing can Help You Find Your Own Voice | Writing Quote")
Reading great writing can help you find your own voice and hone your writing skills. Read a variety of genres. It also helps to read the same genre as your novel. If you’re writing a thriller, then read other thrillers that show how to build tension, create plot points, and how to do the big reveal at the climax of the story.
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The basic plot work for most stories, novels and screenplays -- Here it is.
BUT
The Big Switch by Jack Bludis, not by Jack Burns. It's the first time he's using his true name on a piece. He wrote that he doesn't mind being known by both names, but if you look for The Big Switch at your local book store, check under the Bludis name. The Big Switch be available in July at bookstores, at Amazon and B&N on the net. (He'd prefer you to ask your local book stores about it before you buy it on the net.)
Every story spans a period of time. Story can be defined as conflict shown in scene, meaning that most writers will treat time in scene rather than in summary.
An example of a partial scene from Rick Bragg's memoir, Ava's Man:
Charlie felt the hot rush of shot fly past his face, and his legs shook under him with the boom of the gun. But it was a clean miss, and he started to run at Jerry, closing the distance even as Jerry fished in his pocket for another load.
Twenty feet...
Jerry cursed and broke open the breech.
Twelve feet...
He slapped in the fresh shell.
Eight feet...
He snapped the gun closed.
Six feet...
He threw it to his shoulder.
Four feet...
He saw a fist the size of a lard bucket come flying at his nose.
Every high point in a story must be played out in scene on the page, moment-by-moment in real time. The technique of slowing things down forces the stakes in a story ever higher. At the same time, the stakes also rise for the writer.
Many beginning writers hide from the pressure of creating scenes by relying on summary. These same writers hold the mistaken belief that they can control things better by "telling" what happens rather than by "showing" what happens in scene. Consider, instead, the idea that by breaking down each scene to its smallest parts you retain control.
Essential Element #1: Time and Place
The first layer of every scene deals with time and setting. Often this layer is implied or understood from the scenes and summaries that precede it. Either way, be sure to ground your readers in the "where" and "when" of the scene. The last thing you want is for your reader to awaken from the dream you have so carefully crafted due to disorientation or confusion.
In the scene from Ava's Man, the time is established in the earlier part of the scene - "They were getting ready for supper just a few weeks later when."
Essential Element #2: Character Emotional Development
If conflict, tension and suspense drive the reader to turn the page or send the viewer to the edge of her seat, the character emotional development motivates them. Readers read stories and viewers go to the movies to learn about a character's emotional development. The word development implies growth or change. Therefore character becomes a layer.
Using the example, Charlie's character emotional development has deepened over the scope of the story thus far. "Then Charlie did one of the bravest things I have ever heard of, a thing his children swear to. He opened the door and stepped outside to meet his enemy empty-handed, and just started walking."
Essential Element #3: Goal
The protagonist has a long-term goal for the duration of the story and smaller goals for every scene. They may or may not reach the scene goal by scene's end, but viewers and readers who know what is at stake for the character are more apt to cheer for the character's successes and mourn his failures.
For example, in Ava's Man we know that Charlie's goal for the portion of the scene written above is to close the distance between himself and Jerry before Jerry loads the gun.
Essential Element #4: Dramatic Action
Dramatic action that unfolds moment-by-moment on the page makes up the next layer of scene.
In our example, the dramatic action intensifies because of the "ticking clock" - will Charlie stop Jerry in time or will he get shot?
Essential Element #5: Conflict
Embedded within the dramatic action lies a layer or two of conflict, tension and/or suspense. The conflict does not have to be overt but it must be present in some form. Fill a scene with tension or suspense or something unknown lurking in the shadows and you have yourself an exciting story. Remember that setbacks and failure create suspense, conflict and tension, not success or good news.
Charlie's dilemma has conflict, tension and suspense. Will he or won't he? is a simple and powerful set-up.
Essential Element #6: Emotional Change
Just as the action in every scene affects the overall emotional growth of your characters as a reflection of the entire work, the action also affects your characters emotional state at the scene level. In other words, the character's mood changes because of what is said or done in that specific scene.
In Ava's Man, Charlie starts the scene angry that Jerry hurt his friend, Hootie, "just for the sport of it." The more he thinks about "now this man had come to his house, bringing the treat of violence to where his wife and children lived," the angrier and more determined he becomes.
Anger consumes Charlie. Then Jerry says he is coming inside the house and Charlie becomes furious (an emotional change in intensity).
Charlie's anger gets him to his enemy in time to stop him cold only to see "a huge figure hurl itself at him from the shadows," changing his emotional state again, moving it even higher.
Essential Element #7: Thematic Significance
Thematic significance not only creates mood, it also creates the final layer of scene and the overall spirit of your story. Your reason for writing the story, what you want your readers to take away from having read it holds the key to your theme. When the details you use in scene support the thematic significance you have an intricately layered scene that provides meaning and depth to the overall plot.
The theme of Ava's Man could be that a man who drinks too much but is loyal and just inspires respect and becomes legendary.
Our example scene, Charlie's friend Hootie is accused of stealing Jerry's whiskey. Charlie is not drinking or drunk in this scene but the fact that alcohol is the object of the conflict creates thematic significance.
Early in the scene, Bragg establishes that Jerry has done wrong to Hootie. As much as anger motivates Charlie's actions, so does his deep sense of loyalty to Hootie. This reinforces the idea that Charlie is loyal and, by emphasizing the concept, also strengthens the theme.
At the end of the scene, in summary we are told that Jerry never came back, "maybe because [he] respected [Charlie]." Yet another of the thematic elements is highlighted, deepening the thematic meaning to the entire piece.
Creating a Scene Tracker
Create a Scene Tracker for your project using all seven essential elements for a scene that sizzles. Track each scene for the seven elements. The elements you locate right may very well be your strengths in writing. The missing ones may create more of a challenge for you.
Take it one layer at a time. Trust the process and good luck!
You know your characters inside and out. Their hair color, skin tone, clothes sense, shoe size and favorite foods. You know how they move and how they speak. You know everything there is to know about your characters. Now, the trick is to show the reader everything he needs to know without describing your hero's traits in a grocery list.
When it comes to characterization, use every thread on the loom, except straight narrative description. Don't describe your characters - show them. Challenge your readers to pick up the clues to characters you stealthily weave into your story. Each clue brings the reader closer to a full understanding of your characters.
There are several methods of characterization available - actions, appearance, habits, speech patterns, props, even smells.
1. Actions
"Jane
had brown eyes and limp hair that she tucked behind her ears. She wore a
blue housedress. She was very nervous as she sat down in the chair."
From this paragraph we know a little about Jane, but it's not interesting or even very enlightening. An easy way to make your character description paragraphs more interesting is to make them active. Show Jane's personality and mood through her actions. Describe her physically as a backdrop to what's happening in the scene. Use drama, not thoughts, to characterize.
"Jane perched on the edge of the wooden chair, eyes trained on the floor. She smoothed her faded housedress over her knees as if drying moist palms. One thumbnail found its way to her mouth, the nail already chewed to the quick. She lowered her arm, sending furtive glances to the other occupants of the room."
This example describes Jane through her actions. We know she's nervous by her moist palms, chewed thumbnail and furtive glances. She's also probably poor (faded housedress) and shy or has something to hide (eyes trained on the floor). Describing your characters through their actions shows rather than tells.
2. Habits
Another trick is to give your
characters memorable personality traits. Stroking a mustache, chewing on
the arm of a pair of eyeglasses, twirling hair and playing with an
earring all show something about your character.
For example, your protagonist might jingle his pocket change nervously every time he speaks to strangers or she might run her tongue over her bottom lip before she speaks. The reader may not remember the character's name, but he'll definitely remember the eye twitch or the tapping foot the next time that character appears. This is especially useful for characters who may only appear infrequently in your story, but who are important to the plot.
3. Props and Appearance
Props can tell a lot
about a character. Think of your immediate reaction to characters
wearing a feather boa, sweat pants, a cowboy hat or expensive jewelry.
Your readers will have a different emotional response between a
character with a tattoo and one with a cane. Use that response to create
characters that come alive.
"Ahead, teetering along the dark sidewalk on stiletto heels, her beehive hair swaying, her small round hips churning, her arms hugging two grocery bags, was Bernadette Mansaw, seventeen-year-old legend."
There's no doubt about what kind of person Mary McGarry Morris had in mind when she created Bernadette Mansaw in Songs in Ordinary Time.
4. Speech Patterns
What
your characters say and how they say it are important threads in the
fabric of your character. Run-on sentences, tight wording, polysyllabic
words, colloquialisms, or stuttering and pauses distinguish one
character from another without author intrusion. Mark Twain endowed Tom
Sawyer with speech that would illustrate his education level, his social
class and his sense of mischief.
"Confound it! Sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other -- I can't keep the run of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
5. Sensory Information
Using
sensory information is often the characterization method most
overlooked. The sound of clicking dentures, the smell of aftershave and
the feel of a limp handshake are all effective characterization tools.
"Jenny wandered through the crowd, hiding behind a cloud of perfume."
What do we know about Jenny? She's shy and forcing herself to mingle. As a means of disguising her fear, she wears too much perfume.
"The fresh aroma of cut lumber clung to him like sawdust."
Would we expect to see this character in an expensive French restaurant? Probably not, and now the author doesn't have to tell that information.
You know your characters. Now, make sure they are as interesting to your readers as they are to you.
Don't describe your characters. Let them come alive by weaving their characterization through actions and use physical habits, speech patterns, props and sensory information to make them memorable. Your characters will emerge like the pattern in a loom.
Ruth Kohut is a teacher and Vice Principal in Ontario. She has written
two novels as well as several articles which have appeared in Learning
and Leading with Technology, Canadian Writer's Journal, ETFO Voice and a
Writer's Choice Literary Journal.
Exposition is the background material a reader needs to know for the story to move forward. In "Little Red Riding Hood," we need to know that our main character is a girl on her way to visit her ill grandmother, who lives in the woods. We also need to know that this girl is young and innocent, and so might be given to speaking to strangers, such as cunning wolves, who are hanging out in the woods. In the story of Adam and Eve, we need to know that our main characters are a man and a woman who live in a garden, that they are the first man and woman who ever lived, and that they have been told not to touch the fruit of a certain tree. In the Dickens story "A Christmas Carol," we need to know that our main character Scrooge is a callous, penny-pinching boss, a man old enough to be set in his ways, and that it is Christmas time. Once this background information is established for each of these three stories, they can proceed."
