How I did it:
I started writing down everything that came to mind, everything I dreamt and any other ideas
I bought some books to help me and show me what to do
I put the pieces together like a jigsaw until I had a plot
I expanded the plot until I was satisfied with it
I filled in the gaps, particulary beginning and end
I began writing, being able to turn to my planning for help
Once I had my first draft, I left it a while
I came back to it, starting editing and making sure the whole thing flowed
I made any other changes until I had the finished article
Finally I got it in the school magazine
Hopefully I can sell it as a proper novel now
Lessons & tips:
Always plan
Edit the finished product several times and proof read it
Get the characters back story and profile down in full detail
Know your characters like you know yourself
Make it as colourful and entertaining as possible, you don't want it to be wooden
Make sure you have a comfortable writing space
Get into a routine of writing and don't be lazy
Never leave a session on a blank page, always come back to a page that has writing on it
Try and finish in the middle of a sentence, when you come back the next day it will be easier to pick up where you left off
Anything that isn't needed get rid of it
Always end on a cliff hanger
Remember to add indents on every new paragraph
Every word you write should be significant to the story you are telling
juice - 10 daily habits
In my experience it's helpful to make a daily space for your creativity, however much you may resist it. Here are a few ideas - it's important that you find something that suits you. These habits should be less about actually creating new work, and more about keeping your tools sharp, and keeping you in touch with yourself.
1. Morning pages - as recommended by Julia Cameron. Find out more here.
2. Daily meditation. Give your brain a chance to switch off for five minutes every day.
3. A sketch per day. Carry a small notebook around with you so you can take it out when inspiration strikes. If you 'can't draw' then even better!
4. Making a collage every day. Collect scraps of material, paper, small objects, put them all into a big box and rummage away.
5. Light a candle and spend five minutes looking out of the same window.
6. A daily walk. The same circuit or a different one, with your i-pod or without. Is that how you spell i-pod?
7. Listen to a piece of music with your full attention once a day. Spend five minutes afterwards writing down (or sketching) what has come up for you.
8. Take a photograph every day.
9. Make a commitment to produce a small piece of art every day, or to make a small observation every day - like my 'a small stone' blog.
10. Spend some time every day learning about an art form you're not familiar with - reading three pages of a huge book on film, or reading poems in a different language, or talking with a colleague artist about the work they do.
1. juice - 10 ideas to feed your creativity
If you're stuck for inspiration then here are some suggestions to give your creativity a good feed.
1. Write down what you can remember of all your birthdays.
2. Sit on a bench or at an outside table and watch people. Invent jobs for them, daily routines, relationships.
3. Go to the library and pick a book at random from a section you'd never usually go to. Open it at random and read a few pages.
4. Buy or borrow a large book of photos or paintings by different people. Choose one that grabs you and look at it for ten minutes.
5. Walk through a town or city and look up above the shop fronts and see what you see.
6. Ask a friend to send you a postcard with one of their favourite quotes on it - do the same for them.
7. Go to a pound shop (is there such a thing as dollar shops? anyway, those everso cheap ones) and find something beautiful to buy.
8. Turn the television to a random channel and write down the first sentence yo hear. Use this as a jumping off point.
9. Buy a magazine on a subject you know nothing about - motorbikes, barges, pedigree cats...
10. Open a dictionary and stick a pin into a random word. Make it the centre of a mind-map and see where it takes you.
Write about what you know!
by Christine Fieldhouse
For almost as long as I have wanted to write a book, those words have rung in my ears, but never more so after 2000 when, within the space of four months, I became a mum for the first time and I lost my own mum.
Going through two such major events in such quick succession made me reflect on my own childhood with my alcoholic father, whose unpredictable mood swings and verbal abuse terrorised me until my late teens.
As I cleared out my mum’s home after her death, I looked for notes she might have left, to provide an insight into how she found the mental strength to cope with her life with my dad until they divorced.
It was when I found virtually nothing new that I decided to start writing about my childhood and our son Jack’s, so that one day, when he was clearing my things out, he would find my scribbling in a drawer and sit and have a read.
But bear in mind I have been a journalist for almost 25 years and the journalist in me always wanted to have a book published. As Jack grew into a toddler and asked questions about my childhood, I realised the sheer contrast between his (hopefully) happy times with me and my husband Ian, and my childhood, marred by my dad’s rantings.
I’d read some of the misery titles, but some like The Little Prisoner were so shocking I couldn’t finish them. I knew I couldn’t compete in that league, nor would I ever want to, but I realised there was a book to be written about surviving abuse and being happy.
I wanted my story to reflect the joy I’ve had and have got in my life. I have always laughed a lot, even when times were grim. I love books that make me laugh out loud - Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella are my favourite authors.
I disciplined myself to half an hour’s writing every day and it’s amazing a) how quickly half an hour goes, and b) how much you can get done in half an hour. I was spurred on when I got an agent, then a year later an acceptance from Hay House.
Sometimes I just warbled on about the colour of the sky or a coffee session I’d had with friends. Other times, I reminisced about my dad’s drinking habits and as I got into the flow, I was stunned at how much detail I remembered from my childhood. Ironically, details from the present were harder to remember.
As I got more into the book, I started using a day a week as my writing day. Gradually, a pattern emerged and for every happy scene in our son Jack’s childhood, there was a contrast from the past. I thought of my story as a Misery Moves On type book – a way of giving other people hope.
Since reading my book, people have asked if I have had therapy. I haven’t - but writing my memoirs has been a cathartic experience for me. By contrasting the past with the present, I understand myself so much better and because of that, I’m much more tolerant and accepting of myself.
1. Grab or pay attention to the nearest piece of media - this could be junk mail, catalogs, magazines, the TV Guide,
books, DVDs, CDs, etc. The TV counts (authors, photogrophers, stars, guest stars, interviewees, talking heads,
commentators, etc - viva la TiVo) as does the internet (bloggers, guests, authors, profiles, subjects).
2. Write down the names you see.
3. Mix and match the first names and surnames across several sources. I do this to avoid offending the owners
of the names (even if they're none the wiser anyway).
For example:
A new Christmas CD that needs to be ripped and added to the ipod has these really cool names in the liner notes:
Jim Hoke, Evan Yok, Angela Dooley, Jay Weaver, Don Biegel, Richie Gallo, Andy McKaie, Robin Kirby, Alisha Murray
Also within reach is a crochet pattern book. The credits page has great names:
Ken West, Mark Mathews, Jerry Davis, Donna Barranti, Rosalie DeVries, Melissa Leapman, Georgia Shaulis
On TV right now is:
Gary Rhodes (chef on TV)
A mix and match from the above name pool gives names like:
Evan Rhodes, Jerry York, Gary Barranti, Ken Shaulis, Georgia Biegel, Donna Gallo, etc.
You need a plan when you start writing.
1. Think about what exactly you are going to write, even if it is a novel or something you intend to develop while writing:
choose your heroes, subject, etc.
2. Think about the message you want to give to your reader, because this is the most important part of your work.
Define your intention.
3. If while writing you change topic or you develop other themes, change your plan and your title, but you need a first plan to
begin, so that you’ll have a defined purpose, otherwise you may write about several themes, change your mind all the time
and then try to relate everything without success.
I wrote 2 articles giving writing lessons to help whoever may need them, even though this is not my field in the Internet,
only because I’m a writer since I was a child – I can give you many advices and help you write well. (My field is psychology.)
Plot Before Character?
The choice of this month's class is controversial — many would argue that we should work on characterization before tackling plot.
It's absolutely true that writing fiction is about characterization, characterization, characterization. Character drives the story.
But it's also true that you don't have a story without a plot. Yes, in a romance novel you can lock your heroine and hero in a snowbound
cabin for 300 pages and have a riveting, emotional romance, but that story will still have action (the hero and heroine are threatened by
avalanche/intruders). Plus, the writer has made a plot choice — the snowbound cabin.
Moreover, most readers of popular fiction like plot. So, in the face of a very legitimate argument — do you start with characterization or
plot — let's get right into it and start with our first of several looks at plotting. But bear in mind that your plot can, will and
should change as you continue to write.
Most writers agree that this stage in the writing process is the most enjoyable — next to making your first sale, of course.
This is the time when you play "what if," a freewheeling game that is playful, energizing and fun. Completing a novel is a lot of hard work,
but this time stands out as one of the most creative and satisfying stages in our BIAY project. So while you're in this stage,
take the time to enjoy the process. Allow your positive, creative energy to flow — and enjoy the ride.
Plotter or Pantser?
Every writer tackles plotting in different ways; the one thing everyone will agree with is that there's no "right" way to do it.
Some writers spend a huge amount of time developing a detailed outline, then plow ahead and complete their first draft with
almost no changes. At the other end of the spectrum are writers who start with little more than an idea of
where they want their story to end up and let the characters take them toward their goal.
Current jargon identifies these two different styles as "plotters" (who work from an outline as they write) and "pantsers"
(who fly by the seat of their pants). If you're a new fiction writer, you'll soon find yourself tending toward one approach or the other,
depending on your personal style. If you already have a good feel for your approach, watch for the challenges, and tools writers use to
overcome them as they work at creating the first framework for their story.
This month we talked to three writers who have shared their approaches to plotting:
Freestyle Fun
Jessica Andersen gets ideas for her Harlequin Intrigue stories in different ways. "Sometimes it's a fascinating aspect of science
that I'd like to pursue. Or I'm intrigued by a particular character trait I see in a friend or in a scientist that I think would be interesting
to explore." With a PhD in genetics, Jessica is alert to the dramatic story possibilities in the medical literature she reads, as well as having a good ear for the mystery "hooks" in everyday news stories.
When she first got the idea for her Intrigue novel, Covert M.D., character came first: "I got the idea for a very strong heroine, and then
found the hero who was strong enough to match her." Jessica likes to write from a loose outline that allows her story to change and
evolve as she writes. "Covert M.D. started out as a plot with a secret baby, but I decided this was taking over too much of the plot,
so it became a dead secret baby. Even then I found it was too much, so I finally got rid of it altogether."
For Jessica, an outline is her opportunity to pour in far more elements than are necessary then cut back until she's left with the
essence of her characters, their conflicts and their story. She's familiar with the pros and cons of her approach:
"The risk is that I might go off on a tangent and get a bit lost. But the flexibility lets me see things that might work better
at a particular point." For her, sticking close to a very polished synopsis would feel a little too constricting. "I see how that
style would help you not go wandering off in your writing, but for me, I like to use my characters to tell the story so this suits my storytelling style."
Structuring her plots goes something like this: "At the outset I'll step back and say, 'Here are my two characters.
Here's my medical premise for this story. What kinds of dangerous situations could grow out of this?'" Jessica will include
between three and five crisis/action sequences in every story, escalating the stakes and tension as they progress.
"An 'emotional mirror' follows each of these because the danger has heightened the emotion and they have to deal with that."
Getting the balance between external action and internal emotion in her stories tends to happen fairly naturally.
"You're using danger to precipitate emotions, which can actually help you. For example, you have an action
sequence that plunges your hero and heroine into turmoil. Then they surface out and say, 'Phew, we got through that, but gosh,
it made me really see how much I care if you get hurt right now.' Intrigue books have this quality where it's organic in the
plot for the action and the emotion/romance to develop together."
But, while action makes creating emotional and romantic tension easier, it can present challenges when it comes to the
character's crises. For Jessica, one of the biggest challenges when plotting her story is creating the emotional black
moment for both her heroine and hero. "If you want your hero and heroine to declare their love for each other
while bullets are whipping by overhead, you need to have really built that up through the story.
You need to create a moment where they drive apart from each other, then a moment when they come back together — and
these must be integral to the mystery."
When it comes to subplots, Jessica treads carefully. "They can be difficult, particularly if it's a good subplot — it'll want to take
over the story. If that starts happening, I step back and ask myself, 'Does this subplot deserve its own book, or do I just need to
wrestle it back into submission?'"
But she likes the way a subplot can make the main romance stronger. "Having two romances in the same story can help.
For example, if the heroine needs to understand something about herself, she can find that in the subplot, then bring it back into
her relationship with the hero. It can be very useful — if you know how to keep it in check."
Keeping her plots fresh is something Jessica strives hard to achieve. "I want my stories to stay with the reader a little longer because
maybe I did something a little unexpected. That means not always making the easy choice — it's trying to create a plot that is believable,
but still different enough to be interesting."
Plot Before You Pounce
Superromance author K.N. (Ken) Casper is Jessica's opposite. "I'm a plot-driven writer: I think of situations and problems first and then
I go in search of the characters who would be involved in them." He knows that his characters will change his plot because great characters
always have that ability. "Every good book is character driven because, ultimately, the power and strength of individuals is what we're really
interested in." Being plot driven can be a double-edged sword. "I tend to focus more on events that move the story forward, so there's always
something happening. I think this helps make it a faster paced book. If you're focusing exclusively on character, it's easy to get bogged down
— and the reader can become bored. But the downside of being plot driven is that you can get so wound up in events that you shortchange
the depth of character."
Ken loves the initial plotting stage of writing. "Brainstorming is just plain fun. There are no perimeters — you can come up with all sorts
of crazy ideas and pursue them. Eventually, you have to tie them down. Getting the words on paper never gets easier, but playing
'what if' is always a joy."
At this stage, bouncing ideas off other writers is a great tool for getting your plot hammered out. "I don't belong to a formal
critique group any more, but I have writer friends I get together with fairly often, and we help each other throw ideas around."
Harlequin Superromance books are longer than most category romances, 70,000–75,000 words, which Ken believes makes them
easier, not harder, to write. "This length gives you more opportunities to explore different ideas for both characters and plot.
Having the room to include more events means you can plumb the depths of character more than in a novel 100 pages shorter.
"I think anyone who can write short is brilliant. They don't have the space in words to describe things for the reader.
They have to be very succinct to capture and communicate meaning. This takes very, very skilled writing."
To Ken, the plot is a consistently logical framework for his story. "Characters are emotional, which can be 180 degrees from logic.
You cannot have leaps of faith in your plot: whether simple or complex, your plot has to make sense. From here you can explore
all the nonlogical, the emotional and the inconsistent things that we find in people."
Synopsis Savvy
Writer Sandra K. Moore sees plot as more than just the structure upon which you build your story.
"Plot is what gives characters opportunities to learn about themselves." She warns that if your plot is weak,
with sagging stretches or gaps in your logic, then you're shortchanging your characters. "Plot goes hand in hand with the
character development, but character development works inside it. You have to make sure the events of the plot are
exploited to their fullest extent. You also have to make sure the events themselves are right for your story."
Sandra usually finds her story ideas in the form of a what-if question. For one book the premise came to her in the form of the question,
"Wouldn't it be great if orchid hunters still existed today?" From there she started asking herself,
"What would a woman, an exotic plant collector, do?" This simple question became the basis for her action/suspense novel,
The Orchid Hunter.
Like Ken, Sandra enjoys this early stage in her writing process. "The wild creativity at the beginning is wonderful.
There are so many options and I can explore a lot of different ideas." But her approach is to create a solid synopsis
to help her get the story down on paper. "There's room for exploration, but I really like an outline. I'm pretty disciplined about it.
Once I start writing, it has its own attraction because I'm writing to a plan, and I function really well within that framework."
Getting the plot events right within stories isn't always easy. "After I got the revision letter from my editor for my first book,
I realized I didn't even have a 'dark moment' or crisis. I went back and incorporated these, and, of course, the book
became more powerful. It allowed me to develop my character far more effectively."
Some romance novels are more plot driven; the characters' goals more external. "There isn't a sense that the outcome will have to do
with emotional growth. Of course that happens, but the emphasis is on an achievement in the outside world." This means Sandra
is challenged to keep the pace fast, the tension high and the reader turning those pages. "Every turning point must make the heroine
change the way she thinks about things or take a new tack in what she's trying to achieve." These events are strung together,
each one upping the emotional stakes for her character as the clock is ticking a little louder in the background.
When the big plot elements, the dark moment and climax of the story, fit well with the characters' overall motivations, the characters
take on added depth and richness. "I love the lose/lose scenario where the heroine is forced to make a choice between
two dire options: on one hand she can do the wrong thing and get everything she's been pursuing through the story, or she can do
the right thing and lose everything she's been striving for. Because she's a heroine, she will do the right thing — and lose it all."
Structurally, this is followed by the climax. "In my world this is when the bad guy gets it. The heroine has fought her way through her
dark moment and has accepted the consequences of the choices she's made. Now she gets the bad guy. In the denouement that
follows, she gets what is coming to her — whatever she deserves — but it's not completely dire, there's always a silver lining to the lose/lose."
Identifying gaping plot holes early on in your writing will save you blood, sweat and tears later. "I run my synopsis past my
critique group and ask, 'Where's the plot hole you can drive a Mac truck through?' Even so, there's something that
I overlooked in the book I'm writing now, and I have to rewrite 150 pages based on my editor's comments."
Sandra sees how her approach of writing from a detailed synopsis wouldn't work for everyone. "Lots of writers like
to discover their plot as they go and they write by the seat of their pants, so my approach won't work for them.
Others might feel that once they've got a synopsis, they're married to it and they can't deviate from it. I think the
synopsis is much more of a dynamic entity — it's not a dead document, it's a document that lives and changes."
Insight into these three writers' approaches to plotting their novels highlights the fact that there is no right way to do it.
As you work through the homework assignments below, remember that your plot can, should and will evolve as you write.
And don't forget to have a little fun along the way!
Homework
1. Host a Brainstorming Session
Before you start, have your basic premise and character ideas down on paper and ready to go. This is the
foundation for a good brainstorming session, so the stronger your basic ideas, the better (and more focused)
the ideas will be from your group.
If you're further ahead with your writing, polish your synopsis and give it to the group to read and brainstorm.
Not only might your group find that glaring plot hole, but they can also offer brilliant solutions!
Next, call a couple of writer friends and set a date. If you don't know more than one writer, add one or two
of your most creative friends. Pick people who you think can get in the spirit of playing "what if" with your story.
Offer some treats: both chocolate and salty snacks seem to have magical, creativity boosting powers.
Tea and coffee, or a nice bottle of wine for an evening get together, must be on hand.
On the day, have lots of paper and pens on hand for each person. It's also a great idea to try and get
some kind of large flip chart, or even a blackboard, to get all the ideas down.
The Rules
The most important rule is: no ideas are bad ideas. Staying open to all the ideas can be a challenge,
but you'll soon see the power of it: welcoming everyone's ideas makes creativity flow. Play now, edit later.
As the leader of your brainstorming session, push your people to ask "what-if" questions. "
What if the hero's father is a famous forger?" or "What if the heroine's impulsive nature means she can never say no to a dare?"
Write everything down. Good, bad or indifferent — put it down on the board. You never know
what quirky little nugget might spark a great theme or direction for your characters or plot.
Don't tidy up during your brainstorming session, keep the ideas flowing and let things get messy and playful.
Time enough to revise and review it all later as you shape your plot.
Make Sure You Cover:
What are your three to five main plot points in your story?
Do they flow in a logical way?
What is your black moment and your climax?
What's your opening hook?
How have your characters changed?
If your story is a romance, why are this hero and heroine meant for each other?
2. Write Your Outline
After the brainstorm is over take your notes and write your outline. Don't forget characterization —
how will your heroine and hero change and evolve over the course of your story? This may be tough,
but remember, ultimately, characters drive plot. At this point, it may be as simple as "after
she was swindled out of her father's inheritance, she decides she's always been a patsy —
and she's going to change and get revenge." Whatever you decide, get it clear in your mind then include it in your outline.
And remember, this outline can, will and should change as you begin writing your story.
3. Write
Write your first chapter. Write the first 100 pages. Write whatever feels good to you.
Getting Started
You've had the light bulb moment and you've got a great idea for a romance novel. You know which line you're targeting.
But how do you get from thinking about it to actually writing the book?
When I first started writing, I used to just rush into the story with no real plan of where it was going —
just a rough idea that it'd have a happy ending and "I want to write a book." I didn't even know my characters that well.
Rejection slips followed. It took me ages to realize that it was because I wasn't thinking things through properly.
In my day job, writing articles and nonfiction, I took a different approach — I wrote an outline, then filled it in.
After the next light bulb moment, I tried using the same method for my fiction. That book was much easier to write,
because I felt I knew what I was doing and where I was going. (More to the point, it sold!)
Nowadays, I allow myself a couple of weeks of thinking time (to let the characters and plot build in my head), then I
sit down and start work seriously. Because I don't have much writing time (I fit it in around the kids), I have to be disciplined.
Laying the groundwork before beginning really works for me.
Whether you're squeezing in your writing time around the kids, your full-time job or studying, or even if you're able to write full-time
without these distractions, my 10-step plan could help you get your book from inside your head to a full manuscript….
10-Step Plan
1. Write your synopsis. Maximum one page, main events only, with no adverbs, adjectives, dialogue or description.
(Action, action, action. Keep it really spare.)
2. Check it for holes (i.e., what's missing?). Are there enough plot twists? Is there enough emotional punch?
3. Write your character biographies, then take another look at your synopsis. Now that your characters are developing,
does that affect any events in your book? Can you add more emotional punch? Can you fill in the holes?
4. Break your revised synopsis down into chapters, determining what action will take place at each point in the book.
5. For each chapter, write a more detailed chapter plan. If your characters suddenly start having a conversation
while you're writing the chapter plan, fine — add it in. The chapter plan is for you to work from, so it can be as long or short as you like.
6. Set yourself a target — if you write two double-spaced pages a day (500 words), that's a 50,000-word book in a little over three months.
7. Keep to your schedule — it's all too easy to watch a film/call a friend/write a few emails
and promise yourself you'll catch up tomorrow. Do that for a week and you're setting yourself up to fail —
500 words is manageable but 4,000 need a bigger chunk of time!
8. But be flexible, too. As you're writing, you may find the book changes — as your characters develop,
you might have a better idea for a twist in the plot or decide that something else will work better.
(In my case, I get two or three more chapters than planned….)
9. Read it through, then write yourself another single-page synopsis based on the actual book.
10. Check the new synopsis for holes. Do any sections look weak? Is there enough emotional tension?
Make notes on what you want to change, make your revisions, then read the whole thing through and
ensure the book still works. (If it doesn't, repeat points 9 and 10 until it does.)
Congratulations! You've just written your book!
Characterization is the most important element in storytelling. Great characterization is the
number-one reason editors buy new authors, and weak characterization is the number-one reason for rejecting a manuscript.
All 15 of the eHarlequin.com community members who sold novels last year had one thing in common: they created strong characters
that readers could engage with.
Editors know that (most) plot problems can be fixed, but the fundamentals of building strong characters have to be in place before
they get interested and excited about a manuscript from a new author.
We read to emotionally engage with the characters in the story. Their emotional growth and change is what keeps us turning the pages.
Brilliant characterization makes us want to shake Scarlett O'Hara and ask "What the heck are you thinking to be stuck on Ashley Wilkes when Rhett is so obviously your soul mate?" It's why we know to our bones that Jane Eyre is the perfect mate for Rochester.
Like plotting, there's no one way to go about the process of creating characters with depth and dimension.
Every author has her own approach with her own set of tools in her writer's toolbox to help her. And, like plotting,
characters evolve and emerge as you write — and rewrite — your story. This process develops your ear for when your
characters are coming alive.
Once again, four successful authors share some of their insights into the challenge of creating characters that lift
off the page into fully realized people we want to spend time with.
Growth Is Everything
The first novel Sharon Sala sold, Sara's Angel, begins with: "Mackenzie Hawk watched in silence as the only
person he had ever loved was buried beneath six feet of the driest, rock-hard earth in Oklahoma. It was oddly
fitting that the old woman's final resting place was where she had existed in life: between a rock and a hard place.
" In two short sentences, the reader learns nearly everything they need to know about the hero: his grandmother is
dead, he's had a troubled life, and now he's alone in the world.
Nobody writes wounded heroes better than Sharon. "One night I had this vivid dream and I just got up and wrote this
scene where a woman stands in a bar and sees this man walk out of the shadows with a duffle bag hung across his
shoulder that 'looked like a cross between a chip and the weight of the world.' I love the tough guy with the core vulnerability:
he'll fight to the death, but that one little thing will break him."
Dreaming is Sharon's key writing tool. "I dream all of my stories: literally everything — the dialogue, the characters, the plot.
I see them like movies in my dreams." She has honed and developed this skill over the years. "If I'm having a problem with
something in my story, I'll think about that just before I fall asleep. During the night I will dream the solution to the problem."
The other tool she relies on for every new main character is the list: "I make a list with how tall they are, how old they are,
what they do for a living, their favorite color, their favorite food, something that makes them angry, something that
makes them laugh, their special skill, what pisses them off, and the one thing they're afraid of." From here
she can layer in all the nuances that give her characters so much depth and dimension. "And if you make a
big issue out of the thing they're afraid of, you better make sure that they have to face and overcome it in your story."
A turning point for beginning writers is when they really learn the concept of showing, not telling — particularly when
it comes to characterization. "It's the difference between writing 'He went jogging,' and writing 'The sun was hot on
his face and the sweat burned his eyes. He wished he'd worn his headband. The ankle he'd turned last week still ached.'"
Her characters' need to grow is at the heart of her stories. "Even if you've got a kidnapping, you've got a big old tornado,
you've got floods, whatever, for them to overcome, it's what's inside that makes us care about them. Whatever conflict or
crutch or block they have to begin with, they have to learn it, face it, maybe grieve it if that's what's called for, and overcome it by the end."
"Maybe you've given the reader a picture of a woman who was physically abused by her husband. She doesn't have a thought in her head that she's capable of anything. Then somewhere in that story she's going to have to grow beyond that.
She's got to learn to stand up for herself. Not in some piddly, 'I'm going to tell my boss off' way, but in very dramatic circumstances. She may be bawling all the way through it, she may be shaking and throwing up, but she's got the guts to do it. That is the growth the reader wants from a character. Always."
Click here for Sharon Sala's books.
Keeping It Simple
For Kathleen O'Brien, getting to know her characters when she starts a story is like going on a blind date.
"You've done your research; you know their name and their basic stats, but you don't really feel comfortable with them.
Things are stilted at first. You write those opening scenes, and as you continue, you find yourself going back and readjusting
your view of this person. Once you get to know each other better, you're more comfortable. They can make jokes, you can make jokes
with them, and you can allow them to let their hair down."
Eventually, Kathleen wants to know her characters as well as she knows her best friend. "When I first started writing,
I made up this fifty point questionnaire. Answering this can be a weeklong process, and you have to have answers that make
sense, but I still use this if I find myself stuck with a character."
One of Kathleen's secret weapons for creating great characters is the "defining sentence." "It's ultra simplistic, but it's where
I always begin. For example, I would describe Jane Eyre like this: 'Jane is a timid orphan who must finally find a home of her own.'
" The sentence structure is always the same: an adjective, then a noun, concluding with a clause that describes where the character
will end up when the story ends. "The noun is easy because that will be whatever career or life situation they're in, like mother,
daughter, aunt, orphan, etc. The adjective is the hardest: this is where you must find the one characteristic that truly defines them;
that constitutes their dilemma that they must overcome. There are dozens of adjectives you could use for Jane, but
timid best describes what she has to confront. This is followed by where they'll end up. This is your character arc."
And once she finds this sentence, everything else will fall into place.
Keeping focus on this simple and specific arc has two benefits: it ensures that her characters will grow, and it prevents
them from being burdened with too many traits. "The characters we remember so well, like Scarlett O'Hara,
have this simple, defining trait. Scarlett's intense selfishness as she goes on that journey toward caring about
someone else is really dramatic and effective. Margaret Mitchell didn't try to soften it or mitigate it — she was fearless in
letting her be that one thing: selfish."
Balancing characters' flaws with likeability can be a tricky juggling act. Hannibal Lechter will never be a romance hero. In the case
of Scarlett, Mitchell also gave her flawed heroine a kind of street smarts and grit that the reader can admire and engage with.
"I think apathy is the worst emotion you can invoke. Readers need characters they want to spend time with. Writers who create
characters who walk that tightrope have created magic."
Putting limits on the amount of work you put into creating characters ahead of time is smart. "Go ahead and write the scenes.
See what your characters do, listen to what they say, watch how they react, then be ready to throw some of the early scenes
away if you have to. The blind date is often the date you want to forget, even if you go on to marry that person. Getting
too bogged down in questionnaires may distract you from watching how they act on the page — the place where they really
come alive. This is where the two of you will get to know each other, and you can take this and start over."
Click here for Kathleen O'Brien's books.
Trust Your Subconscious
Bronwyn Jameson also uses a character template, but, like Kathleen, she has pared down the amount of preparation
she does before writing. "I need answers to questions about goals and aspirations, needs and wants, values and attitudes,
since they're the things that will shape the story." Armed with this background, she starts writing. "I love that sense of discovery,
where I'm writing along and suddenly there's a line of dialogue, spoken or internal, that exposes a whole new aspect of the
character. Maybe it leads to a different or better story angle I hadn't thought about before. The subconscious works in magical ways."
That's not to say that you don't develop your character's back story. "I usually start at the situation or setup and then work backward,
asking the necessary questions to find out what got them into this situation, why it's important to each character, how they feel about
what's going on. The crucial things I need to know about each character: what is most important to them? I'm talking the big concepts
here: security, home, family, love, acceptance, respect, wealth — and why? One of my favorite questions is, 'What is the worst thing
that could happen in your life right now?' The answer's handy not only for characterization but also for plot development."
Writers, like readers, bond with characters through their struggle to overcome their vulnerabilities and fears. "I like proactive
characters who make decisions, maybe not always the right ones, but understandable ones, and then act upon them: characters
who drive the story action, rather than letting it all rain down upon them." This is the key to writing characters who will come alive for the reader.
"There will be a point when I actually hear her voice or see the tilt of his smile and it's different from any other character
I've written before. I'll know I'm connecting when I start to feel the same visceral reactions — like I'm feeling sick with worry,
or tense with anxiety, and my heart is racing or my chest is tight."
When writers know how to listen, characters can also send signals. "I've learned that when my story progress stops it's because
I've taken a wrong turn. I've had my character do something he or she wouldn't and it's brought my writing to a halt. Rather than a
negative, I see this as a positive sign that my characters are alive and objecting!"
Click here for Bronwyn Jameson's books.
Practice Makes Perfect
Character sketches are Cathy Yardley's starting point with every new story. "I use a process where I write about a
random day in the life of this character. What does she do? Where does she go? What does she see? I'll also describe her favorite room.
This gets me in touch with who this person is under the surface stuff, and allows me to find the details that will bring out that characterization."
Getting beyond stereotypes is vital. "You want your characters to have their own agendas, no matter how much you plan.
They have to be empathetic, but they shouldn't be always admirable — that can be boring. But you always want to know what
their goal is and what they will do to achieve it. This will dictate how your story runs. And it's got to be the same goal throughout
your story, no changing goals in the middle."
Cathy's key tools for creating characters that jump off the page are prewriting and practice writing. "Prewriting is all the work
you do before you start writing your story: all your research. Some people are seat-of-their-pants writers, with the result that
their prewriting is an early draft: simply working with the book and getting the details that they need. Practice writing actually
has nothing to do with the story. This is writing about the time when you were most frightened in your life, or writing about your
feelings for the first love of your life, and your first broken heart; anything that is emotionally big and difficult to write about.
The more you get used to working with this kind of emotion, the more it translates into your fiction writing."
She knows her characters are really coming alive when she laughs at their jokes. "Or, if it's a dark scene, I know I'm doing
something right when it's hard to write." Getting characterization right is fundamental to writing good fiction. "If you don't have
strong characters, there's no reason for the reader to keep turning the pages. I don't slight the importance of plot, but I think all
plot comes from character. If your characters aren't alive and emotionally engaging and driving the plot, your story's going nowhere."
Click here for Cathy Yardley's books.
Homework
Make sure you know your characters.
1) Create detailed character worksheets for your main characters. This usually means your heroine and hero, but could include
one or two key secondary characters depending on the type of story you're telling.
Use whichever template you like, we have one here. Along with all the details, make sure you have answered the questions
that will help you define your character's goals, motivations and conflict:
- What are they most afraid of?
- What do they want most in life?
- What would be the worst thing that could happen to them right now?
While experienced writers often find that they can pare down on this preparation, this is a very useful process for writers
learning how to give their characters depth and believability.
2) Try to write the single defining sentence about your heroine and your hero.
This won't be easy, but it's a great exercise. Actors use this to find their way into their characters.
Make it something that packs an emotional punch. For example, Cate is a struggling single mom and waitress
who secretly dreams of a more secure life for herself and her daughter. Jake is an unsettled undercover cop who,
having grown up in foster homes, is trying to figure out where he belongs.
3) Are your hero and heroine the yin to her yang? Do their personalities, conflicts, required growth elements make them each
others perfect romantic partner?
4) Create brief character worksheets for your key secondary characters.
You want to be able to see and hear them, so make sure you know what they look like and their personal style
(of dress, what car they drive, etc.). You also want to be able to hear their pattern of speech, so where are they from?
How old are they? What is their relationship to the hero and heroine? What are their basic wants in life?
5) If your story has a villain — whether a murderer or the land developer or the other woman —
make sure he or she isn't a stereotype. Fill in a character worksheet for your villain. This prevents you from falling into
the trap of making him/her a cardboard cutout. Does he like dogs? Does he send his mother flowers on her birthday?
Does he eat a cinnamon donut and coffee for breakfast every day?
Great villains are always fascinating. These are the characters who make heroines and heroes out of otherwise average folk,
so the more dynamic your villain, the better your heroine will be. Get to know your villain as a human being, albeit a deeply flawed one.
6) Find pictures of your main characters.
Flip through magazines until you find the photographs that jump out at you as your heroine and hero. Look for expression
and attitude more than face and figure. Attach this to your character template.
If you've already done all of the above, then step back and look at where you're at with your manuscript. Have you broken
through the blind date anxiety and started to feel comfortable with your main characters? Maybe you need to keep writing
a few more scenes, or maybe you need to go back and review or revise some of the steps above.
Keep Writing
By now, beginners should be well into their first draft. You will find that this character homework will give you new
insights and a better feel for your characters' voices. If you're in the 'blind date' stage, trust that this is the normal
getting-to-know-you awkwardness that most writers face at the start of a new story.
If you're working on revisions, or further along in your writing process, double-check to make sure your characters
are indeed driving your plot, not letting it "rain down on them." Are they proactive in the face of all external events; making choices and decisions that keep them moving forward? Have you followed up action scenes with an "emotional mirror" that shows us how the character feels about what's happening?
Reading List
Here are three excellent books on characterization — and writing overall.
The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray (new edition this month)
Story by Robert McKee
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
Character Worksheet
Physical Characteristics
Name:
Age:
Birth date:
Birthplace:
Height:
Weight:
Body type:
Hair:
Eyes:
Nose:
Mouth:
Clothes:
Personality Profile
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Ambition:
Beliefs:
Self-perception:
How others see her:
Hobbies:
Moral values:
Eccentricities:
Most defining characteristic:
Current Situation
Marital status:
Educational background:
Occupation:
Food preferences:
Drink preferences:
Car:
Pets:
Present problem:
How does this problem get worse?
How does this problem get resolved?
Synopsis about childhood:
Relationships
Spouse:
Occupation:
Location:
Defining characteristics:
History:
Effect on plot line:
Best friend:
Marital status:
Occupation:
Location:
Defining characteristics:
History:
Effect on plot line:
Mother:
Marital status:
Occupation:
Location:
Defining characteristics:
History:
Effect on plot line:
Father:
Marital status:
Occupation:
Location:
Defining characteristics:
History:
Effect on plot line:
Child:
Age:
Location:
Occupation:
Spouse:
Grandchildren:
Defining characteristics:
History:
Effect on plot line:
Sibling:
Age:
Location:
Occupation:
Spouse:
Children:
Defining characteristics:
History:
Effect on plot line:
Effect of previous relationships on present situation:
Ten Ways to Get in The Habit of Writing
by Paula Gardner
Writing is a bit like exercise or meditation - it's easy to put it off, but getting yourself into a
regular routine is the first step along the long and lonely path of becoming a writer.
Here are some ideas and tricks to help you along your way..
1. No distractions!
I have a lap top which I reserve for my writing. It's not connected to the internet - deliberately.
This means that as well as being able to write in cafes or other locations I don't get distracted by
checking my emails or logging onto Amazon to see if my favourite authors' new books are out yet.
2. A Set Place
Talking of cafes, just like J.K Rowling did, choosing the same place, maybe even the same time,
and associating that with working will help develop the habit. It doesn't have to be a cafe. It could be a library
or just a special place in your home.
3. Ritual
Some writers start themselves off on their writing session with a little routine like sharpening pencils. I always play
a game of spider solitaire - and then one again at the end of my session.
4. Goals
Decide what you are going to. It is going to be a certain number of words - say 4000 and sort out the good from the bad later?
Or are you going to work by time and just see what you produce? Having a goal
means that you know what you are working towards and can chart your progress along the way.
5. Don't Forget to Read
Challenge youreslf and pick up authors and magazines that you normally wouldn't choose.
Read both for fun but also to see how they concoct a plot, introduce characters etc.
6. Find a Buddy.
Finding a writing buddy (use our forums!) will give you chance to show someone else your work -
someone who doesn't necessarily know you. You can inspire and motivate each other and moan together
when you're finding it tough.
7. Rewards.
We all need these, whether they are a copy of our favourite magazine or a cup of tea in the back garden for reaching a certian word count.
8. Revise
Sometimes it's easier to start off by looking through what you've done already.
It helps get you in the mood and you may be able to spot where you add twists etc to keep things exciting. After all if
you find it boring, everyone else will.
9. Move on!
Do be careful, though, that you don't fall into the trap of spending all your time on your fisrt chapter..over and over again!
10. Keep The End in Mind
Keep reminding yourself of how your book will look on the shelf when it's finished, the feeling
you'll have when you see it up on Amazon (or chicklit.co.uk!) and what a fantastic way you'll be able to earn your living!
Keep the dream alive by meditating on it regularly, visualising your writing life in great detail and mixing with other people
who share your dreams and creative tendencies!
How To Write A Strong Start For Your Novel
by Kathleen Ernst
revised my Civil War novel Hearts of Stone many times before selling it to Dutton Children's Books.
My editor only had one major suggestion: Consider a new beginning.
If you're revising a novel, considering the first scene should be one of your last steps.
It's hard to know how best to begin until you're sure how the story ends. And although everyone needs to revise in a manner
that works for them, writers who perfect every sentence along the way can fall in love with sentences or scenes that ultimately
don't best serve the story.
Skilled novelists convey character, conflict, setting, and voice in the first page, paragraph, even sentence. It's a tall order!
But here are eight strategies that command readers'--and editors'--interest.
1. Grab readers' attention. Katherine Paterson begins Lyddie, one of my favorite children's novels, this way:
"The bear had been their undoing, though at the time they had all laughed." Or how about this, from
Richard Peck's A Long Way from Chicago: "You wouldn't think we'd have to leave Chicago to see a dead body.
" Who wouldn't want to keep reading?
2. Begin with Action. Here's Walter Dean Myers powerful opening of Monster:
"The best time to cry is at night, when the lights are out and someone is being beaten up and screaming for help."
Action can also be quiet, as in Beverly Cleary's The Mouse and the Motorcycle: "Keith, the boy in the rumpled shorts and shirt,
did not know he was being watched as he entered room 215 of Mountain View Inn."
3. Arrive mid-conversation. E.B. White's Charlotte's Web begins like this: "Where's Papa going with that axe?" Lisi Harrison uses
dialogue to start The Clique: "'Massie, wipe that confused look off your face,'
Massie's mom, Kendra, said. 'It's really very simple--you're not going.'" Both opening lines convey conflict.
4. Begin with an omniscient passage. Occasionally, skilled authors begin high above their protagonist before zooming in and
continuing with a more intimate point of view. Swallowing Stones, by Joyce McDonald,
is about the repercussions a teen faces after he discharges a rifle and accidentally kills a schoolmate's father. In the book's beginning, readers travel with the fatal bullet: "There is no stopping it; the bullet rips
through the hot summer haze, missing trees, houses, unsuspecting birds, coming to roost, finally, like an old homing pigeon....
" The stage has been set.
5. Begin by mirroring the ending. An Na does this beautifully in A Step from Heaven. In the opening chapter,
the young protagonist describes how being in her father's arms at the seashore makes her feel safe: "
I am a sea bubble floating, floating in a dream. Bhop." Her father ultimately leaves his family, and yet in the
end readers feel hopeful when they read the same words used to describe her sense of security.
Laurie Halse Anderson employs a similar technique in the opening and closing of Fever, 1793.
The main character experiences daybreak quite differently in the first and last chapters, which reveals how she has matured.
6. State the problem. Simply stating the problem in the first sentence immediately takes readers to the story's emotional heart.
"He did not want to be a wringer," Jerry Spinelli writes in Wringer,
about a boy destined to wring pigeons' necks in a local event. Many authors use this technique: "All I've ever wanted is for
Juli Baker to leave me alone." (Flipped, Wendelin Van Draanen.) "I am Mary. I am a witch."
(Witch Child, Celia Rees.) "Chapter One: Summer 1849 - In which I come to California, fall down a hill, and vow to be miserable here.
(The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, Karen Cushman.)
7. Let your character reflect. Julie Johnston begins Hero of Lesser Causes with this reflective moment: "It started out as a peaceful,
plodding kind of summer, the summer of 1946. We didn't know that our lives
would charge wildly out of control." For another example, see Jennifer Donnelly's lovely Northern Light.
8. Provide a prologue. Some writers hate prologues, but I say if it works for your story, use it. A prologue can help readers feel how
desperately a protagonist does not want something to happen, as Jerry
Spinelli does in Wringer. It can help readers understand what a character is about to lose, as Pam Munoz Ryan does beautifully in
Esperanza Rising. And it can set a tone, as Gary Paulsen does in the marvelous
prologue to The Winter Room.
Ultimately, I decided to write a prologue for Hearts of Stone. The novel originally began in the summer of 1863.
Fifteen-year-old Hannah's father had already left their home on Cumberland Mountain in East
Tennessee to fight for the Union Army. Hannah is estranged from her friend Ben because his father had joined the Confederate
Army. Soon orphaned, Hannah shepherds her younger siblings on the long trip to a
Nashville refugee camp, all the while longing to get back home.
The problem? Too many crucial events were lost in back story. My new prologue is set in 1861, when Hannah's father
announces that he's joining the army, and it allows readers to meet Ben while his
relationship with Hannah is still good.
Finally, I worked on a first sentence that could reveal both Hannah's conflict with her father and her strong sense of place.
The book now begins this way: "Pa ripped our family apart just as spring began
whispering sweet promises up on Cumberland Mountain."
Hearts of Stone's review in Kirkus concluded with a prediction that "Readers will be hooked from the start." I'm glad my
editor asked for a new beginning. Sometimes it really does make sense to save the first for last.
The Top 10 Ways to Ignite Your Creative Fire and Keep it Glowing
by Roberta Lockwood
Are you someone who starts creative projects with great enthusiasm and then loses momentum half way through?
Do you have wonderful inspirations in the dawn only to have them fizzle by noon?
Do you feel you just need more time, money, love, appreciation, and support to realize your creative dreams?
In a recently published book "The Creative Habit, Learn It and Use It for Life," choreographer, Twyla Tharp gives an inside
picture of the creative process and how to keep it moving. The following are ideas from
Ms. Tharp and other creative fire starters.
1. Invoke magic with a preparation ritual.
The writer Isabel Allende begins each new novel on January 8th when she sits down at her computer and writes the first sentence.
From that small ritual an entire story evolves. Every morning Twyla
Tharp goes for a two hour workout at a gym to warm up her body for her day's creations. What are you going to do? Lynn
Franks lights a candle, you could ring a bell, designate a sacred space for your beginning,
meditate or wear specific clothes. What is important is that it works for you and signals to the world that you are about to leap into the
creative ferment.
2. Work with what you have.
Limits on time, money, and/or space can actually focus your creative energies. Don't have the perfect studio?
Barbara Kingsolver wrote her first book in a closet. Don't have enough time? John Grisham
got up two hours earlier every morning to work on his first novel and then went off to a full day's work practicing law.
Need more money? How much do you really need? To write, to sketch, or to compose takes
only a pencil and paper to begin. Maria Martinez made exquisite pottery with hand-dug clay, home made vegetable dyes, and
a hand made fire. Let your limits inspire you to create with what is at hand. Limits will
stretch your imagination.
3. Capture your ideas when they are hot and contain them for easy retrieval.
Keep a notebook, sketchpad and/or minature tape recorder with you at all times. Creative ideas can be fleeting, much as dreams.
They frequently appear when we are looking the other way involved in our daily routine.
Record your ideas when they first light up your imagination. Even a few words or a brief sketch can capture an idea that
can be fleshed out later. Hum a melody into a small tape recorder and you can refer to it later
when you want to develop the song.
4. Simmer with unstructured time in your day.
Great ideas often start as mere whispers or inklings. Stillness invites them to speak up. Busyness is noisy and will chase them away.
Take time to listen for those creations bubbling up from deep inside you.
Writer Brenda Ueland said, "the imagination needs moodling - long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling, and puttering."
5. Spark your creative thinking by exposing yourself to other art forms.
If you are a writer, listen to the rhythm of music to suggest conversation. Or look to a painting for a subject. "Girl with the Pearl Earring" is a
fictionalized account of a young girl portrayed in a painting by Vermeer.
If you are a potter, look at other art forms to stimulate ideas about shape and space. If you are a musician listen to the rhythms of
conversation or at the themes in paintings to see what they suggest about music.
For more inspiration, search outside the arts. Cross-fertilization can keep your ideas fresh and lively and can kick start your creativity
when you lose momentum.
6. Ignite your energy.
Walking, running, dancing, or biking not only energize us, these and similar activities can also produce a relaxed, meditative state
which invites creative ideas to reveal themselves to us. Doing something
physical when our motivation flags may be all we need to give us the boost to keep going.
7. Unearth the spine of your creation.
Defining the framework of your creative effort provides a reference point to get you moving when you lose creative steam.
What is the theme that your creation is expressing? When you get completely stalled,
put your hand back into whatever box, basket, or barrel you've stored your inspirations for this project.
Pull out the first item that lit your imagination and bring that feeling into the present moment.
8. Sizzle spontaneously.
One of Tharp's favorite exercises to pull her out of the creative doldrums is called "do a verb." Pick any verb, either
one that represents a piece of your creative effort, or the first verb that comes to mind.
Let your body express it through spontaneous movement. Your brain will be stimulated into new ways of thinking.
9. Kindle support with a creative buddy or a playgroup.
Much creative work is done alone. As artists on our own we need and deserve playmates and support.
Often it is isolation, not lack of good ideas, that causes our work to stall. Find a creative buddy or playgroup that
encourages and supports you to be your own work of art and watch your creativity soar.
10. Hire a creative coach.
Identify what you need from a coach then search on the internet or ask for referrals and find a coach who fascinates you.
Don't settle for less than fascination. Take a teleclass or a free introductory coaching session.
Trust your instincts.
Write about what you know!
by Christine Fieldhouse
For almost as long as I have wanted to write a book, those words have rung in my ears, but never more so after 2000 when,
within the space of four months, I became a mum for the first time and I lost my own mum.
Going through two such major events in such quick succession made me reflect on my own childhood with my
alcoholic father, whose unpredictable mood swings and verbal abuse terrorised me until my late teens.
As I cleared out my mum’s home after her death, I looked for notes she might have left, to provide an insight into how
she found the mental strength to cope with her life with my dad until they divorced.
It was when I found virtually nothing new that I decided to start writing about my childhood and our son Jack’s, so that one day,
when he was clearing my things out, he would find my scribblings in a drawer and
sit and have a read.
But bear in mind I have been a journalist for almost 25 years and the journalist in me always wanted to have a book published.
As Jack grew into a toddler and asked questions about my childhood, I realised the
sheer contrast between his (hopefully) happy times with me and my husband Ian, and my childhood, marred by my dad’s rantings.
I’d read some of the misery titles, but some like The Little Prisoner were so shocking I couldn’t finish them. I knew I couldn’t compete
in that league, nor would I ever want to, but I realised there was a book to be
written about surviving abuse and being happy.
I wanted my story to reflect the joy I’ve had and have got in my life. I have always laughed a lot, even when times were grim.
I love books that make me laugh out loud - Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella are
my favourite authors.
I disciplined myself to half an hour’s writing every day and it’s amazing a) how quickly half an hour goes, and b) how much
you can get done in half an hour. I was spurred on when I got an agent, then a year
later an acceptance from Hay House.
Sometimes I just warbled on about the colour of the sky or a coffee session I’d had with friends. Other times,
I reminisced about my dad’s drinking habits and as I got into the flow, I was stunned at how much detail
I remembered from my childhood. Ironically, details from the present were harder to remember.
As I got more into the book, I started using a day a week as my writing day. Gradually, a pattern emerged and for
every happy scene in our son Jack’s childhood, there was a contrast from the past. I thought of my
story as a Misery Moves On type book – a way of giving other people hope.
Since reading my book, people have asked if I have had therapy. I haven’t - but writing my memoirs has been a
cathartic experience for me. By contrasting the past with the present, I understand myself so much
better and because of that, I’m much more tolerant and accepting of myself.
Top 10 hints on writing and approaching agents
Write what you believe in… not what you think will sell. If your heart isn't in it, or you're doing it just for the money, a reader
will be able to tell. Lots of people told me my book was 'chick lit' and the market was
overcrowded, but I persevered because I cared about what I'd written.
Little and often. I try to write every day, and set myself a goal. Want to write a novel in six months?
Most popular fiction books weigh in at 75-100,000 words. So that's just over 400 words a day…
Incentivise… horrible word, good idea. Reward yourself with lovely coffee or even a Hob Nob when you finish
a chapter/paragraph/sentence (though if you do it every sentence, you might not be able to get through
the front door by the time you get to chapter 3). Whatever you need to do to motivate yourself… remember
Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither was Wigan.
Never trust a relative. Your friends and family know how much work you've put into your book.
Don't believe it when they say you're the next Helen Fielding or Charles Dickens… instead…
Brace yourself… join a writers' group. Or if you're not good at evening classes, there are lots of great
websites where you could find a 'writing buddy.' Look for someone honest but supportive, who'll nag you
when you're slacking. But make sure you're willing to do critiques for them too…
Too lazy? If you can't be bothered to read someone else's work in return for help with your own… pay!
There are some good critique services around which can pinpoint where you're going wrong - and if you're good,
they can even put you in touch with an agent. They don't come cheap, and check their credentials before you pay up -
the good ones have numerous quotes from published authors on their websites.
But… beware of sharks… it's one thing to pay for constructive advice from professionals, but never pay to be published,
unless you're just doing it for fun or for family and friends (realistically, the market for stories
about your family's passion for origami might not make it worth publishing). If someone says your work is utterly brilliant -
and asks for a contribution of £3K towards publishing costs, tell them where to stick their book.
Plenty of would-be authors have suffered this way, and the vanity publishers can be as devious as Arthur Daley. Just say no!
Keep going… writing the novel is only half the story. Getting accepted by a publisher or agent is at least as tough.
The best book of advice on how to approach an agent is called From Pitch to Publication by agent
Carole Blake. Set yourself an objective of collecting 20 (or 50 or 100) rejections before you give up…
Fiction is so much a matter of personal taste that it's worth persevering. And the more 'no's you get, the better
t'll feel when you finally find an agent who loves your work.
Enter writing competitions… even if you don't get a publishing deal out of it, you'll often get great feedback
AND if you win, it gives you the encouragement that you're on the right track. It also gives you something
to mention in letters to agents.
Know your rivals. Research is vital, so read other novels. Preferably mine. Preferably in public, with such a
big grin on your face that complete strangers rush into the nearest bookshop and say 'I'll have whatever
she's reading.'
These are just a few tips that I have taken note of....
