So…you want to write? Congratulations!
The most important thing you need to know is that…drum roll…writers write! Writers write sometimes, when they feel like it, or when they’re inspired. Sometimes they write often and a lot. Sometimes just…whenever they can. They write on computers, on post-it notes, in little notebooks, on the backs of envelopes.
Writers don’t always write good stuff either. Sometimes they write bad stuff. Sometimes, they write bad stuff that turns into good stuff after they’ve worked on it. A lot.
The important thing, if you want to be a writer, is that you write. When you can and as honestly as you can. And honestly doesn’t mean always tell the truth in your stories—you’ll write things in your stories that can’t possibly be true.
But write from your heart and the truth, you story’s truth, will come through on the page.
Still want to be a writer? Great! The world wants to hear your stories. So write them.
Here are some suggestions and resources to get you started:
To plot or not to plot…that is a question!
Some writers are gifted with the ability to plot out and outline their stories from beginning to end before they even begin to write.
I am not one of them.
For me, plotting is a murky thing that takes lots of revising, storyboarding and post-it notes. Oh, and chocolate.
There are many books that can help you with this (some of them are listed on this website). But before you can plot anything, you need to be able to answer a very important question:
What does my character want?
If you can answer that question, you are well on your way. If you can’t, you need to spend some time thinking about that question.
Once you’ve answered that question, there’s another question you’ll need to consider:
What will my character do to get what he/she/they want(s)?
This is essentially your plot—all of the events that will take place in your story.
Finally, you’ll need to answer this last question.
Does my character get what he/she/they want(s)?
If you can answer that, you’re more than well on your way. And you deserve chocolate.
One of the best ways to connect your reader to your story is to write from inside your perceiving character(s). In other words, put yourself inside your character’s(s’) shoes. Your perceiving character is the one through whom your reader will experience your story’s world.
One really great way to do this is to use your senses. Think about how your character experiences his/her/their world through the five senses. What does your character’s world look like, sound like, taste like, feel like and smell like? Show the reader through your perceiving character.
You will create an immediate bond between your reader and your character, which will make your reader want to read more.
The setting of your story needs to connect or relate to your story. It’s so important to the story, that your story can’t take place without it.
The details in your setting help the story come alive for your reader. It transports them there. Even with the same characters, a different setting creates a different story.
A good tool for establishing a believable setting is using sensory language to describe it. The more your reader experiences your setting, the more your reader feels a part of your story.
Successful dialogue isn’t just about your characters talking to each other. Successful dialogue does two very important things:
- Reveals character: Your character is what he/she/they say(s). Or doesn’t say. Good dialogue lets your reader in on the inside workings of your character. The things your character says will tell your reader about his/her/their background. Where has your character lived? Where does your character live now? What kinds of things have influenced your character’s development? What does your character value? What does your character want?
- Moves along the plot: Are we there yet? Successful dialogue helps advance your plot. Your characters shouldn’t just speak to take up space in your manuscript. The things they say should help move your plot along and/or reveal specific plot points. Plot development is hard work. Let your characters help you with it.
A Note About Eavesdropping
One of the best ways to learn the way people speak, the things they speak about, is by listening to them. And sometimes by eavesdropping.
No matter where I am, I am always listening in on other people’s conversations. That’s right—I admit it. But I’m not just being nosy, I’m developing my craft (wink, wink.)
While eavesdropping can sometimes lead to neck strain (and sideways looks), it can also lead to wonderful snippets of dialogue. Which makes it all worthwhile.
When I write, I fall in love with my words. With everything I’ve written, I am smitten.
At first.
Then, in a love-induced haze I re-read. I can almost hear the trumpets of glory.
But as I read…my head starts to hurt and my brain begins to spin. I stick out my tongue and sometimes even verbalize the word, “Ick.”
Which is when I know it’s time to revise.
Revision may not be as fun as writing, but it’s just as important. Writers go through many, many drafts of their stories before they’re complete.
Helpful Hints for Revising:
- Print out your manuscript when editing. You will see all sorts of errors on paper that you did not catch on the computer screen. I don’t know why this is. Perhaps there’s a scientific reason, but after all, I’m not a scientist.
- Read your story out loud. Sometimes this helps you find places where the words don’t sound exactly right. Where the dialogue doesn’t ring true.
- Ask people you trust to read your work. I have writer and non-writer friends whose input has made my writing much better.
- Consider saving all your drafts. You may want to go back and compare them with one another. Sometimes you might even rescue part of an earlier draft and incorporate it into a newer one.
- Set your manuscript aside for a few weeks. Look at it again with fresh eyes. You’ll be amazed at what you find.
I probably don’t have to tell you this—but read. Really read. Read deliberately and with gusto. Immerse yourself in vast and diverse worlds and cultures. Revel in the richness of setting. Feel the flow of dialogue. Experience the world of imagination and language through other creative souls. You’ll be glad you did.
- What’s Your Story?: A Young Person’s Guide to Writing Fiction, by Marion Dane Bauer
- Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, by Janet Burroway
- From Where You Dream, by Robert Owen Butler
- The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
- Steering the Craft, by Ursula K. LeGuin
- Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee
- Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books by Uri Shulevitz
- The Writer’s Journey, by Christopher Vogler
- Take Joy, by Jane Yolen
