“I have a story idea in mind and am psyched to begin writing. What’s
the best way to get started? Should I outline the plot first, or just
jump in and write?”
There’s no right or wrong method to
use in plotting out your novel. The mechanics of writing is one of
personal choice, so go with whatever method works best for you.
For
example, Jeffery Deaver creates meticulous outlines for his novels,
detailing each scene and key segments of dialogue on sheets of paper and
sticky notes that fill the walls of his study. He admits that it takes
him months to come up with such a detailed framework. However, when he
sits down to actually write the novel, since most of the work is already
completed, it doesn’t take him long to finish the manuscript.
I
prefer a less structured method. When I’m plotting out my novels, I
keep a stack of lined 3x5 cards handy and write scenes down as I think
of them. On each card I include anything that I want to put into the
scene, such as descriptions, plot points, or snippets of dialogue I
don’t want to forget. Before I start writing, I arrange the cards in the
order I want the book to flow. This allows me to outline the major
themes in the plot, but allows enough flexibility that I can add or
re-order scenes easily.
These methods represent two
different concepts of organization, and most of you will use a method of
plot outlining that falls somewhere in between. What is important is,
no matter which method you use, be sure you have a firm grasp of the
opening, conflict, and resolution of your story before you begin
outlining/writing your story. You can always change those elements
later. But if you don’t have a basic idea where your story starts and
ends, no amount of outlining will turn it into a viable manuscript.
Trust me on this one. I have several short stories taking up space on my
hard drive because I wrote them based on a single scene, but have yet
to find an effective way to start or end them.
“Thanks. This has been a big help. While you’re here, can you give me any tips on writing?”
Yes,
I can. But this is not the blog series for that. There are thousands of
books out there dedicated to instructing someone on how to write a
book. They cover all the aspects of writing – plot, setting, character
development, voice, etc. There are even books that tell you how to write
in specific genres. Feel free to use them if you want. No one has ever
become a bad writer by reading these works.
In my
opinion, the best way for someone to become a good writer is to read in
order to see how other authors write, and then start writing yourself.
When I say read a lot, I mean it. Go through at least one book a week.
Start with the classics. We’re still reading Twain, Hemingway, Austen,
and the like not just because our English professors are sadists, but
because those authors knew how to write compelling stories that have
stood the test of time. Then read a wide variety of books and authors in
whatever genre you’re writing in, as well as at least a few books
outside your genre.
And don’t forget to read trashy
books, whether they’re pulp novels meant solely to entertain and entice,
or novels that are just horribly written. Figure out what those authors
did to make their works so laughable or painful to read, and learn from
their mistakes. Remember, it takes a long time and many published works
to build up a fan base, but only one poorly-written story or novel to
turn off readers forever.
So while I won’t offer
writing tips in this blog series, I do want to point out that there are
certain aspects of writing you need to pay close attention to if you
ever hope to get out of the slush pile and get published. These points
have been reiterated to me time and again by publishers and literary
agents, all of whom said that when they see these types of mistakes in
query submissions, they immediately take the work out of contention for
publication.
The first is grammar, punctuation, and
spelling. Over time you’ll find your own writing style and voice. But if
you don’t have the basics down, you’ll find it that much more difficult
to break away from the thousands of other authors bombarding publishers
and agents with their works. As part of this advice, make sure you
proof read your final work carefully. You may have written the next
bestseller, but if your sample chapters are chocked full of spelling
mistakes, grammatical errors, and incorrect punctuation, good luck
getting a publisher or agent to read beyond the first few pages. Even if
they see the potential in your book, they’ll view you a sloppy author
and will think carefully before taking you on. And if comes down between
you and an author whose writing is solid, who do you think will get the
contract?
Realistic dialogue is also very important to
sealing that book deal. So of course, it’s one of the hardest parts to
get right. If you write dialogue so that it’s grammatically correct, it
sounds stilted and turns off the reader. If you write it to sound like
every day conversations, you run the risk of making your characters
sound like idiots. I trained myself to write decent dialogue by
listening to others talk. This has the added benefit of letting people
think you’re the silent, mysterious type (or they’ll just think you’re
an introvert, which most writers are).
Finally, make
sure you maintain the continuity of your story and characters. If your
main character’s name is Ken Smith, always refer to him as either Ken or
Smith throughout the story, and do not interchange the names. Keep your
secondary characters straight as well; if you call someone Bob when he
first appears in chapter three, make sure you don’t call him Bill when
he reappears in chapter ten. If you describe your main character as
being bald in chapter one, don’t have him run his fingers through his
hair in chapter five. If your character is a devout Mormon, don’t show
him/her drinking a cup of coffee without explaining why. If your story
is set in Maine in the middle of December, don’t have the characters
sunbathing three scenes later. If your story is set in Victorian-era New
York, don’t have electric street lamps lining the streets. These are
the minutiae that are easy to overlook. When publishers or agents catch
them, they immediately get the impression that you’re a sloppy writer
(see above). And if your readers catch them, you lose them quickly. I
have had several authors who write historical dramas tell me that the
worst criticism they receive from readers is when they get some
historical fact wrong.
So consider yourself forewarned. Now get out there and start writing. Your public is waiting.
NEXT BLOG: Finding a publisher or literary agent.
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