Showing posts with label novel. Show all posts
Monday, January 13, 2014
What a Story Needs to Begin
When it comes to time and place, a story can start anywhere and anywhen.
I know this to be true because I read a lot of books and I�ve read plenty that open at all different points in the tale. From the day a character was born to his last words on his deathbed and everywhere in between. I�ve read books that took their time establishing the world in which they were set, and I�ve read those that have started in the middle of action with no preamble.
Many have been great. Quite a few have been terrible.
What this tells me is that where and when you start isn�t a deciding factor. Of course it makes a difference how well a scene is executed, but that is true of any scene in any part of the book.
So then what are the important things that should be included in the opening pages and why?
The first thing to realise is that the purpose of the opening is not to inform the reader of who the story is about and where it is set and what tone it will take.
All those things are useful and need to be addressed at some point (and the beginning of the book is a pretty good place to do it) but none of them are vital. Plenty of books have started without explaining themselves very clearly, with secondary characters, or events the main characters aren�t even aware of.
The purpose of the first chapter is this: to get the reader to read at least the next chapter and ideally the rest of the book.
If the reader isn�t compelled to find out the rest of the story then it doesn�t matter what method or structure you use.
There are a variety of ways an opening chapter can achieve this. Some genres have their own conventions. A murder mystery might open with the crime, a political thriller might start with an international incident. If the problem is intriguing enough (or the intrigue is problematic enough) that can be all a fan of the genre needs.
But if you aren�t writing within those kinds of conventions then the easiest way to hook a reader is to connect them to the character.
If I tell you I heard someone won the big lottery, you will be mildly interested. If I tell you my sister won the lottery, you�ll be a bit more interested. If I tell you your sister won the lottery you�ll be demanding I tell you how I know this and where�s the proof and how do I know your sister and am I joking? I�m joking right?
The point is how interested you are in events, even major events, will be strongly affected by your connection to the person the events are happening to.
This is also true of fiction. And this is why far more important than where or when a story opens is making the reader feel connected to the main character.
But this isn�t a simple matter of providing pertinent background details and a summary of likes and dislikes.
What you as the writer need to know is what the character wants. And then use this to work out what it is the character lacks.
Most writers are aware that the main character in their story has to want something. There will be a goal they need to achieve and a large part of the book will deal with them trying to achieve it.
But just because someone wants something doesn�t mean the rest of us will care. There has to be more to it than that. There has to be a reason why this particular goal is important to this particular person. And while you can often just raise the stakes to justify any action in the short term (We�re all going to die, quick do something!), simply reacting in survival mode will provide a lightweight reading experience.
At a deeper level what motivates a character isn�t what they want, it�s what they lack. And demonstrating what they lack is what the story�s opening should be about.
Sometimes what they want and what they lack may be the same thing. A character who was born poor and struggled might become a ruthless businessman who values money over everything. But cause and effect put that bluntly can feel simplistic and clunky. That�s why thrillers and romances can often feel superficial when their characters are driven by very basic needs.
The missing ingredient in a character�s life is very important. Without it what they want becomes arbitrary and inconsequential.
Yes it�s important the villain is prevented from destroying the world, but that doesn�t mean our guy has to be the one who stops him.
The void a character is trying to fill not only provides the reason why they have to be the one to complete this mission, it also puts them at a disadvantage which provides conflict. They don�t have all the tools they need so it�s a struggle for them.
A lot of the time writers, being natural storytellers, will work this sense of lacking into a character�s make up without even being aware of it. Subliminally we�re absorbing this idea in everything we read, whether it�s Harry�s dead parents or Bilbo�s comfortable life devoid of excitement and adventure.
The important part, though, isn�t identifying what�s missing, but what effect that absence has.
As an example, let�s say I�m writing a story about a guy who kills the terrible dragon and saves the kingdom. The question, though, is why him? What about him makes him a dragon hunter?
Which leads me to the second thing the opening needs. It needs to be connected to the main plot.
If my opening scene shows the hero being bullied by the other kids and the main plot is about him growing up to fight dragons, then while there�s nothing wrong with those individual parts, their lack of connection will not make for a very satisfying read.
Yes, we like him for standing up to bullies when he was a kid, and it�s very exciting as he battles large winged lizards, but what has one thing got to do with the other?
But if his family was killed by a dragon leaving him alone in the world, and he grows up to fight dragons, then the reader�s sympathy for his predicament and their understanding of his ultimate goal, will be a lot more cohesive.
That�s not to say the connection has to be quite as heavy-handed as the example I�m using, but it should be obvious the emotional connection between who the character is and what they end up doing is linked to how the reader responds to the story.
So you want to connect the reader to the character and you want this aspect of the character to transition naturally and satisfyingly into the main plot. And the point of this post (yes, this post does have a point) is to show that there is a simple but powerful way to do this. And that�s to understand that a character isn�t driven by what they want, but by what was taken away from them, what they lost, what they don�t have.
In my example of the guy whose family was killed by a dragon, you might think the best place to start that story is to show how his family died and how he survived. That would certainly be an option.
But what the dragon really took away from him was anyone for him to rely on or be supported by. He is alone and has to take care of himself. Even if he overcomes that to become a dragon hunter he will always have that hole in his life. How will that manifest itself? Will he be fearless (because he has nothing left to lose)? Will he be angry and cruel (because it was the only way to survive)? Will he be afraid to get close to people (so he never has to go through grief again)?
Whatever the fallout of his particular experience (of which there are an infinite number of possibilities), that is what you need in the opening in order to make the reader connect with the character.
It�s the behaviour that�s important, not the specifics of how it came to be (that can always come later), so the scene can take place anywhere and anywhen. No dragons even need to be mentioned.
And when the main plot does kick in, the emotional need for the character to be the one who does this thing will resonate with the reader without you having to point it out at all.
The simplest way to achieve this is to work backwards. You know what the character is going to end up doing (even if they don�t). Work out what is missing from his life that makes him destined to be the one to do this. How does this lack affect his behaviour? Demonstrate this behaviour in the opening scene.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Writers Write, Right?
Generally speaking, starting writing isn�t the problem. If you�re up for it then getting words on the page isn�t that hard. At first.
Enthusiasm, motivation, belief in your ideas � these things tend to be in abundant supply at the beginning.
Two weeks later, though, things may have changed. It�s all very well sitting down with the right intentions, but what do you do when all that drive you had goes missing?
There are, of course, various techniques you can use to help focus yourself � set deadlines, have goals, write outlines, use a timer, promise yourself rewards � but all these things assume you have the will to keep going.
So how do you bring the magic back to your fingertips?
The short answer is: you don�t.
At some point, especially if you�re writing a rough and ready first draft, you�re probably going to start doubting yourself.
It isn�t good enough; it�s too similar to other stuff; you don�t know where it�s going; it�s boring; the writing is clunky; you hate it; too many clich�s; not enough action; and on and on.
But not only should you not be too worried, you should actively expect this to happen. When you fall into a funk, when you feel there can�t be any value to continuing, when reading it back makes you cringe, you should recognise that for what it is: part of the process.
�Oh,� you should think to yourself, �I�m at that stage.�
It isn�t always easy to be that self-aware when you�re right in the middle of that feeling, but whenever you get that overwhelming desire to give up, take a deep breath and just accept it. Don�t try to fight it or resist it. Allow yourself to experience doubt... and then let it go.
Yes, it could be utter crap, that�s the chance we all take. A huge waste of time. But there�s no way to know that at this stage. You only find out after you finish. So finish.
And once you change your goal from it being great to it being finished, the task becomes more manageable.
That�s not to say you should lower your standards, but when you fall into the psychological trap of judging things before they�re ready to be judged it can often feel like the only escape is to cut your losses.
Keep writing and get to the end. If it feels like torture, so be it. Of course there will be some stories that will not be like that. Words will flow from start to finish and it will be a joyful experience. And if that happens be grateful but don�t expect every time to be like that. That�s the anomaly, the typical writing experience will be far from smooth sailing.
And once you have a complete draft and begin the rewrites, guess what, it�s going to happen again.
This has no potential; it can�t be saved; I�m wasting my time; I have no ideas how to fix this; might as well as scrap it and start again; and on and on.
�Oh,� you should think to yourself, �I�m at that stage.�
Expect it to be painful. Expect to doubt yourself. Expect to be tempted to give up. And, occasionally, the temptation will be too great to resist. But most of the time, if you�re able to recognise it, you�ll be able to move passed it. It�s just thatstage.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Complications Of Storytelling
All stories get more complicated the further you get into them.
This isn�t a bad thing, it�s just inevitable. The reader starts off knowing nothing, and over the course of the story they get fed more and more information.
If it�s a properly written story anything the reader is told will be relevant to further developments. That means they have to remember everything that�s happened so far and how it relates to everything else that�s also happened and everything that�s going to happen.
This network of events, consequences and reactions will get ever more intricate. To the point where it can become so overwhelming that when a character says, �Hey, Mary�s back!� all the reader thinks is, Who the hell is Mary?
In some cases confusion is down to too much information at. Sometimes it�s due to convoluted writing that�s difficult to follow.
These are technical problems that can be easily fixed (once you become aware of them).
But stories are always going to get complicated as you refer back to things or reveal the implications of actions or create conflict. This isn�t something to be avoided, but it is something you have to be aware of and communicate in a way the reader is able to process.
You can�t rely on the reader just being super focused on the story and having a great memory (although that would be very helpful). You have to help them navigate the parts where things get messy.
Firstly, key players should be memorable. Putting in a reminder is okay, but can feel clunky.
�Hey, Mary�s back from Jamaica. I hope she remembered to go see Old Bessie like you asked her to.�
Better to have the name automatically trigger meaning for the reader. One way to do this is to make the name itself memorable. Change Mary to Maxuma and it becomes much harder to forget. However, a story where everyone has �interesting� names not only undermines this, it has the reverse effect of making it much harder to remember who anyone is.
Unusual or surprising details help to make information stick. If Mary is the girl with the tail and cloven feet it won�t take much to jog the reader�s memory. Although, again, this only works if your story isn�t set in a world full of people with weird appendages. And it can become quite laborious to give every single character some remarkable characteristic.
While these sorts of things will help, there is a much stronger way to keep the reader aware of all the stuff going on in the story, and that�s to interlink it.
If I tell you Mary is tall, went to school in Scotland and hates jellyfish, this may give you an idea of who she is, but it won�t necessarily keep her in mind when she�s absent.
However, if I tell you Mary�s taller than most men, which means she has difficulty getting a boyfriend and that�s why she�s available to be sent on a dangerous mission since she�s the only one in the group who�s single, then the linking of who she is and what she does helps the reader to place her that much quicker.
The same works for other elements of the story. When you reveal information, the level of detail and accuracy isn�t going to be the things that stick in the mind, it�s how those things relate to the development of the story.
If the character robs a bank in Chapter 2, and it�s mentioned when he�s arrested and interviewed in Chapter 32, the reader might not be able to recall many of the details. But if the bank robbery in Chapter 2 was to raise the money to finance an even bigger crime that led to the character being arrested and interviewed, then the reader will be able to remember that much easier.
If you keep events separate (it wouldn�t be surprising for a criminal to commit unrelated bank robberies, it�s his job after all) then you make it harder for the brain to retain the information. If you link them it creates a cascade that�s continuously flowing.
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Monday, May 13, 2013
Synopsis Support Pt 2
A synopsis for a novel comes in two different forms.
The first is a very dry, play-by play outline of what happens without any frills or attempts to impress the reader.
The other is more of a selling document intended to get the reader to read the full manuscript.
The first type is useful for a writer working with an agent/pubisher/editor where the relationship has already been established. It�s a bit like an architect and a builder going over blueprints. There�s no need for embellishments or trying to capture the style of the book.
In this case it�s already a done deal, and the reason for the synopsis is that it�s easier to discuss changes and cuts in a shorter document than a longer one.
Although, there�s no specific set length for this sort of synopsis, it�s as long as it needs to be (I�ve seen some that are 50 pages).
The only thing that I would say about this kind of synopsis is that even though it can be very dry and functional it still won�t be: This, then this, then this.
It will be more like: Because of this, then this. And because of that, then this.
Showing cause and effect is necessary in both types of synopsis, as it is in all types of story.
The other type of synopsis�the kind most people reading this will be working on�is where you�re providing a busy agent/publisher with a way to tell if it�s going to be worth reading the full manuscript without having to actually read it.
It isn�t to tell them the story or show them how the story develops or whether you have an understanding of the genre. It�s to give them a good enough to reason to wade through the damn thing. Or, more commonly, a reason not to.
The first hurdle is whether it�s written in a readable manner. If the synopsis is convoluted or hard to understand or goes off in various directions, that indicates the full manuscript may also have those problems. That may not be the case, but the possibility will most times be enough to put an agent off.
So, write it simple and clear.
But what if that doesn�t reflect the style of the novel? Shouldn�t the synopsis give a flavour of the book?
No.
If the book is in a very specific style, then the agent will most likely read the first page or so and either hate it or love it and it won�t really matter what style the synopsis is in.
My advice is just an opinion, of course, but it�s this: Keep it simple.
Next, the thing I mentioned earlier about cause and effect needs to be present. As well as what happens, the job of the synopsis is to tell us why it happens. Not an explanation, a logical progression.
Because of this, then this.
When the bad guys start shooting, Mary crawls under her desk and closes her eyes.
You have to be careful not to make assumptions. If Diane gets a phone call that her daughter�s been murdered and she books the first flight to Malawi, it may seem obvious to you that her daughter was working abroad. But while it certainly won�t be a surprise to discover that�s the case, the synopsis isn't the place for the reader to figure things out.
You need to include the minimum amount of information for things to make sense in a clear an obvious way. It's a matter of judgement on the part of the writer, but in a synopsis you want to present the situation as clearly as possible. If in doubt, clarify.
In this case, you could let the reader know the daughter was a senior executive at an international bank, or a student on a gap year, or teaching English as a foreign language. A simple statement like that won�t explain all the details, but it will ground the situation in an easy to understand context. That�s all you need.
So, you have this short document telling the reader how events go from one to the next�how does this get anyone to read the full manuscript?
Apart from this basic framework there also needs to be something in the synopsis that catches the reader�s attention.
That could be an unexpected turn of events, a shock, something funny, something moving, some kind of memorable happening.
A lot of this depends on the kind of book you�ve written, but the point is you've already written it and in there somewhere should be something that fits the bill. There may be quite a few. You don�t need to include all of them (although more than one would be good, especially if one builds on the next).
But shouldn�t you try to match the pacing and structure of the synopsis to that of the novel?
If you can manage it, sure. But the eye-catching moment is far, far, far more important.
The easiest to write is the unexpected. You just need to write it down and if you�ve included the necessary set up then it will speak for itself.
Mrs Braithwaite takes off her wig to reveal she is...
However, your story may not be the type that contains shocking twists and revelations, or they might be of a more subtle nature.
That�s fine in a book, but it won�t be of much use in a synopsis. It just won�t have the effect we�re looking for.
The other way to hook the reader is to use emotion. Obviously there are a lot of emotions to choose from, and your book will dictate what you want the reader to feel, but how do you get the emotion across in so few words?
In much the same way you would in a novel.
There are three ways to convey emotion to a reader. You can just tell them (Violet feels sad).
You can show the effect of the emotion (Tears roll down Michael�s face).
Or you can show the cause of the emotion (Etta holds on to Jane�s finger with her tiny hand and whispers, �Bye, Mommy,� before closing her eyes for the last time).
You can show the effect of the emotion (Tears roll down Michael�s face).
Or you can show the cause of the emotion (Etta holds on to Jane�s finger with her tiny hand and whispers, �Bye, Mommy,� before closing her eyes for the last time).
In practice you will probably find you need to use all three methods to get across everything you need to get across. If you try to make it all like the third approach you will quickly run out of space.
Even then it will be space consuming, but this is why it�s necessary to sacrifice some of the more intricate methods of writing a synopsis. You make the framework simple so you have room for the one or two moments that will make an impression.
Jason sees that it�s Megan calling. He rejects the call. It�s time to start the rest of his life.
So this is the end to a story where, apparently, Jason has had enough of Megan. It�s succinct and tells you what you need to know (obviously you will have read the rest of the synopsis so know the context), but it doesn�t carry much of a wallop, emotionally speaking.
Jason finishes his coffee but remains seated, collecting his thoughts, his heart pounding in his chest. Innocent, he thinks. I�m innocent. Like he wasn't sure himself until he heard the verdict. His mobile rings, startling him. Megan�no doubt to insist she never doubted him, that she wanted him back, wanted things to go back to the way they were. He stares at the phone, and then he walks out of the coffee shop and drops the phone down the nearest grating. It falls into the darkness, taking Megan with it, and lands somewhere far below with a plop.
While I have no idea what happened between Jason and Megan, the point of the example is to show that I don't mean you have to create a huge melodramatic moment filled with strang and durm (unless that's what's in the novel). The idea is to be true to your story. But you can see the sort of difference in the amount of space you'll need, which is why you need to strip down other parts of the synopsis.
Select two or three key moments in your story that you think will have an effect and focus on getting the emotion across. Don�t be mysterious or try to raise curiosity. Make the reader feel that specific moment.
And if it feels like you haven�t captured the full story, don�t worry, you wouldn�t have anyway. But this way you will leave the reader with something that will make your story stick in their mind.
And if it feels like you haven�t captured the full story, don�t worry, you wouldn�t have anyway. But this way you will leave the reader with something that will make your story stick in their mind.
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