Ben Westerham's Blog, page 4
August 10, 2016
Writing Without a Plan (or Losing the Plot)
It might seem mad to hear me say it, but I invariably write any new book without the ‘benefit’ of a plan in the shape of a fully formed plot. Is this because I’m too lazy to write one or haven’t a clue what I’m up to when I write, or is there really another way of doing things? In this article, I take a look at how you can happily write without a plan and explain why I’m one of those who chooses to make it up as I go along.
Almost all guides to writing go big on the need to draw up a decent story outline before you get on with writing your book and your first thought might well be to think that is eminently sensible; after all, how else can you set off on your way to writing a book when you don’t know where you are going?
However, it didn’t take me long to realise this approach doesn’t suit me. There are times when I quickly come up with the core elements of a story, such as I did with The Strawberry Girl, where the idea was quite simply to see how my private investigator, David Good, would respond to the emotional challenge of dealing with a woman who has managed to get herself married not once but twice.
On other occasions, I don’t even start out with as much as that. Both Good Investigations and the forthcoming Too Good started life as just a couple of sentences that popped in to my head. That was it. No idea at all as to what was going to follow next, let alone what the end point would look like. I just wrote down those first sentences and took things from there.
One of my favourite authors is Stephen King and in his excellent book, On Writing, he devotes several pages to this very subject. The following extract catches the core of what he says:
“I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren't compatible.”
Part of this is key to my own approach and that is allowing my characters to lead me through the story. It is essential they do so, after all, they are the story. I feel I shouldn’t be second guessing how an individual will react in any given situation by setting out a pre-determined plot, because to do so will mean it is no longer their story, it has become mine; this would be mad because the story is not about me.
So, I let the characters decide what is going to happen. I absolutely love this aspect of writing, since you don’t know what is going to happen next, what twists and turns will be introduced along the way. And doesn’t that kind of thing just make the whole writing experience so much more exciting?
So, perhaps writing a book without the ‘benefit’ of a plot isn’t so mad after all and, I hope I’ve shown you, it can even be a distinct advantage.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
Almost all guides to writing go big on the need to draw up a decent story outline before you get on with writing your book and your first thought might well be to think that is eminently sensible; after all, how else can you set off on your way to writing a book when you don’t know where you are going?
However, it didn’t take me long to realise this approach doesn’t suit me. There are times when I quickly come up with the core elements of a story, such as I did with The Strawberry Girl, where the idea was quite simply to see how my private investigator, David Good, would respond to the emotional challenge of dealing with a woman who has managed to get herself married not once but twice.
On other occasions, I don’t even start out with as much as that. Both Good Investigations and the forthcoming Too Good started life as just a couple of sentences that popped in to my head. That was it. No idea at all as to what was going to follow next, let alone what the end point would look like. I just wrote down those first sentences and took things from there.
One of my favourite authors is Stephen King and in his excellent book, On Writing, he devotes several pages to this very subject. The following extract catches the core of what he says:
“I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren't compatible.”
Part of this is key to my own approach and that is allowing my characters to lead me through the story. It is essential they do so, after all, they are the story. I feel I shouldn’t be second guessing how an individual will react in any given situation by setting out a pre-determined plot, because to do so will mean it is no longer their story, it has become mine; this would be mad because the story is not about me.
So, I let the characters decide what is going to happen. I absolutely love this aspect of writing, since you don’t know what is going to happen next, what twists and turns will be introduced along the way. And doesn’t that kind of thing just make the whole writing experience so much more exciting?
So, perhaps writing a book without the ‘benefit’ of a plot isn’t so mad after all and, I hope I’ve shown you, it can even be a distinct advantage.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
July 10, 2016
A Book's First Line
They frequently say a book is judged by its cover, but what else do you, as a reader, look for when making up your mind whether or not to buy and read a book? For many people the story's very first line, it seems, can easily be a deal maker or breaker.
In this post, I take a look at my own approach to writing opening lines, give a few examples from other authors and consider how much those first few words really mean to the reader.
As a writer, I love coming up with the first line in a story. It's often the spark for something new, perhaps even the original catalyst for a story in the first place. And if the pleasure of a really good opening line can be so great for the writer, then it's not a major leap of imagination to appreciate how much it means to the reader.
I look not only for something that catches the reader's attention, but also a sentence that immediately establishes the rhythm of the book. So, The Strawberry Girl starts with "I never 'ad a plan to pretend I wasn't married." and the forthcoming Too Good begins with “There's a bloke I knew ran a shoe shop.” What I hope these both do is tweak the reader's interest, whilst also setting a rhythm of short, straightforward sentences that ensure the writing moves along swiftly and rhythmically.
The following are some examples I particularly like from other writers.
Jane Austen begins Pride and Prejudice with “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
Ian Fleming kicks off Casino Royale with “The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning.”
Both these examples not only grab my attention as a reader very effectively, they also sets the tone for what is to follow in the rest of the book. That's no mean achievement. And notice how short the first three are; there's precious little waste in any of these.
Why not let us know what it is that makes a really great opening line for you and how about sharing an example or two.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
In this post, I take a look at my own approach to writing opening lines, give a few examples from other authors and consider how much those first few words really mean to the reader.
As a writer, I love coming up with the first line in a story. It's often the spark for something new, perhaps even the original catalyst for a story in the first place. And if the pleasure of a really good opening line can be so great for the writer, then it's not a major leap of imagination to appreciate how much it means to the reader.
I look not only for something that catches the reader's attention, but also a sentence that immediately establishes the rhythm of the book. So, The Strawberry Girl starts with "I never 'ad a plan to pretend I wasn't married." and the forthcoming Too Good begins with “There's a bloke I knew ran a shoe shop.” What I hope these both do is tweak the reader's interest, whilst also setting a rhythm of short, straightforward sentences that ensure the writing moves along swiftly and rhythmically.
The following are some examples I particularly like from other writers.
Jane Austen begins Pride and Prejudice with “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
Ian Fleming kicks off Casino Royale with “The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning.”
Both these examples not only grab my attention as a reader very effectively, they also sets the tone for what is to follow in the rest of the book. That's no mean achievement. And notice how short the first three are; there's precious little waste in any of these.
Why not let us know what it is that makes a really great opening line for you and how about sharing an example or two.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
June 10, 2016
Less is More with the Written Word
The other day, I was reading through the online pages of Concis, where short and sweet is king when it comes to writing. It's when you read writing like this that you really appreciate the mantra that where the written word is concerned it is invariably true that less is more.
For one thing, excess can quickly become wearing or, worse still, even boring for the reader. I know when I read a section of my writing I've just completed that any hint of excess means only one thing. It's like pruning a rose; if you want a strong, healthy plant covered in flowers then you absolutely must be bold.
The second underlying reason I believe you have to be economical is because you need to leave room, lots of it, for the reader to use their own imagination. Just think of those times where you encountered a meticulously detailed description of every nuance of a character and ask yourself how you felt at the time.
As an example of just how economical I am willing to be, when we meet one of David Good's client's for the first time in 'Good Investigations', my total expenditure of words in describing him is thus, “a tall, bald bloke wearing trainers, dirty jeans and a tatty leather jacket strode in with something on his mind.”
It is a real challenge for writers to say enough with as few words as possible, but there is no getting away from the fact that less is invariably more.
What are your own thoughts on what constitutes enough? What is too much? Can there be too little? If there are authors who for you get this right time and time again then it would be great to hear who they are.
For more see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers...
For one thing, excess can quickly become wearing or, worse still, even boring for the reader. I know when I read a section of my writing I've just completed that any hint of excess means only one thing. It's like pruning a rose; if you want a strong, healthy plant covered in flowers then you absolutely must be bold.
The second underlying reason I believe you have to be economical is because you need to leave room, lots of it, for the reader to use their own imagination. Just think of those times where you encountered a meticulously detailed description of every nuance of a character and ask yourself how you felt at the time.
As an example of just how economical I am willing to be, when we meet one of David Good's client's for the first time in 'Good Investigations', my total expenditure of words in describing him is thus, “a tall, bald bloke wearing trainers, dirty jeans and a tatty leather jacket strode in with something on his mind.”
It is a real challenge for writers to say enough with as few words as possible, but there is no getting away from the fact that less is invariably more.
What are your own thoughts on what constitutes enough? What is too much? Can there be too little? If there are authors who for you get this right time and time again then it would be great to hear who they are.
For more see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers...
May 6, 2016
The First Novel
You’ll never get to see my first novel. It’s there, a single hard copy written in an old, unused diary, sitting on a bookshelf in my study. However, whilst it served an essential purpose, it is not something that is fit for public consumption. I’m not heartless enough to inflict it on other people. In fact, I’ve not been back to it myself since I completed it, but I will always keep hold of it as a reminder of how I got to where I am now.
For more see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
For more see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
