How I Wrote a Novel in Four Months, Part Four
Hello!
This is part four of my blog post on novel-writing. See parts one, two, and three.
Writing tips are in bold.
This work is free, in an attempt to help aspiring writers, but please don't share it without linking to it here/proper attribution!
-------------------------------------------
PART FOUR
If I've learned anything at all about writing, it's this: writing is like improvisation. If you make a mistake, make it fit within the lines of whatever else you're doing (see Plot Tar Pits for some exceptions). Some of my best characters have come out of me essentially thinking "oops, that wasn't my original plan...but you're fascinating."
When deciding to add something new: Does it fit the character(s)? Does it derail your plot's critical aspects? If your answers are yes and no, in that order, then "go for it" is likely my response.
The "easy" way to write: You need a general sense of your plot, and things that must happen for the story to make sense, then just kind of fill it in as it goes...making sure it makes sense for the characters. Be an actor. Act out your characters' lives on paper.
What I mean by that is this: my most useful tool, other than my computer, was a notebook I custom-designed with a quote (from moi) that said "Writing is acting, but on paper." Why? I'm getting inside the emotions and thoughts of a number of characters. I'm letting myself feel how they might feel, think how they might think, and having them act accordingly. I'm not just writing what they do. I'm getting a sense of who they are, and showing that to others. It's like method acting, but invisible.
It can be exhausting, and sometimes emotionally painful, and great.
"Great," you may say. "But you didn't answer my question. How did I get from 'I don't know how to make this plot into a book' to 'wait why is this already 350 pages long'?" In other words: "How do I make it long enough?"
I did answer it. What you should be asking yourself is not "how can I turn this idea into a long text," but "how can I tell this story, fully?"
Again - the journey. The length of a story doesn't matter so much. Did you tell it? All of it? (Mine passed the 350-page mark, then higher and higher until I began to, uh, worry. But I wrote it until it was complete. Editing is for later. Don't mash your story into a set of length guidelines. Tell the story. Let the audience get to know the characters, through those characters' actions and reactions. Write what is necessary. If it's too long, trim it later. If it's too short - are you really telling the entirety of the story? What else needs to be in there? Not filler (although it has its uses). Have you told the whole story? If not, don't hold back.
A note on writing for an audience
People often say they're afraid to have others read their writing. In my case, it's not due to fears about the quality; I've worked professionally with an editor for long enough that feedback is generally more useful than scary.
What's frightening to me is the other part, the emotional part.
I've said before that writing is acting, but on paper. I really think it's true. You have to do the emotional work, and then convey that to an audience; it's very personal, both in how the character acts and in how you depict how they act (and why or why not). I'm not surprised that writing is used as a form of therapy.
Because of that, there's generally a lot of the author on the page. It's easy for me to write fluff, cute scenes, even technical detail. Action is more difficult, but still doable. It's hard, though, to write things that have strong emotion, or suppressed emotion, because that requires me to dig down and express myself in ways I might not feel comfortable doing, especially to a potentially huge audience. To have to examine why I feel discomfort. To have to confess to myself why I had a character act or feel or think a certain way. Writing is an act of bravery in that sense, beyond just showing off technical skill. Be proud of that bravery.
Final thoughts
Write. Every day. As much as you can. Just start writing. Even if it's terrible. (You can often salvage good material from terrible writing.) Just write. If you're tired, if you're not in the mood, DO IT.
Think about the journey, not just the signposts pointing toward the end.
Just write.
-
© 2020 S. Z. Attwell
For more information, see my website: szattwell.com
This is part four of my blog post on novel-writing. See parts one, two, and three.
Writing tips are in bold.
This work is free, in an attempt to help aspiring writers, but please don't share it without linking to it here/proper attribution!
-------------------------------------------
PART FOUR
If I've learned anything at all about writing, it's this: writing is like improvisation. If you make a mistake, make it fit within the lines of whatever else you're doing (see Plot Tar Pits for some exceptions). Some of my best characters have come out of me essentially thinking "oops, that wasn't my original plan...but you're fascinating."
When deciding to add something new: Does it fit the character(s)? Does it derail your plot's critical aspects? If your answers are yes and no, in that order, then "go for it" is likely my response.
The "easy" way to write: You need a general sense of your plot, and things that must happen for the story to make sense, then just kind of fill it in as it goes...making sure it makes sense for the characters. Be an actor. Act out your characters' lives on paper.
What I mean by that is this: my most useful tool, other than my computer, was a notebook I custom-designed with a quote (from moi) that said "Writing is acting, but on paper." Why? I'm getting inside the emotions and thoughts of a number of characters. I'm letting myself feel how they might feel, think how they might think, and having them act accordingly. I'm not just writing what they do. I'm getting a sense of who they are, and showing that to others. It's like method acting, but invisible.
It can be exhausting, and sometimes emotionally painful, and great.
"Great," you may say. "But you didn't answer my question. How did I get from 'I don't know how to make this plot into a book' to 'wait why is this already 350 pages long'?" In other words: "How do I make it long enough?"
I did answer it. What you should be asking yourself is not "how can I turn this idea into a long text," but "how can I tell this story, fully?"
Again - the journey. The length of a story doesn't matter so much. Did you tell it? All of it? (Mine passed the 350-page mark, then higher and higher until I began to, uh, worry. But I wrote it until it was complete. Editing is for later. Don't mash your story into a set of length guidelines. Tell the story. Let the audience get to know the characters, through those characters' actions and reactions. Write what is necessary. If it's too long, trim it later. If it's too short - are you really telling the entirety of the story? What else needs to be in there? Not filler (although it has its uses). Have you told the whole story? If not, don't hold back.
A note on writing for an audience
People often say they're afraid to have others read their writing. In my case, it's not due to fears about the quality; I've worked professionally with an editor for long enough that feedback is generally more useful than scary.
What's frightening to me is the other part, the emotional part.
I've said before that writing is acting, but on paper. I really think it's true. You have to do the emotional work, and then convey that to an audience; it's very personal, both in how the character acts and in how you depict how they act (and why or why not). I'm not surprised that writing is used as a form of therapy.
Because of that, there's generally a lot of the author on the page. It's easy for me to write fluff, cute scenes, even technical detail. Action is more difficult, but still doable. It's hard, though, to write things that have strong emotion, or suppressed emotion, because that requires me to dig down and express myself in ways I might not feel comfortable doing, especially to a potentially huge audience. To have to examine why I feel discomfort. To have to confess to myself why I had a character act or feel or think a certain way. Writing is an act of bravery in that sense, beyond just showing off technical skill. Be proud of that bravery.
Final thoughts
Write. Every day. As much as you can. Just start writing. Even if it's terrible. (You can often salvage good material from terrible writing.) Just write. If you're tired, if you're not in the mood, DO IT.
Think about the journey, not just the signposts pointing toward the end.
Just write.
-
© 2020 S. Z. Attwell
For more information, see my website: szattwell.com
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by
Glenn
(new)
Mar 24, 2021 01:24PM
Some great pointers and ideas in this four part blog. Thanks so much for sharing your journey and process of writing!
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Quite a journey! Thanks so much for sharing it. To me, it's a strong reminder of the deep reasons behind my love of writing. I do it for the journey and for the acting. I want to experience different lives than my own. I want to live them out through the eyes, body and heart of real characters. I want to experience the truth of their experience. I want to know them better than I know myself. I want a taste of their world, a hit from their pains and sorrows; I want to know their joy and wonder. I want it all, and I see no better fulfilment than reading it out of thin air, and putting it down on the page. By the way, if you make a book out of this, I want to buy it.
