Storytelling

Or, learning the subtle and not so subtle art of telling stories.

I am trying to perfect my skill with each and every story I write, but one thing I have learnt over the years is, this is an ongoing process. One that will continue till they hammer the last nail into my coffin with me still yelling, “but I’m not finished editing!”

No matter how many books I’ve written over the years (about 26 and counting) the process is—at its heart—basically the same, you just have to sit down and write. How it gets finished though is another matter. It’s an ongoing process of writing, editing, cutting, tweaking, editing again, then writing some more till (a) you either fall off your chair, (b) your fingers bleed, or (c) your brain explodes … or you arrive at the point where you know, to go on, is suicide.

At this point your story is as finished as it’s going to be—it’s time to hand your manuscript over to your editor (or beta reader) in the hopes that they will spot all your mistakes. And then? It is on to round 2.

In there, somewhere, you hope you’ve managed to craft a story, create three dimensional characters who readers will identify with, over coming tough situations, in a manner that transforms them, and maybe, along the way, the reader as well … and maybe, you get it right and then? You know you are on the road to becoming a credible storyteller.

Welcome to the road and seeing where it goes next!