Welcome to "Writing Advanced" Now that you have an own spot and scribbled down stuff. It's time for the next step.
Everyone can write but the key is how do you package it, how do you present it, how do gain and most of all 'keep' your readers happy?
Everyone is talented, everyone has something to share. The problem is WE think we're NOT good enough! WE sabotage our own talent!
Well, be done with it and be PROUD of the talent that is 'simmering' inside of you! Daz.
Ready, set, plant!
Daz.
2. Writing advanced
2.1 Techniques
Creating stories isn't just putting words randomly on paper or typing it on a machine in the correct order.
It's about creating a different world and letting people escape in it with witty characters you love or despise. Character building is about giving everyone in your book a 'designated' role they have to fulfil or abandon.
Scene building is about how events occur and their consequences. Chronology or with flashbacks? Dialogue or narrative?
Last but not least, the 'wooden frame' of your story called 'the storyboard' with the needy timelines and the W rule.
2.1.1 CHARACTER BUILDING
2.1.1.1 protagonist
I know, this is the 'posh' word for your lead character in your story. The one who will take you on trip to timboektoe or anywhere but here, LOL.
Your Protagonist will become your BEST buddy, your soul mate cause your Protagonist will tell you his/her life story and maybe even his/her darkest secrets.
Yeash, your Protagonist can be male or female. It's how he or she shows up in your mind!
This doesn't mean you have to pamper him/her cause life isn't all moonshine but you can be the one that heals him/her and supports him/her through his/her tribulations.
If you write long enough on a story like I'm doing now with the Wonder boy project, you either become your Protagonist or realize it's the 'hidden' you emerging from the grave. Don't worry, if you're a girl and your Protagonist happens to a boy!
Does this scare you? GOOD, cause I don't want you to mail me and claim you can't get rid of this annoying guy or girl bugging you the whole time cause it might just be the 'hidden' you.
Anyway, as the story flows on into chapter after chapter. You get to know your Protagonist a little better. Just like friends get to know each other's quirks and talents.
Write in a way that readers will claim, 'you're one of them, right? '
First thing is you write in the "I version", makes it more personal and easy to 'crawl' into his skin. Readers will get to know your Protagonist as a 'friend' too.
Second, you describe your Protagonist into the 'finest' details. That gives 'depth' to your character and makes him more 3D than just 'a person on paper' .
Its handy to write out a 'Profile' so you when you write, you can always fall back on it and the story won't show gaps or inconsistencies like if he wears glasses on one day, he needs to wear them on the other day. Same goes for Medical stuff. If you give him a disease or a disability then you need to be consistent with that too.
WHY you ask? If you put him in a wheelchair one day and the next day, he walks around with no worry, it will destroy the validity of your story. See, the MORE detailed you make this 'Profile' the more 3D your Protagonist will become.
NOTE, you can also use this profile for any character in your book! Then of course, it's handy if you note what 'spot' the character is in.
Does it swallow up much of your writing time? Well, as you fill in this Profile, you will be hit by new inspiration and new insights into your character that will ultimately give you a 3D character.
Go on and create your soul mate,
Daz.
2.1.1.2 antagonist
In a story alongside the 'protagonist' , you ultimately have the 'antagonist' like a balance in your story. Like Ying and Yang or GOOD and BAD. If you want your story thrilling and entertaining?
You chose a BAD, EVIL or TWISTED character that wants to take your protagonist down and people will hold their breath turning the next page.
Your Antagonist can be someone that is jealous about your protagonist or was hurt by him and so wants revenge. Go ahead and make him the BADDEST boy or girl in town! Here you can also use the 'profile' to get a 'grip' on how BAD you wanna make your Antagonist and REMEMBER, he keeps the balance in your story cause even fairy tales have villains to slay.
2.1.1.4 b-characters
Last but not least you have the B-characters! More than often just forgotten by many. Just like the cleaning ladies at College but they are Bloody necessary indeed. What are B-characters, you say?
They also help the Protagonist like the Allies do but their 'influence' seems less and not so important but they need to be there cause the world doesn't revolve around 3 or 4 people, right? They usually feature like a sibling or a teacher or even a bus driver. Characters that exactly fill up the 'gaps' cause no one walks alone, okay!
There is NOT much I can say about B-characters. ONLY that they are the B cast cause your Protagonist needs family around or people that he just meets for a short period of time. Does it make sense here?
Well, let me give you an example here! Boy A is the Protagonist. He has family and if they don't feature as Antagonists or Allies, then they are simply B-characters. So, now everyone has his role finally! By 'casting' these roles, I'm sure 'inspiration' has flooded in on how they act and even how important their role is. Next time, we'll talk about the 'scene building' which includes Plotting (My fave part! ) and Dialogue vs narrative.
2.1.1.3 allies
The third party in your characters playlist are the allies. They are REALLY IMPORTANT too as they are the glue that holds everything together or should I rather say the 'invisible' protection shield not always appreciated by friend nor foe. Very handy though!
One, two or even three allies are the ones that rescue and so save the Protagonist from its 'early doom'. It's TRUE they are often seen as B-characters but I think they also have an IMPORTANT part in 'carrying' the story. Though, you have to make sure, they don't 'take over' the story and so don't push the Protagonist in a corner. They are still only 'allies' though some share the 'glory' to be the B-Protagonist. That's making it too complicated now, isn't it?
PROFILE of a Character: Name: Dreams: Date of Birth: Job: Place of Birth: Medical stuff: Parents: Views on the world: Siblings: Trauma’s: Friends: School: Foes: Work: Talents: Fave food: Quirks: Blind spot: Fave drinks:
2.1.2 Scene Building
2.1.2.1 plotting
This is my FAVE part in creating stories. PLOTTING is where you lay the first 'bricks' of your story.
What seems like endless discussions and dilemma you face are exactly for me the MOST rewarding part in writing.
The 'YEASH' moment is one of the most COOL ones where you face a dilemma or need to solve a plot and your muse comes up with a cool solution.
Plotting explained is like that... Now, you have a series of events where you drag your characters through. What happens first? What is cause and affect? If you make him fall of a cliff... He's gone or saved in the nick of time?
That is what is wrong with 'soaps' in general, DUH! They forget the 'plotting' stage is an IMPORTANT phase in the story telling. It also makes your story RELIABLE and REALISTIC.
Example: A woman who dies in a car crash, can't show up the next day for work! That's NOT realistic! Okay, she can if she only dreamt it or if she shows up as a ghost... Then again, this is PLOTTING! You build a scene around the events that occur.
Happy plotting!
2.1.2.2 Dialogue vs narrative
In my humble opinion, it should have both. A book with only narrative as in what happens now and what happens next and a boring overdue description of the landscape or how they are dressed is over the top for me. Who am I hey?
Some people love to read narrative stories. Other peeps love dialogue. Dialogue is when two people have a conversation but it can also be thoughts.
I think that dialogues bring more flavour into a story and make it more lived through otherwise it's an article or a blog like this one I'm writing. This is an example of an narrative. No spoken words, just scribbles on paper and no I'm not gonna say what I'm wearing or how my office is decorated here...
I know there should be a balanced combo between dialogue and narrative cause too much dialogue and it looks like a written down movie script! Too less dialogue and looks like a project for College you had to pen down.
I know, I'm dissecting something that you should 'normally' feel like a dancer doesn't counts its steps too. For the sake of this blog, I'm babbling about the importance of a balanced story.
I could just say 'join the flow' and see where your Muse takes you!
2.1.3 STORYBOARD
2.1.3.1 Timeline
While plotting is my fave part in the whole writing process, storyboarding is my least fave thing to struggle through.
Inspiration and plotting is cool but that doesn't make it into a book, not one ready for the world so... The necessary evil is the 'storyboard' beginning with the timeline.
How are you gonna build up the story? Chronologic or with flashbacks? Don't jump on an idea too soon! This needs to be 'plotted' too! The flashbacks first needs to be written in the chronologic timeline and then 'transferred' into flashbacks.
Chronlogic seems the easiest way to write a book but it doesn't make it really thrilling so I love to 'reveal' flashbacks or stuff you didn't know and discover now what gives the story even more depth.
Chronologic has the tendency to get 'boring' in my point of view cause like your own life, you don't know everything at a certain age and sometimes you gain insights later in life. It's the same with a story. Your characters grow and reveal themselves too and not always when you expect them to do it.
2.1.3.2 action vs theme
I'll try to babble about this now. A story is build up around action or/and a theme. You don't have to choose between them cause both are good!
It's just the balance you need to consider. How much action are you gonna put in it and what about your theme? Get to the point, right?
ACTION: is everything you drag your characters through. Quarrels, fights, wars, every day struggles and so on...
THEME: is simply what 'taboo' would you like to 'present' here (bullying, abuse, ...) or what 'flavour' would you like to give your story (Romantic, drama, humour, Psychological).
That's all there is to it, really.
Daz.
Example, my main female character in one of my novels never really 'revealed' herself of why she does stuff this way. Since, she has a daughter now, she reveals more about herself through her daughter and so I can write this in 'flashbacks' or even in people talking about her.
Hard to swallow this last paragraph? Don't worry, It's confusing for me too sometimes. You just have to ask your Muse what he means with this and of course where the 'scene' fits into the timeline.
Oh, me babbling here... I almost forgot to talk about what a timeline is, duh! It's simply a series of events that glues all your scenes together. Example: Happy couple! Boy loves girl. Girl dies. Boy mourns girl.
See 'timeline' is chain of following events here chronologically. With flashbacks, it could be like this: Boy mourns girl now. WHY? Boy loves girl but girl was ripped away from him too soon!
Get it now? Happy Puzzling on your timeline!
Daz.
2.1.3.3 The W rule
The "W rule" comes straight from a course in Creative writing which simple means that your 'timeline' should follow a "up and down" hill road through the story. I do say 'should' cause if you're writing a story, you usually don't think about it cause it comes naturally. A Victory is usually followed by a 'black hole' cause you lived up to this moment and what now?
Life itself is like a 'loop hole' or the shape of a W. I'm sure that's why it's called the W rule and not the S or T rule, LOL.
The W rule simply 'rules' that your characters go through different phases that makes them grow eventually. It's like you need to stand in the rain to see a rainbow. Only out of 'misery' there is a lesson. When you have a 'flat line' in your story... You have NO story, period! So, the W 'shapes' your Thrilling story!
Okay, have enough for a BEST seller? Go on and do it better than I do!