Tagged: writing advice
Writing Pitfalls: Pacing
Unlike with some things like dialogue or grammar, pacing in a novel is not that easy to fix. Every author writes differently (obviously) so of course everyone is going to make different mistakes. The only tried-and-true method for working out pacing issues is getting a good developmental editor, but I’ve decided to write some tips to help you avoid the most common pitfalls when it comes to pacing.
Pitfall #1: Not enough/too much background information.
One of the problems that I most commonly encounter, particularly in fantasy and science fiction is that the writer is trying so hard to have a fast-paced story that they leave out information that could help the reader actually understand the story. In fantasy it’s important that you reveal information about your world and the rules therein to your reader or they’re really not going to care what’s happening. The same goes for science fiction, which also has the added difficulty of explaining science to both newbies to the genre and hardcore fans.
As a writer it’s hard to separate what information you’re imparting to the reader from what information you have up in your head that seems obvious to you, the creator. One of the best ways to figure out whether you have enough background is to get some beta readers. If they’re left with more questions than answers by the end of the novel you’ve got some more writing to do.
Conversely, if a reader doesn’t need to learn about every family’s bloodlines, motivations, hair colour, eye colour, etc. then you’ve got some rewriting to do to take out that irrelevant information. It’s important for the reader to be able to distinguish secondary characters from one another but if you as a writer really need to focus on making your main characters pop out. This not only helps the reader follow your story but helps with the plot so you don’t get too bogged down in secondary character subplots. Continue reading
4 Lessons Writers Can Learn from Opera
Opera has a reputation as a rather dreary art form, full of over-complicated/ridiculous plots and fat women screeching. Nothing could be further than the truth in a lot of cases. And rather than mocking opera without even trying it, many people would do well to learn lessons from it. Writers especially because it may come as a shock to some, but opera imparts some very important lessons to us. The following are just some of them.
Lesson: Good characters can have terrible flaws.
As taught by: Tosca, Ernani, Aida and La Boeheme.
In Tosca, the title character (who is a notable singer within the opera) is the epitome of a wonderful person: she’s sincere in her faith, tries to do good in the world and her love for Cavaradossi (a notable painter and her lover) knows no bounds. Except that Tosca becomes wildly jealous when she sees that Cavaradossi has portrayed another woman as the Madonna in his painting in the church in Act 1. She is haunted by the woman’s eyes and they argue back and forth before Cavaradossi finally changes the Madonna’s blue eyes to black eyes like Tosca’s.
Normally I’d say that extreme jealousy like Tosca’s would make me hate a character, but it works in her case. She’s a good person but has a fatal flaw: her jealousy. The same is true in real life, as I’m sure we’ve all noticed. Even the best people in our lives can have horrible character traits and that’s something authors really need to recognize. Yes, even the main character of the novel has to have something unlikeable about them. That’s how real life is so why should fiction be any different? Continue reading
My Interview with John Heldt
John Heldt is the self-published author of The Mine, The Journey and now, The Show, which is the third of five books in his Northwest Passage series dealing with time travel. His books don’t go into detail about how the time travel occurs, but that’s not the point! Read on to see John and I discuss self-publishing, time travel and future projects.
1. Your new book, The Show, is coming out the week of February 17. Is it separate from the previous two books in the Northwest Passage series?
The Show is the sequel to The Mine and will likely be the only true sequel in the five-part series. Each of the Northwest Passage books will have similar themes and settings and have at least one common character – Joel Smith – but only The Show will be directly tied to another book. I decided to write The Show because many readers who enjoyed The Mine wanted a sequel and wanted that sequel to answer specific questions, such as how Grace found Joel, what became of the couple after they reunited, and whether Ginny ever learned that she would become Joel’s grandmother. All three questions are answered. I should also note that The Show is very much Grace’s story. She is the one constant in a
roller-coaster ride that spans three distinct eras.
2. What made you decide to focus on the characters and the history rather than the technical aspects of time travel?
Great question. I decided to focus on the former because it is what I know and what interests me. I cared less about gadgets and the technical considerations of time travel than how ordinary people would react if suddenly thrown back to the past – and specifically the past of ancestors they’ve known. Continue reading
Writing the Popular Novel by Loren D. Estleman
(Cover picture courtesy of Amazon.)
Writing great fiction is, quite simply, hard work. It requires dedication to the craft, hours of thought and research, attention to detail and sentence structure, a clear understanding of the submission process, and so much more. In Writing the Popular Novel, Pulitzer Prize-nominee and award-winning author Loren D. Estleman draws on his vast experience to teach you the awareness and skills you need to turn your efforts into a rewarding, exciting experience.
Estleman offers invaluable instruction on the craft behind writing commercial fiction and provides you with a smart, honest look at today’s competitive publishing industry. This thorough guide features:
- A detailed overview of literary genres with information on how to decide which one is right for you.
- Instruction on how to conduct research and how to make the leap from research to writing.
- An in-depth look at dialogue, point of view, and other writing techniques.
- Tips on how to know who your target audience is and how to deliver a story that will keep them reading.
- A look at more than twenty opening lines from popular novels, with ideas on how to create your own.
- Advice on working with agents and editors to develop a successful, long-term career.
At once thoughtful and engaging, Writing the Popular Novel provides new and experienced writers with an unmatched resource for writing and selling their fiction!
Writing the Popular Novel was the first book on writing I ever picked up and I’m glad it was because it remains one of the best ones I’ve ever read. It’s comprehensive, concise, and gives practical advice on dealing with rejection from agents and editors.
One of the things modern writers (especially self-published ones) may not like is Loren Estleman’s views on self-publishing. But you have to take into account that this book was written in 2004, before self-published writers had access to all of the great resources that are out there now. More people are becoming accepting of self-publishing (myself included), but things weren’t nearly always like that. Self-published authors are still looked on with disdain now, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was in 2004, or even 2009.
Other than his little spiel about self-publishing, Writing the Popular Novel is just as relevant today as it was in 2004. Loren Estleman explains the five different points of view authors may use, how to write believable dialogue, using an outline, writing the climax of your novel and so many more practical things authors should learn about. He also debunks some of the most prevalent and annoying myths that frequently crop up in fiction, especially ones about guns. As someone who grew up in a rural area, I find myself laughing until I cry at some gun scenes in novels and short stories. Please don’t be the author that makes me do this; I (and other reviewers) will call you out on your faulty research.
With an entertaining style and practical, relevant advice, I would recommend Writing the Popular Novel to any writers, both new and experienced, traditionally published or self-published. If you’re going to buy only one book on writing, this should be the one.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
*Unfortunately, it’s out of print right now so you’ll have to pick up a used book or see if it’s been made into an ebook.