I feel like i'm in a huge maze. How do I understand what to do?
Replies
Like Lorraine, I'm not sure of how to answer your question.
I have posted a basic writing guide for a would-be author. However, I'm not an expert. How you choose to proceed is up to you. I hope you find my tips of some use to you.
WRITING TIPS
One main storyline: keep the storyline as straight and clear as you can make it.
Central themes: eg, Revenge, Duty, Desire, Greed, Hate, Betrayal.
Be careful that there are not too many changes of geographical settings or locations.
When you change, have a strong reason for doing so.
One main character: not too many characters, a maximum of five or six is best.
Focus the readers like and dislike in your characters. How do the characters function:
Elianor is sensible, Marianne is over-emotional, and Macbeth is ambitious.
Round characters are key.
Flat characters play minor roles.
OPENING TO THE NOVEL
Your opening should be dramatic, straight Into the Action.
Frame by frame continuity.
CHARACTERS
What are the functions of your characters?
What makes each character uniquely different from each other?
Define your characters by their actions, and by what they think and say about each other
SENTENCES
One thought one sentence - Bertrand Russell
Each Sentence: What is My Basic Point
If in doubt over a choice of words, opt for the simple word over the longer more complicated word.
Keep sentences short, use simple vocabulary.
Sentences should be visual and speakable.
Build sentence round a person or solid object.
CHAPTERS
Chapters should be between eight to twelve pages. Where necessary, they can be as short as half a page, or two, three, four pages in length.
Chapters should have broad themes, yet be strong as a unit.
A chapter should link with the preceding and following chapter.
Chapters should have a dramatic opening. A landmark signpost, ending with a cliff-hanger or a hook.
Who or what is the chapter about?
Where is the chapter set/location?
Each chapter should be a water-tight, self-contained episode.
PARAGRAPHS
Short paragraphs are best – long paragraphs only if it is necessary.
A break in the text occurs at a change of, Subject, Time, Place and Viewpoint, indicated by asterisks or a white space between sections.
DIALOGUE
Make sure that the dialogue between characters is relevant, that it advances the plot and storyline. Only use stream-of-thought for secret, or private, or highly individual experience. Do not use dialogue or streams-of-thought to explain to the reader what is obvious to the characters. It’s a lazy way to convey information. The reader should be drip-fed information and left to work out what will happen.
It is vitally important to have your characters talk to each other.
Use characters’ streams of thought to let people know their inner world; perhaps reveal things that would not be revealed in any other way.
What did your characters, think, see, hear, smell, taste or feel.
Is your dialogue speakable?
Does your dialogue make sense when spoken aloud?
CAN I SEE IT
Have something visual on each page.
Use your imagination to picture the scene you are writing about.
What do your characters see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.
Use vivid descriptions.
Use real life experiences to describe characters, scenes and locations.
FAMOUS AUTHOR’S ADVICE
Henry James: Dramatize, dramatize, dramatize. Add as much credible drama as possible.
Ruth Padell: Show Don’t Tell. Do not narrate when your characters can explain themselves and each other, by what they say, think and do.
Professor Walter Allen : Settings should be generally motivated.
What is the purpose of the setting?
What is its role in the novel?
Raleigh: Good novelists are great novel readers.
James Patterson: Outline, outline, outline. Plan you novel. Have the beginning, middle and end. List your chapters before you start writing.
FR and QD Leavis : The Function of characters, their roles in the novel should be made clear.
What is unique to each individual character?
Alain: (French Philosopher) An abstract style is always bad. Your sentences should be full of stones, metals, chairs, tables, animals, men and women.
I suggest you get a copy of, Aspects of the Novel - E M Forster.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
Readers are free to copy my guide and modify it to suit themselves.
Like Lorraine, I'm not sure of how to answer your question.
I have posted a basic writing guide for a would-be author. However, I'm not an expert. How you choose to proceed is up to you. I hope you find my tips of some use to you.
WRITING TIPS
One main storyline: keep the storyline as straight and clear as you can make it.
Central themes: eg, Revenge, Duty, Desire, Greed, Hate, Betrayal.
Be careful that there are not too many changes of geographical settings or locations.
When you change, have a strong reason for doing so.
One main character: not too many characters, a maximum of five or six is best.
Focus the readers like and dislike in your characters. How do the characters function:
Elianor is sensible, Marianne is over-emotional, and Macbeth is ambitious.
Round characters are key.
Flat characters play minor roles.
OPENING TO THE NOVEL
Your opening should be dramatic, straight Into the Action.
Frame by frame continuity.
CHARACTERS
What are the functions of your characters?
What makes each character uniquely different from each other?
Define your characters by their actions, and by what they think and say about each other
SENTENCES
One thought one sentence - Bertrand Russell
Each Sentence: What is My Basic Point
If in doubt over a choice of words, opt for the simple word over the longer more complicated word.
Keep sentences short, use simple vocabulary.
Sentences should be visual and speakable.
Build sentence round a person or solid object.
CHAPTERS
Chapters should be between eight to twelve pages. Where necessary, they can be as short as half a page, or two, three, four pages in length.
Chapters should have broad themes, yet be strong as a unit.
A chapter should link with the preceding and following chapter.
Chapters should have a dramatic opening. A landmark signpost, ending with a cliff-hanger or a hook.
Who or what is the chapter about?
Where is the chapter set/location?
Each chapter should be a water-tight, self-contained episode.
PARAGRAPHS
Short paragraphs are best – long paragraphs only if it is necessary.
A break in the text occurs at a change of, Subject, Time, Place and Viewpoint, indicated by asterisks or a white space between sections.
DIALOGUE
Make sure that the dialogue between characters is relevant, that it advances the plot and storyline. Only use stream-of-thought for secret, or private, or highly individual experience. Do not use dialogue or streams-of-thought to explain to the reader what is obvious to the characters. It’s a lazy way to convey information. The reader should be drip-fed information and left to work out what will happen.
It is vitally important to have your characters talk to each other.
Use characters’ streams of thought to let people know their inner world; perhaps reveal things that would not be revealed in any other way.
What did your characters, think, see, hear, smell, taste or feel.
Is your dialogue speakable?
Does your dialogue make sense when spoken aloud?
CAN I SEE IT
Have something visual on each page.
Use your imagination to picture the scene you are writing about.
What do your characters see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.
Use vivid descriptions.
Use real life experiences to describe characters, scenes and locations.
FAMOUS AUTHOR’S ADVICE
Henry James: Dramatize, dramatize, dramatize. Add as much credible drama as possible.
Ruth Padell: Show Don’t Tell. Do not narrate when your characters can explain themselves and each other, by what they say, think and do.
Professor Walter Allen : Settings should be generally motivated.
What is the purpose of the setting?
What is its role in the novel?
Raleigh: Good novelists are great novel readers.
James Patterson: Outline, outline, outline. Plan you novel. Have the beginning, middle and end. List your chapters before you start writing.
FR and QD Leavis : The Function of characters, their roles in the novel should be made clear.
What is unique to each individual character?
Alain: (French Philosopher) An abstract style is always bad. Your sentences should be full of stones, metals, chairs, tables, animals, men and women.
I suggest you get a copy of, Aspects of the Novel - E M Forster.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
Readers are free to copy my guide and modify it to suit themselves.
In relation to what? You need to narrow this down, Narisse!