Category: Design

Posted on

Don’t be Predictable

It’s important for the author to insert him/herself into the plot; that helps in creating a great story. But don’t let the story be predictable. Ernest Hemingway at times stopped in the middle of a page and walked away for half a day or so to refresh his mind. The noted radioman, Paul Harvey, always had a twist in his narrative called, “The Rest of the Story.” The turn-of-events took his listeners – and readers of his books – by surprise, and left them wanting more.

Unless predictability is your purpose, design the plot with those sudden surprises that will capture your readers’ attention and keep them reading. One of your primary means of doing that is to …

Write Creatively

Posted on

Fulfilling Your Dream of Writing – Step 8

What have we discussed for the past 7 sessions?

Okay, so it hasn’t been a discussion; it’s been a monologue. But you know what I mean. What ideas have I mentioned and you’ve (hopefully) been considering?

  1. Choose a comfortable place to write.
  2. Develop a writing routine.
  3. Decide on a theme.
  4. Design your three basic sections.
  5. Define your characters.
  6. Draw on your imagination. (That is my favorite.)
  7. Grab your reader’s attention. (That was my most difficult.)
  8. …… Oh, we haven’t talk about his one yet. Well, let’s get to it.

The first book I wrote years ago was titled Charter of the Christian Faith. I worked hard at it. On one hand, friends and the publisher were pushing me to get it done! And, let’s be honest: I was hoping to sell a lot of them.

On the other hand, some relatives and the publisher were telling me that I was building in some fatal flaws. One interesting factor was that the publisher was on both sides – pushing me to get it done and strongly suggesting that I make major changes. Have you ever felt trapped? Yep, I felt trapped like a hungry coyote.

I gave in to the pressure and had it published – flaws and all. But I rewrote it some years later and republished it under the title, Truth not meant to be Hidden. Same basic info but I took out the unnecessary stuff, had it edited, and now the meat of the book can be found, eaten, and digested. (You can find the book at https://www.amazon.com/Truth-not-meant-Hidden-Becoming/dp/B0BRYWHZDS.)

Step 8 that I missed in that list above is simply, Give Yourself Time to Write.

Unless you’re a professional writer with deadlines to make while earning large bonuses, do not crowd your calendar. Yes, you may have a deadline, and you may need to put your pen to the paper…or fingers to the keyboard…but plan accordingly. You have a lot of other responsibilities in addition to writing, so give yourself time to relax. Allow yourself to efficiently and effectively meet your deadline without getting stressed out. If you remember to develop your writing routine, and stick with it, you will surprise yourself in how much progress you can make.

You might have already figured out that pressure can put the lid on creativity. It does for me. So develop your writing routine. Make your list of characters and let your imagination tell you what they’re doing…or going to do. And if you are writing well, your characters will grab the readers’ attention.

There are a great many other ideas on the internet. Take a class on creative writing. Join a writer’s club. Ask questions. Interacting with other writers can be a great source of inspiration and encouragement.

This 8-step series is completed, but come back Monday. And while you’re waiting for Monday, check out our web site at: https://wordpress.com/view/plpubandlit.org.

Have a pleasant weekend.

Write Creatively.

Posted on

Fulfilling Your Dream of Writing – Step 4

Where are we? You’ve chosen a writing place, you’re probably still thinking about a writing routine, and a theme might be puzzling you. But that’s okay, you’ll get it.

Today let’s briefly discuss the idea of Designing Your Three Basic Sections.

In this blog, we’re not addressing front and back matter. They are what comes before and after the story the author wrote. All that comes later.

Why do many, if not most, people recommend three sections of the book? Why not 2 or 4 … or even 5 sections? Well, you can have 5 sections. Read Freytag Pyramid to learn more about it. But normally a novel has 3 sections: the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution.

In the setup, you will create an idea for the beginning, middle, and end to the story. You want the beginning to give the reader background information related to the characters and the plot of the story. You introduce, through various means, the reader to the people in the book and to the dangers. And, of course, you add mystery that you do not explain. The intrigue needs to grab the reader’s curiosity so he won’t put the book down.

The middle, most of the book, will develop the main theme. This is where the tension grows, the bulk of the action takes place. The hero is almost overcome by the challenges and obstacles. It seems that disaster waits for him or her at every turn.

The third section will provide a resolution of the plot. Again, you might want to look at Freytag’s Pyramid or Matthew Luhn’s book, The Best Story Wins for helpful ideas.

What is considered the most important part of the book?

The most important part of a book can vary depending on the book itself, the author’s intent, and the reader’s perspective. However, generally speaking, the most important part of a book can be considered as … well, I suppose the most important is the story itself. Write it with excitement, adventure, intrigue.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Write Creatively

***************************************

For information about P&L Publishing and Literary Services, please check out our web site. https://plpubandlit.org/