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Stream Of Consciousness Writing: Our Full Guide

As authors, we work hard to engage our readers. We try to ensure emotion is on the page, craft dialogue that\'s realistic, and make sure our settings place our audience at the heart of our stories. But if you really want readers to get a sense of your character\'s inner thoughts, writing stream of consciousness can be an incredibly powerful and effective device. This writing technique allows you to express the deepest inner thoughts of a character, and as a literary technique, it can bring the reader much closer to the emotion of the moment. In this article, I will provide a stream of consciousness definition, explain a little about the history of this writing technique, how you can utilise it within your own writing, and walk you through a few stream of consciousness writing examples. What Is Stream Of Consciousness Writing? Stream of consciousness is a technique that allows the reader to ‘listen to’ and fully understand a character\'s deepest and unordered thoughts. It’s a technique often used to highlight the complicated ways our thoughts move from one idea to another and allows the writer to delve deep into the mind of a character and their most vulnerable thoughts. Using this technique means allowing a river of words to flow directly as they form in your mind, through your fingers, and onto the page without restriction. It\'s a literary device that is used most commonly (but not exclusively) in fiction and poetry. Understanding Steam Of Consciousness To understand stream of consciousness, you need to first ignore the rules you learned at school regarding punctuation, grammar and structure. Our thoughts very rarely come as fully formed sentences, so when writing stream of consciousness, you need to embrace that and learn to write your inner thoughts exactly as they manifest in your mind. Embrace run-on sentences that are often interrupted by other thoughts, and questions that lead you from one path to another, and don’t be scared of heightened emotions. Often in fiction we are warned to use repetition sparsely, but our brains are often repetitive, and so fixating on certain words or repetitive thought processes can highlight the cyclical process our brains use to make sense of the world. Repeated words or phrases are often used to highlight the importance of significant themes. Our brains don’t ‘think’ using punctuation, and so it very rarely has a place in this particular writing style. When writing stream of consciousness, many authors use italics, line breaks, ellipses and dashes to indicated pauses in thought processes or shifting directions. Essentially, within this writing style, you are urged to break the rules you were taught and embrace the messiness of the human brain. What Is The Difference Between Inner Monologue And Stream of Consciousness? There are some fundamental differences between internal monologue and stream of consciousness, and using each technique comes with its own set of rules. Understanding the difference and when to use them is essential. Inner monologue takes the inner thoughts of your character and forms them into fully coherent and structured sentences. This writing technique allows us to understand a character\'s thoughts but only contains the information that the author needs us to know. As a literary device, inner monologue still uses accepted forms of grammar, syntax and traditional structure with a natural progression from one thought to the next. In comparison, stream of consciousness tends to be much less ordered than interior monologue. The author will use the freedom of thought without restriction to immerse the reader in the unfiltered thoughts of their character. Our own inner thoughts are often chaotic, we don’t think in full sentences, often argue with ourselves and question our own thoughts. The stream of consciousness technique highlights this and allows us to see the chaotic nature of the human brain. The History Of Stream Of Consciousness In Fiction The term \'stream of consciousness\' was first used by the psychologist William James to describe thought patterns in psychology, long before it was used in literary circles as a narrative style. Back in 1894, James defined stream of consciousness in The Principles of Psychology as “consciousness as an uninterrupted \'flow\': \'a \'river\' or a \'stream\' are the metaphors by which it is most naturally described.” Later, clinical psychologist Matthew Welsh, MS, PhD went on to further explain this, “Stream of consciousness is writing the first words or thoughts that go through your mind without actually planning or consciously thinking about what you are writing. Some people may refer to it as automatic writing.” The stream of consciousness narrative has been used in fiction for centuries, but literary circles first highlighted the technique in the early 20th century when describing works by the likes of James Joyce, Marcel Proust and Virginia Woolf. It’s hardly a surprise that these authors adopted such a technique as it was widely understood that they all had a deep understanding of (and a desire to explore) psychology, and embraced the exploration of thought processes and internal character development to express turmoil and the messy chaos of the human brain. Looking back, we can see seedlings of stream of consciousness developing in Shakespeare’s works, with soliloquies in both Macbeth and Hamlet showing what would develop later into stream of consciousness. But it wouldn’t be until the early 20th century that writers would abandon use of punctuation and embrace ‘flow’ and actively discuss the use of stream of consciousness to deepen the understanding of character and emotion. Examples Of Stream Of Consciousness In Literature In the early 20th century, Virginia Woolf used this technique often, with two of her most notable novels To the Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway using stream of consciousness as a narrative technique to draw the reader in. As we can see in the below example, Woolf uses stream of consciousness to voice the internal feelings of Mrs Dalloway and explore memories of both past and present, moving freely from past to present and giving us an insight into the characters true unordered emotions. What a lark! What a plunge! For so it always seemed to me when, with a little squeak of the hinges, which I can hear now, I burst open the French windows and plunged at Bourton into the open air. How fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave; chill and sharp and yet (for a girl of eighteen as I then was) solemn, feeling as I did, standing there at the open window, that something awful was about to happen … Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Poet and author Sylvia Plath often used the technique in her work, and most notably so in her novel The Bell Jar. Telling the story of a woman’s journey through depression, the use of stream of consciousness makes this piece of writing one of her most powerful and allows the reader to really experience the disordered thinking of someone struggling with mental illness. More contemporary examples of this technique can be found in works such as Beloved by Toni Morrison. This novel, published in 1987, contains many beautiful and evocative passages, but the following example, in the voice of the main character Beloved, perfectly highlights all the techniques associated with this writing style. I am alone I want to be the two of us I want the join I come out of blue water after the bottoms of my feet swim away from me I come up I need to find a place to be the air is heavy I am not dead I am not there is a house there is what she whispered to me I am where she told me I am not dead I sit the sun closes my eyes when I open them I see the face I lost Sethe\'s is the face that left me Sethe sees me see her and I see the smile her smiling face is the place for me it is the face I lost she is my face smiling at me Beloved by Toni Morrison Morrison does not use ‘correct’ grammar or punctuation at all. Repetition is prevalent and the gaps in the text highlight the pauses the ‘brain’ is taking in between thoughts. Other examples of stream of consciousness writers are James Joyce, David Lodge, William Faulkner and Leo Tolstoy. How To Use Stream Of Consciousness In Your Writing It’s often difficult to break out of learned skills and techniques, and ‘free writing’ can feel unnatural to those who have spent their lives writing in a structured manner. Try some of these techniques to free your brain. 1: Limit Distractions It’s so important not to have external distractions interrupting your flow. Be fully in the mind of your character; don’t distract yourself with your own surroundings for inspiration. 2: Try Meditation This can help with limiting distraction. Free your mind entirely by meditating and focusing solely on your character and the story in front of you. Getting into a state of stream of consciousness writing often means getting into a state of flow and focus. Mediation can help unlock that space in your brain where you can truly embrace free writing. 3: Do NOT Self-Edit! This is particularly hard for those who are used to writing in a structured manner. To truly understand the thought process of the character, you need to embrace the messiness of the brain which means not polishing those words into perfect prose. If your brain hops from thought to thought, let it. 4: Create A Detailed Character Profile Character profiles are incredibly helpful no matter what style of writing you are attempting, but when it comes to stream of consciousness, it is vital to know your character inside out. 5: Try Using Writing Prompts Use some tried and tested writing prompts. Having a specific topic to bounce from will give you a small feeling of structure to start with, but make sure to stay in the head of your character and free write as much as you can, remembering not to self-edit along the way. Tips For Writing Stream Of Consciousness Now, it wouldn’t be writing if there weren’t a few contradictions to take into consideration. As much as I have stated that there are not ‘rules’, and though I’m telling you to embrace the messiness, there are a few guidelines you need to take into consideration. 1: Stay Character Focused Remember that stream of consciousness must always be character specific. Focus on the thoughts of your character. Stay in their mind, not your own. 2: Don’t Stop! Follow your characters thoughts all the way to the end, even if the thought process changes direction. Embrace each fork in the road. 3: Ignore The Rules Don’t use structure, or grammar, or any other ‘learned writing skills’. What Are The Benefits Of Stream Of Consciousness? Each technique we learn as writers benefits us in different ways, so what are the benefits to learning how to write in a stream of consciousness style? Overcome Writers Block If you are struggling with writer’s block, freeing your mind up to really delve into the motivation of your character can be the perfect antidote. If you’re struggling to organise your thoughts, free writing using stream of consciousness can help you get them all down on the page and reveal aspects of your character that you weren’t previously aware of. Emotional Release Writing is often used as therapy and using this technique can be incredibly useful when attempting to tap into the deeper emotions of your characters, or indeed yourself. Adopting this technique will free up thought processes you would generally edit out of your own work. Elevate Your Writing Skills To become a better writer, you need to write, write and write some more; however, developing new skills in your author\'s tool chest will always help you become a stronger writer. Stream of consciousness is a technique used to shed light on the deepest and darkest parts of our soul, so this kind of free writing can often illuminate areas we never knew existed which can result in you becoming a better, more well-rounded writer. Frequently Asked Questions Why Do Writers Use Stream Of Consciousness? Stream of consciousness is a great way to allow your reader to truly ‘hear’ the thought process of your character, to see their true and undiluted thoughts and connect of a deeper level with the emotions. Is Writing Stream Of Consciousness Hard? Like any writing technique, it’s something to learn, but it’s a valuable technique. Like everything, practise makes perfect, but it’s a writing technique that can unlock interesting thought processes and is often a fun process to use in the beginning stages of developing an entire novel. Stream Of Consciousness Writing Like all writing techniques, stream of consciousness is something you can learn, but practise makes perfect. Many will struggle to break away from the restrictive lessons we have been taught when it comes to traditional rules surrounding structure, grammar, and syntax. However, embracing the chaos can elevate your writing, provide invaluable insight into your characters, and truly draw the reader in to your story. So don’t be afraid, jump in with both feet and swim around in the chaos of the mind. You never know what you might discover.

Yellow trees, November winds

I’ve just finished reading a novella, Small Things Like These, by the Irish writer, Claire Keegan. People liked that book – a lot. Hilary Mantel said, ‘wastes not a word … exquisite.’ Colm Toibin said, ‘The best novel I read this year.’ It was a Book of the Year in more publications than you can shake a stick at. It starts like this: ‘In October there were yellow trees. Then the clocks went back the hour and the long November winds came in and blew, and stripped the trees bare. In the town of New Ross, chimneys threw out smoke which fell away and drifted in hairy, drawn-out strings before dispersing along the quays, and soon the River Barrow, dark as stout, swelled up with rain.’ The simple, accurate, unshowy style is applied to descriptions of the hero’s inner life as well. Like this: Eileen was fast asleep, and for a while he watched her, feeling the need of her, letting his gaze idle over her bare shoulder, her open, sleeping hands, the soot-black darkness of her hair against the pillowslip. The longing to stay, to reach out and touch her was deep, but he took his shirt and trousers from the chair and dressed in the dark, without her waking. More is happening in that passage than it first appears. He lets ‘his gaze idle’ – that’s a good phrase. And he’s looking at a ‘bare shoulder’, which is nicely balanced. The word ‘bare’ suggests a waft of sexual attraction, but the humble word ‘shoulder’ keeps the moment restrained and almost innocent – exactly matching the couple’s interactions. Even hat last little touch about him dressing in the dark is a light but telling way to suggest the husband’s basic kindness – his willingness to suffer (a tiny bit) to allow his wife a better sleep. So: good writing, but also humble. ‘Bare shoulder’ might be a good phrase, but it’s hardly showy. ‘Soot-black hair’ is pretty darn close to cliché (albeit a cliché that works nicely here, in a domestic setting with a coal fire downstairs.) And in a way, that’s what a lot of people think novel-writing is all about. Find a character. Find a theme. Find a story. Connect all those things up with a vividly realised sense of place. Use prose that is as accurate as possible. Make sure that characters feel real. That emotional moments connect. Claire Keegan, no question, did all those things – and the critical response was amazing. She was shortlisted for a few literary prizes and won two. So: that’s one model for excellence. Spare, accurate, cumulative. Plenty of writers come to this game thinking that’s what they have to aim at. That that’s what good writing is. But it isn’t. It’s what one model of what good writing is. There are others, and just as good. Here’s another author opening a very different sort of book: Lyra and her daemon moved through the darkening Hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen. The three great tables that ran the length of the Hall were laid already, the silver and the glass catching what little light there was, and the long benches pulled out ready for the guests. In one way, that passage is a simple enough description of a traditional Oxford college hall. Except -that fourth word. You know immediately that Philip Pullman (the author of the book, Northern Lights) has created something strange and fantastical. A world where a girl moves through it with a daemon (in this case a brown moth) alongside. That fourth word instantly eliminates any possibility that this book is going to be an accurate description of any world there’s ever been. Whatever follows that fourth word, Pullman’s excellences are not the same as Keegan’s. He’s taken her model, and trashed it. Now, OK, Pullman was writing fantasy and kids’ fantasy at that, but there’s more than one way to pull away from Keegan. Here’s the first paragraph of Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses: The candleflame and the image of the candleflame caught in the pierglass twisted and righted when he entered the hall and again when he shut the door. He took off his hat and came slowly forward. The floorboards creaked under his boots. In his black suit he stood in the dark glass where the lilies leaned so palely from their waisted cutglass vase … He looked at the face so caved and drawn among the folds of funeral cloth, the yellowed moustache, the eyelids paper thin. That was not sleeping. That was not sleeping. There’s no daemon, but this certainly isn’t Claire Keegan either. On the one hand, this is an acceptably accurate description of a non-fantasy world. But at the same time, McCarthy’s language is busily reshaping the world. He’s not entering the world as a mere reporter-of-detail. He’s entering the world with an intention to remake it. Take that sentence about the black suit, the dark glass and the leaning lilies. McCarthy writes, ‘In his black suit he stood in the dark glass.’ That sounds accurate enough – but it isn’t. He didn’t stand in the glass (a mirror), he stood in a room. By putting the man into the mirror, McCarthy takes an ordinary scene and transmutes it into an oil canvas, painted in lights and darks. It’s a canvas where where the lilies (leaning ‘so palely’ from their waisted vase) seem just as alive as the man. With his opening paragraph, McCarthy is effectively telling us, ‘Look, this world might be as real as Claire Keegan’s, but I’m going to show it to you in my way. I’m going to take an ordinary moment – man, flowers, mirror – and put a twist on it, my twist. You’re going to be reading what follows as much to see what I do as to see what the characters in my story do.’ McCarthy and Pullman both draw attention to themselves. Pullman says, ‘I’ve created an astonishing world. Do you want to explore it?’ McCarthy says, ‘I render my world in an amazing way. Do you want to explore all that I can do?’ The reason for hammering away at these things? Because a certain type of creative writing class can often tend to present the Keegan way as the only real way to write literature. And that’s just not true. Literature is baggy, expansive and creative. One strange line, one strange thought, can set the tone for an entire book. (‘Lyra and her daemon …’). Some books spring from exactly that disruptive impulse. My Fiona Griffiths books arose, more than anything, from her voice. Who the heck talks the way she does? Who has her humour? Her craziness? Her toughness? Her brain? Her dislocation? Her introspection? By creating a voice – an assertive, non-standard voice that takes the Claire Keegan model and shatters it – I created a book or, in fact, an entire series. So, yes, write like Claire Keegan if you want to. That’s a wonderful way to write and the people who are best at it are terrific writers. But if you don’t write that way, don’t think you have to. The best disruptors write wonderfully too. Literature is huge and capacious. Enjoy the space. And (go on, why don’t you?) behave disruptively and see what happens. PS: You know the Ultimate Novel Writing Course? The one that’s had over 600 prospectus downloads in what seems like little more than a week? Yes, well I forgot to tell you last week that there’s 10% off the price to anyone making an application before the end of this month. Good to know, right? Details here. And, yes, places are limited and demand seems very strong …

Types Of Heroes: Crafting Your Characters

There are times when a character just leaps off the pages of a book and makes a home in your heart. There are times when a character simply draws you into the pages and keeps you swimming in the book, unaware of the real world around you. And then, there are also times when a character makes you want to punch them in the face, only to root for them as the story unfurls. In this article, we’re going to figure out how your hero can be one such compelling character. We’ll go through the definition of hero, types of heroes, and how you can make your own character evolve into the hero you want them to be. What Is A Hero? A hero is the sole protagonist of a story; they are the main character. They often have admirable qualities, even if they are flawed. But they could be nearly villainous characters too, who, by way of the story, develop some of these admirable qualities. There can be multiple things that make a hero out of a character– apart from the fact that you, the writer, chose this character to be the hero, of course. However, undergoing testing circumstances is one thing that\'s sure to make a character a hero. Heroes have Herculean – yet human – struggles. It’s the extraordinary human spirit that they show that makes them heroes. No matter the kind of personality your hero has, if they’re not metaphorically thrown under a bus, they don’t feel human enough for your readers. Heroes\' character arcs pretty much dictate the narrative of the story. The journey of the hero is a process and framework in itself. You\'ll likely have heard of the various stages of a hero’s journey. If not, well, Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey is the quintessential writer’s guide to all things character. No matter their journey, though, heroes largely fall into seven categories. Types Of Heroes Here are the seven different types of heroes: Epic Hero Noble birth, seemingly divine powers, and God-like perfection are the hallmarks of an epic hero. Epic heroes are nearly invincible, with superhuman abilities, making them willing soldiers who fight for their people. Epic heroes can be found in mythology (Hercules) and superhero comics alike (Superman). Hercules Hercules is arguably the best example of an epic hero. He’s the embodiment of what the ancient Greeks considered ideal. Be it battling monsters, performing feats of strength, or rescuing those in need, Hercules is the ultimate fulfilment of Grecian perfectionism. Even when, in some accounts, he kills his own wife and children, he seeks out redemption from his sins, making this trait a kind of perfection in itself! Superman He might have been raised as an ordinary human being by his adoptive parents, but Clark Kent is anything but ordinary. If anything, his otherworldly powers make him a near-Messiah sent to planet Earth! Even when his powers deteriorate in the presence of Kryptonite, Superman’s bravery and sense of duty never fail. Classical Hero Often depicted as brave, strong, and selfless, classic heroes are willing to put their own lives on the line to protect others and fight for justice. They are characters who have abilities, skills, or powers that set them apart from their peers and contemporaries. They might seem ordinary at first, but as the story progresses, they reveal themselves to be extraordinary. Harry Potter, Spiderman, and Luke Skywalker are such classic heroes. Harry Potter Harry Potter is a classical hero in more ways than one. Of course, the fact that he comes across as a scrawny preteen, but is actually a wizard, makes him a top qualifier for this hero type. He’s brave enough to willingly confront the Dark Lord Voldemort. Even better, when he wins the elder wand, the most powerful wand known to the wizarding world, he chooses to bury it so that its power doesn’t make him, or others, evil. Come to think of it, his immensely strong sense of right and wrong makes Harry an archetypal character to look up to. Spiderman Peter Parker is an average and rather dorky guy until he gains special abilities. As Spiderman, he has superhuman strength, speed, and agility. Despite having such powers, he’s unable to save his uncle from a fatal gunshot. Losing his uncle comes as a great personal loss for Peter. And yet, when it comes down to seeking revenge, Spiderman is a very willing hero, who chooses forgiveness over brute force, time and time again. Everyman Hero The everyman hero is the type of hero who represents the ordinary person, rather than the larger-than-life figures typically associated with epic heroes. They may not have superhuman powers or incredible abilities, but they\'re able to overcome obstacles through their determination, resourcefulness, and ordinary human strengths. They may not be as flashy or impressive as more traditional heroes, but they are no less admirable or heroic for it. Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games andFrodo Baggins from Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings are pretty much the epitome of the everyman hero archetype. Frodo Baggins Frodo is a comfort-loving hobbit and not particularly special – and certainly not powerful – on his own. Though, with some help, he takes on the monumental task of destroying the One Ring and defeating the dark lord Sauron. Frodo persists in his quest, through bravery, resilience, and a deep sense of responsibility. He might be ordinary, but Frodo’s inner strength is extraordinary. Ultimately, Frodo represents the idea that anyone, no matter how seemingly insignificant or unremarkable, can rise to greatness and do something truly heroic. Katniss Everdeen Katniss is all of sixteen years old when she has to represent her district in the Hunger Games. It’s a brutal annual competition in which young people are forced to fight to the death, and yet, Katniss emerges as the victor, using her survival skills and resourcefulness. Throughout the series, she becomes a symbol of hope and rebellion for her fellow citizens. Despite being a hero, Katniss is very realistic as a character. She can’t forgive her mother who abandoned her; she has a first-born complex, if you will, trying to protect anyone younger than herself, just as she does her sister Prim; and she also suffers from PTSD. Anti-Hero The traits of an anti-hero are more villainous than heroic. They are selfish, greedy, dishonest and immoral in various ways. Often, they have a troubled past that chisels their layered personalities. However, in the end, they do the morally right thing, because they know deep down, that they want to do good. “Felonious” Gru from the animated movie Despicable Me and Han Solo from the Star Wars series are great examples of anti-heroes. Gru Gru starts out as a supervillain who is bent on stealing the moon, and even goes so far as to adopt three girls as daughters, just to trick his enemy. But as the story progresses, he begins to develop a sense of morality and even becomes a caring father figure to the orphaned girls under his care. In the film, we get a glimpse of Gru’s mother who’s cold and distant towards him. It is possible that her emotional unavailability shaped Gru’s villainy to some extent, as he often does villainous things for attention – something his mother wouldn’t give him. But in raising the orphaned girls, he finds himself nurtured too. It’s how he starts using his skills and resources for heroic deeds, instead of villainous ones. Han Solo Han Solo starts out as a cynical smuggler, driven purely by self-interest. However, as the story progresses, he becomes more selfless and heroic, eventually joining the Rebel Alliance and becoming a key player in the fight against the Galactic Empire. Han Solo ultimately becomes a heroic figure as he learns to put aside his own interests and fight for a greater cause. He is a classic example of an antihero, capable of both good and evil, but ultimately choosing to do good. The Tragic Hero This type of hero is a classic figure in literature and drama, particularly in the tragedy genre. Tragic heroes are usually noble and have a tragic flaw that ultimately leads to their downfall. Think Romeo from Romeo and Juliet and Oedipus from Oedipus the King. Popular fiction has them too; Jay Gatsby is also a typical tragic hero. Jay Gatsby Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald\'s novel The Great Gatsby, is a self-made man who goes from rags to riches, but through questionable means. He\'s manipulative, selfish, and greedy. His inability to let go of the past and his obsession with reclaiming his lost love Daisy Buchanan, leads to his downfall, making him a typical tragic hero. As a result, Gatsby serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed, excess, and obsession. Oedipus Oedipus’ ego and pride blind him to the truth of his own identity, leading to a series of horrifying events, ultimately ending in his downfall. Oedipus is determined to solve the mystery of the plague that is afflicting his city and to find the murderer of the previous king, Laius. In his pursuit of the truth, he discovers his own responsibility in the death of the former king, who was his father, and how he has ended up marrying his own mother! Byronic Hero A Byronic hero is a type of character that embodies the qualities of the romantic hero, but is troubled by their own brooding nature and rejection of societal norms. They are depicted as being intelligent, charismatic, and emotionally intense. But they are also prone to mood swings, self-destructive behaviour, and a sense of alienation from society. Lord Byron\'s own literary alter ego (Childe Harold), Heathcliff from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are great examples of the Byronic hero type. Heathcliff Heathcliff fits this mould perfectly. He’s a complex and troubled character driven by his passions and desires. He is fiercely independent and rebellious; he refuses to conform to the expectations of those around him. Despite his all-consuming rage, Heathcliff is also deeply vulnerable. His actions are often motivated by his intense love for Catherine, the woman he is unable to have. Mr Darcy A proud and haughty man, Mr Darcy looks down on those around him, particularly the Bennett family. He’s also slow to form friendships or connections with others, even though he develops a passion for Elizabeth Bennet. However, as the novel progresses, he begins to reveal his true nature, which is marked by a deep sense of honour. Reluctant Hero A reluctant, or unwilling, hero is a type of character who is thrust into a position of heroism, often against their will or initial desires. These characters may be reluctant to take on the mantle of a hero because they feel unprepared, unsure of their abilities, or simply because they don’t want the responsibility that comes with it. They may initially resist their role as a hero, but they ultimately embrace it and use their unique skills and talents to make a positive difference in the world. Ove from Frederick Backman’s A Man Called Ove and Ned Stark from George R R Martin’s A Game Of Thrones are great examples of this hero type. Ove Initially, Ove is a grumpy old man who resists the changes brought about by his new neighbours, and is unwilling to get involved in their lives or help them in any way. Despite his initial reluctance, Ove softens and goes out of his way to help others. In fact, he becomes a mentor and a friend to the whole neighbourhood. In the end, Ove\'s transformation from a grumpy and solitary man to a selfless and caring hero is a central theme of the novel. Ned Stark Ned is a man of honour and integrity who values duty and loyalty above all else. When King Robert wants to recruit him as his Hand, Ned is reluctant to take up the role. He’s much more comfortable as a follower, than he is as a leader. However, when it comes to doing the right thing – like saving the Targaryen girl’s life – he makes use of his position wisely, but at great personal risk. His strong sense of duty and morality make him a good hero, even if he’s reluctant to accept that status. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Classify A Hero? A hero can be classified based on their personalities, archetypes, and functions. A hero’s personality is essentially the kind of individual they are, archetype is the role they play in relation to other characters in the story, and function is the value they bring to the society in the story and to readers. The seven types of heroes mentioned in this article are classified largely based on the hero’s innate personalities. What Are The 7 Types Of Heroes? Here are the 7 types of heroes based on their personalities: Epic hero Classical hero Everyman hero Anti-hero Tragic hero Byronic hero Reluctant hero How Can You Create A Compelling Hero? Decide what type of a hero your character is most likely to be. Make sure you have clarity on your hero’s journey and its stages. Ensure the tasks ahead of them seem insurmountable. And don’t forget: your hero needs to be as relatable as possible, flaws and all. Hero Archetypes As an author, it’s highly beneficial for you to see what type of a hero you’d like your character to be. And it’s okay if it feels like there are overlaps between different types of heroes in the case of your own protagonist. For instance, Byronic heroes and everyman heroes are often also reluctant heroes. But that’s just the complexity of characters. As long as you know primarily how you want to represent your hero, you’re sure to have a strong narrative arc to your story.

Oana Velcu-Laitinen’s Success as a Non-Fiction Author

Debut non-fiction author Oana Velcu-Laitinen has had an up-and-down journey to publication. Now, having successfully launched her first non-fiction book, \"How to Develop Your Creative Identity at Work\", with Apress (an imprint of Springer Nature), she\'s learned a lot on the way. We spoke to Oana about using our editorial services, the surprising parts of being a non-fiction author, and the importance of finding a writing community. JW: Tell us a bit about you and your writing. Is this your first book? When did you start writing, and why? Ever since childhood, as a hobby, I’ve experimented with literary genres like poetry, short stories, novels and play scripts. In my professional life, in my late 20’s, I earned my PhD in Economics. Writing a book on creativity was not an aspiration for me ten years ago. Back then, I didn’t know that ‘the psychology of creativity’ existed as a domain of knowledge. Fortunately, in a moment of serendipity, I came across a blog article on the habits of highly creative people, which radically changed my professional life. The more I delved into research on creative thinking and creative beliefs, the more I got interested in writing about the versatility of creativity - a concept we all think we know. I couldn’t get the desire to write a book on the diversity of creative personalities out of my mind. My book, “How to Develop the Creative Identity at Work”, was published by Apress in October 2022. I like to think of it like a manifesto that reminds us to enact in our professional roles the multidimensionality of creativity: the out-of-the-box thinking, the resourcefulness, the creative skills and the drive for competence. Now after trying my hand at non-factual writing genres as a hobby, a doctoral thesis and a non-fiction book, I understand that writing is my medium of creative self-expression. JW: What were the challenges you faced when finding a publisher? In 2019 I started writing the first draft of the book. I knew nothing about the publishing industry, but I did have experience in writing and publishing academic papers. I learned that the quality of your ideas and the brand awareness of your university were both opening the doors to having your papers considered by academic journals. Fortunately, in a moment of serendipity, I came across a blog article on the habits of highly creative people, which radically changed my professional life. In June 2021, when I started pitching my non-fiction book to publishers, I realized I faced three challenges, at least: I had a book on a niche topic that was not in the field of expertise of the editors I was pitching the book to. I was a first-time author. I have been working as a knowledge solopreneur for 6 years. My clients know the value I provide - but my name meant nothing to the editors I was reaching out to. Yet, I was driven by my vision to write a book that brought a refreshing perspective on creativity. I hoped to contribute to the field but skip the academic filter, carrying the message directly to the general public. At the end of September 2021, chance showed kindness to me when an editor from a traditional publishing company in London replied with interest in my submission. We exchanged a couple of emails that kept me awake at night and led to no deal. JW: What kinds of resources did you find useful along the way? Like a person who burns their feet walking on hot sand, I had burnt my aspirations stepping into the publishers’ territory. I started looking online for a writers’ community that would tell me that everything would be sorted out one way or another. And that’s when Jericho Writers came into my life. I hoped to contribute to the field but skip the academic filter, carrying the message directly to the general public. It didn’t matter that Jericho addressed fiction authors mostly. Reading the free newsletters reminded me that I am not the only person in the world with a book to publish. After joining Jericho, I decided to change my strategy and reach out to literary agents. Throughout November 2021, I kept receiving replies like, “Thank you for your submission. We considered your work, and unfortunately, we feel it isn’t a fit for us.” I started to look at the bright side: “Well, at least they replied politely.”. I then opted for the Jericho Writers mentoring service and agent one-to-ones. All the while, I was looking forward to Harry’s next email. In one of the December 2021 newsletters, he asked the question, “Do you love your writing?” That question gave me energy. In January 2022, I bought the Agent Submission Pack Review. Paul Roberts, the editor who reviewed my application, helped me revise the query letter and inspired me to rewrite the book\'s introduction. Overall, meeting Paul was like breathing fresh air after weeks of illness. He also confirmed my guess that for a non-fiction book, it’s best to pitch the book directly to the publishing houses. With renewed strength, I got back to reaching out to traditional publishers. In March 2022, the editor of a publishing house in the US showed interest only to decide after two weeks that it wasn’t a fit after all. Then, with the last drops of hope, I sent my application to Apress, an imprint of Springer Nature. The submission must have been sent under a lucky star, as at the beginning of April 2022, I signed a contract with them. Meeting [my editor] was like breathing fresh air after weeks of illness. JW: Were there any surprises? After the introduction talk with the acquisition editor at Apress, she asked me to provide the name of an expert in the psychology of creativity - a professor who would be the technical reviewer for the book. I knew many names of prolific researchers in the field but have never been in contact with any of them. In my panic, I remembered a paper that I liked so much that I’d heard myself saying, “One day, I’d like to work with this author.”. Thanks to Apress, that day had come. I emailed professor Vlad Glaveanu the introduction of my final manuscript. He replied within a few hours with an enthusiastic “yes”, agreeing to be part of the editorial team. Publishing a non-fiction book on a niche topic as a first-time author is a test of how much you love your writing and how much you believe in your idea. And to pass the test and keep your sanity, it helps to have a community that lifts you up and the luck to find an editor who is giving a chance to books they haven’t considered before. Publishing a non-fiction book on a niche topic as a first-time author is a test of how much you love your writing and how much you believe in your idea. JW: Do you have any advice for writers looking for a home for their non-fiction book right now? I would avoid setting a timetable for getting the book published. It took several months to find my publisher, and in many cases it can take a lot longer. Instead, focus on reaching out to one publisher at a time and working with yourself to stay hopeful. So, how do you stay inspired during this time? Firstly, I believe that the professional network is a safe haven. Who are the people in your network who have published books? Reach out to them, and ask them about their success and failures. What did they do right so that you can adapt to your circumstances? Second, online writers\' communities can provide refuge and fuel hope. There are many communities out there - you’ll just have to find the one that suits you. For instance, the thing I liked most about Jericho Writers was the underlying feeling of authenticity and talent for writing, above all else. Online writers\' communities can provide refuge and fuel hope. Third, remember that there is a time and place for everything. A time to lose hope. A time to gain it back. A time for dead ends. A time for victory. As long as you keep a flexible mind and try out new strategies, you will be closer to your goal. And there can be situations when changing the goal enables the successful publication of your book. Fourth and last, do not shy away from taking a break and allowing yourself a boost of positivity with someone you love or doing something else that you love. Writing means a lot for authors, but if we let it take over everything else, writing becomes an obsession. And we want to keep it as a passion that makes us into the best versions of ourselves. About Oana Oana Velcu-Laitinen is a NeuroLeadership coach and trainer with focus on creative thinking to enhance work performance. So far, she has worked with researchers, change leaders, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking career growth. Oana holds a PhD in Economics from Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, Finland. Her motto is, “To know job satisfaction, know your creativity.” Find out more about Oana\'s book here. She also offers NueroLeadership coaching here. Follow her on LinkedIn, and listen to her on Teach the Geek Podcast, IDEAS+LEADERS, & CloudReachers.

Character Goals: Choosing Your Characters’ Aims

When it comes to the stories that stay with us, it’s often not a compelling plot, or even a book’s premise, that we remember: it’s how the characters made us feel, particularly when they achieved their hard-won goals. Because character goals are less visible than gorgeous prose and slick metaphors, they get less attention than they should, despite how they shape our experience. Today, that’s what we’re here to remedy. In this article, we’ll cover: What are character goals? Why are character goals important? Internal vs. external character goals Character goal story examples How to create goals for your characters A definitive list of character goals Frequently asked questions So, what exactly are character goals, and how do you choose the aims of characters in your stories? What Are Character Goals? Character goals are the objects of a character’s wants or needs, and what their actions aim to achieve. When we talk about character goals, this usually refers to a story’s main character (a.k.a. the protagonist), though other characters can and do have their own agendas and goals, too. A character\'s goals can be externally and internally driven — preferably, both. In her book on writing craft, Story Genius, Lisa Cron defines these difficult goals — because if they were easy, there would be no story, right? — as the ‘story problem’. This problem isn’t just the “single, escalating problem” a main character can’t avoid, it’s one that “causes the protagonist to struggle with a specific internal conflict”, with that character’s development changing their worldview by the end. Ideally, we want both external and internal goals because they carry more weight. Cron states that “story is about … what the protagonist has to learn, to overcome, to deal with internally in order to solve the problem that the external plot poses.” This is true of the stories that stay with us; they resonate, not because of the compelling plot, or even how unique the concept is, but because we identify with the main character and the meaning they make from what happens to them. But just why are character goals important? To answer this, let’s look at what happens when we take them away. Why Are Character Goals Important? Picture this, in any category or genre: you’re reading a book with a main character that you like enough, with a plot that’s interesting enough, and the writing’s fine. But for some reason, you’re just not loving this book. It’s not gripping you. Why? You decide to give it one last chapter. Finally, at the end of that chapter, it hits you: the main character is coasting. The book’s plot is action-packed, but this character is just being propelled from scene to scene and doesn’t really seem to mind, or care. In fact, you don’t actually know what the main character cares about at all. Cool… Except that you’re experiencing the story through this main character’s eyes. If they don’t care, you don’t care. You’re not invested. And now, you’re about to toss that book right out the window. Now imagine that it’s your story, and someone else is reading it. See the problem? According to Lisa Cron from earlier, “this is where writers inadvertently fail … they write and rewrite and polish an impressive stack of pages in which a bunch of things happen, but none of it really matters”. The reason why is this: without internal and external character goals, it’s not a story. This is why character goals are so important, because they connect the stuff that happens in your story to why we should care ie. because your main character cares. Personal goals give characters agency, a reason to slog forward against all odds. Sometimes the story might start by giving your character a good shove first, but eventually, they’ll need to take the wheel. When they do, it’s generally because a key obstacle has arisen in the story’s central conflict. When your character\'s goal and obstacle are equally strong and opposed, this is where the magic happens, as it ratchets up tension, suspense, and in turn, the conflict. No one will be tossing your story out the window, now! So, we know why character goals are so crucial to great storytelling, and we’ve talked about internal and external goals. Now let’s dig a little deeper into them. Internal Vs. External Character Goals Internal Goals Internal goals come from inside main characters, and are motivated by their wants and needs — which can be different. For example, in a dystopian story, your character’s ‘need’ may be survival, but their ‘want’ may revolve around never having found love before the apocalypse (sob). The simplest yet broadest breakdown of personal goals that I’ve seen is psychiatrist Dr. William Glasser’s \'Choice Theory\', which lists 5 basic needs: Survival Love and belonging Power Freedom Fun If you’re looking to pin down a character’s goal, thinking big picture like this can be a good place to start (more on this later). Circling back to Lisa Cron again, one of the ideas she proposes in her book is that not only does each main character have a goal, but they also have what she refers to as an “impossible goal: to achieve [their] desire and remain true to the fear that’s keeping [them] from it”. What Cron is saying is that, deep down, there’s an internal obstacle that’s self-sabotaging your protagonist, and it’s your job as a writer to develop their character arc so that they can grow by the story’s end. Which is brilliant! Yes, it’s another conflict to manage, but it also ups the stakes in a way that adds layers and breeds authentic characterisation, so your character is deeply three-dimensional. This can prove to be exciting if your main character is an unreliable narrator — think the protagonist Tyler Durden in Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, and that finale. External Goals External goals originate from outside main characters, often in the form of some other character (eg. the antagonist) or organisation’s visible goals. These external character goals are where the surface events of the plot come in, with the goal being a one-sentence summary of what the main character is trying so hard to do, like save the world from the big bad villain. External goals can also include less personified objectives like finding an item, winning a war, or reaching a destination. Character Goal Examples The Fellowship Of The Ring By J. R. R. Tolkien Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series is a good one to start with, as most people have either read the books, watched the films, or at the very least, seen the memes — and know that “one does not simply walk into Mordor”. Yet, this is exactly what main character Frodo Baggins’ external goal is: to journey to Mordor’s Mount Doom and toss the One Ring into its fiery pit. Frodo’s internal goal is trickier. On the surface, you could say that it’s his struggle not to succumb to the ring’s terrible power; but really, in the book, it feels more about fulfilling Bilbo’s legacy as a way to thank and honour his uncle. Wuthering Heights By Emily Brontë Apart from being a brooding gothic romance on par with Romeo and Juliet, Brontë’s seminal classic is also a fantastic example of internal goals fuelling external goals, and those goals changing over time. Enter Heathcliff, a homeless child adopted by the Earnshaws, whose external goal is to survive usurping the family’s son as the new favourite. Heathcliff’s internal goal is love and belonging, which he finds with the Earnshaws’ daughter Catherine. But when Mr. Earnshaw dies and that son relegates Heathcliff to lowly servitude — and Catherine agrees to marry someone else as marrying Heathcliff would degrade her status — Heathcliff’s external goals take a turn. He vanishes, returning years later with unexplained wealth, but Catherine is already married and dies after his return. Heathcliff’s love then morphs into vindictive obsession, as he takes revenge on anyone who got in their way… Or in his way, more generally. Her Majesty’s Royal Coven By Juno Dawson Times-bestselling author Juno Dawson’s 2022 hit is an urban paranormal tale about a UK government department of witches (cov.uk as their website? Utter genius). This book is another great example of blending an internal and external goal to drive the story. The main character is ex-HMRC witch Niamh, whose external goal is to protect young trans witch Theo from HMRC — whose leader thinks teen Theo is the prophesied ‘sullied child’ who’ll ruin them. Cleverly aligned is Niamh’s internal goal, which is to let people in after losing her husband to war a decade earlier, starting with fostering teenage Theo and ending in letting herself find love again. The Martian By Andy Weir Weir’s thrilling debut science-fiction novel (and 2015 film directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Matt Damon) tells the story of American astronaut Mark Watney. He’s stranded on Mars, communications with Earth are down, and his crew thinks he’s dead. Not surprisingly, Mark’s external goal is to survive until he can be rescued, with his internal goal equally about survival, just more in terms of mental health and never giving up in the face of adversity. Hamlet By William Shakespeare Lastly, Hamlet, like Heathcliff, is another example of a main character with complex, richly woven internal and external goals. Shakespeare’s play starts simply. Hamlet sees a family member’s ghost, his father’s, who tells him to avenge his murder as committed by Hamlet’s uncle (who’s become king and married Hamlet’s mother). Hamlet’s external goal is clear. His internal goal, however, is not wanting to kill his uncle, and he gives a multitude of reasons why throughout the story that essentially boil down to Hamlet being a thinker, not a killer. Yet this comes undone in the final scene, where Hamlet’s uncle moves to kill him — and, furious after all is revealed, Hamlet finally fulfils his deadly vow. How To Create Goals For Your Characters 1. Pre-Plan Your Character Goals I say pre-plan as I’ve tackled character goals after drafting a story before, and believe me when I tell you it’s way easier if you start with them! Not only do goals give you a main character’s internal compass, but they also tend to pre-populate that character’s responses to the story’s events. This means you’re less likely to feel as though you’re beating a path to the plot as you write it, and more likely to find your character drives the story — which is infinitely less stressful. Going back to our definition of external goals, these will generally be pretty obvious and dependent on your story’s concept: solving a murder, winning a competition, stopping a war etc. My biggest tip is to put that goal upfront as soon as possible, so readers know what they’re in for. Check out our list of goals in the next section for some ideas. 2. Include Internal Goals As you may have noted, internal character goals are massively important, as they help fully realise your main characters. Internal goals are easiest to pre-plan when you have either just a character, or a character and a good story idea, as leading with this means that you can jump straight into goals and character arcs. But all is not lost if you’ve been focusing on your story idea first. Here, the trick is to ensure your main character begins with an internal goal that aligns with or is upended by the plot, and therefore the external goal they’re working towards. I’ll give you an example: in my novel, the protagonist must travel to a new city and find an ancient object. However, her internal struggle is that she doesn’t believe that she’s the right person for the job; she’s afraid of what it will mean if she succeeds. This fear adds a layer of complexity, as well as upping the stakes as she’s not just fulfilling the plot — she’s self-actualising to prove herself wrong, and growing by the story’s conclusion as a direct result. 3. Plan Your Plot Points OK, so you’ve pre-planned both your character’s internal and external goals. Great! Now it’s time to put them into action. Plotters will love this part, but if you’re a pantser, it’s definitely worth your while, too — perhaps just in less granular detail. Your plot points will depend on what kind of story structure you’re planning to follow (three acts? Five acts? One of Christopher Booker’s seven basic plots?), but the key is to pin down a timeline so that each major step in your main character’s external goal, for example, happens when you need to amp up the story’s suspense. This helps to space out and pace significant events while still meeting each act’s milestones. 4. Consider Including Scene Goals If you’re a pantser, this may be a plot too far, but scene goals work to ensure that your main character’s external goal is on track, and they can also be used as a checklist for their internal goal and its development. And just to clarify — your character’s external goal can and may change (their ally was the baddie all along, what a twist!), so if that’s the case, scene goals will need to align with their internal goal instead. To do this, use an outline of your plot points to drill down into a list of story scenes. For each scene, then note your main character’s internal and external scene goals; which should be related to their overarching story goals. You can also do this for secondary characters eg. if they have POVs. 5. Write! You’ve done the hard work on character goals. Congratulations! If you’re inspired, by all means, get writing. If you want to give everything a little time to settle before you kick off, that’s OK, too. Just don’t forget to write! List Of Character Goals Internal Character Goals Realise potential (and overcome issues) Find family Find a place to belong Find love Live happily ever after Have fun Be remembered Find fulfilment External Character Goals Defeat evil Solve a crime Free someone (eg a family member) Get revenge Stop a war Protect the nation’s interests Challenge the status quo Start a revolution Find / steal an object Travel somewhere new / old Get a job Start a business Get rich / famous / powerful Win a competition Finish a project Get married / divorced Have a baby Recover from illness Settle a debt Make amends Survive Self-sacrifice Live forever Break a curse Change / save the past Fulfil a prophecy Change / save lives Save the world Frequently Asked Questions What Are Some Character Goals? Character goals can be internally or externally driven. Internal goals arise from inside a character, and are motivated by what they want or need. External goals come from outside a character, and are what they must undertake and usually succeed in by the end of a story. Examples of character goals include: overcoming self-doubt, finding love, solving a crime, defeating evil, finishing a project, getting revenge, or saving the world. How Do I Determine My Character’s Goal? To determine a character’s goal, try starting with psychiatrist Dr. William Glasser’s ‘Choice Theory’, which details 5 basic human needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. Depending on what your story is about, these should give you a jumping off point for a character goal that’s internal or external. What\'s The Difference Between A Character’s Goal And Their Motivation? A character’s goal is the object of their desire and what they’re trying to achieve, and can be internal or external in nature. This differs from a character’s motivation, which is the actual reason for their goal in the first place, and what drives them on. A character’s motivation is a result of the character’s life and guided by foundational beliefs, or misbeliefs — like seeking power due to an earlier loss of control. Choosing Character Goals As we’ve learnt, the stories that shape us do so because characters shape us — connecting us to their wants and needs, and to the authors who guide their hands. If we’re to learn and master such acts of modern magic, it’s up to us to create characters, with internal and external goals, that grow to leave readers spellbound.

Why?

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night. Wherever you are and whenever you get this, happy New Year – and I hope it’s going to be a cracking good one for us all. Just one question in today’s email. Why? Let’s just say you achieve your dream. You write a book. You get it published (or you publish it yourself). And – the gold at the end of the rainbow, the fairy on your Christmas tree – is simply this: that you get readers. Think for a moment how rare that achievement is. I mean: in the whole of your life ever, have you had the chance to talk at someone non-stop for four or five hours? And done so with that person’s freely given consent? Of course, you haven’t. I haven’t. But I have written a lot of books and I have had a lot of readers and I have – often, often, often – been granted the opportunity to dominate someone’s attention for hours and hours. And, sure, when you watch a film on TV, that film earns your attention for a couple of hours. A big TV series may hold your attention for much more, in aggregate. But those things – films, TV shows – are made by dozens, and probably hundreds, of different hands. A novel is more intensely personal. It’s like a powerline connecting your brain to the reader’s. There’s not a word or a comma in the book that you yourself haven’t chosen. How rare that is! How precious! One thought that arises immediately is you need to justify your remarkable status. If someone is disposed to grant you all that time, you have to honour their decision. That means showing gratitude. Respect. Appreciation. As an author, you can’t show those things in a normal way – you can’t say thanks, or send flowers – so you have to show those things in an authorial way: by putting the reader’s interests first, always. Does that sentence have two surplus words? Kill the words. Is that joke funny enough? If not, improve it or delete it. Is that scene intense enough? Is that page of flashback needed? Does that character feel lifelike? Again and again, you need to be asking questions whose purpose is to deliver the most perfect reading experience you can. It’s only natural, when you’ve been working a long time, to debate the necessity of shaving two words from what is essentially a perfectly functional sentence. How much will that act of love and duty actually improve things? The only realistic answer: terribly little. But … You. The reader. Five hours in their head. That’s such a unique and precious relationship, you need to add every terribly little drop of goodness you can. Collect up a lot of such drops, and your manuscript will visibly improve. You’ll feel it. Your reader will too. But I haven’t yet got to the purpose of this email. The WHY. So let’s say that a reader allows you five hours in which your voice, alone, will occupy their head and their thoughts. You’ve honoured that permission by making your manuscript the very best you can make it. You’ve shaved those words, you’ve cut those jokes. But, in the end, why? What are you going to do with that time? What do you want from it? It’s OK to say that you want money. That’s a valid answer, or part of one anyway. If you self-publish an e-book priced at $4.99, your time in someone’s head will be worth $3.50. If you publish traditionally, your per-book income will be a lot less than that, but still not nothing. If you work hard, it’s fair to be paid. So, yes, in part, the answer to that question of why has to do with getting paid. Nowt wrong with that. But still: why? I know you’re a serious sort. If getting paid was all you wanted, you’d find better ways of doing it than writing books. So if you tell me, “Sir, I want to earn an honest crust from my books and that is all,” then I’d say, “Pshaw!” I’d say, “Piffle!” I’d say – to your face and in public hearing – “Flapdoodle, hogwash, bunkum, poppycock and every sort of wallop you can think of, including plaice, haddock, eel and cod.” You want to show off a bit? That’s OK. You want appreciation? Why not. Most readers won’t write to tell you that they’ve enjoyed a book, but some will and silent appreciation is valuable too. Again, that’s a perfectly good reason for writing. But don’t you also want to put your finger on someone’s soul and change it, just an itsy little bit? Don’t you want your reader to rise from reading your most excellent book a slightly altered person? I think you do. I think you should. So: how do you want to alter that person? Over the Christmas holiday, I watched a bit of telly. I’m fond of an action movie now and again, but I do notice that plenty of them just make me feel slightly icky afterwards. A good guy has some reason to go after bad guys. He kills lots of them. Then there’s a one-to-one shootout with the top bad guy himself. The hero wins. He kisses the girl. End of movie. But very often, it all just feels like violence. Violent people chasing around after violent people. My soul feels a bit nastier, a bit dirtier, for the experience. The world’s got a little bit worse, not a little bit better. It doesn’t have to be like that and it’s not about the violence. Over the Christmas break, I watched The English, a non-standard Western, starring the predictably good Emily Blunt and the quite excellent Chaske Spencer. The series is violent. Almost too violent for me – I almost stopped watching. But – The series was rich in humanity and love for its characters. I ended up moved and uplifted. I felt, ever so slightly, like a better human being than I’d been before watching. And isn’t that the effect you want too? Isn’t that, in fact, close to being the very centre of why you write? I think it is for me. I think it should be for you. For all of us. We get five hours, alone, in someone’s head. Let’s use that time for good. Til soon. Harry PS: Though, you know what, the Wild West genuinely was pretty wild. In Victorian England, the homicide rate only once rose above 2 per 100,000 people. Mostly, the rate hovered at around 1.5, before dropping even further in the last two years of the century. In mid-nineteenth century California, by contrast, homicide rates averaged maybe 65 per 100,000 and, in Los Angeles, were closer to 200. So, yup, at least there’s some real historical veracity behind the killing. Jack the Ripper’s London was a whole lot safer. PPS: We sent out an email earlier this week telling y’all about the spring release of our Ultimate Novel Writing Course. The response was enormous. We’ve had (in total, including over Christmas) well over 500 prospectus downloads and we’ve already had an excellent number of strong applications. So – whoop-de-boop. This is a really excellent course. We keep tweaking it to make it better. The aim, quite simply, is to help you write and edit a novel in a year. We’ll also teach you the ropes on publishing and author-led marketing. A huge proportion of past students have had full manuscript requests from agents following the course. We hope it’ll do the same for you. More details here. And, yes, places are limited, so neither dilly nor dally. PPPS: Hmm. The first email I send out in January normally has a New Year’s resolution up and at em quality to it. Not quite sure that this one passes muster. But yes: up and at em. Action this day. Let’s DO this thing.

Flash Fiction Prompts To Spark Inspiration

Not having enough time for all the things we want to do and write is probably the single feeling writers relate to most. We all have those strewn around notes of new ideas and unfinished scenes that get tucked into a drawer for later. And they all go to live in the “unfinished” corner of your mind palace. But sometimes, you’re feeling inspired to write but you want a final result that same day, with some closure. If you want to be able to practice your craft and have something to show for it relatively quickly, why not write flash fiction. Maybe you can experiment, and write about an alternate universe or a post-apocalyptic future. In this article, you’re going to familiarise yourself with the nature of flash fiction, and you’ll get more flash fiction writing prompts than you\'ll know what to do with. What Is Flash Fiction? Flash fiction is a very short story with a word count of approximately 100 to 1000 words. (Unless, of course, you\'re writing a story of just six words, like the one often attributed to Hemingway.) These short stories usually start right in the thick of the action, at a dramatic moment, since there isn’t a lot of time to warm up. But the short nature of this sudden fiction form is also what makes it so exciting. Flash fiction needs to feature some form of growth or development for the main character, as it\'s still a complete story, which can be challenging given the constraints of its length. You can also play with different perspectives, from that of your best friend, to an evil wizard, or the young boy next door. To make things easy on you here are some prompts for your great flash fiction story, separated by genre: Flash Fiction Prompts General Prompts He stood outside the Chinese restaurant on 5th street a little too long to appear as someone contemplating the menu. But it was now or never. He had to tell her. The door swung open and he took his chance. “This is not what I had in mind,” she said to her sister, as she picked the lock to the local metaphysical store. A moment later it gave a satisfying click. She felt disappointment spread through her. “These experimental drugs don’t even work. What are they supposed to do again?” Pushing a pram through the mall made shoplifting easy. \'The Christmas rush\', James observed, as he walked slowly through carol-filled Westfield, \'only made it easier\'. She took one look at her new roommate, and realised she had made the biggest mistake of her life. “Why are you wearing a wedding dress to the office?” she asked incredulously. I looked in the mirror, at the sea of diamantes and lace. “I have my reasons.” “You look exactly like someone I used to know,” she said to the barista. The woman was trying her to best to ignore her, but Liz pressed on. “Where do I know you from?” She opened her husband\'s text messages, even though she knew she shouldn’t. He was in the shower and she only had ten minutes maximum to prove her wild theory right. I wasn’t supposed to speak at the wedding, and yet there I was, microphone in hand. 160 or so faces looking at me with concern. “Why are you wearing Mum’s boots? You know it’s forbidden.” She pointed at the cupboard and smiled, “The treasure is in there.” “The code is 2412, but hurry we are running out of time.” He had crashed his car and knew he would have to do the rest of the journey on foot. The green dress was waiting for her in her hotel room. “I can’t believe you brought me here,” she said to her husband. “You said that was the last time.” Fantasy Prompts One thing I didn’t expect was for there to be goblins in the world. And I really didn’t expect them be chewing on my furniture in the middle of the night. She should never have cast a spell in the garden centre. “When I said elves are good creatures,” her father thundered through the living room, “I didn’t mean bring one as a date to Thanksgiving!” “Get the hell out of my way.” Suzy blinked in horror; not just because that was a rude way to start the day, but also because that was the first thing her cat had ever said to her. Eliza always thought that vampires were supposed to be sexy. The man currently gulfing down Greek yoghurt from her fridge, fangs barred and creamy white for everyone to see, was decidedly not sexy at all. As the beast soared into the sky, Kiera realised this was going to be the last time she would ever ride a dragon. “Here you go,” the yellow-eyed mermaid said as she returned my mother’s locket to me. “And next time you scuba dive, don’t be so sloppy.” She wasn’t like other girls... She could smell people’s emotions from miles away. He downed the sweet potion and felt the spell spread through him. This was going to be one Bowling State Championship no one was likely to forget. Eliza touched the flowers on the grave and they came back to life. “Being an elemental has its perks,” she said to her sister. “Now let’s get what we came for.” The werewolf was waiting for her in the alleyway, artefact in hand. She ran her hand against the merman’s scales, and smiled. Romance Prompts The last person you want to run into when you’re buying Ben and Jerry’s in bulk in your hometown’s Costco is your ex-boyfriend. The second is his mother. “I’m pretty sure you are not supposed to find your divorce lawyer cute!” she whispered so he wouldn’t hear. He had walked me home. The entire 6 miles, through the city and in the rain. It was time to tell him the truth. “From the first time I saw you dancing on stage, I knew there would be no one else.” His lips were inches from mine, his breathing heavy. “Say that to my face,” he growled. He pointed up at the ceiling and grinned. “What about the mistletoe?” “If you walk out that door, don’t bother coming back.” She took a step back and closed it. 1333 roses were waiting in her living room that morning, just like he had promised. She kicked one of the vases in anger. “How dare you? After everything you’ve done, how dare you come back to this bakery?” “Just shut up and follow directions,” she said, guiding his hands through the pizza dough. He checked his pocket. There it was, a phone number with a little heart next to it. “Who is your date?” her boss asked. “I’m not sure. I just met him on the bus ride over here.” He kissed him beneath the cherry blossom tree. Just in time for the festival to begin. Thriller Prompts She looked down at the latest case file and took a bite of her cinnamon swirl. You would think looking at this kind of stuff would rob someone of their appetite, but double homicides only made Jennifer hungrier. Her dog whined and pawed at the door, just as the outside sensors went off and a stranger became drenched in light. “There’s something really wrong with this innkeeper,” I whispered to my wife as we took turns looking through the peep hole. The innkeeper knocked again as I shuddered. “Why is he holding a candelabra?” Lucas was the first patient to ever tell me they had killed someone. As I sat there, facing him across my fancy office furniture, I wasn’t sure what my next move should be. “Stop looking at me like I killed my husband,” Clara laughed that tinkling laugh of hers. “Here, try a cookie instead. Oatmeal raisin, my mother’s recipe.” It was a very strange party. For one, all the drinks were mocktails. And two, there was a body in the living room. He was standing right in the middle of the driveway, wet and angry. So, she pressed on the gas pedal. “Open the garage door,” she screeched, clawing at the metal. “Open it!” A shadow moved between the trees. Bruce tucked his camera away. The precinct was a lot smaller and a lot quainter than she had imagined. It was a good day to identify a body. She took a step forward. Holiday Prompts I held on to the stair railing for dear life, and looked down at the party. There was only one face I recognised, and it was the last one I wanted to see on Christmas day. Suddenly, there he was... Santa Claus in the flesh, hovering over my mince pies. I said the first thing that came to my mind. “You don’t look anything like the Coca Cola adverts…” Everyone at the party was staring at her Halloween costume in horror. She squeezed it tight. It was the weirdest Christmas present she had ever received. It was really hot inside the Easter Bunny outfit, but it was the only way to avoid him. He was the last person she ever expected to see at her Chanukah dinner table. \'Thanksgiving was supposed to be fun. Not dangerous.\' He thought, as he tucked the knives away into the safe. The birthday clown had arrived 45 minutes late to the birthday party and smelling of rum. She looked outside at the blanket of white. Finally, her first snowy Christmas! She was the meanest carol singer in the province… Science Fiction Prompts I frowned at the sales person. “You’re telling me you sold me an AI that is meant to clean my home but instead just makes a mess and I… can’t even return him?” The doctor smiled at me warmly. “Don’t be nervous, many people are interested in cloning themselves. Why don’t you take a seat and tell me your concerns?” Tears streamed down her face as she stared at her husband. “I don’t want a robot son. I want a real child. I told you that before and you just don’t listen to me.” This was her first time in a coffee shop on another planet and she hoped they did lattes the right way. The suit melted directly into her skin. She looked at her new reflection in the mirror. She turned to her 3D printer. It was time for some breakfast. He avoided eye contact with the machine next to him. She gave him the creeps. “I can’t leave the spaceship right now, I’m waiting for an important delivery.” “You’ve been to the edge of the galaxy,” she said, twirling her wine. “Describe it to me.” Frequently Asked Questions What Are The Best Prompts For Flash Fiction? The best prompts are the ones that leave something to the imagination and make us want to put pen to paper straight away. They should instantly make you think \'Who? What? Where?\' and fill you with a desire to fill in those blanks. How Do Flash Fiction Stories End? Flash fiction should end with a problem being resolved and with the main character transformed in some way (however small). Writing Flash Fiction All of us writers have to hone our craft, and as we well know nothing works better than practice. Flash fiction is a great way to strengthen your writing because it’s quick, makes you think, and it’s a way to get feedback regularly. These prompts will challenge your imagination due to the nature of flash fiction, and lead you to new ideas. Who knows, one of your flash fictions could end up being the seed for your next novel. Happy writing!

You’re always a writer, friend

Last week\'s email was a very positive one, and I\'d like to sign off for Christmas now on an equally hopeful note. (In true literary spirit, I\'m currently laden in bed with the flu in the manner of a little Dickensian child. So, a heavily assisted email today, and a shorter one.) It would be remiss for me not to mention what an eventful year it\'s been at Jericho Writers. We brought back our in-person Festival of Writing. We met loads of promising new writers on our courses. We introduced a new, more accessible membership structure and launched a brand-new Townhouse. So many of you have passed through our doors now, and we hope your writing is all the better for it. More importantly, it\'s been a fantastic year for you lot. We\'ve had the pleasure of meeting writers with Big 5 deals; self-pubbers making a name for themselves; playwrights; poets; experts changing the non-fic game. Our inboxes have been flooded with success stories. And we love hearing from you - you\'re the reason we do all of this, after all. In keeping with our Dickens references, here are three ghosts of newsletters past: The spy in your novel Pears, walnuts, blue cheese The curse of cool And one for when, like me, you\'re not feeling too fresh and need to rest: A little rain. You\'re always a writer, friend. Peruse at your leisure - but that\'s all for now. Keep plodding on. And happy holidays. Til January, Harry

Dialogue Prompts To Kickstart Your Creativity

Dialogue prompts, and writing exercises in general, are an excellent way for writers to get their creative juices flowing. They provide a starting point and inspiration for writing conversational dialogue between two or more characters in your novel or short story. In this article, we will discuss 45 dialogue writing prompts that you can use in your story; whether you\'ve just started writing or don\'t know how to start your final scene. What Are Dialogue Prompts? Dialogue prompts are excellent for writers looking to improve their dialogue skills. With dialogue prompts, writers are given a specific situation or scenario to write about, helping them to focus their dialogue and create more natural speech. Additionally, dialogue prompts can help writers to practice different dialogue styles and experiment with different voices for their characters. They can consist of a single line, or contain the opening of a conversation, and each provides a strong idea that will spark inspiration. Whether you\'re a beginner or a seasoned pro, dialogue prompts are a great way to improve your dialogue writing! Tips For Using Dialogue Prompts Writing dialogue can be one of the most challenging aspects of creating a short story or novel. After all, how do you capture the way people actually speak? You can quickly improve your dialogue-writing skills with a few simple tips: Pay Attention To The Way People Talk In Real Life Notice the rhythm of their speech and how they use inflection to emphasise specific words. Then, when it\'s time to write dialogue, try to capture that same natural rhythm. Keep Your Dialogue Brief And To The Point People rarely speak in long, drawn-out speeches, so avoid writing dialogue that sounds unnatural. Make Sure Your Dialogue Matches Your Genre If you\'re writing a romance, for example, your dialogue should contain some love and passion. On the other hand, if you\'re writing a thriller, your dialogue should be full of tension and suspense. Matching your dialogue to your story\'s genre helps set the tone for your story and engages your readers. Many writers find that trying dialogue exercises, such as using writing prompts, helps them write a new story. Experiment with them - there\'s no wrong way to use a prompt! 45 Dialogue Prompts To Jumpstart Your Writing \"I\'m going to give you ten seconds to pick that shirt up off the floor.\" \"How did you last only five days at that job?\" \"I\'ve had it with this guinea pig! Greg, get over here!\" \"Things haven\'t been right between us since Thailand. You can\'t say you haven\'t felt the same.\" \"I\'ve said it before, and I\'ll say it again: This isn\'t what I signed up for!\" \"You\'re not listening to me. Did you ever really care?\" \"It\'s time you loosen up and have some fun for once! Let\'s go roller skating!\" \"I don\'t know why you keep on denying that we need help with this project.\" \"You are supposed to be my best friend, but you\'re not holding up your end of the bargain.\" \"You don\'t think I know what you\'re doing? I see you sneak out at night.\" \"I\'m tired of being the only one who takes this seriously. Is everything a joke?\" \"You think I\'m being unreasonable? You should listen to yourself some time!\" \"What makes you think I don\'t understand what\'s happening here?\" \"The dog or me. Your choice.\" \"It\'s time for a change - and it needs to start with our family.\" \"I can\'t believe we made it. What were we thinking?\" \"It feels like I\'ve been waiting my whole life for this moment.\" \"I don\'t think I can ever get enough of you, no matter how much time we spend together.\" \"Don\'t turn around - I\'m warning you!\" \"It\'s too late for us now. We\'re all going to die.\" \"My world changed when you walked into it - and I\'ll never be the same again.\" \"Don\'t move... I can feel your fear from here.\" \"I can\'t do that! It\'d be like trying to say \'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious\' three times fast!\" \"I know what you did. And you won\'t go unpunished.\" \"I\'m surrounded by the most ridiculous people in the world. What am I going to do with all of you?\" \"The only way out is through me...\" \"Didn\'t I tell you not to touch that button? Now, look what you\'ve done!\" \"I bet you I can get to the top of this mountain before you can - what do ya say?\" \"Let\'s all take a break and come back to this later. Agreed?\" \"This isn\'t the world I remember. What happened here?\" \"And this is where they found the body? That can\'t be right!\" \"We don\'t have much time. We need to get out of here now!\" \"We\'ve been searching for this land for so long - but now that we\'re here, what do we do next?\" \"Do you think we\'ll ever make it out of this forest alive?\" \"The fate of our kingdom rests on that diamond. Where did you hide it?\" \"We\'re in over our heads - but it\'s okay, I have a plan!\" \"I can\'t believe we have to stay late! How are we supposed to get out of here?\" \"Well, here’s the bad news. We need to find £1000, and fast. Any ideas?\" \"Is anyone else as bored as I am?... Ooh, I know! Let\'s get the Ouija board.\" \"I\'m so sick of being cooped up. Want to take a drive?\" \"You won\'t believe what happened to me today.\" \"Did you hear that strange noise? We should check it out.\" \"Let\'s make a pact - no matter what happens, we\'ll always be there for each other.\" \"You will not believe the dream I had last night! You were in it, but it was terrifying.\" \"Words cannot describe the beauty of this place. I\'ve never seen anything like it!\" Frequently Asked Questions What Are The 5 Elements Of Dialogue? Dialogue includes the following elements: the speaker (who is speaking?); tone & mood (how does the speaker sound when they\'re speaking?); content (what is the dialogue about?); interaction: (how do other characters respond to the dialogue?); and setting (where does the dialogue take place, and what environment is it taking place in?) How Do You Write Compelling Dialogue? You can write great dialogue by avoiding long speeches, using dialogue to reveal character and advance the story\'s plot, and using it to create tension and conflict in your story. And by using these prompts, of course! Using Dialogue Writing Prompts Creative dialogue writing prompts are a great way to jumpstart your story ideas and your writing. They can help you get out of a rut and start writing, push through writer\'s block, or provide a new challenge to keep your creative writing fresh. By mixing up your dialogue, you can also create more engaging and believable characters. So, why wait? Try some dialogue prompts and get writing!

Doom, doom, doom

Every few years, a British authors’ outfit, the ALCS, commissions a survey. And every few years, the ALCS reports the results in doom-laden tones. The results this year (to quote Joanne Harris and the boss of the Society of Authors, a body that represents authors) are once again dire: “When the ALCS first ran its survey of author incomes in 2006 it found that the median self-employed income of a full-time author was £12,330. In 2022 – a year in which multiple publishers have posted record profits while freelancers in all professions are still reeling from the impact of Covid-19, Brexit and rising living costs – the median full-time income has fallen to £7,000. That’s a drop of more than 60% when accounting for inflation.” She also says: “I have made a career out of being an author. It has been a great privilege to be able to do that. But I am deeply saddened that the job I love has become inaccessible and unsustainable for others – and increasingly ruled by luck … We arrive at what we imagined would be the creative heart of an industry, but it turns out to be a room full of slot machines. Some of us are lucky enough to feed the right slot at the right time and hit jackpots of varying sizes. Others bring their own luck to the room – they can afford to feed the slots regardless of what they get in return. But what about everyone else? Who can honestly afford to stay?” You won’t hear me arguing about the role of luck. Indeed, my last email, about the literary multiverse, talked about exactly that. It argued that book sales themselves are a hopelessly unreliable indicator of real quality. There are just too many other factors in play. But do we have to be all doom-mongery about this? Let’s start with the survey itself. These ALCS surveys are very long and very boring. I imagine that the completion rate is very low. There are 60 questions on the form and, personally, I’d want to scream after the first dozen or so. The form is also extremely data-hungry. It asks you, for example, about royalty rates on every major book format. Really, to fill out the form, you’d need to do it with a file of earnings and royalty statements beside you as you did it. News of the survey is thought to reach around 60,000 authors, but there’s no restriction on who can fill it in. If the form reached your hands, and you had made any money at all from publishing, you’d be welcome to fill it in and return it. In total, the study got about 2400 responses, or 4% of the pool they were trying to survey. Now one point is obvious: if you base your conclusions on a self-selecting 4% of a group, you have really no way to know if the results are even vaguely meaningful. Why should they be? In short: I don’t believe the results of this survey. I don’t even disbelieve them. I just don’t think there’s any reason to think that the results are well-defined to start with, or consistent from survey to survey. And as for the core message of the survey – roughly: “It’s getting ever harder to make a living from writing, and that’s a Really Bad Thing” – I’d have ask: is it? I mean, let’s even say, on the basis of terribly little evidence, that it’s getting harder to make money from writing. So what? Absolutely none of us thought, “I really want to be a writer, because I love Ferraris so much, and I bet you make loads of money as an author.” The opposite. Most professional authors – you know: ones with Big 5 contracts, and books in the front of bookstores, and even ones who feature on bestseller lists – most of those guys run a regular job alongside the writing. What’s wrong with that? That’s a nicely balanced life, no? For nearly all of us, writing is a passion, for which it’s possible to get paid. Hooray for that. There’s also something a bit odd in this obsession with publishers. The Society of Authors and bodies like it all over the world were set up to deal with an Author vs Publisher world. That’s what they know. That’s what their audience knows. But – self-publishing. We have good reason to believe that there are more self-published authors at every level of income than there are traditionally published ones. There are more indie authors earning $1,000,000 from their work than there are trad-published ones. There are more indie authors earning $100,000. There are more indie authors earning $10,000. For sure, indie authors have their grumbles (mostly to do with the random, aggressive, non-communicativeness of Amazon), but – they make money. Indeed, as I see it: It’s never been easier to become a professional author There have never been more routes to publication It’s never been more possible to write niche books (Viking Romance, Alien Invasion, LGBT / Sci FI) and locate an audience Until ebooks and KDP came along, it was impossible to get 70% royalties on book sales. Now it’s routine. You can get them yourself by clicking a button. There have never been more powerful tools for author-led marketing There has never been a greater diversity of publishers There have never been more high quality publishers who don’t require you to have a literary agent first Most of those bullet points are just factually true, and they’re never mentioned in those ALCS type surveys. So, yeah, if you want: doom doom doom. Everything’s bad. We should all cry or – better still – blame someone for the mess. My preference: this is a great, great world for authors. It’s full of commercial AND creative possibility. For sure, most of us will never make a ton of money from writing, but that’s been true since Dickens first picked up a pen. It’ll be true long into the future too. But we love it. And we’re happy doing it. And we’re going to go right on.

What Is A Psychological Thriller? A Full Guide

Do you love reading about the dark depths of the human soul? Do you want to create characters who are drawn into worlds of evil serial killers? Do stories where the human mind is put to the test entice you? Then you might be a fan of psychological thrillers! This guide will explain just what a psychological thriller is, equip you with some top tips for writing your own, and give you some fantastic recommendations from the genre. What Is A Psychological Thriller? So what is a psychological thriller? Well, while the wider thriller genre is characterised by suspense, action and darkness, psychological thrillers focus on the element of darkness. Action adventure thrillers are often pacy and events progress with a breakneck speed, while many psychological thrillers are likely to be ‘quieter’ and more focused on the inner life of their protagonist(s). It is likely in a psychological thriller that external events will prompt an inner crisis, where perhaps a protagonist investigating a crime finds themselves with a dissolving sense of reality due to the investigation’s impact on them. A suspicion about a loved one might prompt our main character to spiral, questioning what they truly know about others around them – and themselves. Psychological thrillers have obvious associations with the crime genre, but a less well-known aspect is how strongly they are related to the gothic genre. The tension between appearance and reality, a preoccupation with altered or disturbed mental states, and isolation of their protagonists are all common features of both the gothic and psychological thrillers. Types Of Psychological Thriller There are a number of types of psychological thrillers, which all share the key element of a preoccupation with darkness and the inner life of their protagonist(s). Domestic These stories will often have ordinary characters living mundane lives that are disrupted by an inciting incident. This incident prompts a crisis for the main character, who becomes more isolated as they struggle with an external mystery and an internal conflict. Supernatural Supernatural psychological thrillers often incorporate elements of the paranormal and occult, which intertwine with the protagonist’s perception of reality and may be a factor in the balance of their mind becoming disturbed. Revenge In these types of stories, protagonists are driven by vengeance. Perhaps they are the one who is wronged, or someone important to them was. Either way, the desire for revenge at all costs takes a toll on their life, relationships, and ultimately their sanity. Workplace The workplace is a perfect setting for a psychological thriller – the possibilities for stressful situations, life-defining events, and toxic relationships are endless. Workplace psychological thrillers will centre around a sudden change in someone’s working life with ever-increasing fallout, threatening the protagonist’s career, relationships, and perhaps even their sense of identity. Cuckoos Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, to be raised as their own. The fear of an interloper stealing your very identity – while no one else seems to even notice anything is amiss – is a key feature of the gothic genre with the archetypical doppelgänger: a chilling and unnatural double. Psychological thrillers featuring the fear of replacement play on this trope, and can cross over with the ‘domestic’ subgenre – someone being replaced in a relationship – or ‘workplace’ – being usurped in their career. The Key Elements Of A Psychological Thriller From the types outlined above, it is clear to see that a psychological thriller will likely feature a protagonist who experiences an inner crisis due to external events. That crisis will often cause the protagonist to question their understanding of reality and truth, especially if they experience an altered state of mind. This also links to one of the most enjoyable elements of a psychological thriller – the unreliable narrator. The reliability of other characters around your protagonist is also brought into question. Who is telling the truth? Who thinks they are telling the truth, but actually is not? Who can be trusted? All of these aspects of a psychological thriller play out in the genre’s exploration of the darkness in humanity – the capacity for evil in an individual or societal group. The more familiar the settings, individuals, or groups, the more chilling the exploration of the potential for evil can be. Familiarity provides excellent opportunities for twists – play with your reader’s expectations of families, colleagues and social groups so that you can pull the rug out for them at the opportune moment. Ultimately, the best psychological thrillers live and die on the authenticity of their protagonists. Providing a backstory that explains who your character is and why they act in the way they do is a key element in creating an authentic and compelling character – but you may want to hold elements of that context back, so that the character’s history forms part of the twists and turns of your plot. Examples Of Psychological Thrillers The Last House On Needless Street By Catriona Ward Catriona Ward’s gripping psychological thriller fits well within the ‘revenge’ subgenre, as one of the main protagonists, Dee, is engaged on a years-long crusade to find out what happened to her sister. Convinced that the reclusive Ted is the prime suspect in her kidnapping, Dee sets up in the house opposite his to watch him and wait for her chance to prove his guilt. However, nothing in this story is quite what it seems – including the characters themselves. Ward’s gradual revelation of her characters’ backstories is a masterclass in building a compelling and shocking plot that keeps readers engaged until the last page. The Talented Mr Ripley By Patricia Highsmith A classic of the genre, Highsmith’s Ripley stories show him inveigling his way into the lives of others – making it an excellent example of the ‘cuckoo’ subgenre. The tension in the plot is driven largely by Ripley striving to replace others in his quest for acceptance and affection, and the lengths that he is willing to go to in order to achieve this. As a result of his subterfuge, even the most innocuous scenes and events are dripping with tension. OldBoy By Park Chan-wook Another classic in the ‘revenge’ subgenre, Park’s stylish and disturbing film follows Dae-su, a businessman who is inexplicably kept prisoner in an apartment for years. Swearing revenge on his mysterious captors, Dae-su embarks on a mission to discover who they are once he is released, and to take his revenge. Twists and turns follow, including who is actually taking revenge on whom. My Sister The Serial Killer By Oyinkan Braithwaite Korede has a quiet and ordered life – except for when it comes to clearing up her sister Ayoola’s messes. Braithwaite’s examination of Korede’s relationship with her sister, how it developed and what it implicates her in, is the backbone of this darkly hilarious domestic psychological thriller. The juxtaposition of the mundanity of Korede’s life and the brutality of the murders Ayoola blithely commits provides a gradually escalating conflict – especially when Ayoola sets her sights on the man Korede is secretly in love with. #Fashion Victim By Amina Akhtar Akhtar’s darkly comedic take on the – literally – cutthroat fashion industry has elements of the ‘workplace’ and ‘cuckoo’ psychological thriller subgenres. Anya St. Clair has fought her way up the fashion world totem pole, and her main rival is also the woman she most desires a friendship with – the beautiful and privileged Sarah Taft. An entertainingly unreliable narrator, the increasingly unhinged Anya will do anything to get to where she wants to be, providing much of the dark humour of this novel. How To Write A Psychological Thriller Include An Unreliable Narrator A psychological thriller features a protagonist whose perspective is or becomes compromised in some way – perhaps they are gaslit, or deceived, or suspect they are. They may be under the influence of mind-altering substances, or in the grip of an addition or condition that affects the balance of their mind. Whatever the reason is, your protagonist’s reliability being in question will provide much of the tension inherent in a psychological thriller’s plot. Playing with your readers\' expectations of who can be trusted makes for an enjoyably twisty plot as you gradually reveal what is really going on, and what the truth really is. Steadily Build Tension In all thrillers, steadily increasing tension is a must. Lacking the sudden ‘jump scares’ notable to the wider thriller genre, the best psychological thrillers will gradually ramp up the tension to make an unputdownable read. But how to do this? Incorporating the key elements outlined above, such as twists, unreliable narrators, the exploration of darkness, and drip-feeding the reader key backstory information can all be utilised to increase tension. Also consider continually raising the stakes – what begins as a small, seemingly innocuous change in the protagonist’s life should snowball, widening the impact out to all corners of their life. Give Your Characters Limitations Psychological thrillers often have a mystery at their centre, which is not resolved until the end. This mystery might be a large, external one – \'who was responsible for my loved one’s death?\' – or it might be internal and personal – \'am I going mad?\' In order to effectively build tension, introduce limitations to your character’s quest for the truth. Perhaps key evidence is missing, or other characters act as obstacles. Increasing the limitations (is their freedom restricted? Have all their friends/family/colleagues turned against them?) will work to increase the stakes as well, as solving the (murder) mystery becomes intertwined with vindicating themselves as well. Create Plot Twists In Aristotle’s ‘Poetics’, he wrote: “tragedy represents not only a complete action but also incidents that cause fear and pity, and this happens most of all when the incidents are unexpected and yet one is a consequence of the other.” This is often paraphrased as the advice that plot twists should be ‘surprising yet inevitable’. Basically, you should not ‘cheat’ at plot twists by introducing something so out of left field that the reader could not possibly have seen it coming. Although a twist should be a shock, it should also retrospectively make complete sense. Developing such a twist is where your editing and revising skills come in – adding details in subsequent drafts once you’ve come up with your big twist enables you to lay a trail that, though hidden when first travelled, is obvious when your reader looks back. Withhold Information This step comes in handy with other elements of writing a psychological thriller, such as having unreliable narrators, twists, and backstories. Holding back key information allows you to misdirect your reader, leading them to believe – or suspect – one thing is true, while in fact something else entirely is. Key information might include details about a character’s history, but might also take the form of what really happened during significant events, which is revealed as the plot progresses and the protagonist’s investigation takes them further towards the truth. Frequently Asked Questions Is A Psychological Thriller A Horror? While a psychological thriller contains some aspects of horror, it is distinct in key ways. Horror stories have supernatural or occult elements, which are integral aspects of the genre, while not all psychological thrillers do. A horror is also more likely to have sudden, shocking events – also known as ‘jump scares’. Due to the focus on an internal conflict in psychological thrillers, jump scares are not often key features of the genre. Some horror stories do have a strong psychological element to them, while other horror stories do not. The psychological horror genre consists of stories which contain elements of both the psychological thriller genre and the horror genre. Why Are Psychological Thrillers So Popular? There are a number of theories as to why psychological thrillers are so popular. Some psychologists suggest that people are drawn to stories which examine the awful things humans are capable of as a kind of preventative action – raising their awareness of these things so that they can recognise and avoid them in real life. Others have theorised that stories where things are initially strange and inexplicable, but where the truth is ultimately revealed, are cathartic and satisfying to consume – no matter how disturbing that truth may be. What Are The Main Elements Of A Psychological Thriller? A psychological thriller will feature a protagonist who experiences an inner conflict prompted by external events. There will be a focus on the dark side of life, and gradually increasing tension. Often, protagonists will be unreliable – this can be due to having their perception affected by paranoia, substances, or obsession. The plot will feature twists; sometimes linked to the revelation of their characters’ backstories. Writing Psychological Thrillers Making psychological thrillers allows us to plunge into the depths of darkness that people are capable of, but also provides us with an opportunity to shine a light on how humanity can survive – and even emerge triumphant – in the face of such darkness. Stories which show us a mind creaking under strain can also show us how terrible events can be overcome. For all their grim and grit, psychological thrillers can ultimately be hopeful and inspiring stories, showing how resilience is possible even when things seem hopeless.

Literary Tropes: How To Use Them In Your Writing

When the word ‘trope’ comes to mind, we tend to think of something overused or reductive, as in recent years, tropes have been perceived as negative. But in this article, we\'re going to dig a little deeper. We\'ll look at some examples of tropes and how we can use them in literature, as we demystify literary tropes and answer some pressing questions regarding their function and use. What Is A Trope? A trope can either be a figure of speech or a recurrent theme or storyline, that a reader can relate to, but one that runs the danger of becoming a cliché if overused. ‘The chosen one’ is a popular trope in young adult and fantasy novels and basically explores how a character goes from being ordinary to extraordinary, case in point being Harry Potter. When used effectively, tropes can help writers craft stories that resonate with their readers. They can add perspective, meaning and freshness to our writing. Today, tropes can be divided in to classic and modern. Literary critics have a lot to say about common tropes, so it is pertinent that we look at what the purpose of a literary trope might be. The Purpose Of Literary Tropes When used properly, tropes can immediately elevate your writing, and also make your story more relatable. If the reader senses that your story is veering towards a theme that they\'re familiar with and enjoy reading, they know they\'re likely to enjoy it. While tropes are in constant danger of becoming clichés, which is probably why they get a lot of negative press, the fact remains that they can make our writing memorable. Examples Of Literary Tropes There are countless examples of classic and modern literary devices and tropes, and while it would obviously be impossible to list them all, we can at least discuss a few popular ones. There are some that have become clichés like the wicked stepmother and the damsel in distress, but there remain plenty that can add to the story: Metaphors A metaphor is the art of describing one thing in terms of another for which it cannot be literally applicable. ‘He spoke to me with a wooden face’ means something else, but the implication in the figurative language is that the person was expressionless. \'The tip of the iceberg\' is a well-known metaphor and trope. Hyperbole Hyperbole is when we exaggerate for effect. It’s a very popular trope and used quite effectively in satire and humour. Irony Irony is when the literal meaning and expression is the opposite of its underlying meaning. It is a very useful technique that has been employed to great effect by writers across the world. For example, a hypocrite preaching about the disadvantages of hypocrisy would be ironic. Similarly, if you\'re feeling very ill and respond with ‘I’ve never felt better’ to someone asking about your health, you’re being ironic. Litotes Litotes is when two negatives are used to express a positive, like responding with ‘I’ve not been unwell’ instead of ‘I’m doing well.’ Love Triangles The love triangle is a common trope in literature wherein two people are in love with the same person. Often overused, this is a very popular romance trope that adds an extra layer of tension. The Twilight Saga The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer is an excellent example of the love triangle trope. Bella falls in love with Edward, but also finds herself drawn to Jacob. Throughout the saga, there is an undercurrent of jealousy and competition as Edward and Jacob try to win her over. While we know deep down that Bella will probably choose Edward, Jacob’s love for her provides a lot of tension and keeps us turning the pages. The Chosen One The \'chosen one\' trope is a staple in YA, science fiction, and fantasy novels (fantasy has lots of genre tropes), wherein a character - often the reluctant hero - goes from being ordinary to extraordinary. The Hunger Games In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen goes from being an ordinary girl from District 12 to taking the place of her sister Primrose to compete in the Hunger Games. All of a sudden she’s gone from being an ordinary girl watching the new players being chosen to being ‘the chosen one’ herself. This trope is very useful in setting the tone of the story. The Ticking Clock/Time Bomb The ticking time bomb trope is used effectively in TV series, movies, and other forms of pop culture. In this trope, there is usually a race against time where the characters need to fix a problem or everything will go up in flames. 24 and 2012 The television drama 24 made full use of this trope with each season spread over 24 hours, with the main protagonist having to solve a problem with a literal clock counting down the minutes. Similarly, the popular film 2012 also uses this trope. In the film, it is estimated that the world as we know it will cease to exist in a matter on months and in order to save a portion of the human race, special ships are being made. Not only does this kind of trope make everything more compelling, the sense of impending doom also prompts readers to keep turning the pages and causes viewers to stay glued to the screen. Using Cities As Characters Using a city as a character is a trope that can be found in many literary genres. In this trope, the city is another character in the story. The city may be personified and given its own POV, or it may be a strong influential force. The Bastard Of Istanbul This trope is used to by Elif Shafak in her novel, where Istanbul is brought to life and portrayed as an ever-changing creature. It grows and shrinks, all the while taking on the feelings and emotions of the protagonist. How To Use Tropes In Your Own Writing Tropes can add a lot of depth and texture to our writing. However, it is essential that they\'re used properly. The first step is to make sure the trope fits the story. Just because you\'re writing a romance novel doesn’t mean you have to add a love triangle. Romance novels work just as well without them. The point is to use a trope that gives the reader some sense of familiarity, but only do so if the trope fits the story. Giving a twist to a familiar trope is an excellent way of infusing new life into a story. Psychological thrillers like Better Confess by Alan Gorevan and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn turn the ‘the man did it’ trope on its head to give us a fresh and compelling perspective. This showcases their mastery over storytelling and helps elevate them in the eyes of readers as excellent writers. Fully understanding tropes is equally important. Instead of shying away from them because they\'re sometimes considered to be lazy writing, we need to understand tropes and use them to make our writing immense. Not all tropes are clichés. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Literary Trope Examples? There are various kinds of tropes, some classic and others modern. Metaphors, litotes, irony and hyperbole are some examples of classic tropes; while love triangles, ‘the chosen one’, ‘the wise old man’, and ‘the damsel in distress’ are examples of more modern tropes. What Is The Purpose Of Tropes In Literature? Tropes can get a lot of negative press, as they can easily become clichés, but they can also be used to elevate your writing and make it more compelling. A trope establishes familiar territory for a reader, but we can just as easily twist the trope on its head and create a fresh reading experience. Using Tropes There is no easy way to avoid tropes in creative writing. As a matter of fact, they shouldn’t be avoided at all, rather embraced. Not only can they help set the scene for the overall story, but they can also make the story more compelling, tense and readable. Hopefully this article will help you use tropes effectively in your own writing. Happy writing!

Festival Success: Sally-Anne Martyn’s Dark Thriller Debut

Debut author Sally-Anne Martyn first encountered us at the Festival of Writing in 2019. Her dark thriller, \'The Clinic\', was published in October 2022 by Joffe Books. We caught up with Sally-Anne about finding a community, and the resources she used to learn about publishing and eventually land her deal. JW: Tell us a little about you – when did you start writing? What are the main themes of your book? I started writing adult fiction in early 2018, and before then I had several articles printed in magazines and newspapers. I have always enjoyed darker stories, so it was no surprise to me (or anybody that knows me!) that my book was going to be a dark and creeping thriller. The themes of the book are about body image, the pressure of fitting in - and, ultimately, trying to fight against that. JW: When you realised you wanted to write a publishable novel, what kinds of resources did you seek out to help you? I read ‘how to’ books and listened to writing podcasts. My favourites were (and still are!) Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ and Will Storr’s ‘The Science of Storytelling.’ My first serious step was to find myself a mentor (the author, Sarah May) I saw this as my training in writing, so I was prepared to invest financially and really focus on the work. Once I had a book I went to the Festival of Writing in 2019 and spoke to agents there through the Jericho Writer\'s one-to-one service. This was a huge boost to my morale - I\'d worked hard and got very positive feedback from two agents (I have their words framed on my office wall to remind me!). I also went to writing and querying workshops, gathering as much information as I could on the publishing industry and the realities of getting an agent and/or published. Right before lockdown I also went to the Jericho Writers ‘Self-Publishing Day’ in London. This was really encouraging as provided a viable and exciting alternative if the traditional route didn’t work out. Once I had a book I went to the Festival of Writing in 2019 and spoke to agents there through the Jericho Writer\'s one-to-one service. This was a huge boost to my morale - I\'d worked hard and got very positive feedback from two agents (I have their words framed on my office wall to remind me!) JW: You’ve attended the Festival of Writing in York and are also very active as an author on social media. Do you have any advice for writers who are hoping to find a supportive writing community? It’s important to have people to speak to throughout the writing / querying and submission process. It can be tough, and knowing you’re not alone and not the first to go through it is extremely important. I am naturally introverted, so attending the festival was a nerve-wracking experience! I needn’t have worried though - you soon chat to people and create friendships. It’s easy to believe that everyone else is experienced and rallying along in their writing career, but that’s not the case. There is something for everyone to learn at the festival. If you can’t make a live event or don’t feel comfortable, go online and join writer’s communities like Jericho’s. Join Twitter, which is hugely populated by the publishing industry. Be authentic, follow writers you like and look out for agent wish lists (which are based on what they know publishers are looking for!). Engage with fellow writers and before you know it you will have a virtual community around you. It’s important to have people to speak to throughout the writing / querying and submission process. It can be tough, and knowing you’re not alone and not the first to go through it is extremely important. JW: How did you hone your feedback and eventually start querying agents? I always listen to feedback from my mentor and act on it, as she knows much more than me about the industry and the craft of writing. If you don’t have a mentor then I’d suggest finding a trusted source (not partner or parent!) who understands your genre and reads widely. I would wait until you have completed a draft first though. Too much opinion before then could derail your confidence and you’ll never finish. Regarding agents: Because of the positive experience I’d had with the Jericho one-to-ones when my manuscript was ready to go out, I did a couple more of those. These are a great opportunity to see how you get on with agents, find out if they like what you do, and if you gel with them. Just because somebody is a well-known, successful agent, doesn’t mean they are the best for you. I always listen to feedback from my mentor and act on it, as she knows much more than me about the industry and the craft of writing. I researched agents on their websites and found out the agents of writers that I enjoyed. Once I had a wish list based on all of the above, I prepared my submission package ready to send. Make sure you have a brilliant cover letter. There are many resources for doing this - read them first! It is the first thing agents look at and if doesn’t pull them in, they have a whole pile of others eagerly waiting. Think about when you go into a bookshop and can just pick one - you’ll be relying on the ‘blurb’ to draw you in. If you don’t like it, you’ll move on quickly, and it\'s the same for agents reading your cover letter. Also, the main point of your cover letter is to sell the book you are submitting, to make them believe that it will sell and belongs on the bookshelf - that’s why having recent comps is so important. JW: Do you have any advice for the querying writer reading this piece? At the Festival of Writing I attended a talk with James Law who suggested submitting to twelve agents at a time in three-week intervals. Given that some advice says only approach a handful I first thought this seemed excessive, but it works really well. As rejections come in (they will!) you always have more in the bag to wait for and, as it can a mentally draining process, you need all the positivity you can get. Start a spreadsheet so you can track any requests for full MS or straight rejections. I also had a column for their communication, tone of rejection and comments. This meant that if I was going to submit another book, I already had a shortened list of agents that were positive about my work and / or wanted to see anything else I did. Always be courteous, do your research and remember your comps. These are so important in selling your work, which is exactly what you should be doing when approaching agents / publishers. My biggest piece of advice is to start writing the next book as soon as you have submitted to agents. Not only is this the best way to take your mind off the book you’ve just sent, but you will have another book ready to go. The process can take a long time and you don’t want to waste that time checking emails for replies. Resilience is the most important part of being a writer, and keeping going no matter what. Only then will you succeed. About Sally-Anne Sally-Anne is a writer of dark thrillers in creepy settings. She loves to write female led stories and to create very bad women! Her debut novel ‘The Clinic’ is out now and inspired by her time working in one of the last Victorian asylums in England. Find out more on her website, or follow her on: Facebook: @sallyannemartynbooks Twitter: @sallyannemartyn Instagram: @sallyannemartyn

How To Write A Dystopian Story: Our Guide

Writing dystopian stories can be one of the most valuable things you can do. Dystopian fiction is famous for its big, bold themes and the ground-breaking ways in which they’re conveyed. So, if you’re looking for a fiction project, and you want a meaty challenge, look no further than writing the next great dystopian story. In this article, we’ll cover how to write a dystopian story, as well as: What is a dystopian story? Key elements of a good dystopian story Dystopian story examples Our tips and tricks for how to write dystopian fiction Frequently asked questions Read on to learn how to write a dystopian story. What Is A Dystopian Story? Dystopian stories are a subgenre of speculative fiction focused on the destruction of society. This can be due to totalitarian rule, international or civil war, apocalyptic events (and their post-apocalyptic effects), or injustice and suffering. Often associated with Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984, dystopian fiction as a literary genre began with Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin and his book My — published in the US as We in 1924. Works like Zamyatin’s follow in the footsteps of fellow Russian Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s explorations of evil and freedom, setting the scene for what we know as dystopian stories today. Dystopian novels cover topics like climate disaster, tyranny, nuclear war, anarchy, pandemic disease, extra-terrestrials, artificial intelligence (AI), and even zombies. If a story is set in a dystopian future, it may also take on elements of science fiction e.g. technology and its implications. So, what makes a good dystopian story? Key Elements Of A Dystopian Story This is where we get into the paradox of dystopian stories: that despite their weighty subjects, they can make for grippingly good reads. Let’s dive in. Worst-Case Scenarios The key to great dystopian stories is that they don\'t tread lightly. Instead, they take our fears and anxieties and turn them up to eleven. Worried about climate change? Here’s a thinly-veiled conceit that ends in disaster thanks to humanity’s morally apathetic, egocentric leaders (the film Don’t Look Up). What about technological progress and the future of AI? Have some time-travelling cyborg assassins (The Terminator series). These are film-based examples, as we’ll cover books below, but the point is that a powerful dystopian story doesn’t shy away from its premise — it pulls the problem apart like an onion to get readers thinking about complexities from differing angles and points of view. And if we know anything about differing points of view, it’s what they can lead to. Dramatic Conflict But first, let’s take a step back. As I’ve covered in this guide to central conflict, a story’s conflict is the result of a protagonist’s want vs. obstacle. Due to the nature of dystopian fiction, you can bet any obstacle is going to be huge, with life or death stakes. This makes such conflicts strong, which is a major part of successful storytelling. Now, if we think back to our definition of dystopian stories, in stories with themes about power structures, which create external conflict, anti-establishment characters will layer their own internal conflicts on top of that. This is where characterising different points of view can ground philosophical stances in reality, with clear choices for characters that readers can identify with. Inventive World-building It’s not all about concept, conflict and characters, though. Dystopian stories go big to convey big messages, so when you’ve got an apocalyptic scenario, it needs to be reflected in your dystopian world. As a result, world-building is where premise and conflict come together for effect; it’s also useful for characterisation. Got a dystopian story based on a totalitarian government? How is that reflected in the way civil servants look, dress and live? What do they eat? Where do they sleep? How is this different to the general public — are they poor, or homeless by contrast? Well-crated dystopian settings help stories feel authentic in fictional worlds. As a writer, you can use this world-building to also build on a story’s themes. Thematic Resonance The way dystopian themes resonate can take on significance during periods of relevant upheaval. In 2017, George Orwell’s 1984 became a sudden bestseller after Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration; a big deal for a book published in 1949. The broadest dystopian themes revolve around destruction, the abuse of power, and survival, and, depending on what’s top of mind in the cultural consciousness, such stories can galvanise people’s real-world opinions, which can impact future decisions and behaviour (as we saw in the US 2020 election). Humanity As Good Or Evil (Or Both) One of the fascinating things about dystopian fiction is who the author chooses to be on the side of good, or evil (or neither, in true ‘grey’ character style). Is the protagonist a hero, an anti-hero or a closet villain? What about the supporting cast? Who is making the right choices, or the wrong choices, and why? Human beings are complex, fuelled by emotion but capable of rational thought, and dystopian stories are an excellent vehicle for making the pitfalls of that duality scarily clear. Yet dystopian novels can be uplifting, too. Of those that don’t end in tragedy as a cautionary tale against their themes, many strive to show the power of the human spirit and its enduring potential. Characters in these tales often labour through long, painful journeys to reach their goals, but that struggle is what makes their eventual success so fulfilling. We can’t help but find triumphing over adversity inspirational, and these dystopian books tend to stay with us long after we’ve finished reading. Dystopian Story Examples So, now that we know what makes a good dystopian story, let’s take a look at some dystopian books that do it well. The Hunger Games Series By Suzanne Collins The biggest entry to reignite interest in dystopian stories, The Hunger Games trilogy (and subsequent films) kick-started a movement in young adult (YA) fiction that paved the way for dystopian novels like Divergent and The Maze Runner. Teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen lives in Panem’s impoverished District 12, where she hunts to provide for her family. When her little sister is selected for the annual reality TV battle royale known as The Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place alongside other teens who will fight to the death in the Capitol — including a fellow District 12 boy who once saved her life. Being YA, there’s also a love triangle, and happily, the seeds of rebellion. Remember what I said about worst-case scenarios, dramatic conflict and inventive world-building? This book’s got all three in spades, with a focus on youth leading the way in a hopeless situation. 1984 By George Orwell Speaking of reality TV, the only ‘Big Brother’ we’re here to talk about is the original, chilling government version. Orwell’s dystopian story, written after the end of World War II, is a modern classic and a warning against totalitarianism. Winston Smith lives under the watchful eye of the Party and its leader Big Brother, rewriting history in the Ministry of Truth. In defiance, Winston starts a diary, a capital offence given what he does for a living — the risk compounded by telescreens that watch and listen 24 hours a day. He also starts dating a female colleague, which is forbidden as only loyalty to the Party must exist. What makes 1984 such potent dystopian fiction isn’t that the Party oppresses all the way down to love and sex, or that Winston is eventually found out, or that he’s tortured and reconditioned... it’s the ominous ending. The Handmaid’s Tale By Margaret Atwood After that last example, you may be wondering how much darker things can get. Answer? A lot. Welcome to Gilead. June, who\'s now known as Offred (a patronym for the man she’s assigned to), lives in the Republic of Gilead, previously the US, which is now controlled by right-wing extremists as a totalitarian, theocratic state. Offred is a Handmaid to her Commander Fred, and assigned to bear his children in monthly sex rituals witnessed by Fred’s wife, as infertility is the norm thanks to chemical warfare. With no freedom, and the Eyes (the secret police) everywhere, Offred has no real options — or so she thinks. According to Atwood: “When I wrote The Handmaid\'s Tale, nothing went into it that had not happened in real life somewhere at some time.” That’s a big statement, and a testament not only to her research, but also her commitment to authenticity. Next time you’re watching the TV show, keep that in mind. Brave New World By Aldous Huxley And the darkness keeps on coming, though it’s cloaked in Huxley’s wit and irony. Despite being a decade short of its 100th anniversary, Brave New World is a brave iconic take on dystopian writing, with lots still left to offer readers. Bernard Marx lives 600 years \'after Ford\' in the dystopian future World State, where people, like cars, are mass-produced with individualism conditioned out. Yet Bernard\'s not the real hero of this story — John ‘the savage’ is, who Bernard meets on a trip to the wild Savage Reservation, and brings home. But when Bernard is eventually banished, how will babe in the woods John cope with civilisation? This dystopian novel is high-concept, so there’s a lot to unpack (e.g. social norms like promiscuity and Valium-like ‘soma’), and John’s ending is achingly poignant. With a theme like truth over happiness, it’s not hard to see why. Lord Of The Flies By William Golding We started this section with characters aged 12-18 in The Hunger Games — now we turn to characters aged 6-12 in Golding’s story about the surprisingly few steps between civilisation and a dystopian society. Ralph and a group of British schoolboys crash-land on a deserted island during a nuclear war; the group voting Ralph as their chief, with Piggy advising him. But hunter Jack wants to lead too, recruiting other boys with his barbarous violence; soon, most of the boys have joined Jack. Things turn ugly when Piggy’s glasses, used to make fire and smoke signals, are stolen and boys are killed. Ralph escapes and lives, saved by a British naval officer, but it’s too late for Piggy. Despite the idyllic tropical island, this dystopian story’s main theme is that humanity is essentially evil (yes, even kids). Another post–World War II novel, it’s also an allegory for war and leadership. Fight Club By Chuck Palahniuk For our last example, say hello to Palahniuk’s short story turned novel (and two comic book sequels), which disappointingly, isn’t on popular dystopian fiction lists. The book presents modern life and consumerism as a dystopian regime that needs blowing up, and certainly tries to — succeeding in the 1999 film adaptation. Yes, it’s satire and a damning social critique, but it’s also anarchic at heart and that’s a fundamental source of its conflict, with the twisty alter ego conflict layered on top. I’d say more, but you know the first rule of Fight Club… Now, onto what we’re here for (and what we can talk about) — how to write a dystopian story. How To Write A Dystopian Story Given the calibre of examples covered, writing a dystopian story might feel like an insurmountable task — but in practice, the steps aren’t dissimilar to ordinary fiction. So, how do you do it? For ease of use, I’ve broken it down into 5 key steps. Here’s how to write a dystopian story: Choose Your Problem This is where you choose the issue (or theme, then brainstorm from there) that you want to explore. For many dystopian authors, and those in other speculative fiction subgenres with a dystopian society, the first nugget of an idea often arises from real life. Atwood’s idea for The Handmaid’s Tale came to her after a conversation during the 1980s about women outside the home, and what would force them back. Tomi Adeyemi’s award-winning YA fantasy series Children of Blood and Bone was inspired by racism and extreme police brutality. Both are powerful examples of taking a real-world issue and expanding it into a successful dystopian premise, which brings us to our next step. Make It A Premise You’ve chosen your problem, and now you want to flesh it out into a full concept. Excellent! This is where more brainstorming helps. So does an example. Say you’re looking at the government and wondering how they get things so wrong (a little meta, but let’s go with it). Make a list of what they’re mismanaging right now, and pick what you see as the biggest issue. Electricity and gas? Inflation and the cost of living? Or something else? Now, what’s the absolute worst thing that could happen from this problem? Got it? Great. Then multiply it by ten. If it’s electricity and gas, maybe your premise is that they no longer exist; or maybe they only exist for certain people. Tease out the how and why. What happened for some people to lose these utilities, or keep them? What does this difference look like — do the have-nots use fire to cook and heat instead, and what does this mean for the environment? These knock-on effects will make your premise all the more real. Choose Your Protagonist For some writers, you’ll arrive at your premise with a character in hand. For the rest of us, you need to think about what you want from your dystopian story, and what kind of protagonist works best. Do you want your main character to win, or is your aim an exercise in caution (see 1984)? The answer will determine what traits and skills should be inherent to your character, or learned throughout the story. And while we’re here, don’t forget your supporting characters. With the weight of the dystopian world on your protagonist’s shoulders, they’ll need help and support, not to mention people that challenge them, along the way. Check Your Conflict Now that you’ve selected your problem, expanded it into a compelling premise, and have a protagonist in mind, it’s a good time to confirm that your conflict is strong enough to carry your story. Dystopian novels tend to fall into the category of external conflicts: character vs. society, technology, nature, the supernatural etc. With a strong central conflict, your main character is forced to reveal themselves through action and the decisions they continue to make as the plot advances. Remember: your character’s want + its obstacle = conflict. Build Your World If you’re like me, you’ll have been making notes as you go, but for those new to world-building, it’s completely fine to start once you’ve gotten your head around the steps above. Bringing your story to life involves building on earlier questions to craft your dystopian world and its people i.e. nature and geography, and people and governance (as well as various cultures). This not only means the physical landscape, climate and seasons, resources, and plants and animals, but also a population’s races, genders, sexualities and classes, plus language and religion, norms, values and economic systems. Tips For Writing Dystopian Fiction Okay, you know how to write a dystopian story in theory — but you want a few more tips and tricks. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are five tips for writing dystopian fiction: Pick an Issue You’re Passionate About: Circling back to our 5 steps for how to write a dystopian story, if you’re stuck on choosing your problem, what issues happening around the world get you angry? What matters to you? Scour news and current affairs for meaningful inspiration. Having own-voice experiences can be beneficial here, too. Bring the Catastrophe: Alternatively, if translating your problem into a premise is the sticking point, you may be thinking too small. Now is not the time to round down — don’t just go big, go gargantuan! Think of the most extreme outcome and explore that. Nail Your Main Character’s Backstory: If you’ve followed the first five steps but are stumbling over your protagonist, maybe a character profile will help. You can use everything you’ve noted about your dystopian setting to flesh out your protagonist’s background, role and goals, characteristics, and personal conflicts to layer accordingly. Research, Research, Research: While much of your research will go into world-building, you’ll still need to fact-find for your premise. If your story is based on large-scale war, authentic specifics are crucial, whether that’s reading up on World War II or going down the science fiction path of something like H. G. Wells\' War of the Worlds. Read the Dystopian Greats: Speaking of which, if you want inspiration, read dystopian stories like the examples listed in this guide, but also read other dystopian writing widely. This will help you learn the ropes (and tropes), as well as any pitfalls you’d like to avoid in your work. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Start A Dystopian Fiction Story? You start a dystopian fiction story like you would any other: with a hook and inciting incident. For dystopian stories, that hook is your unique premise and what it means for your dystopian world. You also need to introduce your protagonist and how they fit (or don’t fit) into the world, which the inciting incident makes clear. The best dystopian fiction stories do this in the first few chapters, then further the plot while deep-diving into character, the world and the central conflict. What Are 3 Common Themes In A Dystopian Story? The 3 most common themes in a dystopian story are destruction, the abuse of power, and survival. Destruction can be technological, nuclear or environmental, even apocalyptic, with mass poverty and violence as outcomes. Abuse of power, often governmental, can include censorship, extreme oppression, and loss of personal or cultural identity. Survival then becomes the goal, whether it’s physiological as in air, food, water and shelter, or psychological like mental health. What Are The 5 Elements Of Dystopia? The 5 key elements of great dystopian stories include: worst-case scenarios, dramatic conflict, inventive world-building, thematic resonance, and depicting human beings as good or evil. For a dystopian premise to be successful, it requires a significant potential for harm, a strong external conflict, a fully realised, authentic-feeling world, big themes with broad appeal, and an answer to the question of whether humanity is the problem or the solution. What Is The Opposite Of Dystopian? At the opposite end of the dystopian spectrum is utopian fiction, which depicts an ideal or utopian society. English philosopher Sir Thomas More’s Utopia (1516) coined the term with his perfect island society that cut itself off from the world. Utopian fiction is around 500 years older than the dystopian genre, and in it, authors invert problems to show what could be, rather than what is; ecological sustainability might be explored by depicting a human society in harmony with its natural environment, for example. Writing Dystopian Fiction Stories There’s a lot to love about dystopian fiction. Yes, it can be dark. It can be harrowing. But from darkness comes enlightenment, and thankfully, we can experience these dystopian stories from the safety of our homes. Dystopian novels guide us and teach us where to do better in the hope of a better future. Sometimes they’re bitter pills to swallow, but nothing truly worth it is easy. That’s where doing the work comes in. If this line of thinking appeals, now that you know how to write a dystopian story, it may just be your time to begin.

Story Timelines: How To Structure Your Narrative

Time is such an enigmatic concept in a story. A lifetime could last only a paragraph, and a week an entire book! A timeline is every writer’s mind map. How we use a timeline helps us make sense of both time (in the story) and the story itself. In this article, we\'ll define the term story timeline, and provide our best tips to help you create timelines that serve your story well. What Is A Story Timeline? A story timeline is essentially the arrangement of important events that occur in a story. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end, but they don’t necessarily need to be told in that order. We can choose the sequence of significant events that best grips the reader. The arrangement of a timeline essentially occurs in three steps. Beats, stories, and plots. A beat is a single event, as yet unconnected to the other events in the book. A story is a collection of multiple beats presented in order. A plot is the context that conveys why the beats belong together in the story, sequentially, if not chronologically. How To Structure Your Story Timeline Structuring your story timeline essentially gives you a sequential framework. There are four types of story timeline – linear, fractured, framed and real-time. Linear Story Timeline When story events are presented in the order they occur in, they create a linear story timeline. The story can contain a few flashbacks to provide some backstory, but the primary narrative is chronological. The Harry Potter series by J K Rowling works with such a linear story timeline, with a few flashbacks that act as supporting information to the main story. Fractured Story Timeline When a non-linear timeline story is told with frequent back and forth between the past, present and/or future, it’s called a fractured timeline story. The beats of the story are not in the sequence they occur in. Think the movie Memento. The ending of the movie is presented in colour at the beginning of the film, and the beginning of the movie is presented in black and white towards the ending of the film, with the complete story merging in the middle to make sense. This fractured story timeline helps the audience experience the protagonist, Leonard’s, memory loss. Framed Story Timeline When a story has one major flashback, with the narrator walking others through it, it’s called a framed story timeline. It’s a story within a story. Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a classic example of such a narrative with the he-said-she-said nature of it adding to the gothic quality of the story arc. Real-Time Story Timeline A linear story with no breaks in terms of flashbacks or flashforwards can still be compelling. In fact, a real-time story is exciting because time in the story moves exactly as it does for the reader. Take Scottish author Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus series, for instance. The characters in his novel age with the publication dates. Inspector Rebus, who is said to have been born in 1947, retires at 60 years of age in the 2007 novel Exit Music. How To Create Your Story Timeline Creating a story timeline can help keep your story free of plot holes and give you a sense of direction whilst writing. Here’s how you can create your story timeline: Age matters: Decide on the age of your characters and how old they’ll be when the story begins and ends. Knowing what portion of your character\'s life you want to include is key whether you\'re writing one novel, the first story in a series with separate timelines, or a multiple timeline narrative. Set it up: Zero in on a primary location for the beginning, middle and ending acts, unless, of course, it remains the same throughout. The setting of your story will induce the mood for both you and your readers. Inciting event: Knowing at which point in the three-act structure you want the inciting event to take place will help determine the overarching narrative flow. Character’s goals: What is the goal of your main character(s) and why? This not only dictates each character arc, but also the plot’s narrative arcs. Resolution: What is the event that your main characters are headed towards? The primary goal/obstacle is the whole point of your book, so deciding when and how to bring the resolution about is imperative. How To Write A Multiple Timeline Story When a story has two or more periods of time coming together, it’s called a multiple timeline story. Kate Morton’s The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a good example of a narrative with more than one timeline. If you’d like to attempt a story with two timelines or more, here’s how you can do it: Decide on your primary timeline. It should ideally take precedence over the additional timelines you\'ve planned for. An 80/20, or at least a 70/30 split is a good idea. This will keep your reader focused on what’s important. Be clear about the story for each timeline. Your reader shouldn’t greatly prefer one timeline over the other. This is even more important if you’re writing a 50/50 split multiple timeline story. Map out the beats of the different timelines separately and sequentially. This way, you won’t mess up or mix up plots, and you can then connect the dots between, and/or converge, your beats. When and how do you want the multiple timelines to converge? Knowing your transition point is crucial when crafting the story arcs for multiple timelines. Look for the beats and characters that have the maximum impact in your story; those are the ones that lend well to the transition point. Top Tips For Creating A Story Timeline Here are some top tips for creating your own story timeline: Knowing which type of story timeline is the right one for you is crucial. The type of plot/overall narrative arc you’re aiming for will help you decide this. Make sure you have your three-act plot structure ready. This will help you flesh out your story. If you have multiple point-of-view narration, create a timeline for each character and ensure they fit in neatly for your transition point. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Write A Timeline Story? To write a timeline story you need a clear three-act structure which includes details about your protagonist\'s age, your setting(s), and your key plot points. What Are Time Markers In A Story? A timeline is constructed based on the time markers of the story. Some of the time markers are the character’s age, the setting (e.g. season, time of day), duration of the story, and the three-act structure which dictates the story\'s shape. Creating Story Timelines The past, present, and future don’t always come in chronological order when you\'re weaving a tale. But they don’t have to get muddled up in our minds; they can be structured sequentially, if not chronologically. Many writers find that creating a story timeline helps keep their plots clear, their character arcs solid, and their narrative structures strong. No matter what writing stage you\'re in, having clarity on your story timeline will help you stay on top of the game.

The hardest problem

Let’s just say that you’ve been writing for a while. You’re serious. You’ve taken a course or two. You’ve probably had at least one manuscript assessment, and maybe more than one. What’s more, you’ve got your stuff out to literary agents. Not timidly, but properly. You approached at least 10-12 agents, and you chose those dozen with some care. You wrote a decent query letter. You polished the first chunk of your manuscript until you could see your face in it. And? Agents liked it. You got some full manuscript requests. Yay – You went crazy and drank half a glass of white wine before eight o’clock. (You devil!) Then – Some agents just never got back to you, even though they’d asked for the whole damn manuscript and even though you carefully nudged some 6-8 weeks later. And a couple of agents maybe did get back to you, with what could be described as positive, but not really positive feedback. You heard things like this: \"I loved the concept and your writing, but didn\'t feel quite engaged enough to want to offer representation. Another agent may feel differently.\" And look. At this point, we need to say, WELL DONE. Most writers don’t get to even this point. You only get as far as this if your work has some serious credibility. Agents are a very, very tough bunch and if you’ve almost persuaded them, you’ve already done very well indeed. But you don’t want praise. You want to get published. So what are you meant to do now? Spend MORE money? Another course, another manuscript assessment? If you’d done little or none of that already, you would be nuts not to make the necessary investment at this point. (If agents are flirting with you before you’ve had professional feedback on your work, they’ll be dancing with you once you have.) But suppose you’ve done all that. Partly, you just don’t want to spend more money, but also you feel (probably rightly) that another spin on that merry-go-round won’t alter the final outcome. So what, realistically, are your options? This is a hard question and I don’t have an easy answer. But here are some of your choices: 1. Spend more money If you’ve already done one or more courses and had one or more manuscript assessments, then personally I wouldn’t recommend this route. You buy a manuscript assessment because you want to move the needle on quality. For me, one manuscript assessment is, almost always, an excellent investment. Assuming you are even vaguely rational about using advice, your skills will develop and your manuscript will improve. The same can often be said for a second assessment of the same book. But a third assessment? A fourth? I don’t think so. For me, that’s an investment too far. (For most authors, most of the time. There are always exceptions. A clear exception would be if the feedback from agents gives you a clear editorial pathway to follow.) 2. Approach more agents Well, maybe. Personally, I think that for a standard novel – something mainstream and in principle easy to place – you shouldn’t need to go to more than a dozen agents. If you try a sensibly chosen dozen and they say no, then you should only persist if you have strong evidence that you only missed by a whisker. (Let’s say two or three agents were effusive, but passed on the manuscript because it was too similar to things they already had, for example.) For me, the idea of just banging on 40 or 50 doors doesn’t seem right. Not fair to the agents, and not really a sensible strategy for you either. Agents are easier to persuade than publishers, so if it’s that hard to get an agent, is it really likely that you’ll end up with a publishing deal? The answer is no. 3. Make direct approaches to digital-first publishers I like this idea, especially if your book is the right sort. Agents and publishers never tell you this, but increasingly the traditional industry is looking at a book to see if it’s more of an ebook or more of a print book. The more mass market / genre-based a book is, the more likely it is to sell well via ebook and not necessarily so well in print. The kind of books I’m talking about? Horror. Many thrillers. Lots of crime novels. Most SF, especially space opera. Urban fantasy. Romance and the less literary end of women’s fiction. All those genres (and more) sell largely as e-books. That’s not territory that the Big 5 have ever done well in. Some of the areas on that list (hello, space opera, or volume romance) are more than 80% self-pub or digital-first. The trad industry still puts out this idea that ebooks have peaked at a relatively low 20% share of all books. And that’s true – if you’re only talking about the traditional industry. But there’s a whole world beyond trad. There is a host of digital-first publishers, there’s all of self-publishing. Those things combined are far larger than even Penguin Random House. It’s a whole continent that the regular books-media simply ignores. In short, you need to think where your book most happily lives. Perhaps your manuscript just doesn’t feel print-booky – perhaps it’s not something you’d find on the front tables at Barnes & Noble or Waterstones. That’s not a good/bad judgement. It’s just a judgement about where your manuscript is most likely to sell. If the answer is “predominantly on Amazon”, traditional publishing is not likely to be your answer. Digital-first publishing is an excellent answer. So is self-publishing (so long as you do it properly.) If your best route to market is self-pub or digital-first, you are best advised to skip agents altogether. The reason you’re getting that “almost but not quite” message from agents is that they like the book (ie: you can write) but they can’t see it as a Big 5 book. In which case, don’t pursue that route. Don’t spend more time or energy chasing it. Just submit direct to some digital-first outfits. Or self-publish. That way lies joy – and control – and maybe sales. 4. Question your elevator pitch / write another book Why should anyone in the world read your book? What’s the one sentence that makes a potential reader exclaim, “Ooh, sounds interesting, tell me more”? That’s such a central question and you have to have an answer. If your basic pitch isn’t strong enough, your book won’t get picked up by agents. It won’t get picked up by the industry. Even if you skip all that by self-publishing, your book will still struggle to sell because you can’t put a compelling reason to buy in front of your target reader. And (sorry) but it’s common for good writers to write a competent first book that lacks a powerful elevator pitch. And that’s OK. In effect, your first manuscript is, it turns out, a learning project. It’s where you learn the tools of the trade, the processes, the tempo. If you write a competent first project that interests agents, but fizzles out for want of sufficient commercial grab, please throw it away. Come up with an idea that blows your brain – then deliver that idea, using all the craft you’ve acquired along the way. That’s not failure. That’s a really intelligent way to navigate towards success. I can’t even count the number of people who have got their second or third novel published in this way. Many of them were utterly passionate about their first novel, their baby. They were disconsolate when it wasn’t picked up. They questioned their dream of authorship. And then, when the right book was eventually published, they admitted that the first one just hadn’t been ready and never would have been, no matter how many manuscript assessments had been thrown at it. *** I like #3 and #4 as options on this list. I like #1 and #2 the least. But every book and every author is different. If you have this problem, then figure out the solution that works best for you. And GOOD LUCK!

Tension In Writing: How To Grip Your Readers

We all dream of that day we read a review that says, “I couldn’t put this book down”. We want our readers to be eager to turn the pages; but how do we achieve that? By using tension. That’s how. Tension is not an easy technique to learn as a new writer, but it is essential for a long and fulfilling writing career. In this article, I will explain what tension is, why it is important to a story, and how to create it on the pages of your next work in progress. What Is Tension? Tension building is a phrase used in creative writing circles when discussing the conflict that is explored in the novel by the main characters. It is essential to know that to create tension, you must first give your readers something to be afraid for; but be aware, being afraid of something is not the same as being afraid for something. Being afraid of something is to fear something that may harm you; being afraid for something means to be worried that it might be harmed in some way. The it being something your character cares deeply for, or desires. Think of this in the context of your novel. You want your reader to be worried that something could get in the way of what your character truly desires. You want readers to be fearful that something will get in the way of the protagonist\'s ultimate happiness. Tension Vs Suspense Although many will see these two terms as being interchangeable, they often work hand in hand, but they are not the same. Tension happens as your reader anticipates conflict (that thing that is stopping your character getting what they really want) impacting the thing your protagonist desires the most. Suspense grows steadily throughout the course of a novel while the conflict remains unresolved. You can’t have tension, or even suspense, without a central conflict. Why Is Tension Important In A Story? We now know that conflict (that thing stopping your character getting what they want) leads to tension (that thing that makes us care about the character resolving the conflict) which in turn leads to suspense (as we keep that resolution of the conflict from them). This results in your reader feeling a compulsive need to keep turning the pages. Tension is also about tapping into the emotion of your character and creating a presumed emotional impact if they don’t get what they truly desire. You are creating an emotional connection between your protagonist and your reader, encouraging emotional investment. So, why is tension important? Essentially, without it, you will have a dull book that your reader does not feel emotionally invested in or compelled to finish. Which Genres Rely on Tension? I don’t believe there is a single genre that does not use and embrace tension. Thrillers, mystery, suspense and even horror are easy to identify as those that rely on strong tension on the page, but the truth is, you can (and should) create and build tension in any genre. Take romance for example, and Romeo and Juliet. The tension in that story is created by telling the reader that it matters little how much the pair love each other, as their love is forbidden. Shakespeare created a central conflict so strong that it in turn created tension on the page for the reader. How To Create Tension In Writing There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to building tension on the page – but there are 8 simple steps you can follow to make sure you have your reader begging for just one more page before bed. Character Led Conflict To create tension in your novel, first your readers need to care about the protagonist. It\'s essential that you have well developed characters that your readers find themselves rooting for. You need to find the one thing your character wants the most in life. Then, find a way to keep it from them. The key here is to make sure this is specific to this character. To their life. It must be something that will emotionally affect them if they don’t achieve it; but here is the kicker, your reader needs to care too. Your reader needs to want your character to achieve their goal as much as they do. So, dig deep and find out what they really want, and just what they are prepared to do to get it.   Conflicting Characters With Opposing Goals The best way to keep something from your character, is to create someone (or something) to keep them from their goal. Your reader wants to see your character\'s personality develop as they fight to achieve their goal, so put someone in their path with opposing goals or give them something to fight against. This rising conflict will increase tension and keep the reader engaged. If you want your reader to be a page turning cheerleader, give they something to cheer for. Raise The Stakes – Then Raise Them Again! What does your character stand to lose if they don’t achieve their goal? How will it change them, affect them, harm them? How close can you get them to their goal before taking it away again? You want your reader to want to jump into the book and fight for your protagonist. For narrative suspense and tension, you want your character to try and fail multiple times. Many authors use the rule of three, although it’s not a ‘rule’. In essence, have your character fail twice, each time raising the stakes, before they eventually succeed.   Pacing Is Key Pace is key, pace is King! Creating tension and suspense does not mean that every single chapter needs to be fast moving. Fast paced chapters, urgent, sharp and to the point, will create forward momentum and a sense of urgency; but slower paced chapters can be gentle, giving your character a chance to reflect on what they want and why. Slower paced chapters can also be packed with the emotion you need to get your reader to care. Play with pace; it can make or break a successful novel. Create Curiosity In Your Reader One of the best ways to create and sustain tension as your story progresses is to keep your reader asking questions and engaged at all times. It’s essential to keep your reader curious, so have them asking enough questions in those quiet moments to keep them turning the pages.  Internal And External Conflict Internal conflict is just as important to tension as external conflict. Although we mention creating something or someone to keep your main character from their goal a lot, often the most difficult conflict to overcome is the one in your own head. How is your character stopping themselves from getting what they want? Fighting external sources is a great way to create fast paced chapters, but those quiet moments are when the internal struggle of your character will show itself. What do they need to change within themselves to achieve happiness?   Master The Sub Plot Sub plots are your friends! Embrace them. You don’t want your characters to live in a one-dimensional world. External factors and other people’s lives will affect your characters journey. How can you use the sub plot(s) to raise the stakes? Tension coming from multiple sources will create a sense that the world is closing in, adding to a sense of urgency and emotion on the page. You can even add a plot twist or two to keep the reader interested. The Ticking Time Bomb From some of the earliest books we read as readers, to some of the most successful novels ever published, we see authors using the ‘ticking time bombs’ to add tension. Take Cinderella for example; there was literally a clock ticking down to her reveal. Another more contemporary example might be that of Dan Brown in his Robert Langdon books; working against the clock to solve the mystery before anyone else is hurt. Introducing a time limit/deadline injects your story with stress - having your characters work against the clock (either towards an actual or an imposed deadline) will force your protagonist to make snap decisions, heightening anxiety and conflict. Top Tips For Creating Tension Now, we know what tension is, we know the difference between tension and suspense, and we know that conflict is key; but how exactly do you implement that in written form? Use All Your Senses Your characters should be fully formed, well rounded people, so don’t forget that they have more than one sense. Don’t just see; touch, taste, hear, and smell your surroundings. Immerse your character and you will immerse the reader. Have them feel ‘that icy breath’ on their neck, or the ‘quickening of my heart, a stampede through the African plains of my chest’. Don’t just tell them how to feel, make them feel it. Use Short Sentences Play with sentence length, structure, and cadence. Placing short sentences together will force a quickened pace of reading. Use the cadence of your sentences to emphasise sudden events, or wistful moments. If you want the reader to feel a quick heartbeat, try mimicking the rhythm of a heartbeat with the words on the page. Consider Your Language Think about the words you use and when. Use panic heavy conjunctions to emphasise pace and speed. Panic conjunctions such as ‘suddenly’ are often overused, but you could try ‘abruptly’, or ‘unexpectedly’ or even ‘without warning’. If you want the reader to see, feel and hear your character, make sure the language matches the action. Use Your Surroundings The weather can be, and is often, used to help create tension, suspense, and emotion on the page. Pathetic fallacy is where we attribute emotions or feelings to weather patterns. For example, ‘the flowers danced in the breeze’ - now we know that flowers don’t dance, but this description allows the reader to know that this scene is a serene one. Whereas, with ‘the wind whispered its secrets through the trees’ - we know that wind doesn’t whisper, but this sense of foreboding creates tension on the page. Frequently Asked Questions How Do Writers Create Tension And Suspense? There is no hard and fast rule– but there are 8 simple steps you can follow to make sure you are creating tension and suspense. Create character led conflict Characters with opposing goals Raise the stakes Perfect your pacing Create curiosity Balance internal and external conflict Master the sub plot Consider a ticking timebomb How Do You Create Tension On The Page And In Dialogue? Here are some of mytop tips for increasing tension on the page and in dialogue: Be clever with your use of short sentences, sentence structure and cadence Use all your senses Consider your language carefully - try using panic conjunctions and pathetic fallacy Use interruptions during dialogue Narrate tense moments in between dialogue What Are The Four Types Of Tension? Tension in fiction can generally be grouped into one of these four categories: Tension of the task Tension of relationships Tension of surprise Tension of mystery What Is The Difference Between Tension And Suspense? Tension happens as your reader anticipates conflict - that thing that is stopping your character getting what they really want - impacting the thing your protagonist desires the most. Suspense grows steadily throughout course of a novel while the conflict remains unresolved. Creating Tension Mastering the skill of tension requires practise, but once mastered, you will have a loyal following of readers always eager to come back and read more. It’s all about balance, nuance and detail. Give your reader just enough time to breathe before you set them off running again, and always give them something to run towards.

What Is New Adult Fiction? All You Need To Know

Despite having been branded as an ‘emerging’ market for the last ten years, new adult fiction remains shrouded in heated debate. Whilst it has acquired cult status among readers and authors alike, there are a great many publishers who are reluctant to acknowledge it as an established category. The question is -why? To answer this question for you, I will define new adult fiction, include some examples, and suggest tips for writing it. Most importantly, I will explain how you might want to tackle these controversies in your submissions. What Is New Adult Fiction? New adult fiction books (NA) are narratives that explore the transition from late adolescence to early adulthood. They\'re considered the next step after young adult fiction and they\'re typically aimed towards readers aged 18-25. It\'s less a genre and more a subcategory of either YA or adult fiction. The protagonists in NA titles, much like their demographic, are new to “adulting” and don’t yet feel like functional adults. The topics frequently explored in these stories are: Moving away from home for the first time Starting higher education Deeper exploration of sexual experiences, identity and gender Establishing careers Figuring out relationships – familial, platonic and romantic NA helps maturing readers, who are new to adulthood, find their footing… at least this is what many believe it\'s for. Naturally, there\'s some speculation. The Controversy Of New Adult Fiction When NA first came onto the scene in around 2009 – thanks to a competition run by St Martin Press - the response was essentially YA fiction but notched up a gear. This included the sexual content. It wasn’t long until the new adult genre was characterised as thinly veiled erotica that took place at university. This in itself is no bad thing; people can read and write what they want. The hitch is that the refrain that NA titles are just YA romance novels with more sex still plagues the category today and this has made it hard to market and sensibly shelve in bookshops. Deirdre Power, an assistant editor at Usborne, said ‘while there’s a really valid reason for children’s books to be divided into age categories, you can’t generally say the same for adult fiction.’ Once eighteen, readers are simply trusted to make their own decisions. In fact, the popularity of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, featuring university aged characters, demonstrates that adult readers are not typically dissuaded from reading titles with younger protagonists. They may be dissuaded, however, if a book\'s marketed for a specific age range. This means positioning a book away from a mass of readers who would have otherwise bought it. This is why NA can be vague as a marketing ploy. After all, does anyone ever really feel like an adult? However, new adult books have not gone away, and the sexual content they sometimes contain is becoming less of a concern. Laura Bennett at the Liverpool Literary Agency said ‘in my experience, I’ve found that publishers are trying to be more sex positive. I think Tik Tok has a huge part to play in this.’ As a result, she’s found that publishers are increasingly asking for titles with “crossover potential” … which is essentially jargon for new adult. Laura speculated that the perpetual grey area could be attributed to a wider issue with age ranges in the YA market. ‘YA has become such a huge bracket. Is it 12-18yr olds or is it 16-18yr olds? Children are always going to read older than they are. But equally, I wouldn’t want my 10yr old reading upper YA because it’s in the 12+ section’. If there was consistent delineation, it would help with marketing and shelving. ‘We have to nurture mature readers, while still protecting younger readers. There needs to be that balance. If you insert new adult into the opposite end of that scale, it gives us the opportunity to say “Yes, this is for older readers, but it is still fairly safe”’. This begs the question though… what actually sets YA and NA apart? New Adult Vs Young Adult Fiction Young adult fiction titles are books written for readers aged 13 - 18. With teenaged protagonists, they explore the challenges of adolescence or coming of age. New Adult Fiction differs in 5 key areas: Target audience – NA’s target audience is both older and broader. It\'s targeted at 18-25 year olds, though many believe it\'s 18-30. Word count – Whereas YA is usually around 60,000 words, NA titles can be anything up to 120,000. NA authors can get into politics, themes and worldbuilding a lot more. Content – NA titles can provide more detail with their ‘adult’ content. This includes more swearing, violence, sex and drugs. Voice – NA protagonists have a different set of priorities and concerns than their younger counterparts. They\'re older but not on an equal footing with adults that possess well-established careers, families, and lifestyles. Themes - NA focuses on three areas of identity: romance, career and worldview. There are more mature themes with more complexity than in YA. YA often focuses on the external, whereas NA focuses on the internal. Examples Of New Adult Titles A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas – After killing a faerie, 19-year-old Feyre is held hostage. This popular Beauty and the Beast adaptation is darker, sexier and grittier than YA. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – When identical twins Cath and Wren head to college, they must each find their place, dealing with independence and social anxiety. Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour – 22-year-old Darren ditches his job as a barista and becomes a salesman who\'ll do anything to get ahead. This explores the challenges of racism in the workforce, establishing a first career and balancing life. The Incendiaries by R O Kwon – Will starts at Edwards College and turns his back on religion, then he and his friend get involved with a cult. This explores worldview, grief and self-identity. Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan – 22-year-old Ava moves to Hong Kong and strikes a relationship with British banker Julian. Things get complicated, however, when she meets Edith. If We Were Villains by M L Rio - Seven young actors study Shakespeare at an elite college, until one of them is found dead. This is a dark ‘campus novel’ exploring morality and social identity. Tips For Writing New Adult Fiction Audience The biggest mistake NA authors make is oversimplifying things by writing too young for an adult audience and too graphically for YA. Be clear about who you\'re writing for and ensure your protagonist embodies this in both mindset and maturity – the rest will fall into place. Themes The circumstances of your story should sync with your character. Your themes need to feel reflective of where they are in life. Genre Given publishers’ hesitancy acknowledging the term ‘new adult’ you may want to consider using other buzz words in your query letter. I\'d recommend using the phrase ‘XX with crossover appeal’. If the setting\'s firmly academic, then you may want to label your title as a ‘campus novel’. Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Difference Between New Adult And Adult Fiction? The new adult category is considered a subsection of adult fiction. New adult readers are typically aged 18-25 and adult fiction is aimed at anyone over the age of 18. What Is The Difference Between Young Adult And New Adult Fiction? YA fiction titles are written for young adults/readers aged 13 - 18, with similarly aged protagonists, and they explore the challenges of coming of age. New adult titles are aimed at 18–25-year-olds, and have older protagonists facing the new demands of legal agency and responsibility. Writing NA Fiction The increase in ‘crossover appeal’ on editors’ wish lists speaks for itself. New adult is far more than sexy romance. It\'s a robust category that offers authors the chance to tackle important topics that are pertinent to early adulthood. Not unlike the readers these books aim to represent, the NA market is in a period of transition. The question of when it can go from ‘emerging’ to ‘emerged’, feels almost synonymous with, ‘when do humans go from ‘adulting’ to fully-grown adult?’ The fact is, no one knows, but it seems somewhat inevitable. Jericho Writers is a global membership group for writers, providing everything you need to get published. Keep up with our news, membership offers, and updates by signing up to our newsletter. For more writing articles, take a look at our blog page.

What Is An Epigraph? All You Need To Know

As a reader, perhaps you have enjoyed the use of epigraphs before, but never quite understood why an author has chosen to use them. Or maybe as a writer, you have considered using epigraphs, but have resisted because you are not sure about how best to implement them. In this article, we will include an epigraph definition, look at some epigraph examples, and provide some tips on using epigraphs effectively. Hopefully by the end of this guide, you\'ll be able to use epigraphs to improve your writing and make it stand out from the rest. So, to begin, let’s discuss what the word epigraph actually means. What Is An Epigraph? In short, an epigraph is a short (typically fictional) quotation, saying, or poem that is used as an extract in an author’s book in order to gently guide the reader into the story\'s world. Some authors will use a one-off epigraph at the start of the book, just after the title page, and others will include an epigraph at the very beginning of each chapter heading. In other examples, authors used epigraphs at the end of their books as part of, or solely as, an epilogue. Epigraphs are contained in quotation marks and it\'s vital that they are attributed to the correct person. In some instances, an epigraph will be a simple one-line quote or saying and in other examples it could be several lines of poetry or prose from a literary work. It is totally down to the writers’ discretion how many lines, or how many epigraphs they decide to use. So now that we understand what an epigraph is, it’s important to establish its purpose in writing and why you might consider using one (or many of them) in your book. What Is The Purpose Of An Epigraph? The purpose of an epigraph is to help set the tone, themes, and subjects that will later materialise in the story. An epigraph can help the reader gain a sense of what is to come and help an author to establish context very early on in the book. Epigraphs are often thought-provoking and they create intrigue and interest at the beginning of a text/chapter. They\'re also used to foreshadow mood /an exciting event, or make a satirical statement. To fully appreciate the purpose and effectiveness of literary epigraphs, it is useful to consider some published examples. Below are some examples of texts that have used epigraphs successfully. Examples Of Epigraphs To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee Lawyers, I suppose, were children once. This is possibly one of the most famous examples of an epigraph being used to create intrigue and establish the context for the complex and emotional story that would later unfold. It is wonderfully simple yet extremely clever. Life After Life By Kate Atkinson What if we had the chance to it again and again, until we finally did get it right? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Edward Beresford – Todd Atkinson uses three epigraphs at the beginning of this novel, but what makes this quote unusual is that it is actually made by one of the main characters of the book. It is also a wonderfully apt quote, perfect to set up the main theme of the novel, which is reliving a life - and by using a quote from a character, we can appreciate his importance in the story. Watership Down By Richard Adams CHORUS: Why do you cry out thus, unless at some vision of horror? CASSANDRA: The house reeks of death and dripping blood CHORUS: How so? ‘Tis but the odor of the altar sacrifice CASSANDRA: The stench is like a breath from the tomb. Aeschylus, Agamemnan Watership Down is an excellent example of epigraphs being used at the beginning of each chapter - and this quote from chapter one really sets the theme for the reader. By using continuous quotes and extracts throughout the novel, Adams is able to hint at the terror and threat that is awaiting his characters and can continue to create a sense of intrigue and danger throughout the book. The Circle By Dave Eggers There wasn’t any limit, no boundary at all, to future. And it would be so a man wouldn’t have room to store his happiness. East of Eden by John Steinbeck By using this quote at the beginning of his novel, Eggers is able to set the theme of his futuristic and utopian setting. This quote helps to pose a question with the reader, hinting that perhaps the safe and happy world that is being presented, isn’t all it seems. The Double Life of Daisy Hemmings By Joanna Nadin Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not. It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Again, this quote is thought-provoking and helps to set up the main theme of book, which is people changing. It is extremely apt and sets the context for the story that unfolds perfectly. How To Use An Epigraph In Your Book In this section, we are going to explore how best to use and decide on your own epigraph for your book. Consider using texts, extracts and quotes that have themes that best overlap with yours. Ensure that you have permission to use the text/quotes or extracts. Remember, copyright restrictions may be in place (this is usually the author\'s lifetime, plus seventy years) but it is always best to check with the writer’s estate or agency to be sure. Consider whether you want to foreshadow an event or mood and if so, try to use an epigraph that can help with this. You might want to use an epigraph to develop or hint at a character development, in which case you need to find one that best fits those needs. Take time to read through examples and consider how epigraphs might best suit your work. Could a small quote at the beginning set up the scene? Or would continuous epigraphs at each chapter help shape the theme and build intrigue throughout the novel? Decide what best suits you. It’s important to remember that most authors are drawn to quotes and texts instinctively and just ‘know’ that they belong in the novel. It makes sense that a piece of writing that has influenced you, or a poem that means a lot to you, will also connect to the story you have written. If your gut instinct feels that it\'s right, it often is! Just ensure you are allowed to use it! Let’s now consider some frequently asked questions regarding the use of epigraphs. Frequently Asked Questions What Is An Example Of An Epigraph? An epigraph is a short quotation, saying, or poem that is used in novels. These (often fictional) quotations can either be included at the start of the book or at the beginning of each chapter. An example is the epigraph, “lawyers, I suppose, were children once”, used in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Why Are Epigraphs Used? An epigraph helps to set the theme, tone or the subject that will materialise later in the story. It can foreshadow what will come and build intrigue and suspense. Where Should I Use An Epigraph? This is a totally personal preference. Many authors prefer to have their epigraphs at the beginning of the novel. Others will use epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter, some at the end of a novel. You need to choose the method that feels right for you and fits with your book. How Long Should An Epigraph Be? There are no wrong or right answers here. However, it is often suggested that epigraphs which consist of a short phrase or a few lines are best for creating intrigue and holding the reader’s interest. What Copyright Considerations Do I Need To Consider When Using Epigraphs? You need to check that you have legal permission to use any text, quotes, or extracts. Remember copyright restrictions are often in place (usually the author\'s lifetime, plus seventy years) unless the text is in the public domain. If you\'re unsure about the copyright, check with the writer\'s estate or agency. Choosing An Epigraph Throughout this guide we have explored epigraphs in much detail and considered their use and how they can be most effective in writing. There is little doubt that for many writers, epigraphs are a great way of setting the theme and tone of a novel and helping a reader get a sense of what might be unveiled later in the book. The key thing to remember, is that the use of epigraphs is a totally personal one. Take time to explore quotes and extracts that might work for your text. Ensure that you have the correct permissions. Consider whether your epigraph is having the effect you want it to have. But most of all, have fun with it and follow your heart. Epigraphs are often selected because they connect to the author in some way and because of this, they will connect to the reader. The most effective epigraphs are the ones that aren’t forced but feel like they belong to the writing. Good luck!

Some basics

I see plenty of query letters over the course of a year, and (though they’re much more boring) a fair few synopses too. Lots of these are absolutely fine. A tweak here or there, and they’re good to go. But many of them – maybe half or more – make mistakes that you just don’t need to make. So let’s get them right. In particular: Let your synopsis be a synopsis Writers are, naturally, extremely averse to giving away all the good bits of their story. But that’s what a synopsis is. It’s not a blurb. It’s not a sales pitch. It’s just a neutral, unsexy summary of your story’s plot. Really, that summary should include the final denouement too. (“Ryan finds the explosive and removes the detonator, thereby saving the stadium.”) But if you really can’t bring yourself to do that, you can cheat a very little bit, and only right at the end. (“Ryan arrives at the stadium, where the dramatic final act takes place.”) Let your query letter define your query (1) Agents get lots of emails about lots of things. So make it clear why you’re writing. You don’t have to be clever here. Just use the following sentence with the appropriate bits altered: “I am writing to seek representation for my debut novel, Return of the Killer Kitten, a 180,000 word geopolitical thriller, set in Ukraine, Berlin and Stockholm.” Let your query letter define your query (2) Yes, you are a fabulously creative person with ideas pouring out of your lugholes. But shut up about it – for now. Right now, you are seeking to retain a salesperson (ie: a literary agent) to sell a product (your manuscript) to an investor (your publisher.) Focus on the task at hand. Talk about the product you want to sell now. Yes, you can introduce yourself a bit, but remember that your book is the main attraction here. So you should spend the majority of your (short) covering letter talking about your book. If, in addition to your geo-political thriller, you wish to write Young Adult fantasy and non-fiction about collapsed civilisations, then fine. But don’t talk about it now: you’ll simply reduce the pool of agents who want to take you on. Once you have an agent on board, you can explain more what you want to write about, and you can explore how broadly your interests match. But for now, just find the agent who wants to sell this book. That agent is almost certainly the right agent for you now. Shut up about yourself I reckon you have a maximum of a paragraph to talk about yourself and, if I were writing a query letter today, that paragraph would probably be a short one. You are not the main deal here; your manuscript is – so focus on that. That said, if you have an extensive and relevant past, by all means include a ‘Creative Resume’ or something similar as part of the package you send over. If I were seeking a new agent today, I’d need a list somewhere of my past books with a note of publishers, rights sales, TV options, and the like. That would be useful background for any agent, of course, but you want to keep it out of the query letter itself – because you want the query letter to keep its focus relentlessly on the manuscript that you’re seeking to sell. Don’t shut up about yourself Ah! You’re writing non-fiction? In that case, please ignore the ridiculous advice given just above. If the non-fiction book you’re selling depends heavily on your authority (your proven expertise) or your platform (your ability to reach readers via social media and so on), you need to talk about that at length. It’s all part of the package the agent will be looking to sell. Don’t shove the synopsis into the query Your query letter is a query letter. Your synopsis is a synopsis. Don’t ram the second into the first. Yes, of course your query letter needs to talk about the manuscript. But it needs to do two things, neither of which involves a full plot explanation. It needs to: Explain just generally what kind of book yours is. Your first sentence has probably given some data (“a police procedural set in the Scottish Highlands”, for example), but you need to flesh that out a bit. So, to take that example, you might expand on the nature of the crime being investigated, who the investigator is, and so on. You’re just trying to give the agent a basic orientation so she has some understanding of what this book is. Explain why this book is sexy. This is the elevator pitch part of your pitch. If the thrilling thing about your police procedural is that the bad guy is a ghost, here’s where you say it. You don’t have to be too clunky about that. (“My elevator pitch is: the bad guy is a ghost.”) You can rely on the agent to pick up on the hints you scatter. (“But as DC Finlay closes in, he starts to realise the perpetrator is not entirely of this world.”) If you try to replace either of these elements with a bald plot summary, your letter will feel a lot less appetising than it could be. Think of it this way: your synopsis is meant to be a rather bald, functional document. If it’s fun to read, you’ve got it a bit wrong. Your query letter on the other hand is about seduction. You need a glitter of the unknown, the lure of temptation. If you don’t feel that tickle of excitement in your query letter, you need to redo it. *** All that sounds sensible, but there are also some areas where the answers are a little less clear. For example: How many agents to query? My normal rule of thumb is that you should approach 10-12 agents that you’ve selected with reasonable care. (Our own AgentMatch service is ideal, but whatever tool you use, make sure you are contacting agents with some basic interest in the kind of material you send.) After that, if you don’t get serious interest (ideally, an offer of representation, but at a minimum 2-3 full manuscript requests), then you don’t need to query more agents. You need to write a better book. Yes, there are examples of people who just knocked on more doors and got lucky. But they’re not the rule. Really, the overwhelming reason why manuscripts don’t get picked up by agents is: they’re not good enough. So, if the signs aren’t promising after your first round of submissions, go back to your manuscript and make it better. Sometimes the actual submissions process itself gives you clues about what to do. Other times it’s worth getting a paid assessment (like our spectacularly good ones). But either way, if agents aren’t taking your book, then fix it. That’s more important, by far, than simply knocking on more doors. Why this agent? Do I really need a marketing plan? And look: there’s a ton of advice there which recommends extra ways for you to add work into your life. It’s very common to see advice which says you need to tell each agent why you’ve picked them specifically. It’s getting more common to see advice which says you should include a draft marketing plan to prove that you’re up for the commercial struggle. But – really? In the end, you’re sending your book to a dozen agents. There might be two or three of those that you’ve picked for some strong reason. The rest are probably just there because they handle books in your genre and they don’t seem obviously mad. My advice: if you have a meaningful reason for picking a particular agent, then say so. Otherwise, just send your book. A plumber doesn’t expect you to flatter them when you get them to quote for a new bathroom installation. Why should an agent need that special flattery, when you’re just asking them to do their job? Don’t waste your time. Same thing, really, with a marketing plan. If you feel inspired to put one together, great. If not, don’t worry about it. I know quite a bit about marketing books, but I certainly wouldn’t put a marketing plan together when approaching agents. Marketing is a publisher’s job. It’s not mine, and not an agent’s. Again: don’t waste your time. *** That’s it from me. Sorry about the BORING PRACTICAL theme this week. Honestly: anyone would think these emails were actually trying to be useful. I do hereby solemnly vow to do something a bit more madcap next week. Or – probably vow. Truth is, I write about whatever happens to be in my head at the time. PS: Here\'s what\'s on the way for Premium Members next week (as always, Premium Membership is a click away, right here): Live Event | Building a Writer\'s Reputation Panel - Thursday 24 November, 19:00 GMT | 14:00 EDT Townhouse | The Writing Room - Tuesdays 16:00 GMT | Thursdays 18:00 GMT Set aside an hour (or two) to write in The Writing Room. This week will have a special focus on setting. Townhouse | Harry\'s Office Hours - Thursday 12:00 - 14:00 GMT Based on the exercises in Tuesday\'s Writing Room, I\'ll be asking you to describe a setting with the five sense and feeding back. Townhouse | Polly\'s Office Hours - every Friday 13:00-16:00 GMT Next Friday, Polly will also be giving feedback whether your settings come to life.

What Is The Falling Action Of A Story? A Complete Guide

When I think of falling action, I think of all of the scenes in Gladiator that come after Maximus Decimus finally has his revenge on the new emperor (warning Gladiator spoilers ahead!) Maximus stabbing the emperor is the undoubtable climax- his long sought revenged is finally reached. Many important things happen after this; we still see his inevitable demise and a number of important scenes follow; yet these scenes are no longer part of the story\'s climax. The scenes that follow, despite being dramatic in their own right, are slower and more satisfying, they lead us to the conclusion of the story. The main climactic moment has already occurred, which means that all of those scenes that follow are part of the falling action. A story\'s falling action is the action that occurs immediately after the big climax has taken place and the action shifts towards resolution instead of escalation. The action is now no longer rising, instead it is now falling and taking us (the viewer/reader) onwards to the end of the journey. In short, it is everything that comes after the important questions have been answered. In this guide you will learn how to better identify falling action and how to write it. Once you read this article you will be able to define falling action, understand the role it plays in story structure, and know the difference between falling action and rising action. Let’s dive in! What Is Falling Action? Falling action in a story is, simply put, the action that comes immediately after the important climax has taken place. Note that some films or books might seem to have multiple climaxes (like in the Lord of the Rings finale where they seem to come one after the other.) However, there is usually one important main climax, which the rising action has been leading towards. Keep in mind, though, that exciting things can still happen after the climax (like the volcano erupting in Lord of The Rings) and those scenes are still part of the falling action. All falling action leads to the story\'s resolution and the tying up of loose ends of the plot. How Does Falling Action Fit In With Freytag’s Pyramid? It’s hard to talk about falling action without talking about German author Gustav Freytag, who, through the illustration of his (Freytag’s) pyramid, argued that all stories can be reduced to one basic plot structure which consists of five stages: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and dénouement. Let’s break these down. 1. Exposition The story starts with exposition, which breaks down the information the reader will need in order to understand the story best. Who is this story about? Who is the main character? Who is the antagonist? What is their world like? What are their key relationships? What are the stakes? What is the time period? What are all the relevant details? Once this is all established and the reader is invested, the inciting incident typically occurs in the story, which then moves things on to the rising action. 2. Rising Action When the rising action hits, the plot usually quickens and starts to (as the name suggests) rise towards the climax. The tension in rising action will typically grow from scene to scene as plot developments lead us through the story and upwards to the grand climax. No matter how complex or unique a story is, it\'s likely to have rising action. 3. Climax The climax is arguably the most important part of the story, though each part of Freytag’s pyramid is significant in its own way. A climax will tackle the story\'s central conflict, answer its main question, and will serve as the main turning point for the story. Typically, it’s when the hero reaches their destination, or when they finally confront the villain. As the pyramid/plot diagram suggests it is the peak of the story - the action will no longer rise, and the stakes will not get higher from here. Once the story reaches the climax, the action will head towards resolution in the form of falling action. 4. Falling Action As discussed throughout the article, falling action refers to all the scenes/plot points that come after the climax and lead to a resolution and the final “after” snapshot. (Refer back to the first heading for a more detailed falling action definition.) Few stories skip falling action completely, but if you\'re writing a series of books, especially if they\'re in a genre which is rife with major conflict and plot twists, you may decide to leave some loose ends. In this case, it might be that your protagonist gets closer to solving the obstacles presented by the story\'s main conflict, which gives readers some satisfaction, but a few unanswered questions remain. This means your readers will have some closure, but will also be eager to read the next instalment of your series. 5. Dénouement Dénouement is often confused with falling action and to be honest it’s easy to confuse the two. Dénouement is the very last bit of the story which shows the final resolution. It’s not so much the unthreading of plot lines that the falling action is but rather dénouement is the final say on how everything has been resolved. In Lord Of The Rings, it would be showing Frodo happily back in the Shire. Dénouement can also involve a tragic resolution too where things don\'t work out as well as your protagonist had hoped. Dénouement hints at what’s to come, and show us how everything has changed for the main character and secondary characters and it leads us to the story\'s end. The Difference Between Falling Action And Rising Action The key difference between rising and falling action is that rising action follows an upward trajectory where it escalates in intensity in order to reach the climax. Falling action should, like its namesake, follow a downward trajectory and aim to give the viewer/reader relief from the climax. Let\'s explore the importance of falling action. Why Is Falling Action Important? Falling action is important because if you ended a story on a climax there would be no emotional relief for the reader/viewer. The story, whether sad or happy, would have no satisfying end or closure. You’ve spent all this time getting your reader excited and invested; you cannot then just leave them at the peak. The main reasons to include falling action in literature are as follows: Ties up loose ends, especially in relation to the main conflict Falling action serves the reader\'s curiosity, giving them satisfaction and closure It provides extra time for a closing statement of themes and the core message Wraps up side-storylines, or the stories of multiple characters It gives the story time to wind down so you can head towards your closing image with purpose and intent Examples Of Falling Action Falling action can take many forms (in terms of style, format, genre etc). Here are five falling action examples from literature and film: The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins In The Hunger Games, the falling action is everything that comes after Katniss wins the games. The main plot has been addressed and the action moves towards the resolution. Dénouement would be the scene that shows her life long after the Hunger Games have ended. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone By J K Rowling In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the falling action happens once Harry faces Voldemort. The time after that spent in the infirmary, and the house cup and all that follows is falling action. Titanic In the film Titanic, the climax would be the Titanic sinking and Jack and Rose being stranded. Once Jack passes and Rose decides to use her last morsel of energy to get the whistle, the falling action begins. Dénouement would be the very final scene when the old lady drops the necklace into the ocean. A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens In A Christmas Carol, the falling action occurs after Scrooge wakes up and realises that he is still alive, and it is still Christmas, and that there\'s still time to change his trajectory. Everything that comes after this with him fixing all his wrongs is part of the falling action. Matilda By Roald Dahl In Matilda, the climax occurs when Miss Trunchbull is vanquished. Matilda skipping grades and Miss Honey’s life returning to normal is the falling action. Miss Honey becoming Matilda’s new guardian once her family has left for Spain could be considered dénouement, as it shows us Matilda’s new normal, and what her life is likely to look for the foreseeable future. How To Write Falling Action The three steps to writing falling action are as follows: Identify all of the loose ends you would like to wrap up, arrange them in order of importance and in a descending pattern, (i.e. the action should be calmer and not rising.) Consider the pace of the overall story in order to decide how your falling action should fit and how much room it will occupy on the page. Tip: make a checklist of the storylines /plot points/ jokes you would like to see wrapped up and tidied, and then check things off once you have included them in the falling action. Loosely plan out your story structure so that you know roughly what the falling actionwill entail. Once you know which beats you want your falling action to hit and in which order, and once you are clear on which plot points should be concluded, then you can draft the falling action just as you would any other section of your book or screenplay. Frequently Asked Questions Let’s address some of the most asked questions when it comes to falling action. What Is A Falling Action? Falling action is everything that takes place immediately after the climax. The purpose of falling action is to bring the story from climax to a resolution. It is one of the key elements in any story which will usually include an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement. How Do You Identify A Falling Action? In order to identify falling action try asking yourself the main plot point of the story, then identify when that plotline is resolved (i.e. when the hero finally confronts the villain), once you are able to identify the climax you can identify the falling action. Remember the falling action will usually revolve around resolution and de-escalation of the previous action, and will follow a downward spiral. What Is The Difference Between Dénouement And Falling Action? Dénouement is the final part of a story which usually shows you a glimpse into the main character\'s new normal. Like in the case of Matilda, dénouement often gives the viewer a snapshot of what’s in store for the MC in the future (Matilda will now happily live with Miss Honey). Dénouement is usually much shorter than the falling action. It’s often a commentary on the future of the world in the book as well, similar to an epilogue, a dénouement will explain where the world you\'ve created, and your story\'s characters, will go from here. Falling Action It’s very important for writers to focus on their falling action and to really flesh it out in the perfect way for their narrative. It isn’t something to be overlooked or skipped. When keeping in mind falling action, you can refer to Freytag’s pyramid and try to visualise the way you first expose your story and the important details. Then imagine the line going upwards with your rising action and try to pair that with emotions- first the reader is intrigued with your exposition and details of the story, then they should be excited and nervous with your rising action, the climax should hit hard and heavy and be the peak of the storyline, then the reader should feel a sort of detangling of threads with the falling action. Falling action should bring with it a sense of closure and relief.

Post for self-assembly by the user

I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m a Man of Steel – I have a blood condition which means I accumulate iron. Fridge magnets stick to me. I clank when I walk. In rain, I rust. The solution to this is regular blood donations: they just take my iron-rich blood and either discard it or offer it to someone else. And yesterday, I was in the hospital – again – for one of these draws. Usually, the process has been fast, efficient and largely painless. The needle they use is a real whopper, but I’ve got big bulgy veins and I’m not squeamish about needles, and it’s all been fine. Yesterday, however, I got a rather nervous trainee nurse, who made a real mess of things. She scratched around painfully inside my arm and constantly fiddled with the needle, while, all the time, blood was dripping off my arm, because she’d made a mess of the original insertion. It wasn’t a lot of fun – and then once I’d filled my pint-bag of blood, the trainee realised she’d forgotten to take any blood samples, so we had to go again in my other, less battered arm. She kept saying, “Sorry, sorry, sorry”, which didn’t really help my declining faith in her competence. Also: for some reason, I don’t know why, my body absolutely hates having blood taken from it, and I always feel wiped out afterwards. After yesterday’s shenanigans, I feel extra flat. For that reason, this email has collapsed into a pile of fragments: it’s like a flat-pack email for you to assemble at your leisure. I haven’t counted bolts and screws, though, so I’m not even sure the whole thing will hold together. I’ve listed the part numbers, but they may be in the wrong order. Oh yes, and some parts are heavy, so please lift carefully, using your legs not your back. Oh yes, and the theme is Nanowrimo. So, um, you’re building a Nanowrimo kit. Or something like that. Part 1: Nanowrimo Stands for National Novel Writing Month. Except that the thing is international, isn’t it, so it should probably be World Novel Writing Month, or Wornowrimo. Part 2: November The first frosts. Late-fallen apples. A last-blooming rose. And – yes, a freshly-baked novel. One smelling of roasted chestnuts and spiced pumpkin. Nanowrimo takes place in November, so this email may only be a pile of pieces but it is at least perfectly timed, no? Part 3a: Brave New World A Wiki-style blog about the origin of the 50,000 word target reports that, “The 50,000-word goal came to be when NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty chose the shortest novel on his shelf (rumored to be Brave New World), did a rough word count estimate, and came up with 50,000 words.” Part 3b: Brave New World again Brave New World is actually 64,575 words long, so the 50K word count is much less than the shortest novel on Chris Baty’s shelves. Part 3c: Because you have to mention The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is about 48,000 words. It is essential to record this fact in absolutely any discussion of Nanowrimo word counts. Part 3d: The real world In the real world of trad publishing, 50,000 words is way too short for any novel at all, except for really exceptional literary novels and, even then, ones mostly produced by literary writers who have already secured acclaim and, with it, the right to break the rules. It’s true that those rules don’t quite apply to self-publishing and, for example, the romance market may see some quite short novels. But for the most part, commercial novels start at about 70 or 75,000 words and go up from there. I think all my novels are over 100,000 words and often well over. The reason why word counts hover at this sort of level is that it turns out that’s what readers find satisfying. Part 17: Housekeeping Please don’t forget that, every Thursday, I’m going to be buzzing around Townhouse looking at your work. I’ll be focusing especially on the work of Premium Members, but I hope we get a good peer-to-peer vibe going no matter what. I’ll be mostly busy from 12.00 to 2.00 GMT, but if you are in Singapore, or California, or just too busy battling brigands in the Atlas Mountains, then upload your work for comment beforehand and check in again afterhand. Yes: I know afterhand is not a word, but it ought to be. Yes: I know that Part 17 should not logically follow Part 3d, but have I at any point promised you logic? I have not. Part 4: Raoul Silva There’s a Bond movie, where the bad guy, Raoul Silva, says, “Do you see what comes of all this running around, Mr. Bond? All this jumping and fighting, it\'s exhausting! Relax. You need to relax.” So that’s one school of thought about Nanowrimo, the Raoul Silva school, which says simply: forget it. Why work hard to produce a novel that’s definitely too short? And, since you’re producing it under pressure, that first draft isn’t likely to be much good anyway. And relaxation is nice, no? Part 5: James Bond / running around Pretty obviously, James Bond doesn’t relax and does do lots more running around. Pretty obviously, Nanowrimo people do the (writing equivalent of the) same thing. Oh yes, and James Bond always wins in the end, except in the most recent film, obvs, except even there he sort of wins, he just gets exploded. This last fact may not be relevant. Part 6: Habits Yes, but. Habits. Part 7: Replacement part Some users have pointed out that Part 6 is not in fact usable. The little metal stick thing that’s meant to screw into the hole doesn’t in fact fit. And there isn’t even a hole. Users are therefore advised to replace the current part 6 with the following replacement part: The thing about good habits is that you want to reinforce them. The thing about bad habits is that you want to shatter them – and keep them shattered. Nanowrimo can do both things. The sheer pace demanded of you requires you to destroy the bad, retain the good. Do you procrastinate for forty minutes before you start to write seriously? Do you have a social media app open and active while you are theoretically concentrating? Nanowrimo’s beautiful brutishness can cure you of those habits. There’s something about writing a lot of text fast that gives you a kind of proof of concept. This hard thing is doable. This mountain can be climbed. Part 8: Craft I talk a lot about craft – writing technique. I have a feeling that this part belongs somewhere in this email. I’m not sure where, and I can’t find any instructions. Part 9: The first draft The 50,000 words you write as part of Nanowrimo? They are not likely to be good. Part 10: WELL, THEY’RE NOT THE POLICE, ARE THEY? No. The Nanowrimo non-profit organisation is definitely not a police force. And if they were, they’d be the sort that let’s would allow you to swap hats with a police officer and take selfies. They wouldn’t be the sort to beat you to a pulp, then charge you with resisting arrest. I think the purpose of this part is simply to say that if you want to switch the rules around for yourself, you can. I suggest you keep that 50,000 word count target, because that’s kind of the point of the whole thing, but I also suggest you don’t think of that 50,000 words as a novel, because it won’t be that. Part 11: Planning Ah, yes. This part should probably have been bolted down first, but I’ve only just found it. Really: your Nanowrimo experience is going to go better if you have some kind of rough plan for what you’re going to be writing. If you just plunge in – well, you might end up with a book that’s as poorly planned as this email. Part 12: Editing Every first draft is good because all it has to do is exist, right? Writing = delivering stone to the site Editing = putting them in the right place Part 13: Bonus part, not needed for final assembly I knew a writer who was given a ridiculously short deadline by her publisher. I urged her to produce 100,000 words, delivered in alphabetical order, starting with 652 repetitions of the word “a”. I said she should say to them that here were the words they wanted; she just didn’t have time to put them in the right order. She did not take my advice. Part 14: A cup of coffee with a friend I’ve just had a cup of coffee with a friend. The friend did an MA in creative writing (that would be an MFA in American.) In the course of the MA, her longest extended piece of writing was 17,000 words and what’s the point of that? In a way, the thuggishness of nanowrimo is its best thing. Just do it. Change the scale of what you think you’re capable of. Part 15: having kids vs nanowrimo I have never done Nanowrimo and I never will. I edit as I write, and I’m a fidgety, perfectionist editor, so I never accumulate a lot of text fast. That’s just not my thing. But – I did have four kids in less than two years and if you want to shift expectations fast, that’s not a bad way to do it. Uninterrupted thinking time? No. A just get on with it approach? Yes. Advantages of Nanowrimo: less costly, less smelly, less crying, fewer night feeds. Advantages of having kids: um … Part 16: the bit where I say bye bye Bye bye

How To Write Murder Mystery Stories: Top Tips

Do you love murder mysteries? Do you want to write your own but don\'t know where to start? Well, you\'ve come to the right place! In this article, you will learn how to write compelling murder mystery stories that move the plot forward and keep your readers guessing until the end. We\'ll discuss structure, key moments, character development, and setting. Whether you\'re a beginner or a seasoned pro, read on for all the tips and tricks you need to create an edge-of-your-seat murder mystery! What Is A Murder Mystery? A murder mystery is a fast-paced story in which a killing is committed, and the characters must solve the mystery by uncovering clues and identifying the culprit. The murder mystery genre includes elements of suspense and detective work, making it a popular choice for readers who enjoy puzzles and trying to piece together all the clues. While the plot of a murder mystery can be complex, the basic premise is reasonably simple: someone has been killed, and it is up to the main characters to find out who did it. How Are Murder Mysteries Different from General Mystery Stories? There are many types of mystery stories, from classic whodunits to modern thrillers. But what sets murder mysteries apart from other types of mystery stories? For one thing, murder mysteries usually involve much higher stakes. After all, the victim in a murder mystery is already dead, so there\'s very little chance of a happy resolution. In addition, they tend to be darker and more violent than other mystery genres. They often explore the dark side of human nature and the motivations behind why someone would kill another person. Finally, good murder mysteries typically have a larger cast of characters than other types of mystery stories. This is because each character usually has something to hide, and the murderer is often someone who was least expected. These elements combine to create a unique and addictive genre that will keep readers guessing and turning pages! Next, let\'s look at the critical aspects of a murder mystery novel. The Key Elements Of A Murder Mystery 1. Start With A Strong Hook To Capture Your Reader\'s Attention In any good murder mystery, the crime that sets the story in motion needs to be compelling enough to hook the reader from the very first page. After all, once somebody has been murdered, it\'s up to the private detective (and the reader) to put together the pieces of who did it and why. A strong hook will keep readers engaged as they try to solve the puzzle along with the detective. To be effective, a hook should be mysterious and intriguing, making the reader want to find out more. It should also introduce the key players in the story so that readers have a sense of who they\'re rooting for (or against!). 2. The Protagonist Should Be Someone The Reader Can Sympathise With And Root For In any good murder mystery, the protagonist should be someone with whom the reader can empathise. After all, it\'s hard to get invested in a story if you don\'t care about the main character! A sympathetic protagonist gives the reader someone to identify with as they try to solve the mystery. They also provide a human element to the story, making it more relatable and realistic. Of course, this doesn\'t mean that the protagonist has to be perfect. In fact, many of the best murder mysteries feature protagonists with flaws and secrets of their own! 3. Create Believable, Complex Characters For The Supporting Cast The murder victim is only the beginning. Creating a web of complex and believable characters for the rest of the supporting cast is essential to keep readers engaged. Each character should have unique motivations, secrets, and skills that come into play as the story unfolds. Furthermore, the relationships between these characters should be rich and multi-layered, providing clues and red herrings for the reader to follow. 4. Include A Plot Twist That The Reader Won\'t See Coming A murder mystery is only as good as its plot twist. The best plot twists are entirely unexpected but still make perfect sense retrospectively. An excellent way to achieve this is to plant false clues throughout the story that point the reader in the wrong direction. This will make the true killer\'s identity all the more surprising when it is finally revealed. 5. There Should Be Plenty Of Red Herrings To Keep The Reader Guessing Until The Very End A murder mystery is not a true mystery if the reader can figure out who did it long before the end of the book. A key element in writing a successful murder mystery is to include a red herring - a false clue that points the reader in the wrong direction. These can take many forms, from physical evidence that appears to incriminate a character but is later revealed to be planted, to eyewitnesses who give conflicting testimony. 6. The Ending Should Be Satisfying A vital element of murder mystery books is that the ending should be satisfying, with all loose ends tied up neatly. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, but generally, a well-written mystery should provide closure for its readers. You can achieve this by providing a credible explanation for all of the clues that have been left throughout the story. This not only allows readers to see how everything fits together but also leaves them feeling satisfied that they were able to solve the mystery themselves. Another way to create a satisfying ending is by ensuring that all of the characters get what they deserve. This means that justice is served and that everyone who played a role in the story gets their comeuppance. Different Forms Of Murder Mysteries Murder mystery stories are a popular genre that can be written as novels, short stories, screenplays, stage plays, or even television shows. While each type of story has distinct benefits, they all share one common goal: to keep the audience guessing about whodunnit! Let\'s take a closer look at the different murder mystery forms. Murder Mystery Novels The novel form of a murder mystery allows for more significant character development and a more complex plot than a short story or a screenplay, allowing the reader to delve into all the nuances of each character and their motives. Murder Mystery Short Stories A short story is a more concise, focused way of telling a story, with fewer characters and fewer distractions from the central mystery, while centred on the inner workings of a specific character\'s mind. Murder Mystery Screenplays A screenplay can be an excellent format for a murder mystery, allowing the author to control the pacing and tension of the story. Typically, a script for a film is best suited to fast-paced action and suspense, with an emphasis on characters and visuals. So, a murder mystery script exemplifies the strengths of the subgenre and the screenplay format simultaneously. Murder Mystery Stage Plays A stage play is primarily dialogue-driven, which is an excellent format for a story based on a central character interviewing others to determine the culprit. Murder Mystery TV Shows Serialised television has always been popular for telling murder mysteries, with shows such as CSI and Law & Order, as it allows for complex plotlines and character development in a short time frame. Murder Mystery Examples Knives Out By Rian Johnson (Movie) This offbeat film, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, follows the investigation into the death of a renowned crime novelist and every shocking twist and intriguing turn keeps you guessing until the end. And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie (Novel, Movie, Stage Play) One of the most famous murder mystery novels ever written, this story follows a group of strangers who are invited to an isolated island off the coast of England. Once there, after they are accused of various crimes and murders, they are picked off one by one by an unknown killer. As the body count mounts, the survivors realise that there is no way off the island and that they must find the killer before it\'s too late. Columbo (TV Show) If you\'re a fan of detective shows, you\'ve probably seen at least one episode of Columbo. The iconic series starred Peter Falk as a wily police detective who was always one step ahead of the killer. Unlike standard whodunnits, each episode began with the audience knowing who the murderer was, but seeing Columbo piece the clues together was always a delight. Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn (Novel, Movie) One of the most popular murder mystery novels in recent years, Gone Girl tells the story of Nick and Amy Dunne, a married couple whose relationship is on the rocks. When Amy goes missing, Nick becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. As the police investigation unfolds, dark secrets about their marriage are revealed, and it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems. Hound Of The Baskervilles By Arthur Conan Doyle (Novel, Movie) This classic story revolves around the investigation of a series of murders committed on the desolate moors of Devonshire. Sherlock Holmes is hired to solve the case, and he quickly realises that the culprit is a large, ferocious hound that has been terrorising the local villagers at the bidding of its secretive master. In the end, Holmes is able to put an end to the murders and uncover the culprit. Mystery At Rogues\' Roost By Ellery Queen (Short Story) Rogues\' Roost is a remote and isolated inn, the perfect setting for a murder mystery. When Ellery Queen arrives, he finds that the innkeeper has been killed and the other guests are all suspects. As Ellery begins to investigate, he quickly realises that each of the guests has something to hide. The question is, who is the murderer? Ellery soon discovers that the answer lies in a hidden room at Rogues\' Roost, a room that holds the key to a decades-old mystery. How To Write A Murder Mystery Step 1: Determine Your Setting & Main Character The first step is to determine when, where, and who. Will your story take place in a small town or a big city? On a beach or in the mountains? Is it a period piece or contemporary? Once you\'ve decided on the location, it\'s time to introduce your main character. Is she a famous detective or an amateur sleuth? A hard-boiled private investigator or an inquisitive novice? By understanding your protagonist\'s motivations and backstory, you\'ll be better equipped to write a compelling mystery. Step 2: Who Is The Victim? What Is The Murder Or Crime Committed? Is your victim innocent or guilty of misdeeds? Are they a good person or are they thoroughly nasty? How you paint the victim will reflect in how they\'re viewed by others, including your readers. Once you\'ve chosen your victim, it\'s time to get into the nitty-gritty of the crime itself. Where did it take place? When? How was the body found? These are all essential details that will help to set the scene. You should also consider what kind of weapon was used and whether any evidence was left at the crime scene. Step 3: Create A List Of Potential Suspects, Along With Their Motives, Opportunities, And Alibis The best murder mystery stories always have a large cast of potential suspects. After all, part of the fun is trying to figure out who did it! So, once you\'ve decided on your victim and your crime, it\'s time to start brainstorming a list of possible killers. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you create your list of suspects: Each suspect should have a motive for killing the victim. What would they stand to gain by the victim\'s death? Each suspect should have an opportunity to commit the crime. Where were they when the crime took place? Do they have access to the murder weapon? Each suspect should have some kind of connection to the victim. How do they know each other? What is their relationship like? Each suspect should have a seemingly valid alibi for where they were when the crime was committed. Think of each character\'s backstory and what they might have been doing at the time. Always make sure to think about what clues and red herrings you want to include in your story when you are thinking about your suspects! Step 4: Create A Unique Twist On The Actual Murder This is where you take the basic concept of the murder and make it your own. It\'s essential to come up with something that will surprise your readers and keep them guessing until the big reveal. One way to do this is to change the motives for the murder. Maybe the victim was killed for insurance money, or maybe there was a love triangle gone wrong. You can also change the way the murder is carried out. Instead of a bullet to the head, maybe the victim is poisoned or drowned. Whatever you choose, make sure to include a feeling of improbability or impossibility to the crime. This increases the mystery and engagement! Step 5: Create A Timeline Of Events The last step to writing a murder mystery is to create a timeline of events. This may seem daunting, but it\'s not as difficult as it sounds. Here are a few tips: Start by brainstorming a list of all the events that take place in your story, no matter how big or small. Little details matter! Once you have your list, arrange the events in chronological order. If you\'re unsure about the order, that\'s okay - you can always go back and adjust as needed. Next, flesh out each event with more details. What happened? Who was involved? Where did it take place? When did it happen? Why did it happen? Answering these questions will help you create a more detailed and believable timeline. Finally, don\'t forget to include clues and red herrings to help keep your story suspenseful and unpredictable! Tips For Writing A Murder Mystery Plan out your ending before you write your story. Ensure that everyone in the story is a potential suspect (the main character included!). Set your murder mystery story in an exciting or unique location that adds detail to your narrative. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Outline A Murder Mystery? When outlining a murder mystery, it is essential to start with the basics: who was killed, where did the murder take place, and who are the possible suspects? Once you have these crucial elements in place, you can begin to flesh out the story. For example, what was the victim\'s relationship with the suspects? What was the motive for the murder? What evidence is there that points to a specific suspect? How Many Suspects Should You Have In A Mystery Novel? In a mystery novel, the number of suspects is important. Too few suspects, and the reader may feel that the answer is obvious. Too many suspects, on the other hand, can make the ending feel contrived. The key is to find the right balance. Ultimately, the story\'s plot will determine the number of suspects. However, as a general rule, having at least three suspects is advisable. This will give the reader enough options to consider without making the mystery too convoluted. Murder Mystery Writing If you\'re excited to try your hand at writing murder mystery stories, start with a great hook that will capture your reader\'s attention. Once you have them hooked, include plenty of plot twists and red herrings to keep them guessing until the very end. And don\'t forget to create relatable characters that your readers will love (or love to hate!). With these tips in mind, you\'re ready to write murder mysteries that will keep your readers glued to the page. Ready, set, solve!

Experimenting

Last week’s ‘flat-pack’ email was, on the face of it, a right old mess. Most of my emails (including this one) take the form of short articles, the kind you might read in a newspaper. They start with a thought, develop it, and end up with some kind of conclusion. Nearly always, I try to make sure that the emails are going to be useful. And last week? Well, the whole thing was a jumble. There was no visible sequence. Yes, there was some actual advice in there (Roughly: “50,000 words doesn’t make a novel” and “think of Nanowrimo as a way to establish strong writing habits.”) But there was also a lot of apparent nonsense – an anecdote about a friend tempted to give her publisher the 100,000 words they’d requested, but ‘haven’t had time to get them in the right order.’ A couple of bits of housekeeping. Some misdirection nonsense about flat-pack parts missing the right sort of bolt. And so on. Now the crisp logic of Normal Life says that such an email ought to be a failure. Why would people want to pick through a mess when they could have a nice straightforward A to Z type read like everything else in the world? On the other hand: we’re creatives, right? If we adhered closely to the crisp logic of Normal Life, we wouldn’t be writing books or reading these emails in the first place. There’s something about the subversive which appeals to us. Last week’s email generated more than one reply suggesting that I write a whole novel in a kind of flat-pack form. (My reply? Yep, honestly, I’d love to.) But flat-pack novels? There aren’t so many of those, are there? I think I’ve read only two genuinely flat-pack novels – The Unfortunates by BS Johnson, and Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic. The first of those is literally a book in a box. There are 27 chapters in total, each one separately bound. One of the chapters is marked as being the first, another one is marked as the last. Apart from those two, you can read the chapters in any order you fancy. The thing is a meditation on friendship, loss, football and (I guess) the randomly associative nature of the human brain. The second book is presented dictionary-style with three mini-encyclopaedias (one Jewish, one Christian, one Islamic) presenting information on a people called the Khazars over various different time periods. Neither book has a plot. I personally didn’t finish either book, nor was I especially engaged by either. I don’t think the BS Johnson book ever sold much. The Khazars book was certainly fashionable but I seriously doubt that most people actually read it. Oh yes: and if your covering letter to a literary agent tells them that your work is experimental, it has already moved 85% of the way to the dustbin. First bit of actionable advice for this email: please don’t tell an agent that your novel is experimental, even if it is. Maybe experiments are only for emails to creatives. Maybe for everything else we just need to stick to existing templates. And look – second piece of actionable advice – mostly the answer to that is just a YES. Stick to the formula. The formula for writing a good book already offers tons of flexibility. It’s not like writing a good book is easy. The recipe is not exactly easy to follow. Especially if you’re not yet published, I’d urge you to get a regular novel right and published, before you start to mess around with the template. But … If you do want to rough fiction up, then please do. Examples: Twilight. Teen girl meets handsome boy? Yawn. Teen girl meets handsome vampire? An utterly different proposition. A tedious me-too book has just become something you want to read. (Or did, before vampires were everywhere.) Fingersmith. The genteel world of Victorian-era historical fiction is ripped apart by this brilliant book with its central lesbian love story and its mad, convoluted crime plot. Utterly modern in some ways, the book also seemed more true to Victorian England than most actually Victorian books. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. An Agatha Christie country-house style murder? Boring. Or rather: if you wanted that, why wouldn’t you read Agatha Christie and her contemporaries? But if you take the exact same concept and have one person trotting through seven different incarnations on the exact same day, you have a real beauty of a crime puzzle: like a Sudoku puzzle played in three dimensions Maynard and Jennica. A brilliant novel – a debut and also (it looks like) Delson’s last novel. The book tells a boy-meets-girl story (yawn) but does so via dozens and dozens of different voices. Friends and relations and casual acquaintances of the pair offer their insights on different bits of the narrative as it progresses. It’s a technically virtuoso performance; I’ve still never read anything quite like it These books didn’t play by the rules. Whatever people thought Victorian historical fiction was all about, Fingersmith did something different. As a matter of fact, the natural market for Fingersmith was quite likely not with people who mostly liked historical fiction. If you generally like corsets and “Good heavens, Mrs Fortescue” type fiction, then Sarah Waters’ take on all that was likely to make you drop your teaspoon in horror. But – here’s the kicker – all these books totally, 100%, completely play by the rules that matter. You read them from beginning to end. Although authors may mess around with timelines, the reading experience is one of continuous, structured narrative. There are Big Story Questions that get asked and answered. The outcome of the whole story remains in flux at all points. In short: the only experiments you can get away with are experiments that nevertheless pay close and careful homage to the basic template of successful story. If you live within that template, then experimentation is nothing but a joy and a delight. And last week’s email? Well, honestly, it looked like a random assembly, but it was more thoughtfully designed than that. Yes, it had a playfully digressive quality – with you, the reader, very much in on the game – but it was also carefully structured. Very roughly that email ran like this: Nanowrimo is all about writing a 50,000 word novel But novels aren’t 50,000 words long and writing that much text at speed is only going to produce rubbish Then again, a thuggish “just do it” approach is not a bad way to smash bad writing habits and reinforce good ones So maybe Nanowrimo has a point, so long as you understand what it can and can’t achieve. If the email had genuinely just been a random spillage of facts and thoughts, I think you’d have rejected it. It’s the sense of purpose threaded through the random spillage that kept you (I hope) thinking that you’d get something by reading on. And it was the random spillage that (I hope) kept you entertained en route. So experiment, yes please. But stick to the template.

The Rule Of Three In Writing: Our Guide

The ‘rule of three’ is as familiar to you and I as fairy tales like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, or genies who grant three wishes, or sayings like ‘good things come in threes’. It’s a rule we use all the time in everyday life. But what makes three such a magic number? And when it comes to fiction, how can we use the rule of three in writing? In this article, we’ll cover: What is the rule of three in writing? Examples of the rule of three, and what it looks like in practice Our tips and tricks for the rule of three as a writing principle Frequently asked questions So, what is the rule of three, and how do you use it to engage readers in your own writing? What Is The Rule Of Three? The ‘rule of three’ in writing is based on groups of three items being more memorable, emotionally resonant, and persuasive than simply one or two. In literature, the scope is broad: from having the word ‘three’ in a novel’s title, to three characters’ points of view (POVs), or even just using a three-act plot structure. We’ll delve into these later, so stay tuned. But for now, why is the number three so established when it comes to storytelling? To answer this question, I dug out my psychology textbooks and went trawling through the scientific research, as the overall consensus online is that three is the smallest grouping for pattern recognition in the human brain. Frustratingly, there’s not a lot of research to back this statement up. What I did find was an excellent resource, The Rule of Three (or Four), and Pairs by Professor Dominic Cheetham, who expressed the same frustration and used his paper to explore the rule of three in writing (citing Ursula LeGuin, no less). Cheetham’s takeaways on the rule of three in literature: Repetition is an established memory aid. Repetition can be used to signify importance, as in emotional intensity (and therefore significance). Repetition is core to persuasion, especially the number three. Cheetham posited that three reasons are more convincing than one; this is supported by a two-part study from Shu & Carlson (2014), who found that three claims were the ticket to consumer persuasion. Cheetham went on to summarise that ‘the rule of three is not just a rule of three or four things together, but a rule of sequential repetition … in a clear and meaningful order’. i.e. there is semantic progression, which can become more complex, or even humorous, once a pair primes us for a third list item. So, there’s a little background on why the rule of three is used in literature, and in life more generally. Next, we’ll take a look at some examples. General Examples Of The Rule Of Three Our love of triads has led to great case studies on the rule of three in action. Let’s start with real-world examples. Marketing ‘I’m Lovin It’ McDonald’s 2003 slogan has just three words but has lasted for 19 years (the fast-food brand’s previous record was four years). Did anyone else not know this jingle is a Justin Timberlake song? \'Just Do It’ Another example of the power of three-word advertising slogans, Nike’s motto was inspired by the last words of a death row prisoner, and that resonance carried. Public Service ‘Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.’ The UK government’s slogan from the COVID-19 lockdowns went for shock-factor with its implications. ‘The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.’ The English common law oath is a judicial convention spanning the Western world. Religion The Fates: The Ancient Greek Moirai or Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) were said to spin the threads of birth, life, death, and ultimately, destiny. The Holy Trinity: In Christianity, this is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (one God in three persons), invoked during the ritual of baptism. The Three Wise Men who travelled to see the baby Jesus are another example of three figures in the Christian faith. Proverbs ‘Omne trium perfectum’ ‘Everything that comes in threes is perfect’ is a long-standing Latin declaration for the rule of three. ‘Mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru’ ‘See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ is based on the Japanese pictorial maxim of the Three Wise Monkeys. Phrases ‘Ready, set, go’: This shorter, more effective version of ‘On your marks, get set, go’ shows the power of brevity (and three words). ‘Blah, blah, blah’: For an even simpler example of a three-word phrase, this triple-single idiom has roots in a similar expression from the 1800s. Examples Of The Rule Of Three In Writing We’ve looked at general examples — now it’s time to examine some modern and classic examples of the rule of three in writing and the creative industries. Fables And Fairy Tales Circling back to Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this British fairy tale has more threes than you can poke three sticks at: three chairs, three bowls of porridge, three beds, and the eponymous three bears (who then go through the same chairs / porridge / beds shtick as Goldilocks, only to discover a pint-sized intruder in their midst). As you can tell, repetition here is key. With slightly less repetition, the fable The Three Little Pigsincludes not only the three pigs, but also three houses built from increasingly hardy ingredients which they use to finally outsmart the Big Bad Wolf. For a Norwegian example, De tre Bukkene Bruse or Three Billy Goats Gruff is another well-known fairy tale that employs three goats, each bigger than the last, to trick a hungry bridge-blocking troll. Literature The category we’ve all been waiting for! And for our first example, you can’t go past Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol. Here, the original Grinch, Ebenezer Scrooge, is visited by three spirits: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. In terms of the rule of three in fiction writing, this story has the trifecta of repetition for memorability, big feelings, and of course, a dose of ghostly persuasion. Les Trois Mousquetaires orThe Three Musketeers by French author Alexandre Dumas, which gets points for having the number three in its title, follows d\'Artagnan and his three swashbuckling heroes as they duel their way through Paris and London — for honour, naturally. A less obvious example of the rule of three at work is by another Frenchman Jules Verne in his Around the World in Eighty Days. After travelling to India, Phineas Fogg’s group is a party of three; and when he returns to London, he’s hit with three final ordeals. The clincher? Fogg wins the book’s titular bet with three minutes to go. Plays In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, three witches (‘wayward sisters’) visit the Scottish General Macbeth with the prophecy that he will become king. As we know, this leads Macbeth down his dark, ambitious path, with tragic consequences. Unlike Dickens’ ghosts, the three witches spell trouble and temptation for Macbeth, their fateful words finally guiding his (stabbing) hand. A scarily meta example is one by the master of murder mystery tales herself, Agatha Christie, aptly called Rule of Three. This triple bill of one-act plays includes Afternoon at the Seaside, The Rats and The Patient. Not to make this about Shakespeare again, but if we’re talking plays, an oft-quoted line is his ‘Friends, romans, countrymen, lend me your ears’ from another well-known tragedy, Julius Caesar. Film Arguably the world’s most famous trilogy, the creator of the Star Wars films,George Lucas upped the ante by planning prequel and sequel trilogies for a total of nine films in the space opera. This opened up the three-act structure to a new, epic scale of storytelling — not to mention intellectual property. The romantic comedy When Harry Met Sallyis a cult 80s film with a flair for the rule of three. The pair meet three times before becoming friends, and after the final New Year\'s Eve party, where — ***SPOILER ALERT*** — Harry declares his love for Sally and they kiss, they get married three months later. Credit to Reddit for reminding me that each key character in Signs has an identifying trait or issue that rears its head three times before the end. Television The rule of three or ‘threefold law’ in modern-day witchcraft was front and centre in Charmed, with three key characters (even when Shannon Doherty exited the show in season three): the three Halliwell sisters, who used their magical \'power of three\' to fight supernatural baddies. I’m including Schitt’s Creek in this list because: a.) it’s brilliant; b.) Moira Rose’s iconic ‘Sunrise Bay’ triple-slap is funnier than the Three Stooges’; and c.) there is even an episode called ‘The Throuple’, where David, Stevie, and Jake take their accidental dating triangle to its comical conclusion. For anyone who watched The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’s season one finale, the three Elven rings are another recent example. How To Use The Rule Of Three So, now we know why three is such a magic number: because it’s effective. But how do we use the rule of three in writing? Here are three examples of how to use the rule of three: Three-Act Structure The simplest way to utilise the rule of three is with a three-act structure, which is a fancy way of saying your story should have a beginning to set things up, a middle for the confrontation of your central conflict, and an end where things are resolved. If you want to get technical, the three acts are as follows: The first act begins with exposition (setting the scene), an inciting incident for the protagonist, and a turning point into act two. Next comes the rising action, which leads into the story’s midpoint, as well as a turning point into act three; this is typically where the protagonist fails. Finally, the last act follows with a pre-climax to build tension, before the actual climax, then denouement. Example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has a compelling three-act structure: Katniss volunteers as tribute for the Hunger Games; the Games start; and Katniss wins and goes home (albeit to more potential danger). Tip: A great way to weave complexity is to include three characters, who move through your acts together but with differing points of view. Which leads us to… Three Point-Of-View Characters Creating three characters who all experience the plot of your story in different ways, with differing opinions or agendas, can make for an exciting read. This is especially effective if each character gets a point of view (POV); adding a third character adds some nuance to a dual narrative. Example: This was done incredibly well in Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, which follows the POVs of protagonist Zelie, and siblings Amari and Inan. Outside of the book’s fresh concept and stellar execution, what makes this interesting is that one of the POV characters is ***SPOILER ALERT*** gravely injured in the finale. Tip: Want even more complexity? Simply add a love triangle (and therefore conflict) between your three point-of-view characters. Stylistic Patterns Finally, for the craft-lovers in our midst, there are also many ways to style your prose to incorporate the rule of three in writing. Stylistic patterns like a tricolon, hendiatris, or even something as simple as alliteration can be beneficial for your word choice. Tricolon: This is when three words of a similar length or form are used as a means of emphasis or inspiration, frequently in political speeches. Here’s an example from Barack Obama: ‘Our generation\'s task is to make these words, these rights, these values — of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — real’. Hendiatris: Taking the tricolon a step further, hendiatris uses three words to communicate a core idea, again in speechwriting or marketing. One of the biggest quotes of all time is Julius Caesar’s ‘Veni, vidi, vici’ or ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’ in Latin, after triumphing over Pontius. Alliteration: This is when words beginning with the same letter (or sound) are used in quick succession for aesthetic effect. This often appears in lists or when three adjectives are used. ‘While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping’ from Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven nails it. Tip: Don’t overdo it. Literary devices like these can easily err into the dreaded flowery or purple prose if you’re not careful, so use them wisely. Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Rule Of Three In Persuasive Writing? The rule of three in persuasive writing goes back to ancient times with Rhetoric by Aristotle, a three-book treatise on persuasion. According to the Greek philosopher, the ability to persuade relies on three factors in rhetoric: ethos, the speaker’s character and credibility; pathos, the listener’s emotional state; and logos, the actual argument when proving something is true. What Does The Rule Of Three Do To The Reader? The rule of three in writing is a successful literary technique because it makes stories memorable, emotionally impactful, and persuasive for readers. Grouping things in threes leverages the power of repetition to aid memory; denote emotional intensity or importance; and ease persuasion (research by Shu & Carlson (2014) found that three positive claims is the most effective for persuasion). Where Does The Rule Of Three Come From? The earliest known example of the rule of three in writing is Aristotle’s Rhetoric. The ancient Greek philosopher argued not only for three means of persuasion — ethos, pathos, and logos — but also for three genres of public speech, with such speeches involving a speaker, a topic, and a listener (sensing a pattern?). The best part — Rhetoric was a three-book discourse. Writing Engaging, Compelling, Unforgettable Stories As you’ve learnt throughout this article, the rule of three isn’t just a rule of thumb — it’s a writing principle that can make your stories more memorable, emotionally resonant, and persuasive. Give the rule of three a try and let us know how it helped you in your own writing!

How To Write A Thriller: Step By Terrifying Step

Suspense, action, and darkness are three crucial elements of a gripping thriller. This guide will take you through the various types of thrillers out there, from psychological to political, and give you some top tips to create your own edge-of-the-seat whirlwind thriller novel. What Is A Thriller? Thriller novels are generally plot-driven narratives, with complex, morally grey characters, featuring suspense, action, and an exploration of the dark side of human nature. Good thrillers are pacy and tight, leading the reader through a twisty plot and building to a breakneck speed. What Is the Difference Between Thrillers, Mysteries and Suspense Fiction? There are many crossover elements between thrillers, mysteries and suspense fiction. Things they are likely to all have in common include: A focus on building tension A fast pace A plot revolving around crime However, there are key differences as well. While mystery novels use a central question or investigation to move the plot forward, paying off with a reveal at the end of whodunnit, the thriller genre may not hide who the villains and antagonists are; they may even be a central focus of the plot. A suspense novel may have a similar focus, but it is driven by character rather than action. Many, or even most, thrillers will have chases, surprise attacks, and a race against time… while suspense novels are often ‘quieter’ and focused on the interior experience of the characters. That’s not to say that thrillers cannot have shocking revelations or complex characters! Let’s have a look at the different types of thrillers below. Types Of Thrillers Psychological Thriller Along with action adventure and crime, psychological thrillers are one of the most well-recognised thriller subgenres. Psychological thrillers are focused on the inner lives of characters who find themselves drawn into dangerous and threatening situations, either through chance or through a personality flaw or obsession. Her, Mira V. Shah’s upcoming domestic suspense debut, perfectly encapsulates the approach of having an obsession spiral out of control, which is so often taken in psychological thrillers. Rani’s obsession with her neighbour Natalie’s apparently perfect life escalates until both women’s lives are inextricably intertwined, and Rani has discovered that Natalie’s life might not be quite as idyllic as it seems. The tension and conflict that the two face provides the kind of gripping narrative that thrillers do so well, as the novel builds towards its inescapable conclusion. Supernatural Thriller Supernatural thrillers are having a bit of a heyday recently, popularly revived as they have been by the Duffer Brothers’ wildly successful Netflix series, Stranger Things. Drawing heavily on classic supernatural thrillers by writers such as Stephen King, Stranger Things fits well in this subgenre with its evocation of fear, tension and dread. Supernatural thrillers often contain elements of other genres, such as science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and the gothic. Threats in supernatural thrillers are often unknowable creatures, who cannot be reasoned with or understood from a human perspective, resulting in situations where the dread is turned up to 11 as the main characters battle forces that they can barely comprehend. Political Thriller The essential ingredient of a political thriller is high stakes and plot twists. Many lives are at risk. High-level political figures are personally threatened. Often the protagonist is alone or becomes so – stripped of support, they must survive and defeat the antagonist(s) based on their wits and guts. Stacey Abrams, best known for her political career in the United States, has also written a number of books under the pseudonym Selena Montgomery. Her most recent book, however, a political thriller titled While Justice Sleeps, is her first work of fiction published under her own name. The story follows law clerk Avery, who is plunged into a world of intrigue and conspiracies after her boss, a high-level judge, slips into a coma and leaves her in charge of his affairs. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the trail takes Avery all the way to the top, with elements of mystery and suspense coming in as she discovers the truth behind one of the judge’s most high-profile cases. Action-Adventure Thriller Like political thrillers, action-adventure thrillers are high-paced, high-stakes, and high drama. Expect plenty of action set pieces, like chases, fights, and explosions (and more, averted at the last possible moment). An example of this type of thriller is The Ninja Daughter, by Tori Eldridge. Lily Wong is a Chinese-Norwegian woman whose purpose in life is to defend abused women and children. The novel is full of thrills and action, including fight and chase scenes, with a central mystery that builds to an explosive climax. Cleverly riffing on the noir genre, Eldridge gives us a modern twist on the ‘femme fatale’ character, and this action thriller is full of excitement and tension. Crime Thriller A crime thriller is a subset of the crime genre, and, along with the typical elements of a focus on crime and the subsequent investigation, has the exciting elements of a thriller, with conflict and tension fuelling the pace of the narrative. Legal thrillers are also part of the crime thriller subgenre, and they emphasise courtroom proceedings and the legal aspects of crime. Girl Zero, A. A. Dhand’s gritty and at times bleak crime thriller, utilises the central investigative element by having his main character, D. I. Harry Virdee, hunt for the murderer of his niece. The thriller element is brought in with the pacing, as Harry and his gangster brother have to race against time to stop a child trafficking gang. Investigative Thriller Although this type of thriller may seem very similar to crime thrillers, the key difference is that the character leading the investigation is not from a traditional investigative background. While a crime thriller will typically have a protagonist who is a police officer, or attached to the police in some manner, an investigative thriller will likely have someone pursuing the truth from a more unconventional angle. Dark Pines is the first of Will Dean’s Tuva Moodyson series, about a Deaf journalist in a small Swedish town who is drawn into a decades-old mystery when two hunters are found, murdered in a manner similar to an unsolved case from long ago. There is plenty of tension as Tuva grapples with the various conflicting loyalties of the villagers, as well as her desire to write the story of her career and break free from the life she feels trapped by. Spy Thriller Twists and turns are the name of the game in spy thrillers, where the central character is often at the centre of a web of lies, deceit and cover-ups at the highest levels. Expect plenty of thrilling chase scenes, explosive conflicts, and death-defying escapes in this type of thriller, as well as continual surprises as motivations and loyalties are uncovered. One of John Le Carré’s best-known spy thrillers is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, his 1974 novel starring his recurring character George Smiley. Smiley’s job in this book is to uncover a Soviet double agent within the British intelligence service. The trail leads him through twists and turns, through which almost no one can be trusted completely. There is plenty of elegantly executed suspense in Le Carré’s work, and a complex plot that is set against the background of a waning empire, nicely dovetailing with his ageing protagonist. Both provide additional tension as the plot is eventually untangled and the secrets Smiley has been chasing are exposed. Historical Thriller Historical settings might be as far back as medieval times, as in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, or as recently as a few decades ago, like the TV series Life on Mars. These settings are often excellent for increasing tension, as modern sleuthing methods like CCTV and digital databases are non-existent, and characters may have to battle against limiting social roles as well. A recent excellent historical novel is The Confessions of Frannie Langton, by Sara Collins. There are many thriller elements to this historical narrative, as the central character is on trial for a crime she cannot remember committing. As the child of an enslaved woman and her enslaver, Frannie is in a difficult social position. Although she is educated, she is also subject to the limitations and prejudices of racism, which impact how likely it is that her story will be believed. The historical setting of Collins’ novel allows her to delve into the dark side of humanity, as we also expect from thrillers. How To Write A Thriller So, how do you go about writing a good thriller? Looking at all the different types above, we can see that there are some commonalities among them that thriller writers should know. 1. Start With A Moment Of Change Let us join your character at a moment of change in their life: whether that be a dramatic, explosive one (they’re hanging off a building! They’re chasing a suspect! They’ve been betrayed!) or a quiet, interior one (they’ve realised they’ve been mistaken about a small but crucial detail about their job/loved one/life), a character’s life is most interesting when it takes a turn. 2. Know What’s At Stake It’s important early on that your readers know why your character’s goal is so important to them. If your character is working to uncover the truth about a murder, what is their personal connection to it? It simply being their job to investigate it isn’t quite enough. Perhaps it has some personal resonance with them due to a past experience, or there is a family or community connection. Perhaps they need to prove themselves in some way. Maybe there is a time pressure – thrillers often feature characters who have to race against time to solve something. Whatever the stakes are, make them personal in some way to your character. 3. Ensure We Care About The Characters Some stakes are very high and quite abstract – saving a building/city/country. Giving the character a loved one who is also personally at risk in some way helps to make this threat immediate and personal and contextualises the larger threat. Equally, your character must be vulnerable in some way. As exciting as it is to read about a dapper hero skilfully knocking out bad guys, it becomes dull if there is no sense of personal danger to the character. Giving them something they love that is at risk is a good way to make them vulnerable, and ensure that the reader cares about them, too. 4. Gradually Increase The Suspense Continually amp up the tension by gradually increasing the threat that the character faces. These threats can also be made more daunting if your character has few resources to work with – taking these away over the course of the narrative will enable you to ratchet up that edge-of-your-seat feeling that you want your readers to have! Keep your readers guessing. 5. Make Limitations Work For You Whether it be something intrinsic to the setting, such as a lack of modern policing technology; something external to the character, such as social attitudes or previous attributes being withdrawn (think of those ‘you’ve gone too far, hand in your gun and your badge’ scenes); or something that rises from the characterisation itself, such as physical injuries or psychological states, limitations are key to stacking the odds against your protagonist. 6. Build Up To The Climax Stacking the odds even higher is an excellent way to build to a climax. Your character should encounter ever-more daunting challenges, and be gradually stripped of help and resources until they are faced with overcoming something that seems insurmountable. Your reader won’t be able to put your story down! 7. Ensure The Ending Is Satisfying A satisfying ending might come from a crime being solved - the perpetrators brought to justice. Or it might be a disaster averted, the day saved, the love interest suitably impressed. It might also be a situation where justice is not served, and the outcome isn\'t entirely what the character wanted. The satisfaction then comes from character development and the emotional arc of the protagonist, who has gone through trials and come out changed in some way. Although they might not have won the war, a personal victory will leave your reader satisfied with the journey. Thriller Writing Tips These are our top tips for writing thrillers. Plot Twists. All should not be as it first seems: perhaps friends are not to be trusted, and rivals become allies. Perhaps your character’s understanding of the world is radically changed in some way with the discovery of key information. All Is Lost. At some point, your character should be faced with their dark night of the soul – it will seem as though their goal will never be met, their resources are gone, and their life has changed for the worse. Bringing your character back from their personal abyss makes the ending that much more satisfying. Play With Expectations. Much of the fun of a thriller is the unexpected elements of the plot. Embrace this by playing with your readers’ expectations. It might sound far-fetched for the hero of a spy thriller to be a Scottish granny, but Christopher Brookmyre made it happen in All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye! Frequently Asked Questions What Are The Key Elements Of A Thriller? Suspense, action and darkness are key elements in a thriller. Your readers expect thrills, tension, conflict, and an exploration of the darker side of human nature. What Is The Structure Of A Thriller? A gripping thriller follows the classic three-act structure. In the first act, the character is introduced, and the plot is set up. The second act adds complications, and the character suffers failures but also gets closer to their goal. The third act is the final showdown – the character is faced with defeating someone or something, and they may or may not be victorious in the way they originally imagined. What Makes A Thriller successful? Thrillers do just that – thrill. Readers want to be gripped, enthralled, fascinated, and horrified; they want to root for the success of the protagonist against all the odds. They want exciting events, overwhelming opposition, and a narrative that draws to a satisfying conclusion. Writing Thrillers As we have seen in the various types of thrillers we’ve looked at, there are many thriller elements in lots of different types of narratives. Even if you’re not setting out to write a traditional thriller, you can still utilise a lot of the genre\'s elements in domestic suspense, historical fiction, and crime writing. Including the key thriller elements of suspense, action and darkness will add another dimension to any story, and provide your readers with a popular narrative style that will keep them gripped until the last page.

Upmarket Fiction: Everything You Need To Know

Upmarket fiction combines the best aspects of literary fiction and commercial fiction; is sellable and successful; attracts an intelligent, loyal readership; and agents and commissioning editors love it. Does all this sound too good to be true? And what on earth does ‘upmarket fiction’ mean? Read on to find out. In this article, I’ll explore what upmarket fiction is all about, and what agents and editors mean when they use the term. I’ll look at the differences and similarities between upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, and literary fiction, and I’ll give you several examples – without spoilers – so you can explore the category for yourself. Then you’ll get a set of practical steps to use if you want to write and sell upmarket fiction. What Is Upmarket Fiction? There are a number of categories used by agents and commissioning editors that describe the types of novels they are hoping to discover or aiming to sell, resulting in some rather general terms that can be confusing to writers, especially beginners. These terms aren’t genres as such but are more to do with 1) the book’s readership; 2) the way language and/or storytelling are handled; and 3) how well they think a book will sell, based on others of the same type that have already been published. You might find the term ‘book club fiction’ on the manuscript wish list of a literary agent you\'re interested in querying, for example, which (at least on the face of it) describes the type of audience they hope will be attracted to the book, rather than its tropes, themes and ideas. These terms include: Commercial fiction (relates to selling potential) Literary fiction (relates to the use of language) Women’s fiction (relates to potential audience) Agents and editors sometimes use other categories, to do with how a book makes the reader feel. For example: Up lit fiction, which is heart-warming, and emphasises empathy Misery memoir, a rather derogatory term for unhappy life stories When you first set out to write a novel, these terms are probably too broad to be useful, but they can be helpful when you come to redrafting or when you want to sell your book and need to describe it to others. Personally, I find this a relief to know! Upmarket fiction is one such category. In fact, it’s a hybrid term. As you may have guessed from the introduction, upmarket fiction refers to a combination of commercial and literary fiction; it is strongly plotted but the language is also carefully crafted. It may include complex plotting, such as multiple viewpoints. Upmarket fiction often appeals to readers who are in book clubs, which is why it\'s sometimes used interchangeably with the term book club fiction. Sometimes, but not always, upmarket fiction involves family dynamics or family secrets, using family and its shifting meanings as a framework for storytelling and as one of the main themes. Many examples involve life and death or mortality as a theme, too, possibly because – in order to create a strong plot – writers of upmarket fiction sometimes use crime to structure the story. As upmarket fiction is more of a category than it is a genre, it can be broken down even further using terms like upmarket women\'s fiction and upmarket historical fiction. This can help readers and writers alike find the niche areas in which they want to surround themselves/write about. So, let’s compare upmarket fiction to both commercial fiction and literary fiction, to clarify what it is and how to write it. Upmarket Fiction Vs Commercial Fiction Underpinning the categories I mentioned above are various assumptions – or a sort of tacit knowledge – about how a book will be written. For example, there’s an assumption that commercial fiction will have a strong hook and gripping plot and therefore will sell well. Commercial fiction is generally also genre fiction of some kind. It might be a romance, thriller, crime, sci fi, or fantasy, for instance, or a well-established subgenre or combination of genres, and will conform to genre tropes and expectations. Commercial fiction is often found in supermarkets and airports as well as in bookshops. These books are likely to be real page-turners: the sort of novel you just have to keep reading to get to the end. Writers of commercial fiction achieve this in six main ways: A strong – and clearly articulated – premise or hook. You could sum it up in a sentence or two, like an elevator pitch or a tagline for a Hollywood movie. High-stakes – the consequences of the plot are life and death for the main characters, or, worse, the whole world/universe will be destroyed. Cutting away from the action at exactly the moment the main character is in the most danger. Introducing cleverly foreshadowed twists that the reader didn’t see coming. Using ‘traditional’ genre expectations and conventions that the reader will recognise. Economic use of language, keeping chapters short, with no room for beautifully crafted prose or for complex characters. Upmarket fiction is considered to sell well precisely because it contains many of these elements of commercial fiction. In fact, upmarket fiction could be described as a kind of commercial fiction. Upmarket fiction could include any or all of the facets above, apart from number 6. Upmarket fiction does employ beautifully crafted prose and complex characters, but they mustn’t get in the way of the page-turner plotting. The craft, the characterisation and the strong plot are intricately interwoven. Upmarket novels must include numbers 1 and 2 – the strong premise and the high stakes – although the stakes might be more nuanced than life and death. They might relate to a metaphorical death: social death, or the death of one kind of life and the beginning of another, for example. Upmarket books may be less likely to include number 5 – or to stick to recognisable genre conventions – than other kinds of commercial fiction; in fact, they may well include cross-genre or multi-genre storytelling or play with the various fiction genres available. Upmarket Fiction Vs Literary Fiction Literary fiction focuses on the beauty of language, on its literary heritage, and on complex characterisation. It might win prizes, but will have a smaller audience, and therefore it doesn\'t sell as well as commercial or genre fiction. You’ll likely only see literary novels in supermarkets or airports if they\'ve won a big prize. Literary fiction explores themes and ideas that are bigger than the book itself, and that may have occupied writers, artists and philosophers for centuries, such as appearance and reality; loss; mortality; free will; criminality; identity; and war and peace. This is the biggest difference between literary and commercial fiction, as the latter doesn\'t delve into such themes. In terms of big themes, the two categories are polar opposites. In literary fiction, the plot is not as important as the craft, the characters and the themes I mention above. We might be mesmerised by the language or caught up in the ideas, but we’re not reading to find out what happens next. Writers of literary fiction achieve this in six main ways: Viewing the craft and process of writing as an art form – how long it takes to write doesn’t matter. Using evocative imagery and carefully considered language. Showing the influence of other (probably canonical) writers. Creating thoughtful and thought-provoking, sometimes ponderous, characters. Exploring big (sometimes called ‘universal’) themes. Making the reader think. Letting the interaction of the characters create the plot, without needing a strong page-turning hook. Upmarket fiction might do any or all of these with a few caveats, apart from number 6; these books need a strong plot as we said above. Arguably it does matter how long upmarket fiction takes to write, because, as it\'s a type of/is similar to commercial fiction, agents and editors might well expect the writer to produce a book every one to two years. (Try our article on how to write faster if you\'re looking for some guidance in this area.) Therefore, the language can’t be so considered and the characters so ponderous that it slows the pace. A varied pace will keep readers engaged. If we created a chart and used it to list the key facets of commercial fiction and literary fiction, we could tick off which of those features would also be common in upmarket fiction. In fact, if you’re serious about writing and selling it, you might want to create a chart like that for yourself. You could then use your chart to discover examples of novels that fall into the upmarket category, such as those I’ve argued for below, remembering that they’ll always have a clear premise, strong plot, and well-crafted prose. Examples Of Upmarket Fiction In this section, I\'ll take five examples that fit the description of ‘upmarket fiction’ and explain why they fit into this category. The Children Of Men By P.D. James This near-future dystopian novel is based on the premise that humans are now infertile and face extinction, causing society to fracture. Although it probably predates the use of the term by publishing professionals (it was published in 1992), I’ve included The Children of Men because the novel has the strong premise and high stakes of commercial fiction and uses recognisable genre conventions, showing the influence of other writers in the genre, such as H.G. Wells and Aldous Huxley. The characters are complex, and James uses the story to rewrite ideas about family and parenthood and to explore other ‘universal’ themes, such as hope and despair, and death and survival, making us think, but not to the extent that characterisation and theme get in the way of the plotting. The Time Traveller’s Wife By Audrey Niffenegger This is both a love story and a time-travelling sci-fi adventure. It’s a kind of upmarket science fiction romance. The unpredictable time-jumping of Clare’s husband Henry gives the novel a clear framework, that both disrupts and re-establishes the narrative cohesion. In an innovative way, time travelling also provides the premise and the resolution, meaning the writer can continue to play with storytelling conventions. As with other examples, Niffenegger treats both family and mortality as important themes but also works them into the plot. Everything I Never Told You By Celeste Ng This is a murder mystery as well as a family drama. When sixteen-year-old Lydia dies, her mother Marilyn wants someone to be held to account, and along the way, Ng explores themes such as race, prejudice, identity and the meaning of family. The novel is pacy like a thriller but includes striking characters and complex plotting. It’s a good example of upmarket fiction, because the use of language is evocative, moving and at times sensual, which is why I’ve included it here. For instance: “All through the second lecture, Marilyn remembered the smell of his skin – clean and sharp, like the air after a rainstorm – and the feel of his hands at her waist, and even her palms grew warm.” (p. 38) The Immortalists By Chloe Benjamin In this book, a psychic claims to be able to predict the day you’ll die. The novel tells the story of four New Yorkers after they visit the psychic as children. Again taking family as a theme, Benjamin uses multiple viewpoints, and the book reads like literary fiction, but the premise is so strong that we have to keep turning the pages. The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle By Stuart Turton This book was described in a Guardian review as ‘a gift to the marketing department’ and that neatly sums up why upmarket fiction is so sought-after! Turton’s debut is multi-genre, and– like literary fiction– plays tribute to other writers of murder mysteries, such as Agatha Christie. Reminiscent of Groundhog Day and Cluedo, Turton gives us well-written characters and the novel is tightly plotted; in fact, the same review described the ‘mind-boggling complexity’ of its plot. These are some examples that I think fit the description of upmarket fiction. They all feature a strong premise that would certainly be ‘a gift to the marketing department.’ How To Write Upmarket Fiction Here are some key practical steps to consider when writing upmarket fiction. 1. Start With You Start with what you love to read, in terms of genre and subject matter, and with what intrigues you so much that you are willing to spend a year or more writing about it. Starting with the aim of writing upmarket fiction is too broad to be useful – starting with yourself is much more likely to yield promising results. 2. Become A Plotting Ninja Learn to plot. There are lots of guides to narrative structure out there, some of which are made especially for beginners. I’ve written one myself! They might seem formulaic– and they are before you bring your own specificity to them– but they will help you to shape your ideas. To cite just three examples: Nigel Watts’ Teach Yourself Writing a Novel will give you the essentials; Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel is helpful when establishing the link between character and story; and Harry Bingham’s How to Write a Novel has a whole section on different kinds of plots and also contains advice on marketing your book from the get-go. 3. Plan Like An Expert You don’t have to plan in advance if you hate the idea. Plan as you go along if you like or after you have written the first draft. But to make the readers turn the pages, the plot has to work, therefore you need to plan at some point! If you’re wondering how to plan a novel, check out our step-by-step planning guide for more. 4. Cross Those Genres Consider combining two or more genres (like historical romance, for instance) but make sure they\'re genres you love to read and are interested in. Get specific by thinking in terms of subgenres. Audrey Niffenegger uses a particular kind of sci-fi – time travel – to make her plot work, for example. Remember that you can play around with genre when writing upmarket fiction, but this is also about what you love to read and write, not what you think you should write! It will be easier to play around with it if you love what you’re doing. Have fun with it. 5. Create Complex Characters Work on character development. Spend time with your main and secondary characters, so they feel like well-rounded human beings with quirks and contradictions. Write in the first person as your characters regularly even if you don’t plan to use the results in the finished novel– it helps you to get to know them. 6. Consider Using Multiple Viewpoints Got more than one compelling character? Good! Consider using dual or multiple viewpoints to tell your story. Read examples of stories told this way before you start writing. Try a spot of ‘method writing’. That is, write as if you were each of your main characters, telling the reader about the same event. If you’re stuck, use an existing story as a prompt. For example, write about the day we found a body in the lake, or the day we visited a fortune teller, or the day we found out I was pregnant (when the whole of humanity was supposedly infertile), or the day we realised I could time travel. 7. Answer These Questions To Nail Your Themes Decide which themes you will explore in advance, by considering which ‘universal’ ideas fascinate you the most. Not sure what to use? Answer these questions. What deep conversations have you been drawn into recently? Which nonfiction books and documentaries fascinate you? Which big life experiences have taught you the most? 8. Twisted Family Values Anyone? Consider using family dynamics and family secrets as part of your plot and as a way of connecting characters in the story. You don’t necessarily have to use this plotting device/theme when writing upmarket fiction, but it does seem to be a fairly common trope. 9. Death Makes For High Stakes Themes of death, dying and mortality also come up a lot in upmarket fiction and while this isn’t compulsory, it will automatically provide a way to ‘raise the stakes’; something you must do to draw the reader in. 10. Use Your Senses When You Make Your Tea/Coffee Work on your writing style. In particular, practise sensory writing. For example, try this: stop regularly during the day – perhaps every time you have a cup of tea or coffee. Using all the senses available to you, observe the world around you and write quick descriptions based on each one. Tips For Writing Upmarket Fiction Here are some quick tips for writing upmarket fiction: Read plenty of examples of upmarket fiction to get a sense of the balance between literary fiction-type language and commercial fiction-type plotting. Create a strong premise: can you sum the book up in a couple of sentences? Practise doing this with examples of upmarket fiction first. You don’t have to do it in advance. Once you have the premise, use it to write a blurb. Both of these will help you to sell the book to others and to clarify your ideas for yourself. Frequently Asked Questions In this section, I’ll address and answer some of the most asked questions in relation to upmarket fiction. What Are Examples Of Upmarket Fiction? Some examples of upmarket titles include Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Yann Martel’s The Life of Pi, Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, and The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold. What Is The Difference Between Literary And Upmarket Fiction? Literary fiction is preoccupied with the use of language, the craft of writing and situating itself amongst other literary works. It also involves the investigation of so-called ‘universal’ themes. Upmarket fiction uses evocative language and thought-provoking themes but is tightly plotted with a strong premise and so is considered more ‘sellable’ than literary fiction. How Many Words Should An Upmarket Novel Be? It’s difficult to give a precise number as full-length novels can range from around 70,000 words to 120,000 or longer – 250,000 to 350,000 would be considered very long – but there is no hard and fast rule. That said, commercial fiction tends to be on the shorter side, literary fiction could be long or short, and upmarket fiction tends to be in the middle of the range, at around 90 – 120,000 words long. To get a sense of the sheer range of differing lengths, take a look at our article on novel word counts. Why Are Agents Interested In Upmarket Fiction? Upmarket fiction gives agents the best of both, or all, worlds. This category of novel attracts committed, loyal readers and is likely to be favoured by book groups, so upmarket fiction is usually considered book club fiction too. It’s well-plotted and well-crafted, meaning readers get drawn in. All of that means that upmarket fiction sells well, and often converts well on the screen. In fact, almost all of the examples of upmarket fiction I’ve given in this post have been optioned for TV or film or adapted for the stage. In other words, it has commercial appeal. Upmarket Fiction It’s so valuable for writers to explore the nuances of upmarket fiction, both in terms of reading it and writing it. It teaches us a lot about the perception of what sells well and what doesn’t and demonstrates what many agents and editors are looking for: a strong premise; complex characters; well-plotted, page-turner stories; and beautifully crafted prose. I hope you enjoyed this article and will try some of these key practical steps. Let me know how you get on!

Character Quirks: How To Craft Vivid Characters

Every person in real life has personality traits — something that makes them unique, interesting, and different to others. Yes, even you! So when you\'re creating memorable characters for your story it\'s really important to ensure that they have traits and characteristics that make them memorable. This doesn\'t mean every character in your books needs to have quirky traits, but — when it comes to character creation — it does give you the opportunity to have a lot of fun! In this article, I\'m going to discuss what character quirks are, how to write them successfully, and what to avoid. I will also be listing 80 quirks for you to consider in your next story. Let\'s start... What Are Character Quirks? Quirks are character traits that make the people in your story memorable, relatable and different to one another. A quirky character is one who some may consider unusual, eccentric, or a bit weird. A character\'s personality is fundamentally important when it comes to a story\'s plot, helping form a realistic and engaging narrative and strong dialogue, and providing a memorable cast. Quirky characters may have unusual physical attributes (different coloured eyes, for instance), unique personality traits (they skip instead of walk), or peculiar habits (they put lipstick on before they eat). Either way, a quirky character generally looks or behaves in a way that differentiates them from other characters. Imagine the Cheshire Cat without his smile, Jo March without her books and impulsivity, or Sherlock Holmes without his pipe and hat. Impossible! Character quirks not only help a character jump off the page but without them some of the world\'s best books would be a lot less interesting to read. How To Write Successful Character Quirks To create believable characters, you need to make them stand out from one another. Each character quirk needs to be unique, relevant and recognisable. Let\'s look at these points in more detail... Be Original Think of new quirks that you\'ve not seen in a story before. You may want to tweak more common traits to make them weird or you could try using people in real life as inspiration. For instance: If you are writing about a detective, it wouldn\'t be very original to have him hold a magnifying glass all the time... but what if, like Inspector Gadget, his entire coat was created to help him investigate better? If you are writing a romantic heroine, instead of making her loveable and worthy of her dream man from the onset, why not make her an interfering busybody fascinated by the love lives of others — like Austen\'s Emma? And if you are creating a teen hero, instead of making a strong, valiant and heavily armed boy — why not create a female character from a poor background whose only skill is shooting a bow and arrow, like Katniss from The Hunger Games? Having an original link or contrast between a character\'s purpose and their particular quirk, a unique trait that can be both their flaw and saviour, means you have an original character that can be easily described in one short sentence. After all, you know exactly who I\'m talking about if I say, \'he\'s a kind giant with big ears who collects dreams in jam jars.\' Make Sure The Character\'s Quirks Are Relevant Don\'t give a character cute quirks that don\'t mean anything. For example, in JoJo Moyes, Me Before You, the very chirpy protagonist, Lou Clark, wears wacky clothes (stripy tights, bright shoes, overly fluffy jumpers) while Will Traynor, the paraplegic she cares for, is very serious and dresses smartly at all times. None of this is by accident! The author has carefully chosen these differences as the irony is that Lou is full of life and energy but is stuck in a dead-end job and relationship, with no plans to do or go anywhere. Whereas Will (who was once very successful and adventurous) can\'t physically do all the things he once wanted to and has nowhere to be, but still looks the part of a successful businessman. So they are both dressed as the person they wish to be, with neither confronting the fact they are not that person anymore/yet. The realisation of what they both ultimately want to do with their lives is the main theme of the story — and the resolution at the end. Use Quirks To Show A Change In Character One of my favourite types of quirks in a character is seeing what they do under stress. In the Netflix series Money Heist, the police inspector, Raquel Murillo, has very long hair. Every time she has to deal with the hostage takers she ties her hair up. Every time the viewer sees her do that, we know she means business. By the end of the series, she has swapped allegiances and wears her hair down nearly all of the time. The \'let your hair down\' is often used literally in storytelling to show a woman going from being rigid and controlled, to relaxing and letting go. In the movie Something\'s Gotta Give, Diana Keaton\'s uptight character, Erica Barry, wears high turtle neck sweaters the entire time. By the end of the movie, once she finds the courage to be herself, she pulls at the neck of her sweater and rips it off, signifying her new vulnerability and freedom. Have Fun With Foils If you\'re going to have two main characters, use character quirks to highlight their differences. In Sapkowski\'s book and the Netflix TV adaptation, The Witcher, we see two visually and behaviourally different characters. The lead, Gerald of Rivia, is physically big and strong, he fights monsters for a living — he\'s also monosyllabic, emotionally closed and grunts a lot. In contrast, his unwanted companion, Jaskier, is a poet, minstrel and bard who never shuts up. The juxtaposition of both these visual and personality quirks makes for really interesting foil characters, helping to highlight each attribute the other lacks. It also makes for many an amusing scene. What To Avoid When Creating Character Quirks The problem with character quirks is that if overused, and done badly, what could be a fun and memorable way to distinguish one character from another can quickly become grating for the reader and stop them from wanting to turn the page. So what should you NOT do when developing your character\'s personality? Here are a few helpful tips. Steer Clear Of Clichés Some character quirks and certain words have been overdone to the point of being farcical (although, if writing satire or a genre where readers expect certain tropes, go to town with the cheese!). For instance, not every devilishly hot leading man needs to smirk or have a crooked smile. Neither does he have to be tall, dark or handsome. What if, like Cyrano de Bergerac, he has a big nose and is worried about his appearance? Avoid Stereotypes Racist, sexist, ableist, or any other type of stereotypical observations are not quirks. Mental health issues and disabilities are not quirks. For instance, it\'s insulting to make it a quirk that the intelligent female scientist also happens to have a big bust, or that the Asian kid is a maths wiz, or that the Italian woman moves her hands around a lot when she speaks. Think about why you are giving certain characters a unique trait, how it fits into the plot, and try to be original with it. Don\'t Overdo It! If all your characters are ever so quirky it will detract from the story. It\'s important to create unique characters, yes, but each one doesn\'t have to be weird and kooky. Sometimes having a fall guy, a straight and serious foil, can enhance the hero\'s quirkier traits. How To Plan Your Character Quirks Now you know what character quirks are, and how to avoid writing them badly, where do you start? 1. Think About What You\'re Trying To Say Every character in your story should look and act a certain way for a reason. So imagine your cast, (create a vision board on Pinterest if it helps with physical features), and ask yourself why they look and behave the way they do. Harry Potter\'s lightning scar signifies he has always had the power to beat Voldemort.Scrooge is miserly so by the end of the story he can learn the error of his ways.Willy Wonka\'s split personality — flamboyant and fun one minute, mean and cruel the next — is reflected in the way the factory is also beguiling but dangerous. Even his name sounds \'wonky\'!Ariel brushing her hair with a fork represents her ignorance about the land up above (and foreshadows the struggles she\'s about to have when she grows legs).Hannibal Lecter is sophisticated and very clever, which is disarming considering he\'s also a cannibalistic murderer (a gentle, caring, smart murderer is much scarier than a big, tough, thug). And, again, it\'s no coincidence his name sounds like \'cannibal\' and \'lecturer\'. 2. Make A List Of Your Characters\' Quirks Use the list below, or create your own list of distinctive quirks. List kooky characteristics first, then match them with your cast... or vice versa. Try to be original, amusing, or endearing. Don\'t match a quirk with a character for the sake of it, make sure it\'s relevant to who they are, what they are trying to achieve, or to the outcome of the story. 3. Make Your Characters Rounded Ensure their name, backstory, and how they interact with the rest of the characters matches their personality and quirks. Sometimes they can be contrasting, like the main character in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Her surname sounds like \'elephant\', making you think about \'the elephant in the room\' and \'elephants never forget\' — both of which are relevant to the twist at the end of the book (spoiler: she\'s not \'completely fine\'). 4. Remember Quirks Are A Reflection Of A Character\'s Disposition Think about their mental state, their personality, their backstory, and their constant state of mind. Let\'s look at the TV show, Friends, for example: Ross: Nervous and awkward = clears his throat a lot.Monica: Control issues brought upon by anxiety = an obsession with cleaning.Phoebe: Overcoming past trauma = has turned to music and a more holistic outlook on life.Chandler: Difficult childhood = masks his vulnerability with humour.Rachel: Vain and self-centred = obsessed with what she looks like (which leads to a successful job in fashion).Joe: Comes from a large and close-knit family = overly relaxed, with few inhibitions. So what other quirks can you give your characters? The list is endless, but here are 80 to start you off... 80 Ideas For Great Character Quirks I have compiled a list of quirks categorised into physical, behavioural and personality quirks. See how many more you can add to these! Physical Quirks Physical Appearance: A birthmark Wears braces Very tall or very short Tattoos or piercings Has long, sharp nails Keeps dying their hair a different colour Eyes are not the same colour Unusual hair colour Noticeable scar They have skin problems They wear a different wig in each chapter Bad breath or hygiene The Way They Move: Walking habits, ie limp Always sits on the floor Sleeps in a strange position Refuses to rush for anything or anyone Avoids eye contact Always chair leans Sits extremely straight Always leans against the wall Laughs behind their mouth Claps to accentuate each word Moves arms and hands a lot when talking Does little dances when happy Wiggles their hips when they walk How They Dress: Flashy style dresses Wears a lot of jewellery Always wears the friendship bracelet the other character made them Wears clothes that are too big/too small for them Wears glasses or unusual glasses Exclusively wears clothes from a specific era (such as the 1940s or the 1970s) Wears bright nail polish (even more interesting if they\'re a boy or non-binary) Wears socks that don\'t match Shoes are too big, or don\'t match, or have colourful laces What They Sound Like: They have a speech impediment Raspy voice Monosyllabic Talks too much Sings when speaking They clear their throat before speaking Hums all the time Says \'err\' or other fillers a lot Loud talker/quiet talker Behavioural Quirks Characters Who Are On The Edge: They have some control freak tendencies Obsessive cleaning Always fiddling with their pocket knife Irrational fear of something Tying their hair up Sleeves always rolled up Always chewing their lip Cracking knuckles How They Treat Others: Takes in stray animals Extremely loyal People pleaser Unnecessarily rude Fusses over people Makes friends gifts Character Habits: Chews their nails Twirls their hair Uses the same word over and over Smokes Drinks a lot of a certain liquor Swears a lot (creative swear words are the most fun) Personality Quirks Strange Behaviour: They have an imaginary friend They\'re always tired Doesn\'t need to sleep Their best friend is an animal (or plant) Talks to themselves Talents And Skills: Plays a musical instrument Has an artistic talent Great with computers Photographic memory Speaks multiple languages Can build anything How They Are Around Food: Likes to make home-cooked meals for their friends Eats other people\'s food Takes huge bites of their food Only eats junk food They give away all their food to the poor Only eats organic food ... As you can see, the list is endless! See how many more quirks you can add. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Quirks In A Character? Quirks are unique and memorable personality traits that make a character stand out from others. They can be physical (how they look or dress), or behavioural (acting a certain way in any given situation). They are often used to reflect a character\'s disposition or constant emotional state, and their tics and habits. They\'re frequently used as a literary technique for foreshadowing or to reflect a change in the character at the resolution stage. What Are Some Common Character Quirks? Winking at those they find attractiveLeaning against the wallClearing their throat before talkingWearing wacky clothesSmirkingBiting their nailsHaving an unusual hairstylePlaying a musical instrumentHaving a scarTalking too much or not enough Time To Get Writing! I hope you have had fun thinking up some original quirks for your characters and that you enjoy applying them to your next story. And remember, whatever you do, make sure your characters are ones that your future readers will never forget!

Citizens of Literary Land

This week’s email is inspired by a 3,000 word rant, written by author and podcaster Meghan Daum on Substack. The piece was entitled “Who Killed Creative Writing” and among other things, it says this: “In the past couple of years, I’ve come to see the MFA in writing as the educational equivalent of a draft dodge. If the annual Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) conference is any indication, getting an MFA in writing has little to do with actual writing and nearly everything to do with finding a place in a social clique. This clique, which convenes mostly online, seems less interested in the values or dynamics of any particular program … than in something called literary citizenship, a term I didn’t hear until probably 2017. Separate from caring about literature, literary citizenship implies adherence to an unspoken moral code, one that pays lip service to equity and inclusion while still making gossip and exclusivity the main event … Over the past five or six years, the cult of literary citizenship has thrown me into a merciless spiral of revisionist history. I see who shows up to AWP, who wins prizes and judges them, who edits literary journals, who gets tenure-track teaching jobs and fellowships and speaking tours, and I think these are some of the most mediocre people I’m likely to ever encounter. I think these are people who wanted to take on the trappings of university life but couldn’t cut it in real academic programs. I think these are people who were too lazy to go to law school, too insecure to seek mentors on their own, too entitled to just get regular jobs and write at nighttime and on weekends if it really meant so goddamn much to them. Real writers write no matter what. Now that’s harsh, of course. Too harsh. Plenty of fine writers teach on university creative writing programs. Plenty of fine writers travel through them too. And, when she’s not in ranty-mode, I’ll bet Meghan D would acknowledge that too. But she has a point, and it’s a relief for someone to make that point loudly and publicly. To put that point in my language, not someone else’s, is that there are three overlapping groups of people. One group comprises: People who teach on university literary programmes People who attend those programmes People who run or write for literary journals Literary agents Editors and other publishing types Marketers, publicists, events organisers and all that Writers who are highly involved in that milieu, with all its events and gossip and interconnections A second group comprises: Writers A third group – the biggest – comprises: Readers Of these three groups, only two, the last two, really matter. Of these three groups, only one, the first one, makes a lot of noise. Indeed, if you wanted to develop a data-based method of discovering whether somebody was or was not a member of group #1, the easiest technique would involve mining Twitter accounts. It’s not impossible to be a member of the first group without an active Twitter account, but it’s certainly rare. If you wanted a more old-school method of crunching data, you’d simply count the number of mostly-literary parties a person was invited to over the course of a year, and figure out your groups that way. The fact is, however, most professional writers don’t live much in group #1. I mean, sure, if you have a book out with a Big 5 firm, and that firm puts some wellie behind your book, then you’ll end up with a bit of noise around you during launch. (And I do mean a bit of noise – quite likely less than you expect or want.) But the real group #1-ers don’t swim temporarily in their noisy pond. They live there. They enjoy it. It’s a huge part of their motivation for working in a career that has worse hours / pay / dependability than most. And almost certainly, you don’t live in that pond. Yes, this mailing list attracts a fringe of agents and publishing types, but they’re the rare exception. The vast majority of you just write. You want to get published, or you intend to self-publish. But either way, once you’ve written one book, you’ll move onto the next one. You probably live too far from London or New York to go to many parties. And quite likely you wouldn’t really enjoy them much if you went. Also: you probably do have a regular job. You probably do write in evenings and weekends, on trains and in coffee shops, or squeezed around childcare and all the compromises of ordinary life. Some authors do of course live in Group #1 and their careers, in all honesty, do almost certainly benefit. (I remember talking with an agent once about a major recent prize winner. I said that I thought her book wasn’t especially good, and he agreed. But he commented, ‘She really knows how to play that literary game.’ She was a group #1-er through and through.) But that’s not you. It’s not even me. Weirdly – although I run a large writing-focused business – I’m not a group #1-er myself. I don’t tweet. I’m not interested in other people’s tweets. I don’t send mwah-type messages at other people’s cover reveals. I’m not invited to those parties. And I don’t care. Nor should you. Writing matters. Reading matters. The rest is optional. I really hope I see you in Townhouse on Thursday. Details below. Again: everyone’s welcome, but my own commentary will focus as much as possible on Premium Members. See you there.

Anam Iqbal on Finding Your Perfect Agent

Finding a literary agent is a lot like falling in love - it can take time, but once it clicks, it clicks. On her third novel, YA Romance author Anam Iqbal met her perfect literary agent (Hannah Schofield of LBA) through a one-to-one session - and never looked back. We caught up with her about what it\'s like working with her perfect literary agent, and why you should never give up even when things feel tough. JW: Tell us a little about yourself. When did you start writing? I have always loved literature. Growing up, I devoured novels as a pastime instead of watching television with my siblings (how very Matilda of me, I know!). I spent a lot of time journaling, and writing book reviews and short stories, but it never occurred to me that I could actually write a novel. This is partly because I grew up reading books written by predominantly white authors where characters of my background didn’t really exist. The first time I came across South Asian characters in fiction was when I read the Harry Potter series and the Patil twins made an appearance. It was great to have that representation, but it still felt as though such characters would only ever be on the sidelines. Whilst studying for my master’s degree at the University of Oxford in 2015 I would take regular trips to the local Waterstones, and I realised that the market was changing. I was seeing the names of diverse authors on bestseller lists in the UK - writers who were sharing fresh, authentic stories, and their work was being widely read. I realised that perhaps I could write a novel myself someday, from a perspective that wasn’t mainstream - and perhaps people would want to read it! It sparked a hope that never quite stopped niggling at me. I was seeing the names of diverse authors on bestseller lists in the UK - writers who were sharing fresh, authentic stories, and their work was being widely read. I realised that perhaps I could write a novel myself someday... JW: What were some of your first projects? While I was still a student at Oxford, I began working on my first manuscript – a YA Fantasy novel that can be described as a loose re-telling of Aladdin. I finished writing and self-editing it in early 2018, and then began querying. I sent out a handful of emails and received no interest. In September 2018, I decided to attend the Festival of Writing in York held by Jericho Writers (The Writers’ Workshop at the time) because I’d heard you were able to pitch to agents directly there. It was an incredible experience, where I was able to learn a lot from the various workshops and engage with agents on a face-to-face basis for the first time. I received some full manuscript requests at this stage – but no offers of representation. It was quite disheartening but the whole process made me realise that I still have a lot to learn about the craft of writing and the publishing industry. Such feedback was my torch against the darkness of self-doubt, loneliness, and the fear of failure, which every writer experiences at some point or the other (trust me, every single one). I decided to purchase a manuscript assessment via Jericho Writers to learn the areas where I could improve my novel. Eleanor Hawken was the editor for my YA Fantasy novel, and she gave me wonderful and encouraging feedback, even stating that she wished she could read the second book in the series right away. This was when I really started to believe in myself as a writer. It was my first time receiving feedback from a professional and it felt completely different from the encouragement one receives from friends or family. Ultimately, I still didn’t receive any offer of representation with this novel. But such feedback was my torch against the darkness of self-doubt, loneliness, and the fear of failure, which every writer experiences at some point or the other (trust me, every single one). And perhaps without this encouragement I wouldn’t have continued to write, and thus I wouldn’t have written my next novel, which got me the offer of representation I’d always wanted. I wrote a diverse British Gossip Girl. A YA Contemporary Romance novel, set in the heart of London, that touches upon issues such as cyberbullying, class differences, patriarchy, and Islamophobia. JW: How did you end up securing representation with your agent? During the lockdowns in 2020, I found myself with a lot of spare time on my hands and a burning feeling to pen the story I was constantly daydreaming about. Once I got into the flow of writing, all the rejections and doubts that had been haunting me from my previous work no longer mattered. Only the story did – the characters, their journey, the truths of their humanness. I wrote a diverse British Gossip Girl. A YA Contemporary Romance novel, set in the heart of London, that touches upon issues such as cyberbullying, class differences, patriarchy, and Islamophobia. And I could just sense that it was my best work yet, that I’d incorporated everything I’d learned about writing over the years and turned it into something truly publishable! I’m a member of Jericho Writers and found out about the agent one-to-one sessions. I booked three sessions over the phone and received full manuscript requests from each agent! Hannah Schofield read my full manuscript within two days and offered representation. After meeting with her in person, I just knew she understood my vision as a writer and would be the perfect champion for my work. I signed on with her a week after our first meeting. JW: Do you think that speaking to Hannah in the context of a one-to-one did more to put you at ease than if you had approached her directly looking for representation? I was definitely nervous about the sessions. However, after speaking to the first agent, I realised how kind and compassionate they are. They understand that writing your story is hard and that pitching is nerve-wracking! All the agents were certainly straightforward about what they liked and weren’t so keen on with regards to my work, but it was always in a warm and reassuring way. It was an incredible experience to receive direct feedback from agents, both the compliments on my work and the insightful criticisms (which really helped to improve my story). The excitement some agents showed to receive my full manuscript was incredibly uplifting. It made the process of querying more personal and enjoyable. And I believe it played a role in helping me leap out of the slushpile quicker! If I’d emailed these agents my query, I know it would’ve taken them much longer to get back to me, and there’s always a possibility they would’ve passed on the project! Having a direct conversation enables you to build an instant connection, and it’s beneficial for both the agent and author to get a sense of whether they would be able to work together. It was an incredible experience to receive direct feedback from agents, both the compliments on my work and the insightful criticisms (which really helped to improve my story). The excitement some agents showed to receive my full manuscript was incredibly uplifting. It made the process of querying more personal and enjoyable. And I believe it played a role in helping me leap out of the slushpile quicker! JW: What has it been like working with your agent so far? Hannah Schofield is an absolute dream of an agent. I love her excitement, appreciate her sensitivity and criticism, and feel incredibly grateful to have someone like her in my corner. She’s great at what she does, and I feel safe with the thought of placing my work in her capable hands. I was nervous about the thought of having an agent pick apart my story and pinpoint all the areas they wanted me to cut out or change. However, I’ve found that editing is a collaborative process and, when you’ve got the right agent who understands the heart of the story, it’s quite enjoyable to work together with the same goal in mind. JW: How confident would you feel in approaching publishers if you didn’t have an agent? The truth is that the publishing industry is very competitive, and it’s incredibly hard to stand out. Securing an agent who really believes in your work is a massive help in getting your foot in the door, especially if you dream of being published with a Big Five publisher, as I do! I don’t think I’d feel comfortable going at it alone. Also, it’s important to consider that agents understand a lot about the industry that authors are simply not aware of; they are able to protect you as a writer and ensure your best interests are met. I’m glad I didn’t secure an agent with the first two novels I worked on, because I simply wasn’t ready then. JW: Do you have any advice for authors who are querying right now? Persevere! I’ve written three novels now – which took a lot of time, effort and, yes, blood, sweat and tears – and I secured an agent with my third manuscript. Nothing was a waste of time or effort! Not even a bit. Every moment I took out of a busy schedule to work on my stories, every daydream I’ve had about my characters, every single word I’ve written, and every rejection I’ve experienced has led me to this. It all improved my craft as a writer, and my ability to delve deeper into the psyche of my characters and create fleshed-out worlds and narratives. I never thought I’d say this, but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way – I’m glad I didn’t secure an agent with the first two novels I worked on, because I simply wasn’t ready then. I think the secret to making your writing dreams come true is that you refuse to give up! Keep writing, keep querying, and keep dreaming. Persevere my friends, and, even if you face numerous obstacles or the path is long and tiring and unexpected, you will get there in the end. And it will all feel worth it. About Anam Anam Iqbal was born in Paris and raised in London. She studied BSc Anthropology at UCL, which deepened her passion for writing about the nuances of human thought, experience, and culture. Whilst doing her master’s degree at the University of Oxford, she completed a thesis based on British South Asian culture and identity, and that provided the inspiration for her upcoming novel, which is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance. It can be described as a diverse British Gossip Girl. You can follow Anam on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Dystopian Story Ideas: Writing Inspiration

Writing dystopian fiction can be a lot of fun. When the world feels bleak and hopeless, what better way to channel your frustration and anger than into a story where the world has changed completely — unrecognisably and for the worse. But in order to create a dystopian world, first you need new and fresh ideas — which is where our writing prompts come in. In this article, I will be sharing what dystopian literature is, and then taking a look at some fun ideas based on various dystopian genre categories. So whether you are writing a dystopian novel, script, or short story, take a look at our 43 dystopian writing prompts and 17 ways to find inspiration, and see where these seeds of an idea take you! What Is Dystopian Literature? The Oxford dictionary describes the word \'dystopia\' as: \"An imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic.\" In literary terms, dystopian fiction is simply stories set in a future where our world has been drastically changed in some way. Whichever dystopian genre you choose to write, whether fantastical or totally plausible, remember that the story must derive from a kernel of truth, and the main character needs to be suffering as a result of that change. Examples Of Dystopian Novels How is the future going to look in your next novel? There are many different ways to show a changed dystopian society. In some dystopian novels, the change is small... Perhaps it\'s an intimidating government regime, such as Orwell\'s novel, 1984, or climate change concerns, found in Atwood\'s Oryx And Crake. Whereas in other dystopian novels the story may be set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop where zombies roam the streets, such as in M J Carey\'s The Girl With All The Gifts, or science and technology have taken over from civilisation, as found in Huxley\'s Brave New World. The popular YA books series and movie franchise, The Hunger Games, explores the concept of young people saving our world and communities being split into factions, having to come together to overthrow a corrupt government. Alternatively, you may choose to explore the idea of the human population diminishing and what that would mean for human life, such as in Bethany Clift\'s Last One at the Party and Christina Sweeney-Baird\'s The End of Men. Regardless of how far-fetched or unbelievable your ideas are, you can still make a comment about the world we live in today through your dystopian stories. 43 Dystopian Writing Prompts The joy of writing dystopian stories is that the ideas and possibilities are endless. You can be didactic and political, or you can send your readers on a magical, crazy adventure. As long as your story is set in the future, in a world that is suffering or post-apocalyptic, you have yourself a dystopian novel. Ready for some ideas to kick-start your imagination? Here we go! How To Use Our Dystopian Writing Prompts Because dystopia is such a broad genre, and the story possibilities are endless, I have put together 43 writing prompts categorised into 8 sub-genres. Feel free to mix and match my ideas, add lots of your own details, or even take the line and put it into your story. However you choose to use these prompts, the important thing when writing dystopia is that you keep it fresh, exciting, and relevant to the market today. Speculative Fiction Speculative dystopian fiction adds a touch of magic and the impossible to a dystopian world. In the not-too-distant future, scientists have created a pill that allows humans to fly. The only problem is that they have sold it to the wrong people. Imagine a dystopian future where our dreams literally come true — including all our nightmares. The government decides to eradicate money and go back to a bartering system, but some people have MAGIC to barter with. The world has always been full of invisible people... but now everyone can see them. World War Every country changes after a war. What will happen in your dystopian version? The adult human race has been wiped out because of war, only children are left. Will they survive? A future where every country is at a nuclear standstill... which one will crack first? Two countries at war fighting over the rightful heir to their throne discover she is actually a powerful witch. Tim wants to avoid fighting in the Third World War, so creates a robot to take his place. Post-Apocalyptic World The world has ended... as we know it. What does it look like now? Life expectancy has gone up and people are living for twice as long. But it\'s backfired! 1,000 years into the future and the new world looks completely different. In fact, humans have now evolved into... (?) The world has ended and the only remaining humans are those who were cryogenically frozen. What are they about to wake up to? Sammy has spent her whole life in just one village. It\'s not until she realises she\'s the only one left on Earth that she decides to see the world! The only people who have survived the end of the world are the inhabitants of two small islands. Unfortunately, they hate one another. The whole of America has been destroyed except New York City. Those left are completely unaware the rest of the country no longer exists until one person manages to escape the city walls. The world has been divided into 4 regions - North, South, East and West - two are poor and two are rich. Every year every human on the planet has to enter the ultimate challenge to be allowed to stay alive! Monsters & Zombie Apocalypse It\'s finally happened - humans have become zombies and we have new monsters to fear. How will your story give a new twist to this fun genre? On the first anniversary of the war that nearly ended the world, a small town pays respect to its fallen heroes... but then they all return home. Undead. Science creates a GM meat substitute that eventually leads to people developing a hunger for human flesh. Jeff is the only man who has survived the end of the world after a huge nuclear explosion — he and all the cockroaches that have now mutated to 100 times their size. Thanks to a giant radiation leak every domesticated animal has become a feral predator. Ever seen how fast a cow can run when it\'s hungry? Zombies have taken over the world, except... they\'re actually nicer than humans. It\'s Halloween and the sweets are laced with a dangerous drug. The monsters in the street are no longer people dressed up. A pandemic sweeps through an island forcing people to flee before the indigenous animals turn into monsters... including all sea creatures. Natural Disasters We\'ve destroyed our planet and now it\'s fighting back. How does the world look now? Global warming causes all the ice caps to melt and humans are forced to literally sink or swim in order to survive! A meteor strike strikes the Sahara desert, uncovering a giant spaceship that has been hidden for hundreds of years. Climate change has made the entire planet too hot to live on; only the Arctic is a safe place to live. The battle to claim the only inhabitable land has commenced. Thanks to climate change and limited resources, humans have to choose between cannibalism or death. The sea level is rising and the only water left on Earth is seawater. Fires sweep through Europe, forcing everyone to flee to islands such as the UK and Ireland. The locals are torn between making room and protecting their own. Alternate Universe Maybe we don\'t know everything we thought we did about our planet and its place in the universe. Scientists discover our world is not the only habitable planet in the universe. Russia, China and America battle it out to see who will be the first to claim this new planet as their own. Sally discovers a portal where she is thrown into a world exactly like our own... except neither world war happened, the concept of money has been abolished, and Elvis never died. Thanks to a new drug, a detective learns to solve crimes by going back to the past and watching the crime scenes unfold. A woman in a coma is really happy in life until she wakes up and discovers the real world no longer exists, and she had imagined a whole life that never happened. Corrupt Government The world has changed and those in power are about to do something absolutely terrifying... or perhaps they already have. The government has been secretly adding subliminal messages to TikTok to brainwash kids into joining a secret army. Earth is about to be destroyed by a giant tsunami in five days... but the government is calling it Fake News. Can a team of kids convince the world to take cover before it\'s too late? A corrupt government has come into power and convinced everyone that weekends should be abolished as it will make them more money. One union rises up and creates a civil war. The new law states that a woman\'s place is in the home and that everyone with a womb must have two children before the age of 30 or they will face the death penalty. 10 years later, a group of women fight back. A dangerous UK government comes into power, forcing every person in the UK to return to the country in which their maternal grandfathers were born, and forcing British people who live abroad to return to the UK. Technology Humans are obsolete and science and technology have taken over. Now what? Humans are slowly being replaced by identical robots and no one will believe Tom as he warns the remaining humans about it. Artificial intelligence has taken over the art world - paintings, books and music have been created by machines for centuries - then one woman picks up a pen. A scientist has discovered he can control the human mind - and starts by experimenting on his family. Human body parts can now be harvested... one scientist decides to create the perfect human being. In a quest to save the rainforest, a scientist discovers a plant that can communicate with humans and learns something that will change the world. A man invents the perfect female robot whom he falls in love with... but the robot becomes sentient and tells him all the things that are wrong with him. 17 Ways To Find Inspiration Watch the news. Take the latest shocking headline, think of the worst-case scenario, and develop the story around that little seed of an idea. Look at old photographs of strange things. Combine two or more dystopian novels and set them against a new background. Create a modern-day version of an old classic. Read up on world leaders from the past and imagine what would have happened if history had been different. Create a fantastical version of things that have already happened. Learn about the environment and how we can help the planet. Ask friends what their worst fears are. Base your characters on dark real-life figures from the past. Read up on the lives of interesting historical figures. Learn about space and predictions for the future. Ask yourself \'what if...\' and see where it takes you. Look at the struggles minorities in our world have and think about what would happen if all of humanity suffered in that way. Make Pinterest boards. Read conspiracy theories. Talk to people who fight for the rights of others. Don\'t be afraid to push boundaries and ask difficult questions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Examples Of Dystopian Stories? There are many incredible dystopian stories. Examples include 1984 by George Orwell, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Handmaid\'s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift, and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. What Are 3 Common Themes In A Dystopian Story? Three of the most common themes in dystopian stories are the concept of control (exerted by the government, technology, religion etc), survival, and environmental destruction. Step Into A New World Of Ideas I hope you enjoyed these writing prompts and that they\'ve inspired you to create a new and terrifying future world for your next novel. And remember, whatever is happening in the world right now... it could always be worse!

Text and subtext

It seems like an age ago already – two or three British Prime Minsters back – but last week we talked about how even novels that aren’t about spying are nevertheless about deception and false-surfaces and subtexts. I want to talk a bit more about that in a second, but first a couple of bits of housekeeping. First, AgentMatch. Yes we know this isn’t working for some users. We’re working on a fix right now. Second, site speed. Especially for logged-in users, the site is way too slow. Again, we think we know where the issue lies and we’re working on a fix now. And third, I’ve been having a merry old time this week and last working on your elevator pitches in preparation for a Meet Your Match day [when?]. Link? It’s really enjoyable to be part of this, and I’ve watched some pitches really blossom through the process. See what’s been going on here. I’ll be dropping back over the weekend to give more comments. My own comments are restricted to those of you who are Premium Members, but there’s a lot of really useful peer-to-peer interaction too. So, either way, come along and see what’s happening. As I say, I’ve been loving it. Right. Back to deceptions and subtexts. One classic-classic example of a novel founded on just such an idea is Pride & Prejudice. Take, for example, the first Darcy / Lizzie Bennet proposal scene. He says he’s prepared to marry her, despite her terrible family. She refuses, heatedly and proudly. But what’s really happened here? Is he truly as arrogant as he appears. (Answer: no, clearly not.) And is she correct in thinking she could never love this man? (Ditto.) The joy of the scene, and the book, is our ability to unpeel the layers from the clues Jane Austen provides. A similar and classic-in-a-way example would be the whole love triangle in Bridget Jones’s Diary. Who will capture Bridget’s heart – the charming bounder Hugh Grant, or the stiff and apparently aloof Colin Firth character? Again, part of the reader’s joy is teasing apart the clues that reveal who each man really is. And, to be clear, this clue-building is HARD. You have to: Paint a plausible picture that paints Man A – let’s say Jane Austen’s Darcy – as arrogant and cold; Offer clues that he’s not only that; Do a big reveal which shows a man that you could really, really fall in love with. (And no, the reveal can’t just be a country house that’s twice the size of Buckingham Palace.) Make sure that the whole thing feels plausible and true, not just tricksy. The last element is – for me, at any rate – particularly important. Over the past decade, there’s been an upsurge in psychological thrillers, where the general theme is something like: Sweet nurse Betsy seems like the person everyone turns to in a crisis but, because of [insert concealed childhood trauma here], Betsy is really a [insert nature of horrible crime here.] Sometimes, of course, that structure works just fine. But very often, it feels OK at a mechanical level only. So yes, you can, in theory, get your head around the idea that someone who (let’s say) was kicked by a horse in childhood might want to secretly harm horses today. But that works better in a theoretical way than a practical one. Loads of people hang out with horses as kids. Inevitably, those people get kicked from time to time. The ones I know in that category are still potty about horses and certainly aren’t animal abusers. So a non-mechanical version of that story has to layer things in a way that we can see the shape of the first character (nice, sweet Betsy) in the shape of the finally revealed one (evil, animal-killing Betsy.) Sometimes, that clue-development is sheer genius: the prime modern example is Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. Other times, as I say, the whole book ends up feeling like rusty cogs turning against each other and no real human insight. But it’s a mistake to think only about the big elements of plot here. This theme of readers figuring out a character happens all the time in good fiction. Teasing out text and subtext is a huge part of why readers read. (And if that process involves a nice romance, or a few good corpses, or a first-rate terror plot, then so much the better.) I was searching around for a good example. I wanted something where we felt subtext plucking at the text all the time. I looked at a few books and, in the good ones, that text/subtext tension happens pretty much all the time – certainly when any two people are encountering each other. Then I realised that I had the perfect example on my own computer. Page 1, Chapter 1 of the Fiona Griffiths series reports Fiona’s interview for the South Wales Police. Nothing happens. Nothing. She has applied for a job. By the end of the interview, it’s clear that she’s going to get it. All that “story = conflict” stuff just doesn’t make an appearance. At no stage during the (very brief) interview is it remotely suggested that she should not get a job. At a surface level, the text isn’t kinetic at all. There’s no glimmer of story, or not until the very final line. You could argue that the chapter doesn’t obey any of the classic rules of story-telling. And yet? The book had multi-publisher auctions in multiple territories. In the US, my editor – one of the leading names in crime – told me that she knew she had to buy the book after a couple of pages. So something was happening, and it wasn’t story. It was text vs subtext. That’s it from me. I think it’s probably my turn to be Prime Minister soon, or at least Home Secretary, so my next email will come from a very shiny desk somewhere in London. ____ THE FIRST CHAPTER FROM TALKING TO THE DEAD - The first FG story Interview, October 2006 Beyond the window, I can see three kites hanging in the air over Bute Park. One blue, one yellow, one pink. Their shapes are precise, as though stencilled. From this distance, I can’t see the lines that tether them, so when the kites move, it’s as though they’re doing so of their own accord. An all-encompassing sunlight has swallowed depth and shadow. I observe all this as I wait for DCI Matthews to finish rearranging the documents on his desk. He shuffles the last file from the stack before him to a chair in front of the window. The office is still messy, but at least we can see each other now. ‘There,’ he says. I smile. [fake smile - we already feel it. Matthews hasn\'t done anything to make her smile.] He holds up a sheet of paper. The printed side is facing him, but against the light from the window I see the shape of my name at the top. I smile again, not because I feel like smiling but because I can’t think of anything sensible to say. This is an interview. My interviewer has my CV. What does he want me to do? Applaud? [Aha! We were right about that fake smile. Here she is thinking sarcastic thoughts about a senior police officer.] He puts the CV down on the desk in the only empty patch available. He starts to read it through line by line, marking off each section with his forefinger as he does so. Education. A levels. University. Interests. Referees. His finger moves back to the centre of the page. University. [Hmm. We\'re wondering if there\'s a big reveal here. This is the first time this wandering narrative seems to have had found a centre of interest.] ‘Philosophy.’ I nod. ‘Why are we here? What’s it all about? That sort of thing?’ [ie: The pop version of philosophy. Not a very testing question. We don\'t quite get what the interview purpose is here.] ‘Not exactly. More like, what exists? What doesn’t exist? How do we know whether it exists or not? Things like that.’ [FG instantly corrects to a more technical definition of academic philosophy. That\'s giving us a clue that FG is probably smart - but it\'s also waving a flag to say that the nature of existence is at play in this book. It\'s promising some depth. You couldn\'t sensibly have a start like this and then dive into a James Patterson novel.] ‘Useful for police work.’ [Again, not much of an interview question, but we do feel as though something\'s beginning to move here. This non-interview interview is beginning to generate data.] ‘Not really. I don’t think it’s useful for anything much, except maybe teaching us to think.’ [Is this conflict? Not really. But it\'s interesting that the first thing that even resembles an interview question is just batted away by Fiona. She\'s being given an opportunity to sell herself here, and declines it. Why? And again, the emphasis on thinking: this tells us, doesn\'t it?, that Fiona is smart and cares about things of the mind.] Matthews is a big man. Not gym-big, but Welsh-big, with the sort of comfortable muscularity that suggests a past involving farm work, rugby and beer. He has remarkably pale eyes and thick dark hair. Even his fingers have little dark hairs running all the way to the final joint. He is the opposite of me. [Wow! What a thing to say. I mean, of course there are ways that big-man / small-woman are opposites, but Fiona\'s surely saying more than that? We probably don\'t quite have enough data to figure out what\'s going on, but \"opposite of me\" probably means the opposite of \"comfortable muscularity\" and \"farm work, rugby and beer\". So what is the opposite of that? We don\'t know, but our subtext monitors are sucking this stuff up trying to build a picture.] ‘Do you think you have a realistic idea of what police work involves?’ [First actual interview question] I shrug. I don’t know. How are you meant to know if you haven’t done it? I say the sort of thing that I think I’m meant to say. I’m interested in law enforcement. I appreciate the value of a disciplined, methodical approach. Blah, blah. Yadda, yadda. Good little girl in her dark grey interview outfit saying all the things she’s meant to say. [First actual interview answer, but we sense Fiona\'s lack of interest in what she says. She doesn\'t in fact even bother to tell us.] ‘You don’t think you might get bored?’ ‘Bored?’ I laugh with relief. That’s what he was probing at. ‘Maybe. I hope so. I quite like a little boredom.’ Then, worried he might feel I am being arrogant – prize-winning Cambridge philosopher sneers at stupid policeman – I backtrack. ‘I mean, I like things orderly. Is dotted, ts crossed. If that involves some routine work, then fine. I like it.’ [Ah! So this is interesting. We were right that Fiona\'s smart - she\'s won philosophy prizes at Cambridge. But she really wants the job. She\'s stressed about it. Hence the relief. Hence the anxiety to make the answer right.] His finger is still on the CV, but it’s tracked up an inch or so. A levels. [Why an inch? British teenagers do A-level exams at roughly age 18. What happened then?] He leaves his finger there, fixes those pale eyes on me and says, ‘Do you have any questions for me?’ I know that’s what he’s meant to say at some stage, but we’ve got forty-five minutes allocated for this interview and we’ve only used ten at the outside, most of which I’ve spent watching him shift stationery around his office. Because I’m taken by surprise – and because I’m still a bit rubbish at these things [Still, why still? What is she referring to?] – I say the wrong thing. ‘Questions? No.’ There’s a short gap in which he registers surprise and I feel like an idiot. ‘I mean, I want the job. I don’t have any questions about that.’ [Is this the first completely authentic moment from Fiona/ It feels like it. His surprise and her feeling of idiocy sort of confirm that. Why does she want the job so much? She\'s very bright. She could do anything. Why this?] His turn to smile. A real one, not fake ones like mine. [Confirmation that she has been faking for most of this process.] ‘You do. You really do.’ He makes that a statement not a question. For a DCI, he’s not very good at asking questions. [Except - he IS good, isn\'t he? He\'s teased out truth from someone disinclined to offer it.] I nod anyway. ‘And you’d probably quite like it if I didn’t ask you about a two-year gap in your CV, around the time of your A levels.’ I nod again, more slowly. Yes, I would quite like it if you didn’t ask about that. [Wow! What was that about? We don\'t know. Neither person seems like they want to divulge more.] ‘Human resources know what’s going on there, do they?’ ‘Yes. I’ve already been into that with them. I was ill. Then I got better.’ [A very empty, non-informative answer.] ‘Who in human resources?’ ‘Katie. Katie Andrews.’ ‘And the illness?’ [That\'s a real question.] I shrug. ‘I’m fine now.’ [And that definitely doesn\'t answer it. This door is nailed shut.] A non-answer. I hope he doesn’t push further, and he doesn’t. He checks with me who’s interviewed me so far. The answer is, pretty much everyone. This session with Matthews is the final hurdle. ‘OK. Your father knows you’re applying for this job?’ [Weird question] ‘Yes.’ ‘He must be pleased.’ [Ditto. Why the repetition? Why is he asking this?] Another statement in place of a question. I don’t answer it. [Another closed door. Another refusal to divulge.] Matthews examines my face intently. Maybe that’s his interview technique. Maybe he doesn’t ask his suspects any questions, he just makes statements and scrutinises their faces in the wide open light from the big Cardiff sky. ‘We’re going to offer you a job, you know that?’ [Huh? What? At one level, nothing has been asked or answered. Or rather: the only thing that actually has been asked & answered was about her really, really wanting the job.] ‘You are?’ ‘Of course we are. Coppers aren’t thick, but you’ve got more brains than anyone else in this building. You’re fit. You don’t have a record. You were ill for a time as a teenager, but you’re fine now. You want to work for us. Why wouldn’t we hire you?’ [OK, fair enough. Maybe this interview has been reasonably rational after all.] I could think of a couple of possible answers to that, but I don’t volunteer them. [More non-disclosure. What does behind those doors? We want to know now.] I’m suddenly aware of being intensely relieved, which scares me a bit, because I wasn’t aware of having been anxious. [She\'s scared by being relieved? That\'s a bit much isn\'t it? Another clue to tuck away for later.] I’m standing up. Matthews has stood up too and comes towards me, shaking my hand and saying something. His big shoulders block my view of Bute Park and I lose sight of the kites. Matthews is talking about formalities and I’m blathering answers back at him, but my attention isn’t with any of that stuff. I’m going to be a policewoman. And just five years ago, I was dead. [OK, those last two sentences do give us a waft of story - finally! The penultimate sentence says \"Don\'t worry, readers, this IS going to be a crime novel.\" The final sentence says - what? We don\'t know. She can\'t have been dead, because she\'s alive now. But we do now want to know what lies behind that statement - the subtext beneath the text. As far as I can see, that text/subtext battle is the only reason that someone might want to read beyond this first chapter, because it offers essentially nothing else. And even on the text/subtext thing, it mostly shows us doors that feel completely closed. And, funnily enough, this text/subtext opening is true to the book itself. Yes, there\'s a traditional crime mystery here. (Corpses, investigation, solution.) But the real mystery is Fiona herself and we don\'t fully unlock that until the very end of the book.]

Writing A Self-Help Book: All You Need To Know

Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Many people need no encouragement to learn and will continue to do so throughout their lives. Events can create a demand for self-help books too. While the Covid pandemic brought much misery, books in the self-help genre gave readers a greater sense of agency. According to Nielson Book Research, there has been a rise of 20% in the sales of ‘self-improvement’ books as anxious readers have turned to popular psychology and self-help titles. But self-help is not limited to psychological development. Books in this huge genre can also help readers fix their cars, bake cakes, or better understand their cats. The breadth is unlimited. So, there’s a market for learning, and you have a hunger to tap into it with your own self-help book. I’ve written several great-selling works myself and have supported countless self-help authors as they developed their own. In this article, I’ll gather together a wealth of experience to give you everything you need to know about writing a fantastic self-help book, including: Knowing what your book is about Knowing your reader Knowing your own – and the reader’s – expectations of the book Finding your voice Developing a structure Knowing and fulfilling the self-help author’s role What Is A Self-Help Book? In 1859, Samuel Smiles wrote what is often cited as the world’s first self-help book, called, unsurprisingly, Self Help. It promoted the importance of self-development. Its huge popularity encouraged countless writers from Mrs Beeton onwards to provide readers with the necessary instruction to solve problems or to self-improve. And that’s what any self-help book must succeed in doing. The outcome for your reader must be that they have changed for the better. Examples Of Self-Help Books You’ve probably seen the successful For Dummies books. A casual study of the long list of titles in the series demonstrates what people want to learn more about, from ‘LinkedIn Profile Optimisation’ to ‘Rugby Union Basics’. This proves that there is always someone out there who wants to learn something new. This is both good and bad news. Good, because there will probably be a market for your own specialist topic. Bad, because there will be competition. So, how to differentiate? Let’s take a look at some great examples of self-help books and understand what makes them remarkable. The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F**k By Mark Manson In his ground-breaking book, Manson achieves many things in his pursuit to help his readers lead more contented lives, but here are three big takeaways for upcoming self-help authors. First, the title draws you in. It’s instantly engaging because it’s profane. It’s risen above the thousands of other wannabes by punching us in the face. Of course, it’s got to be good beyond the front cover, so… Second, it’s a book that’s written in a truly authentic voice. As a prolific blogger, Manson has developed a way of communicating which is clear, authoritative and authentic. We trust him because, like any good salesperson, he persuades us. He maintains his profanity throughout, but with a purpose in mind: to shake us out of our stupor. And he needs to do this because… Third, his subject matter – anxiety – is already a familiar topic. There are thousands of books on the subject. Manson succeeds by finding a new angle. By challenging conventional wisdom, he engages his readers and differentiates his book from the competition. Mrs Beeton\'s Book Of Household Management By Isabella Beeton First published in 1861, Beeton’s book was not the first to bring together many aspects of home economics, management and cookery. However, it succeeded by helping aspiring Victorian middle-class housewives to address two basic, human instincts: to feel confident that they could feed their families, and to successfully compete with the neighbours. Furthermore, it furnished them with the skills and knowledge to do so. How To Win Friends And Influence People By Dale Carnegie Just like Mrs Beeton, Dale Carnegie addressed another essential need: to create an environment within which we are influential and liked. What’s interesting about this book is its clear focus on the outcome and the provision of instructions. It’s a genuine ‘How-to…’ The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons In Personal Change By Stephen R. Covey There’s plenty to learn from this great self-help book. First, Covey has, like Carnegie, promised an outcome: personal change. Second, the scope is helpfully contained: seven things can’t be hard to learn, and there’s the message that if we adopt these practices, we’ll achieve the promised outcome. Best of all, there’s the reference to a benchmark – highly effective people are already doing these things. It’s the ‘fear of missing out’ which plays on our aspirational and competitive streaks. Screw It, Let’s Do It: Lessons In Life and Business By Richard Branson Amongst Richard Branson’s many publications is this slim but characteristically engaging self-help volume in which the author shares his own unique practices and behaviours. The book is largely autobiographical. I’ll have something cautionary to say about this later, but it works here because Branson shares his wisdom. Rejection Proof By Jia Jiang This book promotes an innovative approach to dealing with rejection. Although his own story of self-discovery is crucial, Jiang encourages self-help by providing a methodology which is relevant to the challenges faced by his readers. So, while the book contains some autobiographical passages, they serve the main objective which is to assist the reader in dealing with rejection in their own lives. Goal By Eliyahu M. Goldratt And Jeff Cox This is a genre-busting book. It takes the topic of a project which has to be managed and, instead of offering a ‘how-to’ process, settles the subject matter into the body of a fictional novel. Not only do the authors find a unique angle into a familiar subject, but they also turn what could have been dry material into a page-turner. In doing so, the reader osmotically acquires knowledge rather than being obviously instructed. Who Moved My Cheese? By Dr Spencer Johnson This short story about two mice dealing with change has sold over 28 million copies. Why? There are several reasons, including the authority of the author, the fast pace and short length, and the playful nature of the story. However, one of its greatest strengths is the author’s use of a metaphor to explain something complex. Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus By Dr John Gray This classic book asks the reader to conjecture that men and women originate from different planets and approach their co-existence on Earth with wildly different attitudes to each other. What sparkles is the originality of the proposition. Gray finds a way of articulating an age-old problem that affects both men and women: we have difficulty understanding each other. He goes on to provide a carefully considered explanation of the issues and, crucially, a language to facilitate dialogue towards happier relationships. The book proves that a well-articulated problem is halfway towards an answer. Can you be clear about what challenge your own readers face, and how your book offers a solution? Save The Cat By Blake Snyder This remarkable book provides the aspiring screenwriter with an insider’s insight into what makes a great movie script. The author is an acknowledged expert which helps the reader to trust the content. But better still, there’s so much to do! This slim book succeeds by placing the reader at its heart. Snyder provides exercises which help them practice new ways of thinking and doing things. By the end of the book, each reader will think it’s been written just for them. The Prophet By Kahlil Gibran Written in 1923, The Prophet has become one of the world’s most translated and best-selling books. Through 26 poetry fables, a fictional prophet shares his thoughts on a range of spiritual and practical matters which affect the human condition. It’s not an instructional book, but the reader can develop and benefit from the book’s wisdom. And being poetic, it also has a lyrical quality which makes the process of reading (and re-reading) it so rewarding. So, your own self-help book need not be a classic ‘how-to’ as long as you’ve got sufficient wisdom and experience to impart, and can do so in style. How To Write A Self-Help Book Self-help books cover a huge range of topics and their authors tackle their subjects in a range of diverse and creative ways. Here are some key considerations when creating one of your own. Identify A Clear Problem Or Opportunity That Your Book Must Address Any successful self-help book is a solution to a problem or opportunity. Can you describe what obstacle your reader would like to overcome or an opportunity they would like to benefit from? Only when you are clear on the answer to this question can you begin to assure yourself that your book will provide the solution. In pitching to agents or publishers, this will be the topic that they focus on first. Even if you\'re self-publishing, it\'s important to know what kind of problems you want your book to target. When you know the answer, it will be easier to describe what your book’s really about. Determine A Clear Objective For The Book Once you\'ve got a book idea to use as a starting point, think about your goals for the book. Write them down and share them with some potential/beta readers. What outcome do you want your book to achieve? Develop a title, sub-title and 30-word elevator pitch. (If you\'re querying agents, this is also a good first step for your book proposal.) For example... Title: ‘Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus’. Sub-title: ‘A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships’. Elevator pitch: ‘Tells you all you need to know about members of the opposite sex and how to deal with them for positive, happy relationships’. Compare Your Objective With The Reader’s Objective For The Book What problems or opportunities do your readers face? What keeps them up at night? What can’t they do? What don’t they know? What outcome do they want from the book? What role will they expect or want to play in the book: an observer, a learner or an active participant? Compare the reader’s expectations for the book with your own. Amend your own objective until it meets your readers\', or identify a different target audience for your book. Know What You Are Able To Share With Your Readers It’s been said that we should write about what we know. When considering the development of a self-help book, I would go one step further. You have the opportunity to share with your reader a combination of four important things: your knowledge, your skills, your experience and your personality. The change in behaviour that your reader seeks won’t come from exposure to your knowledge or personality alone. They must practice new skills so that they build up their own experience. Your job is to help them do so. If all you include in your book is what you know, you’ll create a reference book. If all you write about is your personality, you’ll produce an autobiography. So, by all means, share your knowledge and personality and include plenty of real-life examples, but give careful consideration to the inclusion of exercises and tasks which will develop the reader’s skills and experience and truly appeal to your target audience. Decide How You Will Present The Material What’s your angle? If you’re tackling a subject which is already popular, how will you approach it differently? What will make your book better or more appealing to a reader? This is a question which will really start to matter when you’ve finished the book and are switching into sales mode and thinking about the book cover. Knowing your angle will help you, and others, pitch your book. What Is Your Role In The Book? Which of the following roles will the reader most benefit from as their companion through their developmental journey? Raconteur? Authority? Exemplar? Entertainer? Educator? Researcher? Curator? Counsellor? Pick a few but not all. Give serious consideration to the character you will adopt in the book. Apart from helping your reader, it will aid you in finding a suitable authorial voice. Practice And Settle On A Confident Authorial Voice How will you address your reader? You may think it a trivial question, but your decision will have some significant consequences. You could write in the first person. “I cooked my first sprout in 1967…” is fine if you’re a TV chef who readers want to emulate. It’s also great if you’re a celebrity who people want to know better. But this form of address can easily stray into the territory of autobiography where the book is about the author and less about the reader. We buy Branson’s books because we like him. Did you see what I did in my last sentence? While using the pronoun ‘we’ creates a sense that your readers are in a classroom, it can also divide and exclude them. Not everyone likes Richard Branson but by assuming that they do, you’ve lost those readers who disagree with you. They may decide that your book isn’t for them anymore because you’ve misunderstood them and failed to accept that they are different. So, as I’m doing here, you could settle on a second-person pronoun: you. This helps to create a closer, more personal relationship with the reader. It may also create a more explicit definition of your respective roles – teacher and student, for example. Finally, you can play it safe with good old third person. That is, “Good old third person helps the author to play it safe.” Yes, it’s a bit robotic, but it’s an option which may suit the nature of your book and its intended readership. Develop A Structure For The Material To avoid staring at a blank screen for too long, plan the book’s structure. How many chapters will there be? What will the content of each chapter be? In what order will they be best arranged? What will your chapter titles be? This will help you to articulate what may be a complex subject area. It will also help the reader to see how their own journey of development is going to unfold. Perhaps you can come up with a methodology which encapsulates the subject area of your book into an easy-to-remember structure. Is there a model which visualises and simplifies the complexity of the subject matter? Are there ‘7 steps’ or a process which the reader can be encouraged to follow? Develop A Clear ‘Reader Journey’ Think about your target reader and what you want their reading experience to be like. Where does the reader’s personal journey begin? What will you ask them to do as they read the book? How will you guide them? How will they know that their journey has ended? Will it continue after they have finished reading? How will they embed new ways of thinking, speaking and doing things? The reader of a self-help book should do more than merely read it – they must engage with it. They must invest something of themselves in the experience. Whether this means that your readers understand what you’ve written and compare it to their own experience (e.g. Branson), or that they undertake exercises to practice a new skill (e.g. Snyder), your readers will be demonstrating the change in behaviour that any good self-help book is there to encourage. Remember, your book will only help a reader when they can see it is focused on their own journey towards a more fulfilling life, so it\'s important that your book appeals to them directly. Understand Why You Are The Right Person To Write This Book It’s easy to underestimate the responsibility that comes with writing a self-help book. You will be asking your reader to trust your instruction in a form of personal development which may carry some risk. For example, you may encourage them to try something which affects their mental health. Just as we would wish to assure ourselves of the qualifications of a doctor, plumber or pensions advisor, so too would we want to know that the author of a self-help book is worthy of our trust. It may be helpful – and it will certainly be necessary – to include your credentials. If you aren’t qualified to tell others how to think, act or speak, it isn’t the end of the world. You may still have a book inside you such as a memoir about your own journey of self-discovery. Tips For Writing Self-Help The writing process is often challenging, so here are some tips to guide you through the process. Any repetition here is intended. Some things are worth saying twice. It’s not (necessarily) about you Some 60% of the self-help books that come my way for editing or consultation are largely autobiographical in nature. That is, they focus on the author’s own experience – the mistakes they made, the challenges they faced, and the solutions they implemented. Many infer a conclusion that the reader can succeed if they do as the author did. Before turning personal experience into a self-help book, ask yourself, “Do I want my readers to learn how I succeeded, or how they can succeed for themselves?” Unless the book specifically addresses their needs, the reader may well ask, “How is this book relevant to my own journey of self-improvement?” Engage the reader Not everyone who reads a book expects to invest in the experience. A cheap novel may help a reader pass the time on a train. A self-help book requires the reader to participate. Although you may find it tiresome to develop exercises for your reader, it may well be necessary. At the very least, recognise that your reader expects you to engage and activate something inside of them that causes them to change. Write authoritatively You may be an acknowledged expert. Great! Draw on your experience to demonstrate your authority. But if you’re not, don’t pretend otherwise; the reader will know when you’re winging it. Be honest with your reader. There’s telling and there’s teaching. They’re looking to you to help them learn new stuff. Whether your book’s about mental or emotional health, or re-building a 1968 MG Midget, your (hopefully practical) advice will have real-world consequences for your reader. Don’t try to teach what you don’t fully understand yourself. Be different Between 1966 and 2021, there were 16,581 publications on the subject of mindfulness. How do you find a new way of entering the field? What hasn’t been tried yet? Can you create a metaphor for the subject or present it as fiction? Can you create a methodology which articulates something familiar in a more easily consumed way? Can you condense or expand the topic? Can you identify the outcomes that your readers really want to achieve by studying it? Can you teach the subject better than anyone else? Prepare It’s too easy to begin writing a self-help book without first giving thought to the big questions I have posed throughout this article. Don’t write any content until you’ve properly prepared. Settle on a clear objective that suits your own ambitions and those of your readers. Develop a structure. Familiarise yourself with the authorial voice you intend to use. Complement your own knowledge with research. Frequently Asked Questions Can Anyone Write A Self-Help Book? There are only two essential qualifications to write a self-help book. First, you must have expertise in a subject matter about which others want to learn. Second, you must be able to write about it in a way that educates your reader. This requires clarity of expression and an engaging voice. How Long Does It Take To Write A Self-Help Book? It depends, but start with a plan. List each step, including the development of the objectives and structure; a decision on your angle and authorial voice; the writing skills and time required; and the process of reviewing and editing each chapter. Don’t forget essential or possible research, and that it\'s crucial that you review and edit the entire book, which may require you to rewrite or restructure it. Against each step on your plan, place a realistic start and end date. Keep track and update the plan when things change (as they will!). When, or if, you attract a publisher, it may take a further six months or so before you see it in print. How Long Should A Self-Help Book Be? The examples I’ve described above show how varied self-help books can be in look and feel. If your book achieves its objective in 50 pages, great. If it needs 200, so be it. What’s of greatest importance is that your book must satisfy the needs of its readers… How Do I Know Whether My Self-Help Book Is Any Good? Your readers will tell you! When you’ve edited your book to what you think is a reasonable standard, share it with others. Family and friends will all tell you it’s great, so take it to someone who’s likely to be more honest! Here at Jericho Writers, we provide plenty of fantastic services to help people just like you get into print. Writing Self-Help Writing a self-help book is a bit like writing for children: it’s way harder than you think! However, with plenty of preparation, subject matter expertise and good communication skills, anyone can do it! Good luck!

Character-Driven Vs Plot-Driven Stories: A Guide

Have you ever read a book that has kept you gripped throughout with its twisty or unique plot structure? Or perhaps you have been enthralled by a character-led story, that has fully engaged you in the minds and imaginations of others? In this expert guide, we will explore the differences between character and plot-driven stories, learn how to decide which one to use, and we\'ll provide some tips to ensure you are using these methods in the best way possible. Hopefully, by the end of this guide, you will be able to recognise the difference between character and plot-led stories and be able to use these skills to make your writing even stronger. What Is A Character-Driven Story? In short, a character-driven story is one where the focus will be more on character development than on the plot. In these stories, you are more likely to feel fully engaged with the character and become more focused on their personal journey. In a character-led story, the emphasis is on the character\'s emotions and the reasons why they make the choices and decisions that they do. How then, does this differ from a plot-driven story? What Is A Plot-Driven Story? In plot-driven writing, the story will be more focused on action, with a developed and exciting plot. As a reader, you will be drawn into the action and the twists and turns of the changing circumstances that influence and motivate the characters. So how do you choose between writing a character-driven story versus a plot-driven one? Plot Driven Vs Character Driven: Choosing Between Them The key difference between a plot-driven story and a character-driven one is that in a character-led narrative, the focus is more on the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist and the decisions that they make. Whereas, in plot-driven narratives, the action and occurrences that unfold will be the main point of focus. When writing character-driven stories, the plot is the mechanism used to develop character, and in plot-led stories, the character is used to view and comment on the plot. Very often the type of genre that you are writing will help you decide whether your story would work better as a plot-driven, or character-driven piece. Many crime and thriller books tend to be plot-driven, as they are focused on the turn of events occurring around the character. Sci-fi and mystery books also tend to lean into the plot-driven space. In literary fiction, the emphasis is often on character-driven stories which develop interesting and compelling characters. However, it is important to remember that there are no rules to this and there are always exceptions. Here are a few things that you might wish to consider when deciding whether your story should be plot-driven or character-driven. What genre are you writing in? What is your usual writing style – do you like to develop your characters in depth, or are you more drawn to the action and environment? What are the overall messages and themes of the story? What would you like your reader to take away and learn? Something about the character’s growth? Or something about the events and actions that surround them? What type of books do you most enjoy reading? Plot-Driven Story Examples Below are some examples of excellent plot-driven stories: Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn Gone Girl is a twisty, pacey thriller that relies on its dark and enticing plot to keep its readers on edge. Tension is built via external circumstances and the characters are very much influenced by the events around them. The Lord Of The Rings – J R R Tolkien The Lord of the Rings, like many fantasies, has wonderful world-building and a strong, engaging plot to keep readers engaged. Characters in this story are very much motivated and influenced by external driving forces and the imagined world they exist in. 1984 – George Orwell 1984 is another example of a book where extreme world events and external factors influence and drive the interesting characters of the story, leading them to make certain decisions and actions. Tips For Writing A Plot-Driven Story Focus on the external conflict. What are your characters striving for? What are they up against? What obstacles will they face? Focus on the hooks. Where are the plot twists? How can your surprise your reader and keep them hooked? Ensure the structure is tight and the plot points are marked out. In a plot-heavy story, you need to ensure that the story arc is carefully considered. Character-Driven Story Examples Here are some stories with character-driven plots: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman This is a wonderful example of a book that truly focuses on a character’s development – exploring Eleanor\'s emotions and internal thoughts and using her moving backstory to drive the story forward. Brick Lane – Monica Ali Brick Lane is a wonderful character study, introducing a variety of vibrant and diverse individuals to the reader and exploring the complexity of real-life drama. Breathing Lessons – Anne Tyler Anne Tyler is an expert at writing character-led and emotive pieces of work. In this example, we can experience her character\'s emotional journey through both reflection and insight. Tips For Writing A Character-Driven Story Focus on the internal conflict. What is your character battling with emotionally? What are their goals? Fears? Desires? Create a backstory to ensure that you truly understand your character and can make them more compelling and engaging to the reader. Consider your characters’ motivations. What are they looking to achieve in the story? Will their desires be fulfilled? Develop a strong voice. In character-led stories, we need to be able to connect strongly with the protagonist. Consider how you can make their voice distinctive and believable. Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Difference Between A Plot-Driven And A Character-Driven Story? In a plot-driven story, the focus is on the action and activity surrounding the character, and a well-developed plot with external conflicts that challenge the main characters is crucial. In a character-driven story, the focus will be on the character\'s journey – their thoughts, feelings and emotions, and the inner conflict they are experiencing. In short, when writing character-led stories – the plot is the device used to develop character, but in plot-led stories, the character is used to view and comment on the plot. What Is The Relationship Between Plot And Character? The plot is the device which moves the story forward, and the character embarks on their journey through these plot points – experiencing challenges (both external and internal) and obstacles along the way. How Can You Tell If A Story Is Character Driven? You can tell a story is character driven if it\'s mainly focused on the character’s internal conflict. You are more likely to experience character-driven writing in literary books and real-life accounts. Writing Your Story In summary, it is important, as a writer, to explore the nuances of both character and plot-driven stories to work out which one is the best fit for you. There are no hard and fast rules here. It may be that a character-driven story suits your need to explore the character more fully and produce internal conflict. Alternatively, you might be writing a story that relies on lots of external conflict and finely tuned action points – in this instance, a plot-driven story will possibly suit you best. It\'s important to note that many stories work with a combination of character and plot-driven sections, where there\'s character reflection and development leading into moments of more plot-focused work. It might be that a hybrid model suits you better, and many books successfully use this method. The best thing to do, as a writer, is to experiment and play. Get those words on the page. Plan your next scenes. How do you want your reader to feel, what journey do you want to take them on? Ultimately, have fun working out if your story is plot-led or character-led. As long as it\'s a good story, that’s all that matters.

Oppositional Twins: Colm O’Shea’s Success in Academic and Indie Publishing

New York-based professor and writing tutor Colm O\'Shea has quite a diverse portfolio; from anthologised poetry to an academic monograph and a debut novel, both published at around the same time. After receiving an Opening Section Review from us, Colm had his first brush with indie publishing. His first novel, a speculative sci-fi titled Claiming de Wayke, was published by Crossroad Press in April 2022. We caught up with him about writing in different contexts and what querying looks like for the modern author. JW: Tell us a little about you and your history as a writer. What were your first major writing projects? I started writing for pleasure around age seven—short poems and stories composed on the fly in the schoolyard. Writing was an escape pod from whatever I was “supposed” to be doing, such as schoolwork. By my teens I wanted to take literature more seriously so I did a degree in English and Philosophy. Once you make your escape pod your permanent home, your relationship with it changes. Now writing is the thing you’re “supposed” to be doing, and if you’re like me you start looking for a way to escape that. I got good at composing college essays about other people’s writing as a way of avoiding writing my own fiction or poetry – and this led to a Ph.D. thesis on the work of James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake. In that strange book, there are two brothers, Shem and Shaun. Shem is a cartoon mess of a creative writer (full of self-loathing and doubt), and Shaun is a pompous, know-it-all professor. These contrasting personalities struck me as a possible solution to my need to use writing always an escape from what I’m supposed to be doing. Once you make your escape pod your permanent home, your relationship with it changes. Now I split my time between being a professor—someone who teaches and writes critical analyses—and a fiction writer and poet. Creative writing is my escape from my teaching and research, and my teaching/research helps me avoid taking my fiction and poetry too seriously. I’m amused that my first two books have come at the same time, one being a sci-fi novel about a mess of a man who is full of self-doubt (with Wayke in the title) and the other being an academic monograph about Finnegans Wake. The two books complement each other: a set of oppositional twins. JW: Your first sci-fi novel, ‘Claiming De Wayke’, was published in June 2022. Can you tell us about your journey to publication? I wrote the novel about ten years ago. It’s set in the wake of a respiratory pandemic, and explores how some people are in a rush to return to business-as-normal while others wish to remain hiding in a virtual reality universe. I sent it out to a few agents and got the cold shoulder, and reluctantly I gave up. I told myself: Stop kidding yourself that you can write fiction. And maybe this happens to everyone, but in the years that followed I kept seeing films and books released that reminded me of things in my own book—it felt like a series of gut punches. Then the pandemic hit, and I saw various factions squabbling over how to handle it (as happens in my novel), so I thought the time had come to revisit the manuscript. I’d been lurking on the Jericho Writers’ site for a while, consuming their free content, and decided to invest in their Agent Submission Pack Review (my query game was abysmal). After that review, I got requests from agents for the full MS—this was a major shot in the arm! I decided to splurge on getting an Opening Section Review, and was paired with sci-fi writer Alma Alexander. She helped me pare down flabby sections and clarify some murky exposition. To my surprise, Alma said it was such a good debut that if I didn’t find a publisher then she would publish it herself. That vote of confidence from someone (not a family member, but an actual writer) freed me from a lot of stress and self-doubt. Their slushpile functions like Tinder: they’re sifting through endless submissions and swiping left on almost everything that doesn’t conform at a glance to a precise—but constantly changing—set of demands. I kept submitting to agents, but now they were saying things like “This is good writing, but no one wants to read about a pandemic now that we’re in one.” I thought about how much time I had spent querying agents, as opposed to working on my writing. I don’t know what it’s like to be an agent, and I’m sure they’re good people and know their job, but from my perspective it felt like you have to be the literary equivalent of photogenic to catch their attention. Their slushpile functions like Tinder: they’re sifting through endless submissions and swiping left on almost everything that doesn’t conform at a glance to a precise—but constantly changing—set of demands. It can feel like anything odd or misshapen, or not perfectly on trend, is ignored. And being told you’re “nearly attractive” is not comforting—it’s infuriating! I went sobbing to my editor Alma and she surprised me again by acting as a matchmaker, setting up a meeting with an indie publisher who offered me a contract. You hear about luck being a factor in success, but in my case that’s particularly true—I have a fairy godmother. Claiming de Wayke, Colm O\'Shea (Crossroad Press, 2022) JW: How have you found the experience of working with an indie publisher? My novel has only recently come out, and my experience is specific to one publisher, so results may vary. A major upside was the terms of my contract: I get 75% of profits. (I’ve seen traditional publishers offering 10% or less.) For a Luddite such as myself, a bonus was that I didn’t need to navigate the technical demands of getting the book formatted for Kindle or deal with printing. Also, I got to design the book cover—or to be more accurate, I was able to enlist James Guinnevan Seymour, a wonderful Irish illustrator whose work seemed to speak the language of my story, to create it with my specific input. This creative control might appeal to some writers whereas others could see it as a hassle. Finally - and this is the worst part of indie publishing from my perspective - I’m largely responsible for marketing. This is a major hole in my skillset. I’m hoping to learn more from sites like Jericho about how to market work that’s already published or about to be published in the future. JW: Do you have any advice for writers looking to finish their books or query agents? If you studied literature in college, then you might be at a disadvantage! I’m only half-joking—when I studied English, the focus was very much on literary theories and finding thematic elements to analyse. For some young fiction writers, this might train them to craft things for a more academic audience who are interested in reading for concepts. I wish I’d found Jericho Writers sooner so I could have got my head around this a few decades ago. Seeking out agents and publishers has taught me that the market is crowded, highly competitive, and, as a consequence, focused on lean, engaging, high-concept fiction. It seems to me that contemporary fiction increasingly resembles screenplay, and many agents are looking for novels that would adapt well to the screen. There are obvious exceptions, but the sprawling interiority of the 19th-century novel, and the experimentalism of 20th-century modernism, has largely been supplanted by could-be-a-film-script prose. Lucid, tantalizing pitches reign supreme in this landscape. I was probably in denial about this, and Jericho Writers helped me face it head-on. A Tinder-like situation might not be ideal, but it doesn’t have to stop you—not if you can train yourself to think in terms of legible, intriguing pitches. I wish I’d found Jericho Writers sooner so I could have got my head around this a few decades ago. At a minimum, if your manuscript is nearly finished and you’re about to submit to agents, I’d suggest that you get someone skilled to have a careful look at your query letter. The world is full of agents itching to swipe right on you. About Colm Colm O’Shea teaches essay writing at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. His poetry has been anthologized in Voice Recognition: 21 Poets for the 21st Century (Bloodaxe), and Initiate: An Oxford Anthology of New Writing (Blackwell). His first novel, Claiming De Wayke,is available from Crossroad Press, and his book on sacred/morbid geometry in Finnegans Wake, James Joyce’s Mandala, is from Routledge. Visit him at colmoshea.com

Types Of Stories: Plot Lines To Shape Your Book

We’ve had a Cinderella who’s tormented by her stepmother and step sisters to do household chores, until her life changes upon marrying the prince. We’ve also had a Cinderella who chooses her dream of being a fashion designer over marrying the prince. These are rather different, key plotlines to the same story of a damsel in distress. Stories are essentially archetypes, or building blocks, upon which various plots can be structured. Pretty much whatever story we come up with, chances are, someone’s already written it. Does that disappoint you? Don’t fret. It doesn’t mean your story is unoriginal, only that an archetype already exists for the narrative you’re taking your story through. That isn\'t surprising when you consider the fact that human beings have been telling stories since the beginning of time. When you think of a story you’d like to write, there are a few different ways it could go. Using a story type, consciously, is an excellent way to get started and stay true to and anchored in the authenticity of your plot. In this article, we’ll not only help you understand what story types or plot lines are, but also guide you on how to use them consciously in your writing, and we’ll also look into the pros and cons of using them. What Are The Main Story Types? Many writers tout the brilliance of The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories by Christopher Booker. The book is an essential guide for beginners looking to start somewhere and is an inspiration board for pros looking to feed their creative intellect. Even if you have never heard of this book, you will have come across these seven story types- the master plots- simply by reading various stories. Here are the seven main story/plot types: Overcoming The Monster Often, overcoming the monster isn’t literal. It could be a psychological overcoming of inner demons. It might not even be the main plot, but rather the subplot used to worsen a situation for the character(s). Whether the monster is literal or psychological, this plot type follows the arc of anticipation, frustration, and escape. The characters anticipate the arrival of the monster and they dream of defeating it, only to find out, to their utter frustration, that it’s nearly impossible to do. When they try harder, things only get nightmarishly bad, before something they do clicks and they’re able to defeat or escape the monster. Rags To Riches Nearly every famous and inspirational person that ever wrote an autobiography or memoir has used their rags-to-riches story as the narrative in their book. It’s one of the most relatable experiences – to be broke and then to gain success. Self-help gurus and life coaches frequently use this plotline to inspire and pump up the underdog. The Quest In the quest story type, the characters have a mission to complete – find an object/person or pursue an objective. And along the way, they’ll need to navigate obstacles, which is why adventure stories frequently fall under this category. These challenges may be nearly fatal, and the characters have to overcome them in order to accomplish their objective. Voyage And Return In a voyage and return story, the protagonist is literally sent to a foreign place from which they will return wiser and stronger. The unfamiliarity of the foreign place induces challenges for the protagonist to tackle. The idea here is to help the character grow into a more mature version of themselves, through varied life experiences in the new land. This type is featured in many stories. Rebirth This one sounds almost religious, doesn’t it? Though it is, indeed, a prevalent concept in many religions across the world, a rebirth story arc can simply be about a transformation the protagonist undergoes. This is a narrative that focuses on the radical changes the character will have to make in order to have a good life and be happy. Even with a literal rendition of the rebirth storyline, the aim is still to get the character to change, grow and lead a better life this time around. Comedy Comedic plotlines are great tools for reflecting on the ways of society, no matter which century or decade, or which city or country we’re looking at. Comedy is usually induced through subversion, exaggeration, absurdity, and confusion. Tragedy Tragedy is like the antithesis of the ‘overcoming the monster’ plotline. The protagonists set themselves up for an epic failure. They fail to overcome the monster, so to speak. The main character decides that they must rise to a challenging situation, only for things to go wrong. The tragic story type is rife with emotional content and follows the arc of anticipation, frustration, and despair. Only, instead of an escape at the end, there’s pain and destruction. Using Story Types: Pros And Cons Story types are broad narrative categories that most stories can be pegged on. But they don\'t work for everyone. If you do use them, it\'s important to remember that you can veer away from them as much as you like. It\'s your story! Here are some of the pros and cons of using story types in your writing: Pros If you’re unsure what to write about, looking at story types for inspiration is a great start. They help you look at the big picture and the themes you could explore. If you have your story type picked, then you have a general idea of the shape and the broadest arc of your story, which makes writing easier. If you\'ve lost momentum, and are eager to get writing again, story types can help you see if there’s a narrative you’ve not tried before. If you\'ve finished your book and want to pitch it to an agent, you’ll need to know the broader storyline and major themes you’ve written about. So, knowing your story type(s) is essential. Cons If you’re a seasoned author, story types might be a little too basic. Story types can feel restricting if you plan your plot in detail before you write. Some aspects may feel forced and inauthentic to your protagonist. (Remember, story types are guides, feel free to make adjustments!) Stories rarely ever contain just one narrative. Often, it’s a blend of many. Figuring out which one’s the master story type in your book can be confusing. Examples Of Different Types Of Stories Now that we’ve discussed what the seven types of stories can do for your writing, let’s explore a few examples. The Pursuit Of Happyness While Bram Stoker’s Dracula had the iconic vampire hunter Van Helsing slaying (the monster) Count Dracula, it might not always be so literal. It might not even be the main story type at play; it could be a subplot. The memoir The Pursuit Of Happyness is actually a single father’s rags-to-riches story, but throughout, the man tries to overcome his psychological ‘monster’ – fear of poverty and failure. His struggle to defeat his inner demons makes the story relatable and compelling. King Richard The 2021 film starring Will Smith, King Richard, does this rags-to-riches story of a classic underdog as humbly as possible. It’s all too easy for this type of story to get corny, but the movie’s plot avoids this by staying true to the storyline; it focuses on Venus Williams, instead of Serena Williams, and ends at the beginning (rather than the pinnacle) of the tennis player’s stellar career. Eat, Pray, Love The iconic memoir Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert has the subtitle ‘one woman’s search for everything’. This effectively captures the ‘quest’ story type the memoir is anchored to. The protagonist travels around the world to shake things up and catapult herself into a more conscious life. The clarity in her writing is a reflection of how she’s anchored her story to the ‘quest’ narrative, making it a classic example of that story type. The Midnight Library Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library is arguably the most soulful rendition of the ‘rebirth’ story type. Metaphysically so. Forlorn and hopeless, Nora Seed attempts suicide. In her near-death state, her soul goes into a library of all the lives she could ever live and she ultimately chooses the one that’s right for her. This rebirth narrative is candidly human and introspective. Dark Matter The thriller Dark Matter by Blake Crouch follows the ‘journey and return’ story type. The protagonist is content with his life, albeit wistful about not being ‘successful enough’. He is catapulted into his worst nightmare when that wistful thinking lands him in a life where he’s a celebrated particle physicist, but his wife is not his wife and his son was never born! This ‘journey and return’ narrative has you going on a mind-bending tour of the infinite possibilities resulting from longing and the fear of missing out. Night Elie Wiesel’s Night is perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching memoirs ever to be written about the Holocaust. That it is based on the ‘tragedy’ story type is a given; after all, it’s a sombre memory of the narrator Eliezer. Though the protagonist manages to escape the concentration camp in the end, there isn’t any true relief. He emerges traumatised and grief-stricken. The tragedy really comes through in the memoir’s rhetorical question: how do you deal with the failure of humanity, when you are its victim? The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy If you haven’t read The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, then you haven’t lived! The 20th-century author Douglas Adams paired science fiction with the ‘comedy’ story type to explore the idiocy and selfishness of the human condition. When a character, who is abducted by his inter-galactic travelling friend, realises billions of people on earth have died to make way for a galactic freeway, but faints when he realises that there’s no such thing as McDonald’s anymore, you know this book is going to be entertaining. How To Use Story Types As Inspiration Using different types of stories consciously in your writing is a great way to get some momentum. Here\'s how you can utilise the seven story types: If you are struggling to structure your book at the conceptual stage, then, all you need to do is figure out which one is your overarching story type, which one is your subplot, and what major themes you’ll be exploring under them. Eg: In Eat, Pray, Love, ‘quest’ is the overarching story type, ‘journey and return’ is the subplot, and eating-praying-loving are the major themes. The structure of this book is truly off the charts! Combine two story types in an unlikely genre. Eg: The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy clubs ‘comedy’ and ‘overcoming the monster in the science fiction genre. What an unlikely combination and delight! Once you have figured out which story types are best for your book, try using different character\'s perspectives for inspiration: For ‘overcoming the monster’, play the faithful sidekick For ‘rags to riches’, play the fairy godparent For ‘the quest’, play the life coach For ‘voyage and return’, play the travel assistant For ‘comedy’, play the matchmaker For ‘tragedy’, play the grief counsellor For ‘rebirth’, play the initiating priest Top Tips If at the planning stage, the story types feel restrictive, that’s a good thing. This will keep you from overthinking and make things simpler. You can always add complexity later on! If you feel your story has more than one story type, then you’re probably right. All you need to do is figure out which one is the main story type and which one is the subplot. Frequently Asked Questions What Are The 7 Types Of Stories? The 7 types of stories are ‘overcoming the monster’, ‘rags to riches’, ‘the quest’, ‘voyage/journey and return’, ‘rebirth’, ‘tragedy’, and ‘comedy’. What Are The Elements Of A Story? In the broadest sense, a story is the bigger picture and the plot its finer details. A story generally consists of an overarching story type, a second story type as its subplot, two or three major themes, a clear voice, and character development. How Do You Write A Good Story? A good story is more in the planning than the inspiration. Looking into the seven types of stories is a good way to shape your ideas. Then you can start writing, honing in on the key elements, and editing your story as you craft a book you can be proud of. Story Types Creative work of any kind can benefit from having a framework. Story types are vital for anchoring your plot. Whether or not you know the finer details of your plot yet, if you know the story types you’re going to use, you’re sure to have a strong foundation.

The Spy in Your Novel

In 1963, a thirty-year-old ‘diplomat’ – in fact, a junior-ranking member of the British secret services – wrote a book. The book was about spying and it was more or less the opposite of Bond. Unglamorous in the extreme. Intelligent. Laceratingly cynical. The young man who wrote it was in a state of (in his words) ‘intense, personal stress’. The novel was written very fast and ‘in extreme privacy.’ Now, for obvious reasons, any book written by members of the British secret services has to be vetted before publication and, again for obvious reasons, those services weren’t about to let any deep secrets be exposed. So, contrary to a lot of press commentary over the years, it was only the young man’s lack of experience and access that allowed his book to be published at all. Although he was technically a spy, he was junior enough that he knew more or less nothing about his own profession. But the book was published – and it was a sensation. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold became an international bestseller and is frequently cited as being among the 100 Best Novels. If you want the gist of the story, it’s something like this: Alec Leamas believes that he’s on a secret mission to destroy the brutish Mundt, head of the East German secret service. In order to do that, he poses as a double-agent, is interviewed by the #2 East German spy – a good and idealistic man named Fiedler – and imparts scatters information that would tend to implicate Mundt as a double-agent working on behalf of the British. Except – it’s more complicated. Because the man running the British operation (George Smiley), pays off Leamas’s mortgage and gets his communist-inclined girlfriend to join an exchange of party-members to East Germany. To Leamas’s surprise, the girlfriend pops up to (innocently, but completely) destroy his testimony. So if Leamas is lying, then why is he here at all? It must be that Leamas has been sent to East Germany in order to frame Mundt, so the East Germans now realise Mundt must be loyal to them, right? They happily arrest Fiedler, who will probably be shot. So, the British operation looks like it’s failed completely. Except – it’s more complicated. Because why did George Smiley pay off Leamas’s mortgage – a sure signal to the East Germans that Leamas was still a paid-up British spy? Hmm. It must be that George Smiley wanted to destroy Leamas’s testimony. And why would he want to do that? Well, since the destruction of Leamas’s credibility in East Germany resulted in the death of Fiedler and the protection of Mundt, it must be that actually Mundt was a British double-agent after all. The whole purpose of the operation – to which Leamas was not privy – was to destroy Fiedler, who all along had suspected Mundt. Got that? Well, yes and no. The brilliant thing about any really good spy story (or any tangled crime story) is that as you read it, you follow the logic and everything makes sense. But as soon as you put the book down, the logic has a habit of disappearing. If a friend asked you, half an hour after you’ve finished reading to explain the plot, you’d struggle to do so. The reason for that struggle is that you’re being asked to keep track of logic-chains like these: Leamas realises that Smiley pretended he wanted to destroy Mundt (who was pretending to work for the East Germans, but was really working for the British), so Leamas – who thought he was lying about payments to Mundt etc – was in fact telling the truth. That’s head-exploding. It’s a big part of the cost of reading the book (the mental effort), and a huge part of the reward. Now all this seems like maybe it’s only of interest to people who write spy thrillers and perhaps crime thrillers. But it’s not, it’s not! It’s of interest to YOU. Why do we read books at all? I mean: it’s all made up, right? Alex Leamas didn’t exist. Lizzie Bennet didn’t exist. Harry Potter (sorry, kids) isn’t real. A big part of it is simply this: Humans aren’t particularly honest. That dishonesty might be big and consequential. (Fiedler does or doesn’t get shot, depending on how Leamas does his job.) Or it might be minor: you saying “Yes, I’m fine,” when you’re definitely not. Dishonesty might happen in the context of actual or potential violence (as in spy stories.) Or it might arise in the context of actual or potential romance. It might be wilful, careful, pre-planned dishonesty (anything to do with George Smiley.) Or it might be utterly inadvertent (for example, Jane Austen characters confused by their own emotions: Lizzie Bennet saying she definitely isn’t attracted to sexy Mr Darcy, for example.) This dishonesty – or, rather, the gap between explicit and implicit, surface and hidden, text and subtext – is of passionate importance to us as humans. Let’s say you’re dropping your kids off at the school gate and the head-teacher asks you to alter something about (let’s say) the way you deal with your child’s homework. You’ll unquestionably walk away trying to figure out if there was subtext there. Not quite on the level of “does he/she think I’m a crap parent?” perhaps, but you’ll be searching to see if there was a concealed reproach. You’ll check out your own actions to see if you can see a flaw. You may well ask other parents to see what they do. (Are you the only one who’s been singled out in this way? If so, what does that mean?) We carry that behaviour into fiction. It’s instinctive. I think it’s probably true to say that fiction trains us. That is: the more we read, and the more we think about our reading, the more sophisticated we become at parsing these real-world encounters. But it’s also true that the real-world habituates us to fiction. The more we deal with these issues of subtext in the world, the more we bring those same practices into reading. A huge part of the pleasure of fiction lies in precisely this kind of puzzle-solving. Why is Lizzie so insistent that she isn’t attracted to the handsome, rich Darcy? Surely because she partly is. In Where the Crawdads Sing, there’s a courtroom-style mystery in play, but there’s also a coming-of-age emotional unveiling at play. Both mysteries are compelling, but there’s probably more long-term depth and interest in the latter. And that takes us right to one of the central puzzles of fiction. The more we make the reader work, the more they like it. Some sorts of work are bad, of course. If your sentence is unclear and your reader has to puzzle out your meaning, that’s a fail. If you let that happen too often, the reader will just put the book down and never pick it up again. But giving complicated and multi-layered data to a reader about your characters? That’s perfect. That’s when your reader gets highly involved, teasing your clues apart like a hungry gossip. I’ve gone on too long as it is, but next week I’ll take a look at some examples of complicated clue-giving – some challenges to a reader’s capacity to figure things out.

Memoir Writing Prompts To Spark Inspiration

What Is A Memoir? A memoir is, quite literally, a memory – a record written from personal knowledge or experience. It’s a form that complies with that great piece of advice, “write about what you know!” A memoir gives us the opportunity to explore major life events or a singular subject in as much detail as possible. Of course, by virtue of being shorter, a single memoir can stand on its own, or become part of a bigger collection such as an autobiography. Whether your memoir is about a time in your life that was brief yet significant, or depicts your entire life, having some memoir ideas to hand can be helpful for every memoir writer. Like any other piece of creative writing, a memoir needs to succeed in maintaining the reader’s engagement throughout. Knowing which memory to pick is often the most pressing challenge. These 50 prompts will get your creative juices flowing, whether you\'re writing about an important life lesson, the most influential person in your life, or are detailing your family history. 50 Memoir Writing Prompts Prompts To Prepare You 1. Keep a journal. Capture events so that they’re there for you in 20 years’ time. What’s more, journal keeping is a discipline that maintains a writing practice. 2. Find inspiration in photographs. A picture can help us recall past events. Take a look at your phone. What were you doing 5 years ago today? Use the ‘search’ facility to find something obscure – a cherry, a ski, an ice cream. What memories do the images evoke? 3. Interview people. Friends and family, especially the elderly, are not only full of memories but also often keen to share them. Make a cup of tea and, with their permission, turn on a discrete voice or video recorder while you chat about the past. 4. Take inspiration from the space around you. What keepsakes do you have around you right now? Are they connected in any way? What story do they tell about you? 5. Identify the story. An event may be of great interest but what stories are there to tell? What happened before and after the event? What impact did it have on you and others? 6. Recall a moment of conflict. Disagreements make for drama, and dramatic tension keeps a reader engaged. 7. Write about a moment or period of emotional change. Think of a time when you moved between happiness and sadness. Engaging drama is about emotional transition… 8. Write about transformation. Can you recall a moment when your fundamental beliefs and opinions about something were changed? Perhaps you suddenly started – or stopped – believing in God? 9. Identify who you’re writing for. What questions would they have about the memories you’re describing? Prompts To Inspire You Things That Matter To Us All 10. Life and/or death. There’s little else of such significance. Have you had a near-death experience? What is your experience of witnessing birth or death? 11. What is your experience of good and ill health? Have you ever been diagnosed with a significant condition? In what way did it change you, physically, mentally and emotionally? How were those around you affected by it? 12. When did you first (or last!) fall in love? Who, or what, was it with? 13. Comedy or tragedy? Drama exists in both. Can you write about a funny situation? What caused it? What impression did it leave on you or others? If you can bring yourself to write about tragedy, how did it affect you? Was the process of writing about it cathartic? You 14. Imagine that you meet a younger version of yourself. What impression do you have of them and they of you? What lesson would you share with them? What might they tell you that you’ve lost sight of over the years? 15. Can you recall a moment when you overcame your fear of something? Perhaps you asked someone out for a drink, or spoke in front of an audience, or abseiled down a cliff…? 16. Were you ever betrayed? Or did you betray someone else? How did it feel? Did you regret it, or was it in some way the right thing to do? Did it have a lasting impact on your life? 17. What has been the most exciting moment of your life, your happiest memory? Why did it thrill you so much? 18. Who or what did you want to be when you were younger? How did that ambition drive you? Did you achieve your wishes? What do you feel now that you are older? 19. What books or films influenced you most when you were growing up? Why, and in what way? 20. Are you a subject matter expert in something? Do you collect stamps? Do you breed cats? Have you been into space? Have you been through the criminal justice system? 21. What do you wish you could have discovered or learned as you were growing up? Why would it have been important to you now? 22. Looking back at your childhood, what seems odd or unusual to you? In what ways did it contribute to who you are today? Think about your earliest memory. 23. Get someone else to describe you in three words. How does their view compare with your own impression of yourself? What do you keep private and what do you share? Why? 24. What makes you laugh and cry? What themes connect these things? What do they tell you about yourself? 25. At what moment in your life have you felt most loved, and most alone? When was that? Are they related in some way? How did those moments change you? 26. What cause or person would you die for? Does anything or anyone matter to you so much that you would die for it/them? Is death a price worth paying? 27. What keeps you awake at night? Why? Have you ever sought to overcome it? Can you share a recollection of when you first worried about it? 28. What are your insecurities? Do you worry about your looks, your confidence or money? Why? When did your insecurity first manifest itself? Have you ever tried to overcome it? 29. Write about a moment when you made a significant choice. Perhaps you proposed or were proposed to. In hindsight, was your response the right one? What choices would you like to face again, and why? 30. Your heroes. Have you ever met them? Did they live up to your expectations? How did you feel about them afterwards? In what way did their actions, behaviours and beliefs affect you? 31. When did reality not meet your expectations? Was university not what you wanted it to be? When was a blind date a bit of a letdown? 32. What are the best and worst pieces of advice you’ve ever received, or offered? Is advice a good thing? 33. Can you describe a moment when you didn’t do something which, with hindsight, you regret? Why does it still matter to you? How would your life have changed if you had done something differently? 34. Find the drama in an accident and bring it to life for your reader. What happened? Who was involved? What was the outcome? What changed as a result? 35. Which incident in your life hurt you more than any other? Why did it hurt so much? What effect has it had on the rest of your life? 36. Describe something memorable that you did for the very first time. What drove you to do it? How did you feel before, during and after doing it? Relationships 37. The poet Philip Larkin famously wrote, “They **** you up, your mum and dad.” Write about family relationships; they’re full of drama. 38. How have your parents’ relationships with you and with one other affected your own personal relationships? 39. Write about your relationship with your siblings. What rivalries and friendships were there? If you were an only child, what are your reflections on being brought up alone? 40. Write about a friend. How did you meet them? What was the attraction? In what ways are they different from you? 41. Write about a stranger. How did you meet? Did you remain in touch? Why is it that you remember them? 42. Who from your own family’s history would you most like to meet? What would you ask them? What would you most like to tell or show them? Day To Day 43. Which part of the world would you revisit? What makes you long to return? How does that place make you feel? 44. Write about moving in or out of somewhere you have lived. What surprised you? What went well, or not so well? What has been the legacy of that day? 45. What did you buy with your first-ever paycheque? Why? Do you still have it? What would you buy with an equivalent amount of money today? Prompts To Improve Your Writing 46. Write about the sensual aspects of memory. What you saw is important, but what are the tastes, smells and sounds that you remember? Did you touch anything? Help your reader feel what you felt. 47. Show, don’t tell. You could write that someone was upset. Or you could describe how a tear gathered on the tip of their nose as they stared resolutely at the ground. 48. Don’t wait! Did you just create a memory? Capture it in a draft as soon as you can to encapsulate the present moment. 49. Just the facts…? The facts provide the structure around which the memoir hangs. But what engages a reader is the way in which the facts are presented and described. So, dig down to uncover or recall how you were changed by what happened. 50. Use metaphors and similes. Need to write about war? Perhaps you could pick out the tale of two neighbours on opposite sides of the conflict. Want to describe a complex emotion? Try comparing your own experience to something with which a reader may be familiar. Frequently Asked Questions Do Memoirs Have To Be 100% True? If it’s a personal memory, artistic licence is acceptable – it’s your memoir. But if you’re writing about a shared memory – a football match, a funeral, a wedding – take care that any facts are verifiable. If the reader finds something to be untruthful, the authenticity of the entire piece may be undermined. But whether personal or private, great memoirs are enriched by the author’s own insights and reflections. How Do I Begin A Memoir? Wherever possible, try to find the most reliable and truthful source. Like all good stories, a memoir should have a beginning, a middle and an end. A collection of memories – an autobiography – can benefit from some careful curation but, at its simplest, can follow events as they took place over time. What Makes A Memoir Successful? At least three things will engage your reader. First, the subject matter must be of interest. Find the common human themes in the story such as love, romance, revenge or conflict. Second, articulate how it felt to experience what was happening at the time. Emotions are a common language that allow people to connect. Third, write it as well as you possibly can. The better the standard of writing, the easier it will be for the reader to slip into your story. Memoir Writing Capture your memories. Start today! Take photos, keep a diary, talk with your friends and family and – importantly – listen! Try using one memoir writing prompt, or combine them to find the inspiration you need to get started. Polish your writing until it sparkles!

How to survive a car crash

I’m going to talk, in a moment, about the worst-best experience of my writing life, and the lessons learned. First, a couple of words on Townhouse. You’ve been signing up in your 100s since our launch last week. Hooray for that. I hope you’re enjoying the experience. Secondly, yes, we know, we know: the site is working far too slowly. We have some site speed specialists working on that problem right now. We’re hoping to have a fix in the next two weeks or so. And third, it’s just brilliant to see the variety and wisdom of the discussions that are taking place. If you want a peer-to-peer critique, then get involved. Or the “all about writing” forum is already crowded with conversations about (among other things) creative writing degrees, points of view, the use of foreign words, child characters who do bad things, writing contest submissions and more. There’s loads more too. As Townhouse fills up and speeds up, the quality and depth of those conversations is only going to increase. But now, let’s talk car crashes. What if you have a writing car crash? A complete and total failure? And, by the way, we need to be a bit careful to define terms here. If you’re writing your first novel and you make some plotting cock-ups, that’s not a failure – that’s just writing. If you complete your work, edit it hard, then come to us for a manuscript assessment, only to be told that there are still a lot of issues, that too is not a failure. It’s just writing. Same thing, indeed, if you go through the whole process, and send your stuff out to agents, and get some agents wanting to see the full manuscript only, ultimately, to say no. That’s disappointing, of course, but really, that’s a success. You wrote your very first novel and got it good enough, on that first outing, to have serious agents toying with the idea of taking you on? How is that not impressive? So, yes, I have high standards for what constitutes a car crash. I think the key ingredients are (A) your work is way below the standard to be expected from someone of your experience – plus, (B) you’re completely in the dark about how bad things are. If you have the first element without the second, you don’t have a car-crash, you just have an unresolved editorial problem, and we all have those. Again: that’s just writing. But, even on a strict definition, I had a total car crash early in my career – my only really bad experience. I’d already sold my first book, via a highly contested auction, and the book went on to be a bestseller. So: good outcome, right? Better still, I’d delivered the draft of my second book before the first was even launched. So: good author, right? The trouble was that second book was AWFUL. I haven’t kept a draft of it and never re-read it, so I now only have a nightmare-style recall of what was in it. But – plotting, bad. Elevator pitch – worse. Writing – subpar. Characters – patchy and (yeugh) a bit icky too. The draft was so bad that I got called into HarperCollins’ nice London offices for an editorial discussion. My editor and publisher, both very nice humans, told me – gently – how bad the book was. I didn’t need a lot of telling. I wasn’t defensive. As soon as they started to talk it through, I realised they were right. Luckily, I had plenty of time to do a re-write. So I got home, copied the document into a Drafts folder that I could plunder for paragraphs here and there, then selected the whole document and hit delete. This bestselling author had just deleted his second novel. My redraft was about a million times better than the version before, and it was still the least good thing I’ve ever written. But it’s also where I really learned to be a writer. My first novel had just come too easily. The core idea had been a good one. My delivery was fine, or more than fine. But the absence of struggle had also meant an absence of knowhow. I’d read nothing at all about the craft of writing. It hadn’t occurred to me that I might need to do so. (We all know how to write, no? You just glue enough sentences together.) That second novel was a wrestling match, start to finish. I read every book I could find on craft. I didn’t agree with everything I read, but even the process of disagreeing made me more reflective, more considered. And that second book didn’t do badly. I got a sort-of film deal for it, which admittedly never quite materialised. The book was shortlisted for one of the big annual writing prizes. It sold a plump five-figures number of copies. I still don’t love the book, but it did OK. My reasons for offering you this story is threefold: Car crashes happen They’re not terminal. Don’t fret. Move on. Use them to learn I’m a huge believer in the importance of craft. Writing technique is the sword and shield that protects you from disaster. It won’t protect you from mistakes – nothing does. But the better your basic writing craft, the quicker you’ll pick those issues up and the more rapidly you’ll solve them. Protect yourself The best way to avoid major problems, however, is to stop making them in the first place. The single strongest tool you have for doing that is a powerful idea for your book. The stronger that idea, the better your delivery is likely to be – and the less any errors of execution are likely to matter. Dan Brown is the ultimate exemplar here. He is a poor writer – but his Da Vinci Code idea was (for his particular market niche) one of genius. You could, I guess, say the same about EL James and Shades of Grey, except that her writing is even worse. The reason I called my own personal car-crash a worst-best experience is because it made me a far better writer. It was the single biggest learning development of my writing life. My first book was gifted to me. The rest? They were all worked for. And if I’m technically competent now, that’s largely because of the kick in the pants I got from that terrible second novel of mine. *** That’s essentially it from me, but, as it happens, we have a “Meet Your Match” pitch session later this month, where you all get to pitch your ideas to agents – either via Townhouse or Twitter. Agents have requested full manuscripts following these sessions in the past. I’m sure they’ll do so again. If you’re a free member of Townhouse, I strongly encourage you to get peer-to-peer feedback on those pitches before you put them in front of agents. Just put your pitch out there, and ask for input. If you’re a Premium Member, then by all means get peer-to-peer feedback, but additionally, I’ll be looking at your elevator pitches from 12.00 to 2.00pm UK-time next Thursday. We’ll also point you to some great video resources on what a great elevator pitch looks like – and how to create your own. For pitches that impress us, we’ll have some free literary agent 1-2-1s to give away. Hey ho. What a week. I’ve promised to take the kids out mushrooming this afternoon. My wife is always terrified that I’m going to feed the kids toadstools, but I’ve not lost a child yet. Till soon, old buddies. Till soon. Harry PS: This post appears on Townhouse right here Best way to get a response from me on the issues raised – chat on Townhouse, of course! Let\'s have an after-party. PPS: At the end of this month – the 27th – we’ll have a “Meet Your Match” pitch session with literary agents on Twitter. In preparation, on the 13 October (next week), I’ll be using my \"Office Hours\" to run an open elevator pitch session on Townhouse. I’m going to help out any Premium Members who want input before the big day. I hope there’ll also be lots of peer-to-peer interaction in addition. During these “Office Hours” I will also be keeping an eye on the Premium Member group for any non-elevator pitch questions you have to ask me. Just hop along and tell me what’s on your mind. But that\'s not all! On the 20th of October (and thereafter), my colleague Polly Peraza-Brown will also be helping you all in the lead up to Meet Your Match with Twitter etiquette, how to use hashtags and all that. The Meet Your Match preparation group can be found here. PPPS: Hate writing? Love arboriculture? Don’t actually know what it means, just like the sound of the word? Pah! Unsubscribe, you brute.

What Is Narrative Writing? A Comprehensive Guide

Fundamentally, narrative writing connects events in our stories using character, conflict, plot, setting and theme to create a narrative writing arc. Throughout this article, I will highlight different types of narrative writing. I will also explain the six key elements that make up narrative writing and why they are crucial. I will also offer some tips on how to use narrative structure in your own writing effectively. What Is Narrative Writing? Narrative writing is, quite literally, exactly what it says on the tin. Narrative writing is a structure of storytelling told in a narrative manner. Only, nothing is really that simple when it comes to the world of writing, is it? There is so much more to learn about how the rules of narrative writing could help elevate your own work in progress. It doesn’t matter if you are writing fiction, non-fiction, short stories, descriptive essays or full-length novels, narrative writing utilises the six key elements of writing to convey a story to a reader, often using the age-old technique of writing a ‘beginning, middle and end’ (linear) structure. But not always… narrative writing can also be non-linear! I told you it wasn’t as simple as you may have first thought. Think back to your school days. We were taught the basics of storytelling from a young age, and we were taught at first to write in a narrative format. We were being taught how ‘tell a story’. Over the years we develop ways to make those stories more compelling, more complex, and sometimes more emotional, but at the heart of it, we were learning narrative structure. Linear Narrative Writing Vs Non-Linear Narrative Writing Before we talk about the key elements that all narrative writing relies on, it’s important to know the difference between linear and non-linear narrative writing. Overall, there are five different styles of narrative writing, but understanding the difference between linear and non-linear is crucial, as each of the others can be written in either of these sub-styles. Linear Narrative What Is A Linear Narrative? Linear narrative describes a structure of narrative writing that follows a traditional pattern. It\'s a narration that tells a story of events in the order in which they occur, in sequence. Linear narrative is the most common form of writing and is the most basic of structures, following a story in a continuous fashion from beginning to end, describing events as they happen. A writer will still use all six key elements of narrative writing to complete the structure, but they\'ll stick to a flow that unfolds in a chronological manner. What Is The Benefit Of Writing In A Linear Narrative Style? When writing in a linear style, character arcs and causation are easily identifiable on the page. As humans, we lead linear lives, so to see this replicated on the page can often create an instant sense of understanding with a reader. What Is An Example Of A Linear Narrative In Fiction? An obvious example of a linear narrative can be found in Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The entire novel is written in a linear fashion. Although Crusoe often remarks about memories of the past, we are propelled through the novel in chronological order. Non-Linear Narrative What Is A Non-Linear Narrative? Non-linear narrative is the direct opposite of linear narrative. This structure of narrative writing presents a story with events unfolding out of order. The events in the narrative/story are not told chronologically and will often make use of devices such as flashbacks to transport the reader back (or indeed forward) in time. What Are The Benefits Of Writing In A Non-Linear Style? Non-linear writing can be trickier to pull off and the writer must be careful not to use ‘flashbacks’ to info-dump on the reader. However, if successfully used, a non-linear structure allows a writer to tell a story, slowly releasing information from the past to highlight issues in the present, or even hint at possible issues in the future. Non-linear writing can help to represent changes in your character\'s emotional state, or even highlight reasons why your character is acting a certain way. For example, if past traumas resurface, highlighting these will give your characters depth and help create a strong character arc. Non-linear writing can also be used to create and build suspense. For example, Donna Tartt opens The Secret History by telling us about a murder, but then takes us back to events before the murder, making us wait for the story to unfold to find out what events lead up to the killing. What Is An Example Of A Non-Linear Narrative In Fiction? There are many examples I could use as fabulous examples of non-linear writing in contemporary novels, but one such novel that sticks out for me is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. In this novel, although the two magicians are battling a jealous rivalry, they move between different points in time to highlight the rivalry over the decades. A clever non-linear structure can move through weeks, months, years and sometimes even decades if done well. Key Elements Of Narrative Writing Now that we understand the two main areas of narrative writing style, it is time to look into the elements of story writing that can be utilised to ensure you carry out this style of writing effectively. Irrespective of whether you are writing a linear or non-linear narrative structure, six key elements are used to create this style of writing. These same six elements remain the same, in both fiction and non-fiction writing. The six key narrative elements: Character Plot Setting Conflict Theme Narrative Arc Using these six elements accurately will help create both linear and non-linear narratives. It is important to know what each of these are and how they work together. Let’s take one of our previous examples and break them down. We\'ll use the example of Donna Tartt\'s A Secret History. Character Characters are the people in the story that propel it forward using the plot. One of the most important aspects of narrative fiction is character development. In A Secret History – Richard Papen is the narrator and protagonist (main character). In this novel, we see Richard as a young graduate student in California. Over the course of the novel, we follow his story and character development as he pursues his ambitions. Although we are using an example of fiction here, character development through narrative writing in non-fiction is just as important. If you want your reader to follow your story, you have to create a reason for them to be invested. A strong sense of character does just that. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction, the main point of narrative writing is to create an interesting story, and you can’t create a story without character. By the end of your narrative writing piece, your character should have been on a journey, told in story form, with the development of this character being the driving force for the narrative. Plot The plot is the thread of events that create the story you are telling. Let’s go back to The Secret History. It is, at its heart, an inverted detective story narrated by Richard Papen, one of the six students involved in the murder of their friend Edmund ‘Bunny’ Corcoran. Whether you are writing a space opera fiction novel, or a biography on King Henry IIIV, narrative writing is at its core a ‘story’. To have a functioning story, be it in a linear or non-linear form, your characters need to have a plot to follow. Make sure you ask yourself ‘why is this story important?’ and ‘why am I using these characters to tell this story?’ Setting Setting is crucial in any written work. If you are writing historical non-fiction, making sure you describe the settings is crucial in narrative writing. After all, if all your readers want is ‘facts’, they can get them in an academic text. They are reading narrative non-fiction to feel more of a connection to the story. Let’s go back to Donna Tartt and The Secret of History again. Set against the backdrop of a liberal arts college in New England in the 1980’s, the setting of this novel reveals just as much about the characters themselves as the plot of the novel. Conflict Conflict is the problem at the heart of your work that needs to be resolved. The conflict in The Secret History is clear, and centres around the death of ‘Bunny’. The conflict in your narrative writing will help clarify your themes. If you are hoping to create a sense of tension within your narrative writing, conflict is crucial. You can choose to create conflict between characters, or even use setting to show conflict between worlds, but making sure the conflict at the centre of your plot is strong will be what your narrative fiction lives or dies on. Theme Theme is arguably the most important of all narrative elements. You are telling a story, that much we know, but what is the moral of that story? What do you as a writer want the reader to be asking? In A Secret History, there are a few main themes working together. Tartt wants the reader to understand and examine the consequences of secrets, the superficiality of appearances, the dangers of isolation and reality versus illusion. Tartt uses character, plot and conflict to ensure these themes are strong on the page. Themes are essential in all styles of writing. It doesn’t matter if you are writing in a linear or non-linear fashion, your themes will be vital to telling the story. Remember, you are telling a story, ask yourself, what lessons do you hope to share? Narrative Arc Narrative arc is how we describe the story structure. In almost all works of fiction, a narrative arc is a fundamental building block for what makes a good novel. To create a narrative arc, you need to consider who your character is, what it is they want in the story you are creating, what conflict they will encounter, how they will resolve that conflict and how those lessons will culminate in a satisfying ending. Essentially, you take all of the other elements of narrative writing to create an arc that leaves your reader satisfied. Types Of Narrative Writing Although we have already discussed the difference between linear and non-linear narrative writing, there are three other main areas of narrative writing. Historical narrative writing Viewpoint narrative writing Quest narrative writing Historical Narrative Writing Historical narrative writing is how we describe the writing of historical events in a story-based format. Historical narrative writing is most commonly found in biographical and autobiographical historical writings, but can also be seen as fiction such as historical romance, and historical fiction novels. Historical narratives can often include ‘primary source material’ which will present first-hand accounts and knowledge, often in the form of diary entries, letters or personal memories in an autobiographical, biographical or memoir style. Historical writing is used to help tell a story about a past event, which can be told through the eyes of a fictional character, or through the eyes of an important historical figure. Historical narrative fiction is an interesting topic because despite many believing that historical events are factual, the way we view history can be clouded by our own perceptions, and opinions, and coloured by our own experiences. One aspect that most historical narratives have in common is the use of the structure to show a chain reaction of events that happen over a long and extended period of time. Many historical narrative writings will skip large chunks of time between events and refer to time periods often. Historical narrative fiction and historical non-fiction require a lot of research but can be some of the most interesting forms of writing. Only through the past can we learn about the future, so shaping these events on the page for readers can truly be rewarding. Viewpoint Narrative Writing The main point of viewpoint narrative in writing, is to show and understand multiple view points of the same story. Each of the separate points of view will show each individual\'s own opinions and can be written in a linear or non-linear fashion. This style of narrative is incredibly strong and is used often in fiction writing. With multiple POVs, we are able to experience the same issues and conflicts from multiple angles. Limiting the point of view in a scene to one character can make a reader feel closer to the action, but you can choose how much information you are giving your reader by limiting or expanding the points of view in your work. Similarly, if you are writing from one point of view only, you can create real empathy within your reader; a true and strong connection. But what if you want to create doubt within your reader, or include an unreliable character? Multiple viewpoints will allow you to explore more emotions in a much wider way. Viewpoint narrative can be incredibly effective, withholding information, creating suspense and even creating desire within your reader can all be achieved just by playing with a viewpoint narrative. Quest Narrative Writing Quest narrative writing is a structure that follows a protagonist as they work towards achieving a goal. In many cases, this narrative will showcase characters tackling multiple obstacles that are placed in their way as they continue towards the end of their journey. More often than not, a quest narrative will see characters travel geographical distances while battling issues that threaten to throw them off course. A very obvious example of a quest narrative would be that of Bilbo Baggins in the popular novel The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien. We read along as Bilbo travels, in a fairly linear fashion, with his companions to reclaim lost gold. The quest takes them across vast expanses of land and across territories, facing many conflicts and crises along the way before they are able to complete their journey. In order for a quest narrative to be successful, the protagonist must have a place to go, a reason to go there, challenges they will face along the way and a realisation at the end of the story as to what the real reason for their quest was. How To Craft A Strong Narrative A strong narrative writing piece, no matter which style you chose, needs to capture the imagination and attention of your reader. After that, you need to consider that if your readers are searching out and reading narrative work, they are asking to be told a story. Don’t forget that. Always refer back to the good ole days, sat round a campfire telling stories with friends. The stories you tell must be compelling and memorable and, most of all, they must be complete. You must have a beginning, a middle and an end– even if they don’t necessarily come in that order. A strong and well-written piece of narrative writing should profoundly impact your reader in some memorable way. Before you set to work on your narrative writing piece, consider these points. First, decide what the story is that you are telling. If you can’t nail that in a few sentences (at the very most) you won’t be able to convey that story to your reader. Decide which structure is going to work best for your work. Linear vs non-linear. Walk through the six elements of narrative fiction and make sure you are clear on each point. Identify the audience you hope to reach and make sure you are using the tone, mood and setting to create a piece of work that will grab the attention of your chosen audience. Determine the ‘arc’ of your narrative writing piece. Remember: Exposition (the reader\'s introduction to your story) Rising action (when the conflict will arise and show itself) Climax Falling action Resolution Remember, to create a sense of satisfaction in your reader, a completed arc is important. Fiction, or non-fiction, narrative writing always has a story at its heart – so make sure you can resolve the story. Narrative Writing Tips I was given some amazing narrative writing tips by a fabulous creative writing teacher when I was younger, and I have never forgotten them. They apply to all kinds of narrative writing, whether you\'re writing a novel, short story, or narrative essay. Today, I pass them on to you! Be mindful of your themes, always. Make sure they are clear in your mind throughout the entire writing process and reinforce them often. You can use setting, tone, language and imagery to do this, but always have your themes at the forefront of your mind . Set the tone of your work at the beginning, and use keywords along the way to reinforce this. For example, narrative writing can be humorous but make sure that humour is peppered throughout. If your narrative work is dark and mournful, make sure you create areas of shade to let your reader breathe and take in the moments of darkness. Play with language. Always. As humans, we constantly look for different ways to explain the world around us. Imagine you are narrating the story yourself, don’t use the same words over and over again, and explore language in the same way we do in life. It will ensure your work feels more authentic. Always keep your eye on the prize. You know the ending before you even start the novel. You are narrating a full story, so keep the ending in mind as you write and create milestones along the way so your reader feels they are enjoying the journey with you. Write often, even if it’s only a little. And read even more than that. Talk to yourself– I am serious! Talk to yourself. Embody one of your characters and spend a day narrating your life through their eyes. Hearing how you narrate your own life will help you find a flow in which to narrate the story in your head. Read your work out loud. Often. Narrative writing is meant to be narrated. So, narrate it. If it doesn’t feel or sound right to you, re-think things a little. Imagine what it would sound like if it was read back to you around a campfire. Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Main Purpose Of Narrative Writing? At its heart, the main purpose of narrative writing is to tell a story. It really is that simple. A beginning, a middle and an end – but not necessarily always in that order. What Makes Good Narrative Writing? Narrative writing is most successful when writers utilise the 6 key elements of writing to tell a story that will affect the reader and leave a lasting impression. The very best works of narrative writing are deeply descriptive, include visual imagery, strong characters with believable arcs, and a plot and theme that evoke an emotional response in the reader. What Are The Six Elements Of Narrative Fiction? The six key narrative elements are: Character Plot Setting Conflict Theme Narrative Arc If a writer uses all six key elements together in the correct manner, they can create both linear and non-linear narratives. What Is The Difference Between Linear And Non-Linear Narrative Writing? A linear narrative describes a structure of narrative writing that tells a story of events in the order in which they occur, in sequence. A non-linear narrative is the direct opposite of a linear narrative. This structure of narrative fiction presents a story with events unfolding out of order. What Are The Five Main Types Of Narrative Writing? Narrative writing can be broken down into five key main areas: Linear narrative writing Non-linear narrative writing Historical narrative writing Viewpoint narrative writing Quest narrative writing Writing Narratives Narrative writing and narrative storytelling have been around for as long as time. It’s how we communicate as a species. It’s how we relate to the world outside and understand those living around us. To write narrative writing is to pass on the skills of our ancestors. That\'s why teaching narrative writing and sharing its various techniques is so important. If done properly, narrative writing will allow you to pass your own stories on to others, so they will live in history and be passed on. Narrative writing, in my opinion, is the purest form of storytelling we have at our disposal. Learning how to harness these skills will not only allow you to pass on your own stories, but those stories will, in turn, help the writers of future generations to follow in your footsteps.

High Fantasy Vs Low Fantasy: All You Need To Know

Fantasy is a vast literary genre that can be sub-categorised into many different subgenres including urban fantasy, fantasy romance, paranormal fantasy, and even sci-fi. As a fantasy author, there is nothing I enjoy writing and reading about more than worlds full of magic and monsters. Yet with so many different fantasy subgenres to choose from, it\'s often difficult for writers to know where to start when planning their own fantasy books. For me, the easiest way to differentiate between fantasy genres, is by looking at where the book is set. This means deciding whether a story is high fantasy or low fantasy. In this article, I will be exploring the difference between the two. We will be looking at fantasy world-building and comparing high fantasy vs low fantasy. I will also be providing you with a list of books and shows from each category. And hopefully, by the end of this article, you will know exactly what kind of world you\'ll want to set your own fantasy story in. What\'s The Difference Between High And Low Fantasy? Any novel that includes a level of the unbelievable (be it magic or monsters) is described as fantasy. The difference between high fantasy stories and low fantasy is simply the setting. Whereby all fantasy fiction includes characters who are doing unbelievable things (from talking to goblins and flying, to fighting dragons and performing magic) - only high fantasy is set in a make-believe world. Low fantasy, on the other hand, takes place in a real-world setting - although that doesn\'t mean it has to be any less fantastical! Let\'s take a look at each in more detail, starting with high fantasy novels. High Fantasy The high fantasy genre is a fun one to read, albeit a more convoluted and complicated one to write. The defining aspect of high fantasy is that the (usually) epic story is set in an alternative fictional world. A secondary world full of magical elements. This epic fantasy genre is very much inspired by Greek mythology and Norse mythology; masters of allegorical tales involving scary beasts and valiant heroes. A lot of high fantasy novels are set in a time that is reminiscent of our own medieval world; ie people travel on horses, drink tankards of ale, and fight with swords. Although that doesn\'t mean your high fantasy novel has to remain historically accurate. The beauty of writing fantasy is that nothing is stopping you from adding a modern twist to your world. 10 Characteristics Of High Fantasy A high fantasy story always takes place in a fictional setting that is very different to our own world. Its defining characteristics include: A fantasy fictional worldA map (this helps readers imagine the landscape)A high page countA challenge or questMany characters (with unusual names)Mythical creatures including monsters and other racesPlenty of magicBattles and adventureHigh stakes (ie good versus evil, defeating the monster, returning victorious)An engaging plots with lots of twists and turns 10 High Fantasy Books You Should Read High fantasy literature can be enjoyed by all ages and genders. There are some great examples of modern fantasy fiction out there, including high fantasy that is both diverse and original. When you think of a traditional fantasy story, many automatically think of Tolkein, Greek mythology and fairy tales. But there are some extraordinary modern high fantasy books out there that are better than many classics. High fantasy also dominates the Young Adult readership market as it gives writers the opportunity to explore themes that are a lot more relatable to young people today. Here are ten very different high fantasy stories to enjoy: Strange the Dreamer by Laini TaylorThe Chronicles of Narnia by C S LewisThe Name of the Wind by Patrick RothfussThe Discworld novels by Terry PratchettA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J MaasAssassin’s Apprentice by Robin HobbTruthwitch by Susan DennardChildren of Blood and Bone by Tomi AdeyemiTo Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra ChristoA Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 5 High Fantasy Examples On Screen Many high fantasy movies and shows have been adapted from novels. Because they are set in a fantasy world unlike our own, many of these stories also veer into science fiction, such as Star Wars and Dune. Below is a list of movies and television series that perfectly capture the wonder and intricate world-building of high fantasy, allowing viewers to witness the wonder of these worlds visually. Lord Of The Rings Tolkien\'s middle earth has long been seen as the ultimate example of a high fantasy imaginary world. Tolkien not only created an unforgettable fantastical world but also populated it with imaginary races, history and even languages. In Peter Jackson\'s movie adaptation that world is brought to life in an epic way. The Witcher Adapted first from Andrzej Sapkowski\'s novel, then made into a computer game, The Witcher also became a Netflix sensation. Set in a medieval-like world full of humans, monsters, and witches, it follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia - a mutated monster-hunter for hire. Shadow And Bone Leigh Bardugos\' Shadow and Bone trilogy was merged with her Six of Crows duology and turned into a much-loved Netflix fantasy series. In this Russian-inspired world Grisha are able to do various types of magic and monsters lurk in the very real darkness. Game Of Thrones A Game of Thrones is the first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. The popular high fantasy series was adapted by HBO and became one of the best-loved fantasy series on TV. Again, the author chose to create a world that looks a little like ours but is medieval in style... but with dragons and ice zombies! His Dark Materials His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman adapted for the BBC and HBO. A coming-of-age story about two children wandering through a series of parallel universes, His Dark Materials is a great example of high fantasy literature for younger readers. Now we\'ve established what high fantasy looks like, let\'s take a look at the other type of fantasy genre - low fantasy fiction. Low Fantasy As opposed to high fantasy, low fantasy is set in our primary world. Sometimes low fantasy is referred to as intrusion fantasy because the magical and fantastical elements in the novel \'intrude\' into our real world. Fantasy genres such as urban fantasy, historical fantasy, time slip, dark fantasy, superhero, contemporary fantasy, magical realism, and paranormal fantasy all fall under the category of low fantasy. In these stories you have fantastical elements, such as monsters and characters with magical powers, living in the world as we know it (be it the world now or in the past). 10 Characteristics Of Low Fantasy Low fantasy stories can be a lot of fun to write as you can twist reality as we know it, adding magic to an otherwise normal world. You also don\'t have to go to the trouble of creating a brand new fantasy setting as you can base your magic and mayhem in the same world where we all currently live. The defining characteristics of low fantasy include: A modern life full of fantasy elementsA magic system hidden in our own worldCharacters with supernatural elements living a modern lifeNormal human characters who may, or may not, be aware that magic and monsters exist in our world Unlike high fantasy stories, low fantasy doesn\'t need epic battles or big quests as the \'magic in our own world\' element is often intriguing enough for readers. 10 Low Fantasy Books You Should Read As a writer of low fantasy I really enjoy injecting magic into our real world, especially when readers say how those fantastical twists help them see very normal things in a more magical way. Low fantasy books can include mythical creatures (devils, angels, vampires and dragons), as well as time travel, superheroes, and even a distortion of history as we know it. Here are ten (very different) low fantasy novels you may enjoy: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil GaimanThe Atlas Six by Olivia BlakeVampires of Moscow by Caedis KnightNinth House by Laigh BardugoThe Binding by Bridget CollinsThe Path Keeper by N J SimmondsNo Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell TurnbullThe Time Traveler\'s Wife by Audrey NiffeneggerMidnight Riot by Ben AaronovitchThe Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern 5 Low Fantasy Examples On Screen Low fantasy is a fun way of pushing fantastical boundaries and stretching reality in a way that makes people believe in the unbelievable. Popular examples of low fantasy on screen include: True Blood Set in the American Deep South, True Blood is an adaptation of The Southern Vampire Mysteries by bestselling author Charlaine Harris. It follows the paranormal adventures of a mind-reading barmaid who navigates a world where vampires have been accepted into everyday society. The Boys This dark comedy series (adapted from a comic book) takes a look at what would happen if people lived amongst us with supernatural powers - and how that power could so easily be corrupted. Harry Potter Everyone is familiar with the story of Harry Potter, a boy who discovers he\'s a wizard. It\'s an epic tale for children set in a magical boarding school, where good versus evil, including plenty of fun mythical beasts (both good and bad). Outlander A historical fantasy series of impossible love. Claire Beauchamp Randall, a married nurse from World War II, mysteriously goes back in time to 18th century Scotland where she falls in love with a Highland warrior. Raising Dion Another comic book adaptation, Raising Dion is about a widowed single mom who discovers that her son has superpowers. She must figure out how to raise him safely and responsibly in a world full of danger. Frequently Asked Questions What Is High Fantasy Vs Low Fantasy? High and low fantasy are the two main categories of fantasy. High fantasy refers to epic fantasy which is set in an alternate world. It typically includes lots of magical elements, fantastical creatures, and unusual technology. Whereas low fantasy is when magical creatures and elements intrude upon the regular world. What Are Common Fantasy Elements? Some of the main elements of fantasy are magical systems, world-building, a well-crafted cast of characters, a quest, and the endless battle of good vs evil. World\'s Apart Writing fantasy stories involves a lot of imagination, time, and research - but creating both original worlds, and magical worlds within our own, can bring a huge amount of pleasure to both writers and their readers. I hope you have had as much fun learning about high fantasy vs low fantasy as I have had writing this article, and that it has inspired and helped you decide where you will be setting your next fantasy novel. Good luck and have fun creating exciting and unforgettable worlds!

Best of Both Worlds: Peter Gibbons’ Success in Traditional and Self-Publishing

Peter Gibbons taught himself everything there is to know about writing and self-publishing, using our Manuscript Assessment service to refine his work. His Viking Blood and Blade books became Amazon Bestsellers and received numerous Kindle All-Star Awards. More recently, his self-published book King of War was shortlisted for the Kindle Storyteller Literary Award 2022. And if that wasn\'t enough, Peter\'s first traditionally published book is out with Boldwood Books in October 2022. We caught up with him to find out about his journey into self-publishing, and how to harness your self-motivation to get your book finished. JW: Tell us a bit about your background as a writer. When did you start writing, and how did you find the process once you’d started? I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a child, but had never done anything about it. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and fantasy novels, as well as historical non-fiction books. Writing was something I felt I had the skills and imagination to be good at, but life got in the way and I had never actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). In my day job I head up a global sales function for a large insurance company, and I’m married with three kids - so free time is at a premium. Those elements can be, however, excuses not to write. Here’s something I figured out by training and running the Dublin Marathon six years ago: there is time in everyone’s day if you want something badly enough. During the Covid lockdowns, I gave up physical training and decided to use that time to try and write a book. So, I just sat down and wrote it. I got up at 5.45am each day and wrote for an hour and a half each morning. The words poured out, and I wrote very much in the “pantser” style. Eventually the word count was huge and the story was finished. I\'d written a Viking Historical Fiction novel, which it turned out I didn’t want to share or show to anyone – that’s something I’m sure will resonate with many first-time writers. There is time in everyone’s day if you want something badly enough. JW: What prompted you to have your manuscript professionally assessed? My first draft manuscript was an odyssey of multiple points of view, sprawling journeys, and battles. I feared that, although I had accomplished my goal, what I had written was not very good. That’s when I came across the various tools and services available via Jericho Writers. On the website, I found blogs on plot structure, character development, and advice on POV characters. I had no knowledge or experience of any of these important elements, and so I worried that my precious manuscript was, in fact, a bit rubbish. So I invested in the Jericho Writers Manuscript Assessment service. I had been heavily consuming all the info available on the website, and the assessment seemed like the best next logical step to get an honest review of my work by a professional. The feedback came back, and it was candid, challenging, and amazing. I needed to ditch at least one POV character, learn about story structure, cut around one-third of the story, and the novel started in the wrong place. I acted on the advice, and have never looked back. The assessment seemed like the best next logical step to get an honest review of my work by a professional. JW: Why did you decide to self-publish your work? In what ways has it been the best route for you? After working through three further drafts, I submitted the manuscript to a couple of agents but received no replies. I did that mainly because I was completely unaware that self-publishing existed. Once I discovered that, and understood its power and opportunity, I decided to self-publish what became Viking Blood and Blade, my debut novel. . I realised that with self-publishing I could be the master of my own destiny: I wanted to be a writer, and I didn’t have to wait for approval or acceptance from any industry gatekeepers. I could just do it. And so, I set about learning everything I could about the key elements of self-publishing and building up a playbook that would drive my novel to success. I realised that with self-publishing I could be the master of my own destiny: I wanted to be a writer, and I didn’t have to wait for approval or acceptance from any industry gatekeepers. JW: How did you find the initial steps of self-publishing (building a mailing list, getting reviews, etc.)? Do you have any advice for authors embarking on these first steps? Advice on how to put together the elements required for a successful self-published book is available on the Jericho Writers website, and elsewhere online. I set a target number of reviews I wanted to get within the first month, set up a pre-order and a free offer, and then engaged with book promotion sites. I also worked at setting up a simple website using Wordpress with a mailing list and call to action. All of these things were new to me, but actually getting each element up and running was fairly intuitive. My advice to authors starting out is to make sure you do the basics, and do it in a simple way that you can then build upon. You need a good book, a strong cover, solid metadata, a website, and a mailing list capture service. JW: Once you’ve started to build some success in self-publishing, what’s the best way to hold on to it? How can you make it sustainable? This one is simple - keep on writing, release more books in a series, engage with your audience and learn how to master Amazon/Facebook ads. So for any new or aspiring writers out there, I would say that your reach is within your grasp. Do allyou can to write your best book, follow the advice and get the basics right - invest some time inyourself and your ambitions. Good luck! About Peter Peter Gibbons is an Insurance Professional and author of the highly acclaimed Viking Blood and Blade trilogy. His new Saxon Warrior series is set around the 900 AD Viking invasion during the reign of King Athelred the Unready. The first title of the new series, Warrior and Protector, will be published in October 2022 by Boldwood Books. Peter originates from Warrington and now lives with his family in County Kildare. Get Viking Blood and Blade on Amazon. Get Warrior and Protector on Amazon.

Speculative Fiction: Depicting Imaginative Realms

For many of us, books and reading provide a means of both leisure and pleasure- a way to escape the everyday and into the world of literature. This is no truer than in speculative fiction. A collection of genres that puts the ‘creative’ in creative writing, the imaginative nature of speculative fiction sets our minds free to envision worlds, people and cultures different from our own. It’s the broad-mindedness that results from such thinking that makes speculative fiction so truly special. In this article, we’ll cover: What is speculative fiction (and what isn’t)? The history of speculative fiction Subgenres of speculative fiction Examples of speculative fiction How to write speculative fiction Top tips for speculative fiction writing Frequently asked questions (FAQs) So, just what is speculative fiction, and how can you depict imaginative realms in your own stories? What Is Speculative Fiction? Speculative fiction is an umbrella term, or ‘super-genre’, for genre fiction about things that don’t exist in our world. It asks questions, and often the question is, ‘what if?’. Contemporary speculative fiction has subgenres like science fiction (sci-fi), fantasy, dystopian fiction and more. Historically, speculative fiction has been a nebulous literary term. We’ll look at why in ‘The History Of Speculative Fiction’ below, but for now, it’s a term that’s evolved since its inception, progressing alongside the novels it aims to describe. Even today, there’s still debate about what is considered speculative fiction. For example, Margaret Atwood states that ‘speculative fiction is a way of dealing with possibilities that are inherent in our society now, but which have not yet been fully enacted’. Atwood, with speculative fiction successes like The Handmaid’s Tale, is certainly an authority; and yet at the same time, we must acknowledge that such definitions limit speculative fiction to ideas overtly grounded in real-world context. As a result, this omits secondary-world stories like Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (despite its setting being ‘Middle-earth’), which fantasy fans might argue firmly belongs in the realm of the speculative. This is where definitions of speculative fiction diverge, and it comes down to a question of emphasis. Revisiting our definition above, if your focus is on ‘things that don’t exist in our world’, then like Atwood, you may prefer the challenges of a narrower definition. If, however, your focus is ‘things that don’t exist in our world’, then it’s likely your interests sit at the broader end of the speculative spectrum. When it comes to a term that’s as fluid and eclectic as speculative fiction is, perhaps a better question to ask is: what isn’t speculative fiction? What Is Not Speculative Fiction? Speculative fiction represents concepts that err outside the bounds of our real world in some way, whether great or small. So, what doesn’t speculative fiction cover? Here are three examples: Historical fiction where the only speculative element is a fictional character that doesn’t affect chronicled events. Horror fiction with fictional antagonists that aren’t paranormal in nature — think serial killers as opposed to vampires, werewolves, zombies etc. ‘Mundane science fiction’, a sci-fi subgenre founded by Geoff Ryman and the Clarion West Class of 2004, which limits its scope to Earth-based worlds, no aliens or interstellar travel, and only pre-existing or plausible technology. This is akin to hard science fiction, which focuses on technical accuracy. If you’re into sci-fi, Ryman and co.’s ‘Mundane Manifesto’ is brilliant (case in point: calling the genre’s tropes a “bonfire of the stupidities”). Definitely recommended reading. The topic of sci-fi is an excellent segue back into the history of speculative fiction, so let’s take a brief look at that now. The History Of Speculative Fiction The idea behind speculative fiction — to ask ‘what if?’, and remark on a world that may have been, that is or that could be — is one that goes back to the classics. A well-cited example is Medea, a tragedy by ancient Greek playwright Euripides, who explored the sorceress Medea murdering her own children for revenge — whereas in versions of the legend, she was not directly responsible. Euripides used speculation to write an alternate history. A less famous example is the cleverly-titled novella A True Story, a fiction work by Lucian of Samosata in the second century. Similar to Euripides, Lucian was an ancient Greek writer, but one who speculated on fantastical space travel and war, not to mention aliens. Lucian became the first writer of his time to openly pen fiction (and satirical fiction at that, given the title vs. topics). Another example is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night\'s Dream, which unites the Greek hero Theseus of Athens, the Amazonian Queen Hippolyta, and King Oberon and Queen Titania of the Fairies alongside other characters. Nowadays, the play is known as speculative fiction, despite the phrase not existing then. Bonus example: I’m going to add one more here, simply because it’s amazing. Margaret Cavendish’s The Blazing World is a speculative work from 1666 about a utopian society, accessible through a portal in the North Pole. Utter genius. The term ‘speculative fiction’ was eventually coined by author Robert Heinlein in 1941 and publicised in his 1947 essay, On the Writing of Speculative Fiction. Heinlein, a science fiction writer, argued that unlike the pulp sci-fi of his time, speculative fiction focused on human-centred reactions to posed scientific or technological problems, and deserved the artistic merit of literary fiction. Sci-fi’s close association with speculative fiction is largely thanks to Heinlein. As successful authors like Margaret Atwood and Ursula Le Guin weighed in on such delineations (Le Guin has argued for abandoning genres altogether), speculative fiction expanded into particular genres like fantasy, dystopian fiction and more. Today, speculative fiction’s family of subgenres make it a broad literary term in keeping with the evolution of its stories. It’s to these subgenres that we’ll turn next. Subgenres Of Speculative Fiction Science Fiction Given sci-fi’s relationship to speculative fiction, it’s a good subgenre to start with. Science fiction with speculative elements uses advanced technology like interstellar travel, which can lead to encounters with extraterrestrials. It employs tropes like teleportation, parallel worlds or alternate universes, time travel and even magic; space operas, as a subset of sci-fi stories, are particularly grand in scale. Such speculative leaps are precisely what mundane sci-fi opposes, as they’re deemed too unlikely to ever happen in the real world. Fantasy Fiction Fantasy is a purely speculative genre of fiction, where concepts are fantastical because of the inclusion of magical powers, mythical creatures etc. Like sci-fi, fantasy exists on a spectrum from low fantasy based in the real world, to high or epic fantasy (eg. ‘sword and sorcery’ fantasy) set in alternate or secondary worlds. Fantasy fiction also includes many subgenres like dark fantasy, fables, fairy tales, urban fantasy and magical realism. Science Fiction Fantasy As you might guess, sci-fi fantasy is a blend of science fiction and fantasy stories, wherein the sci-fi also has fantasy elements such as magic and myth. Superhero Fiction While we’re still thinking about sci-fi, consider superhero fiction like DC’s alien superhero Superman, or Marvel’s many superheroes eg. the Avengers. While tales about beings with superhuman powers fighting evil supervillains could easily be categorised as fantasy or paranormal, superhero stories have become a behemoth in their own right — just look at the world’s devoted comic-based fandoms. Paranormal Fiction Similar to superhero fiction, paranormal fiction could also be classed as fantasy, but the sheer volume of topics and titles has culminated in its own recognised genre. Paranormal fiction tells of secret phenomena that generally defy science and the natural world, involving creatures from fables, folklore, fairy tales and pop culture eg. vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches. It can also include psychic abilities like levitation and telepathy. This particular genre has many subgenres, such as paranormal romance, which has produced multiple international bestsellers, particularly in the young adult (YA) category. Supernatural Fiction Like the paranormal genre, supernatural fiction also eludes scientific explanation, focusing on death and the afterlife — with heavenly deities like gods/goddesses and angels, as well as resurrection, reincarnation and the soul. Subgenres include supernatural horror and thrillers; ghost, gothic and weird fiction; and anything else of a spiritual nature that morphs into the macabre. Utopian Fiction Utopian fiction centres on the concept of an ideal world, and the potential impact of human beings on these seemingly perfect civilisations. Dystopian Fiction Conversely, dystopian novels depict governments and societies, often totalitarian, where people’s suffering is as rampant as the injustice at its core. Such speculative literature often sets stories in places not normally equated with bleak future states. Apocalyptic Fiction Apocalyptic fiction involves disasters that end in large-scale population death and destruction. Stories involve catastrophic events like meteorological disasters, nuclear wars or pandemic diseases, centring on characters fighting to survive. Post-Apocalyptic Fiction If the apocalyptic genre is ‘before’, then post-apocalyptic fiction is the ‘after’ of these monumentally devastating events. Any characters that survived must now learn to endure the consequences of the apocalypse, which can range from a nuclear holocaust to societal breakdown, and may include paranormal aspects. Alternate History Fiction As we saw in Euripides’ Medea, alternate history fiction provides a fork in the road to explore historical events and their potential for lives unled. Examples Of Speculative Fiction The Expanse Series By James S. A. Corey This hard sci-fi modern classic, starting with the first novel Leviathan Wakes, speculates about humans colonising the solar system without interstellar travel eg. Mars and the Asteroid Belt beyond it — but with Earth and Mars in conflict. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series By George R. R. Martin We’ve already mentioned Tolkien, so let’s look at Martin’s epic fantasy works, also known as the TV adaptation Game of Thrones. You can’t get more speculative than situating this fictional ‘War of the Roses’ alongside dragons, sorcery and ice zombies. Dune Series By Frank Herbert An older classic and fantastical space opera, the titular first novel and its series are a sci-fi fantasy of grandeur. Unlike The Expanse, Dune does have interstellar travel, as well as magic, alien sandworms, a prophecy and the mystical Spice Melange. Warbringer By Leigh Bardugo YA fantasy bestseller Bardugo picks up the mantle of depicting Wonder Woman in a comic novelisation of Diana’s origin story. Prior to becoming the superheroine we all know and love, the novel sees her befriend a descendant of Helen of Troy. The Vampire Chronicles Series By Anne Rice Before the TV series hits our screens, revisit Rice’s fully-realised paranormal world of vampire mythology in the series’ first novel Interview With The Vampire, which is not only a cultural phenomenon but also a masterwork of the genre. The Call Of Cthulhu And Other Weird Stories By H. P. Lovecraft Lovecraft’s supernatural The Call of Cthulhu is one of his best-known stories, and features a kraken-like creature with wings — complete with a cult of worshippers — and the power to drive people insane through subconscious control. Gulliver\'s Travels By Jonathan Swift A stinging satire of adventure travel that helped birth the novel format, Swift’s protagonist journeys to far-flung locales where he meets philosophers, scientists, mages, immortals, and intellectually superior horses ruling over humans. 1984 By George Orwell You could well argue there’s no more relevant dystopian tale than Orwell’s 1984 — and we’re 38 years on from that fateful year. Yet here we are, still grappling with the same totalitarian fears; the unfortunate hallmark of a truly well-crafted tale. World War Z By Max Brooks Given the last example, it’s not surprising we’ve made it to the zombie apocalypse; though Brooks’ novel is simultaneously post-apocalyptic, with its 10-year span that begins with rumours of a new pandemic from China (sound familiar?). The Stand By Stephen King Following on from a zombie pandemic, let’s get a little more real with fiction master King’s actual pandemic novel, a post-apocalyptic tale of an influenza-based plague that (wait for it) kills 99.4% of the population. Cue civilisation imploding. The Man In The High Castle By Philip K. Dick Finally, we end on an alternate history classic, with Dick speculating, ‘what if Germany had won World War II?’. The answer to this question sets the novel in an America where New York is Nazi territory and Japan rules over California. How To Write Speculative Fiction Now that we’re clear on what speculative fiction is (and what it isn’t), how do you go about creating these world-bending stories for yourself? Here are our 5 steps to writing speculative fiction: 1. Form Your Idea Your first step is to identify an idea for a story. Speculative fiction deals in ‘what if’s, so let’s start there. Here’s an example you may already be familiar with. Margaret Atwood’s idea for The Handmaid’s Tale came from a conversation with a friend in the 1980s about feminism and women being outside the home, and those who wanted to reverse the trend. Atwood wondered what it would take to do that, and in answering her question, the world of Gilead and its handmaids was born. Whether you subscribe to Atwood’s definition of speculative fiction or not, mining current events, society, culture, and the latest research for good ideas to build a concept from will grant you many an interesting ‘what if’ to ponder. 2. Do Your Research Despite the fantastical nature of speculative fiction, if your story is in any way based on the real world, it’s likely you’ll need to do some research, such as when writing sci-fi stories inspired by science or technology. Not all science fiction will need this as a prerequisite, but grounding such stories with real things tends to strengthen them. There’s also a point to be made here about sensitivity. If you’re broaching topics that involve those in a minority, potentially triggering subjects or cultural taboos, it’s important to do your due diligence as a professional in the writing community. And that means doing your research and crafting authentic portrayals. 3. Build Your World If you’re like me, this is the fun part. World-building, particularly in fantasy, looks top-down at the world you’re creating — from the realm’s geography, to its people and civilisations. This also includes society, politics, the economy and technology; which in turn means defining warfare, and what magic or myths to include. That said, your world-building doesn’t need to be complex. The key is consistency, and rules with discernable stakes (which also aid your central conflict). Within the realm of the speculative, as in fantasy or dystopias, defining your magical systems or the rules your society is based on will help readers navigate your story. For more on world-building, see our ‘Top Tips For Speculative Fiction Writing’ below in the section following this one. 4. Outline Your Story So, you’ve got an idea, and you’ve done your research and world-building. Great! Now comes your story outline. This can be as simple or as granular as you like, depending on whether you’re a ‘pantser’ or a ‘plotter’ when it comes to planning. Either way, the reason for outlining in speculative fiction is to clarify your world and its consequences for your characters, and then build your arc. Think about the idea you’ve come up with and how it impacts your main character. Are they high or low on the food chain of the world you’ve developed? Where do you want them to end up, and how? What are the main problems that they’ll face? Asking yourself these questions will help you plan your story’s outline. Need help? Check out our article on plot points. 5. Write! For the plotters amongst us, your research, world-building and outline should equip you with more than enough to get started. For the pantsers, this will be where you finally dispense with all the planning and just write. So, what are you waiting for? Pro tip: Some people recommend writing first thing in the morning or late at night — essentially, when our thoughts are more free-flowing — for creative effect. Top Tips For Speculative Fiction Writing What if you really want to try your hand at speculative fiction- but you just can’t seem to make the words happen? We’ve got you covered. Here are 3 more tips and tricks for writing speculative fiction stories: 1. Brainstorm This is where you try and think of as many ideas as possible without judging them, then tease out the golden thread of a story. You don’t need to do it all in one sitting, but your goal is to look for new and unexpected combinations and connections. One way to do this is by thinking about conversations eg. like Margaret Atwood, or eavesdropping on new ones in cafes, on public transport, at the park, anywhere; all for the sake of potential inspiration, and to get you asking questions that can lead to intriguing tangents, and eventually stories. Here’s my own method: handwrite your brain dump of ideas, if you can, as there’s something about physically jotting them down; it probably facilitates the next step. Then, go do something else- ideally, something manual like cleaning, exercising, showering, or driving (Spielberg gets his best ideas on the road). And finally… wait. When your mind is quiet, like when meditating or on the verge of falling asleep, that’s when your best ideas will strike. Or, why not use one of our sci-fi writing prompts or our fantasy prompts as a jumping-off point? 2. Research Building Your World If going directly from researching to world-building is too much of a jump, don’t worry. The internet has a plethora of resources to help you build your world. Brandon Sanderson, author of bestselling fantasy and sci-fi stories like the Mistborn series, has entire YouTube playlists devoted to his writing process. As part of his 2020 creative writing lectures at US Brigham Young University, check out his world-building part one and part two videos. Another writer of bestselling speculative fiction eg. the Broken Earth trilogy, N.K. Jemisin is a fantasy and sci-fi author with superb educational content; her website hosts a great presentation from one of her webinars. World Anvil is a resource I’ve been recommended on Twitter more times than I can count for world-building, whether for writing fiction or D&D-style RPGs (that’s ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ and role-playing games, for you non-nerds). A word of warning: get ready for more links than you can poke a sword at. Why not check out our articles on world-building or have a look at our upcoming events or courses that will help you get started? 3. Read, Read, Read This is a wonderful tip, particularly if speculative fiction is new to you (and if you’re a bookworm, all the better): immerse yourself in the greats. Writing isn’t just rewriting, as they say- it’s reading, and reading speculative classics, modern or otherwise, can give you the hit of inspiration you need to think outside the box. So, jump back to the ‘Examples Of Speculative Fiction’ above, and add them to your to-be-read (TBR) list for a heady dose of speculation. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Speculative Fiction? Speculative fiction refers to genre-based fiction with concepts grounded in things that don’t exist in the world as we know it. An umbrella term, it includes genres like fantasy, dystopian and science fiction (which it was originally associated with), and covers imaginative stories of conjecture that ask questions, particularly ‘what if?’. Speculative fiction has evolved since its twentieth-century inception to become the creative ‘super-genre’ it’s known as today. What Is The Main Purpose Of Speculative Fiction? The purpose of speculative fiction is, unsurprisingly, to speculate: to think, to guess, and to ask questions (eg. ‘what if?’) of the world we live in, its history and its future. Speculative fiction then explores the answers to these questions through stories of varying imaginative degrees. Like reading more generally, speculative fiction can be a form of entertainment and escape. Where it differs from literary fiction is perhaps in its attempt to not only illuminate the human condition, but also challenge our own world views and understanding of them- with the goal of deeper personal insight. What Is The Difference Between Science Fiction And Speculative Fiction? Science fiction (sci-fi) is a genre within the ‘super-genre’ of speculative fiction, and tells stories about science and technology with outer space as a frequent theme. ‘Speculative fiction’ as a term has been strongly connected with science fiction since its inception and popularisation by Robert Heinlein in 1941 and 1947, who was himself a science fiction author. Heinlein argued that speculative fiction was a subset of sci-fi more slanted towards literary fiction, unlike the formulaic pulp sci-fi of his day. Today, speculative fiction has expanded to include genres like fantasy and more. Is Magical Realism Speculative Fiction? Magical realism, as a subgenre of fantasy fiction, can be classified, like fantasy and science fiction, under the broad ‘supergenre’ of speculative fiction. Magical realism can be speculative as the fantastical elements of such fictional worlds exist beyond the realm of our own. This, however, does depend on your definition of speculative fiction being less strict than author Margaret Atwood’s, which leans into real-world societal scenarios that have not yet come to pass (such as in her speculative novel and bestseller The Handmaid’s Tale). Writing Speculative Fiction Stories As you’ve seen throughout this article, speculative fiction is a broad literary term. But more importantly, speculative fiction isn’t just an assortment of other genres- it’s a way of telling visionary stories that excite and inspire us as engaged readers, in a world that sometimes fails to. Speculative fiction highlights the awe of exploring other realms and other ideas, and in doing so, reflects something back to us: the limitless potential of the human imagination. And, happily, that’s something we don’t need to speculate about.

Writing Goals: Examples And Tips For Getting Started

If you\'re a writer who wants to move on to the next stage of your writing journey, there\'s no better time to set a writing goal than right now. Don\'t wait to make new year\'s resolutions, or until you reach a certain age, or when you have free time (you never will) - NOW is the time to set smart goals and progress with your writing journey. But where do you start? In this article, I\'ll demonstrate how to get a goal-setting process in place and how to create measurable goals, and I will provide you with a few examples of how each one can be achieved. Are you ready to become a better writer? Time to work towards that finish line! Why Writers Need A Writing Goal When writing a book, very few writers have the luxury of both time and a regular income to support them while they pen their bestselling novels. Most of us have to juggle a day job, childcare, and other constraints that get in the way of creativity and butt-in-seat writing. This is why we all need an actionable goal to strive for. It doesn\'t matter whether you enjoy writing poetry for fun, are looking to enter your short stories into a competition or two, or whether your ultimate aim is to be a full-time novelist, writer, or journalist - if you want to write, you need to get those words down on paper. But life isn\'t always that easy. Creativity can\'t be easily switched on and off... but, like anything, you CAN train yourself to be more productive. Different Types Of Writing Goals Every writer has a goal. For some of us, it\'s simply to get back to the book we put in the metaphorical drawer a year ago, for others it\'s to write five-hundred words a day or to get an agent. Whatever your writing dreams, no matter how big or small, every writing goal is achieved via small steps- smaller goals- that all lead to your final big dream. Let\'s take a look at three different types of writing goals. Long-Term Goals Many writers aim towards having a writing career. That can look very different for every person; from becoming a full-time, self-published author, to getting a great traditional book deal, or (like me) doing a bit of both alongside freelance and corporate writing. In order to complete a writing project, the first thing you need to do is establish all the manageable steps you need to achieve in order to reach your end goal. Larger goals, for example writing two books a year, can\'t be achieved overnight. But smaller ones, such as writing 2,000 words a day, can be done quite easily. See below for a 10-step guide to achieve just that! Finding Motivation Perhaps it\'s not getting words on paper, or monetary success, that you are aiming for. For many writers, their goals revolve around finding the focus and ideas they need to better their writing. Ideas don\'t come to everyone out of the blue; many people have to actively take the time and make the effort to think up their next great idea. Others may be experiencing writer\'s block or imposter syndrome and struggling to get back into the flow of writing again. Setting a goal of coming up with ideas, plotting, and planning is just as important as getting the words on paper. Time-Bound Goals For other writers, it\'s not writing skills or ideas that are getting in the way of achieving their goals - it\'s simply finding the time to make a dent in their manuscript. Writing within a tight time frame can put a lot of pressure on writers, especially those signed to a multi-book deal with agents and editors awaiting their next piece of work. In this guide, we will also be looking at how to manage your time and make enough space in your week to reach your goals. Specific Writing Goals Or perhaps you have a very specific writing goal. Regardless of your writing process, many writers have writing goals outside of their planned books that they wish to also fulfil. Perhaps it\'s to write their first screenplay, win an award, write more short stories, or simply achieve a better work/life/writing balance. Whatever your writing goal is, the following steps should help you understand where you are heading and how to get there in a manageable way. 10-Point Step-By-Step Process For Setting Writing Goals Anything is achievable if you plan for it! I have written thirteen novels and four manga stories in the last eight years, all while freelancing part-time, emigrating, and raising two children. And the only way I managed to get anything done was by setting goals. But setting a writing goal isn\'t simply telling yourself you will write a novel in the next six months. That is a big goal (and, for most, unrealistic). The secret is to set smaller goals, ones that are easier to achieve, and bit by bit reach your main goal. For example, in August 2021 I promised myself I was going to finish a new book, find an agent, and get a decent book deal. All of which I managed to do. But, much like setting any other goals in life, I had to approach them in a methodical way. Here\'s my 10-point step-by-step process: 1. Decide What Your Overall Goal Is What\'s your big goal? To have a finished manuscript? To find an agent? Or to have a career in writing full-time? Spend time thinking about this, because no matter how large your ambitions it\'s important to know in which direction you are heading. 2. Set Realistic Goals Next... be realistic. It\'s okay to have a lofty goal, as long as you don\'t beat yourself up when you don\'t achieve it overnight. The secret to success, any success, is setting smart goals. In this case, start with how long it will take you to plot your novel. Then set time aside to write it (I wrote mine quickly during NaNoWriMo - a free initiative that helps writers meet their word count and get their first draft completed in a month). You may decide to write 1,000 words a day, spend two hours an evening planning your book, or write every Saturday. Whatever you decide, make sure it\'s achievable and fits in with your life. 3. Find A System The next step is to keep track of your small steps (that will eventually lead to bigger steps). I like to use a notebook, others create charts or graphs in a bullet journal, an Excel spreadsheet, or download an App that will keep track of their day-by-day progress. 4. Pace Yourself This part is important. Steady wins the race! Big goals are great, but going too fast too quickly increases your chances of burning out or losing interest. Ensure your goal is a measurable goal, ie. aim for the same thing regularly (words written, time spent, agents approached) and take it step-by-step. To do that it helps to... 5. Be Accountable Personally, I love to go on Twitter and start an accountability thread. I also tell my other author friends that I plan to finish the first draft of my latest book by so-and-so date. I\'m sure no one really cares - but feeling as if people have expectations of me really spurs me on. Likewise, when I co-write with other authors, we keep one another accountable. If I tell my co-author I will have 2,000 words with her tomorrow, I won\'t let her down. So, see what (and who) keeps you on your toes! 6. Reward Yourself Each Step Of The Way Set a daily goal... and a weekly reward. Perhaps you colour in a square for every 1,000 words written and when you hit certain milestones you buy yourself a gift. Or you buy a box of chocolates but you can only eat one every 5,000 words. Or, as I do, simply bask in all the applause on Twitter as you announce that you have hit your weekly word count. 7. Don\'t Lose Hope All your goals are achievable as long as they are realistic and you stick to them, but often that steady pace can feel like you aren\'t getting anywhere. Much like when trying to stick to a healthy eating regime or training for a marathon, just because you miss a day of writing doesn\'t mean you should pack the whole lot in. Be kind to yourself! Create goals that are manageable, and if circumstances change then adjust your writing goals so they are easier to meet. 8. Eyes On Your Own Page In a world where we are bombarded with news of successful authors, or even our own peers announcing good news on social media, it\'s too easy to convince ourselves it will never be us. Believe me, there are enough writing opportunities out there for anyone and everyone who has the skills, passion and perseverance! So don\'t worry about what other writers are doing, what they are achieving, and what they are shouting about. Keep your eyes on your own paper - you only have yourself to compete with! 9. Be Proud Reaching the end of a chapter may not big a big achievement for one author, yet it may be a huge pat on the back for another. So be proud of yourself, no matter what goal you set yourself. When you get to the end of that first draft, even if it\'s really rough, you should celebrate. When you land an agent, get a book deal, or simply complete a writing course and better your craft - take a moment to look back and take note of how far you have come. Because with every goal met you are heading in the right direction! 10. Set A New Goal And finally, once you have achieved your goal, set other goals. Yep, more goals. New goals! Look at the specific goal you started with- your big dream- then treat each smart goal you set as a stepping stone to the final big one. With each step forward, with each goal you meet, you are getting closer and closer to the big one! 3 Things You Need To Meet Your Writing Goals A Support Network It\'s nigh on impossible to achieve anything in life without a support network; especially being an author. Writing can be a lonely and frustrating business. Unlike other jobs, you are rarely in an office, rarely working as a team, and your hard work (and even perceived success) is rarely reflected in your earning potential. The only way to keep going without losing hope is to have people around you who are in the same boat as you. There are many writing communities online and in person. Here\'s a list of ways to find other writers who are also trying to meet their writing goals: Join a Facebook writing groupJoin a local writing groupGet active on the #writingcommunity Twitter hashtagShare your work on Wattpad and other free platformsAttend writing festivalsJoin writing communities (such as Jericho Writers\' Townhouse)Subscribe to writing magazines and take part in competitions Be Realistic To reach your writing goals you also need to have a strong grasp of reality. If you\'ve never written a novel before, you\'re unlikely to write a great first draft in three months (like an established author may do). And that\'s okay. If you have four children and work full time you\'re less likely to find the time and energy to write every day. You\'re still doing great. If you are mentally or physically struggling, you will have some days where you can\'t hit your word count. Not a problem. Also, the publishing industry is highly subjective and not a meritocracy. It doesn\'t matter how good you are, how hard you try, and how much you really want to be a published author - if agents and publishers don\'t think your book is what the public wants right now it won\'t get snapped up. Likewise, even published authors have no control over what publishing advance they get, how many copies of their books are sold, or whether their readers even like their books. All you can focus on are the words and how good they are! So remain pragmatic and, before setting your goals, be honest with yourself as to how many words you can really manage in a day or a week, and don\'t feel like a failure if it takes longer than planned. Patience & Kindness To be a writer that stays the course you need to be kind to yourself, which also means being patient. Believe me, as someone who has regular breakdowns and is currently in her second year of keeping a publishing secret, you really need to learn to go with the flow. So whether you are starting out as a writer and feel like your first writing project is going too slowly, or you\'re an established author trying to set new goals, be patient and give yourself a break. You deserve no less. Frequently Asked Questions What Are Some Smart Goals For Writing? The secret to setting effective writing goals is to decide what matters to you. Are you simply looking to finish your story? Or do you need to motivate yourself? The smartest way to set your goals is to evaluate what your current life looks like and see where you can fit in more writing. There\'s no point telling yourself that you must write 3,000 words a day if you work all day and study all night because you will forfeit rest and that will be counterproductive. So... Look at your life and see what will be manageable and when.Block time off per day (or week) to write/plan/plot/query/network (whatever you need to do) and stick to it.Let others in your life know what you are doing so they can support you.Reward yourself when you hit your milestones.Be flexible and kind to yourself if you don\'t reach them. How Do You Write Good Goals And Objectives? Keywords: Choose a verb like \'increase, decrease, maintain\' to help you set an overall goal. Such as \'increase my daily word count from 1,000 to 1,500 per day\'.Process: Create a system that works for you - whether that\'s a chart you fill in, a notebook you keep notes of your progress in, or an app that charts your success.Target: Specify the exact steps you need to take to achieve your goals.Deadline: Set a date for your goals so that you have something to strive for (and something to celebrate when you achieve it). And Finally... Keep going! Setting goals can be exhausting, and addictive, but ultimately they get you to where you need to be. It may take a year, it may take ten, it may take a lifetime... but while you are hitting small deadlines and achievable goals you are forever moving forward. And it\'s that constant forward momentum that brings hope, opportunity and - eventually - success!

UK Literary Agents For Fantasy Fiction

Have you just finished your novel and are ready to begin your search for an agent? Well, you’ve come to the right place. WANT TO JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE AGENT LIST? CLICK HERE Fantasy Fiction Over the years fantasy fiction has become one of the cornerstones of the book market. This competitive genre is brimming with big-selling fantasy novels. You only need to look at the fantasy fiction shelf in your local bookstore or the best seller list on Amazon to see authors like China Mieville, Neil Gaiman, and Iain Banks lining the charts. Although fantasy has always been a popular genre, the nature of the genre means that we will continue to see new and fresh story ideas published. Think YA fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas or Neil Gaiman’s short story piece Fragile Things to name a few. Its flexibility means that authors can continually explore their characters and the world they have created to the extremes. No book idea is the same. To make sure your fantasy novel stands out from the slushpile try reading this article on world-building. You’ll also find this piece by published author Geraldine Pinch on how to write a fantasy novel useful, too. In a demanding, and often saturated, market there are still plenty of agents looking for the next big fantasy novel or series. Before querying your shortlist, make sure your opening chapters are perfect and your submission pack is tailored to your chosen agent. With such a popular genre the standard for submissions will be high, so don’t waste your opportunity. AgentMatch And How To Use It There are plenty of fantasy-loving agents, but you won\'t want to approach them all. The best way to develop and refine your own shortlist of UK agents for fantasy is to visit AgentMatch, our literary agent database, and use the search tools on the left to make your selection. With AgentMatch you can select by genre (e.g. fantasy), country, the agent’s level of experience, their appetite for new clients, and much more. You can even save your search results and come back to them, allowing you to work through them one by one, at your own pace. Each profile has been researched thoroughly including what agents like to read in their spare time, information on their most recent deals, manuscript wishlists, submission requirements, and exclusive interviews. You can sign-up for a 7-day free trial which will give you a good feel for the data and functionality. Or join us as a premium member and get unlimited access to AgentMatch. UK Agents For Fantasy To get you started we’ve selected a list of 20 UK agents looking for fantasy: [am_show_agents id=26] More Resources We’re here to help you at every step in your writing and querying process. Check out our favourite blogs that can assist you in putting together your query letter and synopsis, and if you want valuable, personal feedback on your writing you can book a fifteen-minute One-to-One with an agent of your choice. Premium members can also get a free query letter review from our lovely Writers Support team! Happy searching, and good luck on your querying journey!

Gothic Literature: A Guide To All Things Eerie

From a young age, I gravitated towards anything that might spook or scare me, finding a thrill in the fear and the curling of toes, drawn always to the dark and the gothic. I am still the same today, and people have been fascinated with these fictional worlds filled with ghosts - where usually your imagination alone can be your worst enemy - for hundreds of years. There is psychology behind this, but we won’t go into that here. Instead, let’s celebrate the genre that sets hearts racing, that makes characters out of eerie settings and that lets you explore that space beyond reality. Our love of the gothic must surely come from the exploration of unknown worlds, dark places and the supernatural; all those things that are usually out of reach for us but that we can leave safely behind once we close the pages. It’s a genre that has reinvented itself many times over the centuries and birthed numerous sub-genres, and which still to this day attracts readers of all ages. In this guide, we will discuss all things gothic literature, its inner workings and its influence on our wider cultures, taking a look at key tropes, themes and motifs. And if you aspire to be a gothic writer yourself, this guide will show you everything you need to know about gothic fiction and its essential ingredients. What Is Gothic Literature? There are many definitions of what gothic literature is, but all state that it is a story of fear and terror with emotional extremes and dark themes. It has regularly been used as a literary device to highlight social issues and injustices, which is possibly one reason for its enduring popularity. Gothic literature rose from the Romantic period of the eighteenth century and you can trace its roots to the architecture of medieval Europe, with buildings that were full of intricate details and cavernous spaces, and ornate decoration that gave us gargoyles and grotesque waterspouts - foreboding spaces that looked like they had a story to tell. Romanticism was characterised by emotion and individualism, nature and the glorification of medieval times. Gothicism embraced these elements, too, but it focused more on the darker side of humanity, particularly evil, sin and purgatory. The root of gothic literature is widely attributed to Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto in 1765 - he even put the word ‘gothic’ in the subtitle of the second edition. But what did that word mean to him all those years ago? It meant ‘barbarous’ and ‘deriving from the Middle Ages’, not words we might associate with it now, but from his novel trick, he spawned an entirely new genre. One which included the supernatural, the classic gothic tropes of doors closing and floorboards squeaking, and most importantly a frightening old building. This is the heart of gothic fiction - the things that lurk in the corners both in reality and in the mind. But it was the gothic stories of vulnerability and conflict that were relatable to society, and so gothic literature flourished. Let’s take a closer look at the elements that make up gothic fiction. Key Elements Of Gothic Literature Place Probably the most important part of the gothic novel is the setting. Most will think instantly of castles and gloomy houses, of heaths and moors, of isolated, dark corners of the world. Many gothic novels contain a haunted house or building, but in reality, the house comes to represent more than just bricks and mortar. It is a mirror of the mind, of compartmentalising, of locking away the truths of a life, before the lies and deceit come back to haunt our characters. Physically, too, the setting typical of gothic literature is hidden, pulling our characters further from society and further from help, leaving them to the elements of the Earth and the evil that might be seeking them. Think of Jonathan Harker becoming trapped in Count Dracula’s castle, or the secrets of Manderley in Rebecca, or the brooding, sweeping moors of Wuthering Heights. The place becomes a character, influencing our protagonist from the first page. The Supernatural Can we call gothic fiction gothic without a ghost or two? Or at least the threat of a ghost? Sometimes, simply, it is all in the mind, but this is where gothic literature stands apart from all other genres - your imagination does the work for you. What might be there is often far scarier than reality. But what gothic literature does so well is present us with a world of doubt, particularly about the supernatural and spiritual. It presents the possibility of things beyond reason and breaks down the limits of our everyday lives. Ghosts bring with them a demand, a curse or a plea. Out of their proper time and place, they disrupt our sense of what is present and what is past, but more about this later. Atmosphere Gothic literature is dripping in atmosphere, probably more so than any other genre. Place, as mentioned above, plays a big part in the setting of the atmosphere, but it goes much deeper than that. Atmosphere comes from the writer’s tone and use of language, from the implied, from the internal and external conflicts, from the characters themselves, and from the building of suspense and mystery. Often, too, the atmosphere created is claustrophobic. Settings are small, with little opportunity to escape. Secret Places Gothic literature is full of secret places - rooms, entire wings, attics. Places that are out of bounds for the protagonist and which, like a child drawn to a jar of sweets, call out for them to go there against all better judgement. What if Belle hadn’t gone to the forbidden west wing and found the rose in Beauty and the Beast? And let’s not forget the secret places in our characters’ minds. They are often places that a reader won’t want to go to either. Damsels When we look at the classic gothic novels, a damsel in distress is usually a central part, and this plays into the regular gothic theme of an imbalance of power - women were seen as weaker and often victims of violent acts. In an opposite way, women are also often portrayed as evil, possessed characters in contrast to their perceived motherly qualities. Time Time plays a key part in gothic fiction. There is a preoccupation with glorifying the past. It is typical for there to be elements of the past clashing with the present, bringing with it threat, terror and truth. But it isn’t simply a case of the past catching up with the characters. The past will invariably be accompanied by the uncanny - something frighteningly unfamiliar. The past literally deranges the present. Terror Vs Horror There is a clear difference between a reader who enjoys being terrorised and a reader who enjoys being horrified, and here lies the difference between gothic fiction and horror fiction. Ann Radcliffe, a pioneering gothic writer from the late eighteenth century said that terror merely suggests horrific things rather than showing them. Terror is concerned with the psychological experience of being full of fear and dread and thus recognising human limits. She said: Terror and Horror are so far opposite, that the first expands the soul and awakens the faculties to a high degree of life; the other contracts, freezes and nearly annihilates them.Ann Radcliffe There is a subtlety to gothic stories that allows the mind to wander, a mere hint or suggestion is often enough for us to believe. Melodrama Gothic fiction is dramatic because the stakes are high. Characters are usually troubled, with bad things happening to them and around them. Expect much swooning, fainting and screaming. They often, also, have troubled minds. Burdened Male Protagonist The men in classic gothic literature are usually wealthy, entitled, and hold a lot of power. Or they may be burdened by a mad wife they need to hide away, or required to marry somebody they don’t love. They represent the best and worst of society and often must face the demon within them in their search for peace. A perfect example of the burdened male protagonist is Maxim from Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Death When we think about gothic stories, death is usually a central part of it. Deaths in the past, the threat of imminent death of the protagonist or wider characters, the death of a way of life, even. Let’s look at the opening of Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward: I like to think I know what death is. I like to think it’s something I could look at straight. When Pop tell me he need my help and I see that black knife slid into the belt of his pants, I follow Pop out the house, try to keep my back straight, my shoulders even as a hanger; that’s how Pop walks. I try to look like this is normal and boring so Pop will think I’ve earned these thirteen years, so Pop will know I’m ready to pull what needs to be pulled, separate innards from muscle, organs from cavities. I want Pop to know I can get bloody. Today is my birthday. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward Those two opening lines set the tone of this novel perfectly. Death is the theme of this beautifully devastating Southern Gothic novel, and that is something that is made clear from the start. I don’t think it is possible to have gothic without death. Key Tropes In Gothic Fiction Gothic fiction has a set of tropes that are seen over and over again. These are devices used in every novel that the reader will recognise instantly. Here are some of the main ones: Lights The flickering of lights points to something otherworldly in control. Or a light in an abandoned place tells you something is there that shouldn’t be. Weather Nothing says gothic more than inclement weather. A good thunderstorm suggests impending doom, high winds are disorienting for our characters and imply godly forces are in play. Typically, classic English gothic texts take place on windy, barren and isolated moors, but by contrast, the sub-genre novels of the Southern Gothic are set in heat-sweltered southern US states, using the dusty, dry environments to show isolation in a different way. These are places that are hard to endure. Noises Things that go bump in the night. There is always a noise that might draw your character from their bed in the dead of night to investigate. And, of course, you know that is the last thing they should be doing. Laughter There is truly nothing spookier than hearing a child laugh from somewhere deep in the heart of a gloomy, abandoned house. It is a definite sign that something bad has happened there and you should likely run the other way. Animals Savage nature- crows, ravens, and wolves have all been vilified in gothic fiction, used as symbols to impress the coming darkness. Imprisoned Characters There is nothing more gothic-esque than an imprisoned character. Think of Mr Rochester’s wife locked away in the attic in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, or of Paul Sheldon in Stephen King’s Misery being held captive by a crazed fan. Key Themes In Gothic Literature What I love more than anything about gothic fiction are the themes that are tackled. A ghost story is never simply a ghost story, a story of madness is never simply a description of insanity. Gothic writers want to convey their message through the story and the underlying meaning of the story - the theme. And the themes of gothic literature draw attention to the very dark side of humanity. Here are some of the main themes of Gothicism: Appearance vs Reality Doppelganger/Duality of humanity Isolation and seclusion Challenging gender roles Imbalance of power Corruption of innocence Place Romance Injustice Searching for the truth Gothic Fiction Motifs Motifs are recurring symbolic references that a writer uses to convey an idea. Gothic fiction is full of them, and writers use them repeatedly throughout their novels to reinforce the point they are trying to make. Here are some of the main gothic motifs: Dreams, nightmares and visions Mistaken Identity Omens and prophecies Light vs darkness Secrets Madness The Uncanny Examples Of Gothic Tales Some of the greatest stories have been spawned by the gothic genre. Let’s look at the most popular classic gothic novels. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole is considered the first gothic novel, written in 1764. Set in a haunted castle, the novel combines Walpole’s love of medieval and terror. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, written in 1794, combines the typical gothic tropes with the author’s love of gothic romance. There’s a crumbling castle, a villainous man, supernatural happenings and a persecuted heroine.Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a story known the world over. Here we have the archetypal mad scientist and his monstrous creation. The novel centres around Victor’s isolation from society as he delves deeper and deeper into his studies and experiments, losing sight of his responsibilities through his determination to achieve something memorable. In The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, the setting in the gothic Notre Dame Cathedral is a full homage to gothic architecture. The classic gothic novel tackles the medieval sin of lust and presents it as natural, at the same time challenging our perception of beauty and what it means to judge people on appearances. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe is considered by some to be the start of the Southern Gothic sub-genre. It has the personified house (“There I could see reflected in the water a clear picture of the dead trees, and of the house and its empty eye-like windows.”), the madness, the typical gothic tropes listed above. But at the heart of this story is decline - the house is split between crumbling walls and perfection, which mirrors the well-being of the characters, the individual, the Usher bloodline, the familial and the collective South. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte hits all the right gothic notes - an eerie, gloomy setting, with the potential of ghosts intervening in the present. Again, this classic tale combines Romanticism with Gothicism. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is the ultimate gothic story concerning the duality of human nature. Although not always thought to be a true gothic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde contains the symbol of the devil, devil pacts, and the motif of an ever-changing painting, representing the change in Dorian as his character ages. Dorian’s terror lies in his need to stay forever young and maintain his youthful beauty - a need that takes him down a murderous path. Dracula by Bram Stoker is probably one of the best-known examples of vampire fiction. But as with all good gothic tales, the themes are what elevate it from simply a blood-sucking story. It draws a picture of Victorian society and the need to lock away people deemed mad or insane, especially the more regularly afflicted women. Isolation and madness are closely linked in this novel, as is the Christian belief of freeing your soul for heaven, which is prominent in many of the works of early gothic writers.The Turn of the Screw by Henry James is a true ghost story with all the gothic elements you would expect - ambiguity about the presence of ghosts, external views vs internal feelings, perception vs reality, and secrets in all the characters. Now let’s take a closer look at some important contemporary gothic novels from the last hundred years. Rebecca By Daphne Du Maurier Rebecca is probably one of the best novels ever written (bold statement, I know!) and is a perfect example of contemporary gothic. The novel takes us to Manderley, an imposing home on the isolated Devon coast where the unnamed narrator takes over the role of Mistress of the house. But lurking in every corner is the memory of her husband’s dead wife, Rebecca. Again, the past impacts the present, but the novel really is a masterclass of gothic literature. It addresses themes of isolation, which is such a common thread through the genre, and imprisonment, both literal and of the mind. But the novel particularly excels at linking these themes with place. Manderley is a character in itself which imprints its shackles on the narrator’s mind, sending her to the brink of insanity (helped along nicely by the trickery of Mrs Danvers, of course). Du Maurier creates an atmosphere of threat (a key gothic element mentioned above) as the narrator arrives at Manderley: …on either side of us was a wall of colour, blood-red, reaching far above our heads. We were amongst the rhododendrons. There was something bewildering, even shocking, about the suddenness of their discovery. The woods had not prepared me for them. They startled me with their crimson faces, massed one upon the other in incredible profusion, showing no leaf, no twig, nothing but the slaughterous red, luscious and fantastic, unlike any rhododendron plant I had seen before….And these were monsters, rearing to the sky, massed like a battalion, too beautiful I thought, too powerful; they were not plants at all.Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Can you see how Du Maurier personifies the rhododendrons, creating something threatening from something usually natural and beautiful? This sets up how Manderley will control the protagonist. Power and control is another theme of Rebecca, but it is rarely physical power that is shown, but rather knowledge wielded over those who are less informed. How can you ever take control if you know nothing of what has come before and those around you know everything? The power will always be with them, regardless of their social status. And this plays into the feelings of isolation and imprisonment for the narrator. The Haunting Of Hill House By Shirley Jackson No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson Please, do come in…. or maybe not? This is the opening of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, and here we have the master at work again. A perfect haunted house novel that hits all the right gothic notes. Beloved By Toni Morrison I couldn’t write an article about gothic fiction without including Toni Morrison’s Beloved. This is a pure southern gothic novel that forces readers to face the long-lasting, damaging impact of slavery. It doesn’t shy away from brutality, and has all the elements of gothic fiction that you would expect - death, a haunted house, a ghost, and a past impacting on the present. 124 was spiteful. Full of baby’s venom. The women in the house knew it and so did the children. For years each put up with the spite in his own way, but by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims. The grandmother, Baby Suggs, was dead, and the sons, Howard and Buglar, had run away by the time they were thirteen years old - as soon as merely looking in a mirror shattered it (that was the signal for Buglar); as soon as two tiny handprints appeared in the cake (that was it for Howard). Neither boy waited to see more.Beloved by Toni Morrison The Woman In Black By Susan Hill There is a deep, creeping sense of dread in The Woman in Black, which Susan Hill conjures so well with her atmospheric writing. Eel Marsh House is a typical gothic building, claustrophobic, spooky and isolated, and Hill uses all the classic gothic tropes that readers of the genre would expect to great effect. So I thought that night, as I laid my head on the soft pillow and fell eventually into a restless, shadowy sleep, across which figures came and went, troubling me, so that once or twice I half-woke myself, as I cried out or spoke a few incoherent words, I sweated, I turned and turned about, trying to free myself from the nightmares, to escape from my own semi-conscious sense of dread and foreboding, and all the time, piercing through the surface of my dreams, came the terrified whinnying of the pony and the crying and calling of that child over and over, while I stood, helpless in the mist, my feet held fast, my body pulled back, and while behind me, though I could not see, only sense her dark presence, hovered the woman.The Woman in Black by Susan Hill The Last House On Needless Street By Catriona Ward This very recent novel (2021) crosses many genres in my opinion. It is a psychological thriller with moments of pure horror, but it also ticks many of the gothic notes, too. There’s a house, for a start, and this house is boarded up and very creepy. There are bad things that happen there. There’s a cat narrator requiring readers to suspend their disbelief. There are grotesque happenings. But more importantly, there is a past that plays into the present, and that is at the heart of every gothic story. The past is close tonight. The membrane of time bulges and strains. I hear Mommy in the kitchen, talking to the Chihuahua lady. Mommy’s telling her about the thing with the mouse. That was where all this started. I stop up my ears and turn the TV up, but I can still hear her voice. I remember everything about the thing with the mouse, which is unusual. My memory is Swiss cheese, in general.The Last House On Needless Street by Catriona Ward I can’t say much more about this novel because I wouldn’t want to ruin the brilliance of it - but please do read it. Gothic novels are as popular now as they have ever been, so let’s discuss why that might be. The Gothic Genre’s Prevailing Popularity The gothic genre has gone through many revamps and spawned many sub-genres over the centuries, such as Southern Gothic and psychological gothic horror, but it is still as popular today as it ever was. We, as inquisitive humans, want to explore the possibility of the ‘other’, the unknown that brings us fear, and literature is a great way to do that. But Gothicism also shines a light on the injustices of society, which again is a huge draw for readers. There is real depth to the storytelling that goes far deeper than simply the hauntings of a ghost or the blood-sucking of vampires. Gothicism can be seen across the world, accessible to all cultures, all with their own histories to retell through the uncanny. A whole fashion exists around the world of the undead, and let’s not forget the other forms in which the gothic is celebrated - film and television, poetry, art, music, and computer games. I don’t see gothic literature going anywhere and I’m excited to see how it transforms itself as societies shift around the world. But put simply, I think we will always have an obsession and interest in the past, and that is why I think Gothicism will endure as it shines its light in all the dark corners of humanity. Frequently Asked Questions What Are The Five Main Elements Of Gothic Literature? Gothic novels all have a few major elements in common: A dark and gloomy setting, such as a castle or house A threatening atmosphere Supernatural elements, such as a ghost, or the idea of one Terror that plays with your perception of reality Death What Is Considered Gothic Literature? Gothic stories are those that fill readers with terror. They will follow a set of gothic tropes employed to spook and haunt both characters and readers, and they will invariably be set in haunted houses or castles, or in isolated places full of foreboding. Why Is It Called Gothic Literature? Gothic literature derives from the gothic architecture of medieval times, based on a love and admiration of that period of time. What Makes A Good Gothic Story? A good gothic story will have a gloomy setting, lots of atmosphere, supernatural elements, and a sense of terror. It will play with the readers\' idea of reality and the bounds of humanity, it will terrorise and spook, it will clash the past and the present, and it will challenge a reader’s understanding of society. Writing Gothic Fiction Gothic literature has a long and rich history and has had a huge bearing on wider culture across the centuries. As gothic writers, it is important to understand this history, to know what has come before and therefore what readers might expect from us as we pen our own gothic stories. But, of course, to know the rules is to also know how to effectively break and invert them. Let’s keep telling these dark and twisted stories so that in centuries to come the art of Gothicism is still very much alive, unlike the ghosts that might grace those pages.

What Is Historical Fiction? A Complete Guide

Have you always wanted to write a historical novel but wondered what that specific literary genre includes? Perhaps you\'re looking for inspiration to create your historical characters? In this guide to historical fiction, I will be discussing what the term means, the various sub-genres of historical fiction, plus top writing tips from successful historical fiction authors, and a summary of all the places you can find inspiration for your own novel. First thing\'s first... What Is Historical Fiction? The historical fiction genre is fiction set during a historical time period. Although some of the events that take place in the book may be based on real events, with a story set against a historically accurate setting - the book is generally populated by fictional characters and is therefore categorised as a work of fiction. Historical fiction includes any books set in the past. That means your book can take place during the ice age, the American Civil War, World War II, or even 1970. A rule of thumb is that if a novel is set more than 50 years in the past it\'s classified as \'historical\'. Although the setting and descriptions of that time should remain historically accurate, the fictional elements can include the events that take place and (most certainly) the characters. Who Is Historical Fiction Written For? Everyone and anyone! Historical fiction caters for adults and children of every age and gender. Because it\'s not pure fiction - elements of it must remain historically accurate - authors are able to adapt it for every age. For instance, you can write a historical fiction book about World War II that caters to all types of audiences: Children: The Skylark\'s War by Hilary McKay and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr Young adults/teens: The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell and Once by Morris Gleitzman Adults looking for historical satire: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Adults wanting poignancy: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and The Night Watch by Sarah Waters The beauty of historically fictional stories is that you can take any historical period and add your own concept, and depending on the audience and their needs, each book can be totally different. What Historical Fiction Is Not Just because historical fiction includes a historical era, do not get it confused with biographical novels, books that were contemporary in their time but are now classics, or non-fiction books written about a certain time in history. When considering writing historical fiction, first ask yourself whether you will be adding fictional elements or keeping it all facts. Why Write Historical Fiction? When it comes to creative writing, and penning your own historical fiction novel, it\'s important to understand exactly who you are writing for and what you want to say. Some people choose to write historical novels because they are interested in specific historical events or eras and want to explore them further through their fiction. Others enjoy the challenge of combining the real past with fictional characters. Alternatively, if you don\'t wish to set your entire book in the past you can write a variety of speculative fiction and have books that time hop (ie time travel novels) or ones that include dual storylines or flashbacks. Different Historical Fiction Genres There are many different types of historical fiction books. Below is a list of some of the most popular along with examples of novels from that sub-genre. As I mentioned above, you don\'t have to stick to just one specific genre in order to inject a little history into your novel - mix them up! Why not write historical romantic adventures, or historical science fiction with LGBT themes? It\'s important that historical fiction is written by as many people from different backgrounds as possible. To understand our future we must understand our past, and to do so effectively we need to hear everyone\'s voices and see the world through the eyes of everyone who came before us.Let\'s look at some sub-genres: Historical Romance Example: The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn This is by far the most popular genre of all historical fiction. Whether your hero is falling in love with Regency aristocracy, or a Victorian orphan, many readers enjoy being transported to a time in history where lovers, and love, looked very different. Biographical Historical Fiction Example: Angela\'s Ashes by Frank McCourt Not all biographies have to read like boring history textbooks. Many biographical authors take a real historical figure, or a time in their own life, and weave stories amongst the facts. You have to be careful not to re-write someone\'s history, but if you are basing your memoirs on your own life or real family members it\'s okay (with their permission) to add a few fictional twists and turns to make the story more compelling. Historical Fantasy/Science Fiction Example: Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon Historical fantasy and science fiction is a genre that combines fantasy set against the backdrop of a real time, and/or place, in history. It\'s a fun way to add a sprinkle of magic to real historical events and places of interest. Perhaps you want to have dragons fighting alongside Romans in the arena; or write about Cleopatra having magical powers; or have a character who has the ability to jump from century to century. Playing with history this way through fiction can be very rewarding and opens up countless possibilities. Historical Mysteries Example: A Plague on Both Your Houses (Matthew Bartholomew series) by Susanna Gregory Everyone loves a whodunit - but setting your mystery against the backdrop of a historical time or place adds an extra level of fun and intrigue. Historical Horror Example: The Spirit Engineer by A J West This genre is one of my favourites because there\'s nothing creepier than adding an extra layer of dread to a time in history that was already difficult. In C J Cooke\'s Gothic The Ghost Woods, the author tackles the difficult topic of mother and baby homes and adoption in 1950s and \'60s Britain - set in an eerie mansion beside a haunted forest. Historical Adventures Example: The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty When writing historical fiction there are so many events and settings that lend themselves well to action. Whether you are writing about a battle, a quest, or an exploration, you can pick from real events that you embellish, or create your own adventure set in a time period that interests you. LGBT And Diverse Historical Fiction Example: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave Diversity of every kind has always been part of history. Some readers are surprised when they come across a historical fiction novel where the hero isn\'t white or the love isn\'t heteronormative - but history proves that this was not rare and deserves to be seen and celebrated. Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters is the perfect example of a successful queer historical fiction debut. Set in England during the 1890s, it tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with a male impersonator. When writing diverse historical fiction remember that the characters and the plot must, as always, take centre stage - with the theme and historical setting woven through. Children\'s Historical Fiction Example: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr The best way to educate children of all ages on history and the way we lived a long time ago is through the joy of storytelling. From The Book Thief to Last of his Name, any time in history can be brought alive for children through storybooks. 5 Elements Needed For Writing Historical Fiction When planning your fictional historical novel there are five important aspects that you need to be aware of before you start writing. 1. Pick A Time Period You can\'t write a historical fiction novel without first choosing a time in history (or more than one time). Historical context is vital for all historical fiction stories as without accuracy you may as well call the novel a fantasy inspired by a certain era. Choose a time in our historical past that resonated with you, and that excites you, as you will be doing a lot of research. If it bores you, then your writing will also bore the reader. Choose a time period that makes you hungry for more! 2. Choose A Historically Accurate Setting Many places are considered historical - others are merely old. Whether you are inspired by a certain castle, monument, natural area or even a place that no longer exists, adding a backdrop that people are familiar with in your book can really ground a reader. Your historical novel only works if the setting and the time period work side by side, and suit the sub-genre. For instance, a Regency romance set in a grand English stately home works really well. Whereas an Egyptian adventure story set in Finland may be a little harder to pull off! 3. Base It On A Historic Event Once you have your chosen period in time and your setting, you\'re free to create your characters and plot. But before that, some writers like to centre their novels around certain historic events. The most important aspect of this is that the historical facts you feature in your book must accurately reflect what really happened at that event. If you\'re writing historical fantasy then it\'s okay to twist things up, but if you intend for your fictional events to be accurate then it\'s very important that you do your research - which means reading as much as you can on the subject and watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, and talking to experts in that era. 4. Create Memorable Main Characters It goes without saying that every memorable book is full of memorable characters. Although you may wish to base some of your characters on real historical figures, the fact you are writing fiction means you are free to create your own characters. It\'s very important that your characters speak, dress and behave appropriately for that time period - but equally, never forget that their sensibilities, emotions, and interactions with others won\'t be too different to how we all still act today. When creating characters also remember that class, social standing and rank were a lot more defined back in the day. Ensure that, before writing your characters, you are familiar with what was (and wasn\'t) acceptable in that time, the foibles and interests of that time period, and create a storyline that fits that era. 5. Make Sure You Know Your Genre Lastly, make sure you know who you are writing for. You may well want to write a historical novel about the Crimean War - but the tone, language, and plot will change dramatically depending on whether you are writing it for a child or an adult, or whether it\'s a romance, adventure or mystery. Top Tips For Writing Historical Fiction The only difference between writing historical fiction and any other genre is that research is key. Getting your historical sources right can be the difference between a good book and a great one. To represent true history, a writer must ensure they know the epoch in which their book is set inside out. They also must enjoy what they are writing about, because they will have to fully immerse themselves in that world for a long time. Let\'s take a look at some other tips top historical fiction authors shared with me for this article: Historical Fiction Authors Share Their Writing Secrets I find it useful to write a plan for my stories, because it guides me to the research I\'ll need. Having to stop and research while writing can really hamper your feel for the flow and plot. Not researching can undermine your work, so getting started early really helps.A J West, author of The Spirit Engineer Always remember that people are people no matter what century they\'re in. For my debut, I made the mistake of thinking I needed to be an expert in the subject matter to the extent that my story was almost overwhelmed by research. The research needs to complement the character\'s storyline. Please don\'t do what I did and go off on a tangent about 17th-century table looms because a character mentioned it in passing!Stacey Thomas, author of The Revels I find reading contemporary fiction written during the time period more helpful than academic texts. Partly for getting dialogue right, but also just a sense of how people used their time and their priorities in life.Mathew West, author of The House Of Footsteps My biggest tip is to only write what you’re absolutely passionate about. Readers can feel that in their bones, and will buy into your story because of your informed enthusiasm.Jacquie Roberts, author of the Quintus Valerius Roman Britain mystery novels I think it’s important to consider what you’re writing. Is it so deeply immersed in the period that you want it to present as if it could have been written by a contemporary author, or is it more modern, or even subversive of the norms of the period? That will affect style.Rosie Andrew, author of The Leviathan For me, I try to really enjoy going down those rabbit holes, exploring details about food, clothes, events that may or may not be relevant. But don\'t be afraid to never actually use any of it in the writing. It\'s still a wonderful way of immersing oneself in the period.Lucy Ashe, 2023 debut novelist The story is the important thing whenever it\'s set, so try not to get bogged down in details. As in all fiction, you want to present great characters with great problems, the historical is just another tool to help you do that.Lizzie Page, author of The Orphanage It’s important to find a way in, to root yourself into the story. My first novel, Rebecca’s Choice, was set in the house my grandparents lived in, where I played as a kid, a house I loved. I took it back to the 1890s and threw research and imagination into the mix.Heidi Gallacher, author of Rebecca\'s Choice 5 Popular Historical Fiction Tropes Like with most genres of books, readers of historical fiction enjoy certain tropes in their stories. Here are five of the most common tropes you may want to include in your own work. 1. Book\'s Titular Hero Returns Much like the parable of the prodigal son, many historical fiction novels love to feature the hero returning home. Perhaps they have been away at war, or on a voyage, or have returned to the family home with a new bride. How have they changed? What secrets are they hiding? What has changed in their absence? 2. Young Woman Determined Many books set in the past enjoy showing women in a time where they had very little autonomy, and having them take back some of that power. Whether that may be a poor widower getting revenge, an orphan girl marrying into a rich family, or a woman out to prove herself against men or a higher class. 3. Wrong Woman This is another popular trope. Perhaps the \'wrong woman\' is a gentleman bringing home a new bride that is about to shake things up for his family. Or perhaps a woman is mistaken for someone she is not. 4. Rags To Riches Much like the story of Aladdin, everyone loves a tale where a person with nothing rises to a higher rank and makes a success of their life. 5. Feuding Families Shakespeare started it with Romeo and Juliet, and now this trope can be found in most genres. Featuring feuding families works really well in the historical fiction genre because there were many times in the past when class put pressure on established and successful families to dominate society. Where To Find Inspiration Are you currently writing historical fiction? You will be surprised how easy it is to find inspiration for your historical stories in the current day. Movies & TV There is no shortage of costume dramas on television and in movies (old and new) that will help you with both plot ideas and research. From the hair, fashion and make-up of the leading ladies, to the historical events that shape the lives of your characters, you can have a lot of fun taking notes while watching your favourite period dramas (not to mention it\'s a great excuse to sit and watch TV all day)! It\'s also useful to make a note of how they spoke back then and the mannerisms of the characters, to help shape your own characters. Real Events There\'s nothing like true events from historical times to make you realise truth can be stranger than fiction. Many authors base their historical fiction novels on an event or a character that once existed, and then filled in the gaps. Whether you are exploring difficult times such as the slave trade or The Great Depression, or more wondrous and niche events such as the invention of the hot air balloon, or the Victorian obsession with seances, there\'s a lot of information to be found online, in libraries and history books. Basing your book on real-life events can be easier in a way, as you have a solid platform from which to launch. But it also means you must be very careful and accurate with your research to ensure you get all the facts right (unless you are writing historical fantasy - in which case you can bend the truth at your whim). Historical Setting Use your book as the perfect excuse to travel. When I was writing Son of Secrets (the second book of my fantasy series) I visited the fabulous Fiesole in Tuscany, Italy. My series is full of past life flashbacks, and I wanted to feature one life set in Roman times. Visiting the setting of my novel was so much more evocative than simply Googling as I got to see not just the sights and history (I visited lots of museums) but experience the smells, the sounds and the general awe of the place. Visiting a place in the past made writing my scenes a lot easier and much more poignant. Museums If you are writing about a specific time in history, museums and working museums (where people are dressed up as characters from that era) can really help. Whether you are researching ancient kings of Egypt at the British Museum, or Jane Austen\'s own house museum in Hampshire, not only will you be inspired by the artefacts and information on display, but you also have access to experts who will be more than happy to talk about their favourite subjects Galleries Likewise, art gives us a unique glimpse into a far-off time. Whether you are at an art gallery for story inspiration or to research fashion and setting, it\'s a great place to soak up the style of a bygone era. In the final book of my fantasy trilogy, Children of Shadows, I was inspired by the painting Primavera - I spent some time imagining the lives of two of the models Botticelli used for the painting and featured them as characters in my book. The beauty of writing historical fiction is that you\'re free to introduce any character you wish, as long as the way you paint that period in time remains accurate. Old Books Visit your local library and read as many books as you can - not just books about the era that interests you but those written during that time. Seeing things from the point of view of an author (what was seen as important, thrilling, scandalous, or story-worthy back then) will give you a glimpse into how you too should approach your story. And remember historical novels are not always set in Europe or America. Contemporary western literature dates back hundreds of years and can be a great source of inspiration, but likewise, there are many other works from all around the world that may inspire you. Interview Someone Who Was There If you are writing historical fiction set in the past seventy years, why not interview someone who actually lived back then? A real person\'s life experience will enable you to re-live historical events through the eyes of someone who was actually there. Likewise, you can watch interviews on YouTube. I recently watched a 1990s interview of a woman who had survived the Titanic. It was fascinating to hear someone who was really there recount the horror of that fateful night. Family History A fiction writer will always draw inspiration from the people in their own lives - whether they mean to or not. A flick through an old family photo album or a chat with your great aunt may well uncover some great ideas for your next novel. Sometimes family members have old relics and antiques that they will want to show you, or outfits from decades ago. Most of these items will probably come with their own story attached. You may even discover some family secrets you never knew about! Likewise, signing up for sites like Ancestry.com can help you trace your family tree, enabling you to see photos and documents from long-forgotten relatives. So go and speak to the eldest person in your family and ask them questions. You never know what you may walk away with! The Author\'s Imagination Many authors pluck ideas out of thin air, using the \'what if?\' method of brainstorming. It\'s a very easy technique. All you have to do is think of a situation and ask \'what if?\' Although this is popular for those writing contemporary genre, you can use modern-day scenarios to inspire your historical fiction too. For instance, you may be sitting on a train and see a woman accidentally pick up the wrong piece of luggage and ask yourself \'what if two characters in my book did that... except it\'s 1899 and they are on the Orient Express... and one is a spy?\' Frequently Asked Questions What Is Historical Fiction? Historical fiction is a genre of novel whereby the author is inspired by a real historical event or period in history and uses that as the backdrop of their book. Unlike historical non-fiction, where the book will be a factual account of a person or era in history, historical fiction is simply set in that time or inspired by something that happened in the past - the author is free to twist and change it at their will. What Is A Historical Fiction Example? Historical fiction can include more than one sub-genre. An example may be a historical romance series such as Bridgerton, set in the Regency era (which has gone on to be a top-grossing Netflix production), it can also include historical fantasy such as Outlander (also a big TV hit) or something a little more serious. What Are 3 Characteristics Of Historical Fiction? 1. Historical Accuracy It\'s very important that authors of historical fiction do their research. Unless you are writing fantasy and have purposely misrepresented a certain time period, your book will lose credibility if you do not portray that era accurately. 2. Authenticity Be authentic. It really helps to have a genuine love of a certain time in history if you choose to write about it. 3. Sensitivity An author must be sensitive when writing historical fiction; especially if they are focusing on diverse characters or contentious issues. For this reason, I would strongly recommend all writers (especially those writing historical fiction) use sensitivity readers and consult experts from that era. As a writer, you don\'t want your book to lose credibility because you are either insensitive or inaccurate. In Summary Historical fiction is a fun, fascinating and varied genre, covering many different themes and styles - for every age and reader. I hope you have found my guide to writing historical fiction both interesting and informative, and I hope your books will one day make it into an article just like this one!

UK Literary Agents For Popular Science

So, you’re well on your way to completing your book on popular science, and have a cracking book proposal that you can’t wait to share with agents. Well, we’re here to help! WANT TO JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE AGENT LIST? CLICK HERE Popular Science Popular science is one of the most well-loved non-fiction genres, thanks to its exploration of big scientific topics in accessible ways for the mass readership. The idea that anyone could pick up your book and finish it having a better understanding of the topic you explore is so important. Popular science literature can cover a variety of topics, from discussions of time, black holes, nature, psychology, the universe, climate change, analysis of data, medicine, and many many more. The breadth of possibility when it comes to popular science topics makes it an increasingly popular genre. They are made up of current and relevant topics that will interest the average reader and leave them with a new understanding when they finish the book. Authors of popular science and psychology are more popular than ever. Stephen Hawking, Oliver Sacks and Michio Kaku, to name a few. AgentMatch And How To Use It There are plenty of science-loving agents, but you won\'t want to approach them all. The best way to develop and refine your own shortlist of UK agents for popular science is to visit AgentMatch, our literary agent database, and use the search tools on the left to make your selection. With AgentMatch you can select by genre (e.g. science), country, the agent’s level of experience, their appetite for new clients, and much more. You can even save your search results and come back to them, allowing you to work through them one by one, at your own pace. Each profile has been researched thoroughly including what agents like to read in their spare time, information on their most recent deals, manuscript wishlists, submission requirements, and exclusive interviews. You can sign-up for a 7-day free trial which will give you a good feel for the data and functionality. Or join us as a premium member and get unlimited access to AgentMatch. UK Agents For Popular Science To get you started we’ve selected a list of 20 UK agents looking for popular science: [am_show_agents id=10] More Resources We’re here to help you at every step in your writing and querying process. Check out our favourite blogs that can assist you in putting together your query letter and synopsis, and if you want valuable, personal feedback on your writing you can book a fifteen-minute One-to-One with an agent of your choice. Premium members can also get a free query letter review from our lovely Writers Support team! Happy searching, and good luck on your querying journey!

Static Vs Dynamic Character: A Guide To Vivid Characterisation

A good story needs to be full of great characters. Understanding your characters and their role in your novel can make all the difference. One of the things to consider is whether your characters should be dynamic or static. In this article, I will be exploring the difference between a static character and a dynamic character, explaining how to use both in your story, and looking at some dynamic and static character examples. Understanding Static And Dynamic Characters A static character is one that doesn\'t change throughout the telling of the story, whereas dynamic characters are the opposite - they undergo significant internal and/or external changes. By the end of the story, dynamic characters are very different from how they were at the start. Another thing to remember about static and dynamic characters is that whichever one they are is no reflection on how well they are drawn on the page or their importance in the story. Unlike \'flat\' and \'rounded\' characters (ones that lack depth vs those that are better developed), static and dynamic characters should both be well developed in order to add balance and intrigue to your storytelling. Character Or Plot? Most books are either about normal people doing incredible things, or incredible people doing normal things. Very rarely will you find an engaging book that\'s about a normal person doing normal things. That\'s boring. That\'s the life we are all already living. Why do I mention this? Because when it comes to deciding whether your character is going to be static or dynamic, you need to ask yourself whether THEY are the point of the story, or if the focus is on the adventure they are about to embark on. Not every character, or protagonist, needs to change by the end of the story. If your book is centred around the lessons your hero learns along the way, then that normal character becomes an interesting character and we are drawn in by both the plot (action) and the MC\'s internal journey. But often an author will write static characters that don\'t change at all by the end. And that\'s also okay because the story was never about them per se, but about the adventure they were on and the world they inhabited within that story. Let\'s take a look at static characters in more detail, along with some examples... What Is A Static Character? As I mentioned previously, a static character and their traits do not change throughout the story. They don\'t grow as a person (start off scared and get braver by the end), they don\'t learn anything new (true love was right in front of them all along), and are not perceived differently by others (from a lowly no one to returning home a hero). Listen, your hero can still have a rollickingly great time - it just doesn\'t change them fundamentally in any great way. Things to remember about static characters: Not all static characters are flat characters. Not all static characters are boring. Not all characters lack a personality. Many static characters are well-developed, have a unique personality, add nuance to a story, provide a foil to the protagonist, and move the plot along... they just don\'t change from the beginning to the end, retaining the same personality throughout the story. Let\'s take a look at a static character example (or five): Examples Of Static Characters Here are examples of static characters and how they can still be interesting... Alice In Alice\'s Adventures In Wonderland When Alice falls down the rabbit hole, the reader\'s focus is solely on the completely bonkers world she has stumbled upon and its equally bonkers characters. Alice learns nothing about herself on her adventures, she is exactly the same girl at the end of the story as she was at the beginning, but the fun is had by joining her on the discovery of the crazy world she\'s trying to escape. James Bond When a character\'s traits do not change from the beginning to the end of a story, they are a static character. Now, no one would dare to call Bond static in any way - he is the very epitome of an action man. Yet his personality, the very essence of him, never ever changes throughout any of the books or movies. He doesn\'t start off a cold and sophisticated killer and womaniser and at the end of the story learn that, actually, he\'d prefer to get a normal job and settle down with a couple of kids. The joy of Bond is that, while he remains the same, his adventures do not. Same personality but a different setting, different baddie, different sexy woman. The formula doesn\'t change. Scar From The Lion King The ultimate evil antagonist, Scar\'s personality traits remain consistent to the very end. Based on Shakespeare\'s play, Hamlet, Scar is the conniving uncle who kills the king and drives the prince (the true heir to the throne) away. Much like Claudius in Hamlet, Scar never gets a redemption arc. He never learns his lesson, he is out and out evil throughout the story and at the end meets a gristly death at the hands of his nephew who returns to claim what is his. Yet Scar is far from a flat character. In the Disney movie he is bad to the point of camp, he is funny and feisty and well-rounded in every way. He simply never reaches a point of introspection. Sherlock Holmes Much like James Bond, Sherlock Holmes does not change in any of Doyle\'s four novels or 56 short stories. Holmes\' character remains extremely clever, obsessive, stubborn and perceptive. Each mystery changes, but Holmes does not get a big character arc. Disney Princesses Other static characters include many of the older Disney princesses. If you look at Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella they were very passive in their own stories. They started off pure and innocent, they were rescued by others, and they remained pure and innocent. No personal growth, sudden realisations, or change of personality occurs. With time Disney has given its leading ladies a lot more agency, and the princesses in Beauty and The Beast, Brave and Tangled, for instance, develop and discover things about themselves throughout their stories. What Is A Dynamic Character? The main character of a story is often dynamic. If the novel is centred around their journey, both literal and emotional, it stands to reason that the hero at the end of the story is going to be a very different person to the one at the beginning. A dynamic character undertakes a significant change - this may be a literal one (they may go from rich to poor, from ugly to beautiful), or an internal change (they may learn something about themselves, or realise something important). Dynamic Character Examples Here are some characters who experience significant changes throughout their story... Ebenezer Scrooge In Dickens\' A Christmas Carol 180 years after the first publication of Dickens\' didactic tale of greed and charity, the word Scrooge is still used to describe someone who is miserly and has little empathy for others. In A Christmas Carol our antihero, Ebenezer, undergoes a large transformation. Thanks to the visit of three ghosts on Christmas Eve showing him the error of his ways, this dynamic character goes from being a mean-spirited boss and uncle to poor Fred, to becoming a more giving person infused with generous Christmas spirit. Juliet In Shakespeare\'s Romeo And Juliet There are many static characters in Shakespeare\'s Romeo and Juliet (Juliet\'s nurse, Friar Laurence, Paris) but our hapless heroes are far from static - Juliet being the one who undergoes the largest change and the most dynamic of the story. At the beginning of the play, we see our leading lady being an obedient, good girl for her nurse and mother. Juliet cares deeply for her family and will do anything for them. Then along comes the irresistible catalyst, Romeo, the only boy she can\'t fall for as he\'s from the same family her own has been feuding with forever. By the end of the play we see Juliet rebel against her family, run away with the boy, secretly marry him, and even end up dying for him! John McClane In Die Hard Another example of a man who changes throughout a story is the protagonist of Die Hard - tough guy, John McClane. New York City policeman John McClane is visiting his estranged wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve (clearly a great time in stories for self-actualisation). A man who has always put his career before his family. His marriage is on the rocks, his wife has lost all respect for him, and his children hardly see him. But when he saves his wife from an attack by a terrorist at her Christmas office party he goes from bad guy to hero. By the end of the movie, the family are reunited and he realises what is really important. Katniss Everdeen In The Hunger Games In the same way Juliet changes from meek to rebellious, Katniss Everdeen goes from being a poor girl who volunteers to take part in a deathly survival game to save her sister - to becoming a rich and powerful hero who, during the course of the games, discovers her own strengths. At first, Katniss doubts her abilities and is used as a pawn in the Capitol\'s game, but as soon as she realises this she rises to become the leader of a rebellion that brings the Capitol to its knees. Dynamic indeed! Do We Need Both Dynamic And Static Characters In A Story? In short, you can\'t have every single character in your novel growing and changing - that would take away from the action and themes of your book. When deciding which character should be dynamic and which should be static, you must ask yourself what the role of each character in your story is. Minor characters don\'t have to be too rounded and definitely don\'t need a character arc (Katniss\' mother and sister stay static in the story) but those who play a bigger role (such as the hero herself, or her love interests) do need to grow and develop as the story progresses. Often a static character can be a great foil for a dynamic character. While the hero is developing and learning, their companion can remain steadfast and static. Often you can have a protagonist and deuteragonist that are both static, and that works very well too. Look at Jaskier and The Witcher. Although foils (one is fun and jaunty, the other tough and serious) neither of them change character throughout the story yet remain compelling and interesting. Likewise, you can have a cast full of dynamic characters, such as those in The Little Mermaid. Ariel, her father and her love interest, Eric, all learn a big lesson by the end of their journey (although, as usual, Ursula, the antagonist, does not). Importance Of Character Development There are no hard and fast rules as to whether your hero needs to be static or dynamic - just ensure whatever you choose works within your story. If your hero is going to be dynamic, then think about their character arc. Major characters often undergo a large transformation, so ensure you give them a backstory, a starting point, then ask yourself how the adventure/problem they must overcome is going to change them. Secondary characters are also important. Whether they are your hero\'s friends, companions, enemies, family or colleagues, it\'s not enough to have flat characters there simply to move the plot along. Ensure every character remains true to themselves and that they feel rounded and real. How To Write Interesting Characters What should you bear in mind when creating your hero? And how can you ensure they are interesting, whether static or dynamic? Static Characters: Make Them Rounded Even if your hero doesn\'t undergo any major changes, ensure that they have a personality. Give them a backstory, a reason for being how they are, and ensure that they remain true to themselves throughout. Give Them A Foil If your hero is serious, give them a fun sidekick. If your hero is erratic, give them a partner who is sensible. This not only helps highlight the hero\'s flaws or positive attributes, but also keeps the story fresh and entertaining. Focus On The Adventure If your hero is static (think Bond or Holmes) then ensure that their adventure is what the reader focuses on. Whether it\'s action-filled or fantastical, if the character remains static then the plot should carry all the intrigue. This works really well with a series. Dynamic Characters: Give Them A Problem To Solve Dynamic characters need to change, and for that to happen they need a problem or dilemma to overcome. Ensure that before the inciting incident your hero demonstrates the traits or flaws that they need to change by the end of the story (via them solving/overcoming the problem)... Make It Difficult For Them ...and don\'t make it easy for them. Like the characters in the Harry Potter series, each one of your dynamic characters should have a succinct personality that either helps or hinders their goal. And by the end of the book, they should have battled with them and developed beyond who they once were. Be Original Every one of your main characters (whether static or dynamic) should be a rounded character. Whether you are writing a series or a short story, ensure both main and side characters are interesting, relevant and original in some way. Give them unique quirks, tics, and tells that differentiate them from one another. Frequently Asked Questions What Is A Static Character? A static character is one that doesn\'t change from the start of the story through to the end. Although they may go on a fantastic adventure, their personality, situation and physical appearance will remain the same. What Is A Dynamic Character? A dynamic character is one who changes and evolves throughout the story. Often the protagonists of the novel, dynamic characters end the story as different people than they were at its beginning. What Are The 7 Types Of Characters? Protagonist - the main character of a story. The hero. Antagonist - the hero\'s rival. Love interest - the one the hero falls in love with. Confidant - the character that the hero confides in or is guided by. Deuteragonists -the character second in importance to the hero (ie Watson to Holmes, Robin to Batman). Tertiary characters - minor characters in a story who either help move the plot along, set a scene, or interact with the hero in some way. Foil - the opposite of the hero (often used to highlight the hero\'s specific character traits). For instance, this works well if the hero is dynamic and the sidekick is not. Get Into Character And that brings us to the end of my guide to static vs dynamic characters. As you begin writing your next story, have a think about whether your characters need to remain static or dynamic. Think about their arc, the plot, what you are trying to achieve and what is important to your story. And remember... whatever you choose to do, make sure your characters are rounded and engaging!

Writing Styles: 14 Different Ways To Be A Writer

Are you looking to make a living out of writing? Or perhaps you\'re just starting out and want to practice various writing styles until you find the one that feels right for you. Making a living as a writer means being adaptable and able to write in different styles - whether creatively, for business, or for academic publications. In this article, I will be describing fourteen different writing styles, what they mean, and how to approach them. Why Must Writers Adopt Different Writing Styles? Every writer writes in a certain way; their style a little like a painter\'s technique - some of the best authors are recognisable by the tone, style and syntax of their work. But that doesn\'t mean all writers are limited to just writing books or resorting to just one writing style. If, like me, you are both a published author and a freelance writer, being able to adapt your writing style to fit with the publications you\'re writing for, the topics you\'re writing about, and your target audience, is key to getting plenty of work. Developing your writing skills is something all writers should aim to do. Even if you only wish to write novels for the rest of your life, being able to adapt your style of writing is a skill that will also strengthen your abilities as an author. Before we take a look at the fourteen different types of writing that you may need to learn as part of your writing career, let\'s start with the one thing you need to know before deciding on the style of writing required. What Is Your Objective? You can\'t know what style of writing is needed from you unless you know what the objective of the piece is. There are many different types of writing styles, each one catering to a different target audience and each one needing to do something different. Before you start writing, ask yourself what your objective is. Are you looking to: Inform Entertain Inspire Express your personal opinion State facts Share information Educate Expose Sell Review someone else\'s work Explain Investigate These are just a few different reasons as to why you may choose to write something, or why a certain piece may have been commissioned to you. Consider what you are trying to achieve before choosing your style. 14 Different Types Of Writing Styles Let\'s go deeper and look at fourteen very different writing styles that meet a variety of objectives. Narrative Writing Style Narrative writing is usually found in fictional work - namely novels and short stories - but you can also use a narrative writing style when writing non-fiction. Even if you are writing a blog post, when using the narrative style it should be structured using the usual story form, which means it must have a beginning, middle and an end. This style of writing takes readers on a journey, introduces them to a topic, delves into it, and then provides a conclusive ending. The piece should be engaging, creative and interesting to read, and can be written in the first person and include personal experiences. Each writer has their own writing style, so feel free to use the kinds of words that you feel comfortable with. It can be fun and informal, or more serious and formal. Things To Remember Ask yourself whether your piece of work needs to be presented as a story, or whether the reader is only after facts and you can communicate it in a simpler way. Remember, the narrative style of writing isn\'t limited to just fiction writing, it can include essays and articles, but is sometimes too informal for more academic or business publications. Descriptive Writing Descriptive writing is full of... description! Often combined with narrative writing, it can be used in fiction and poetry. For instance, if you were commissioned to write an article about tulips for a scientific magazine you would do well to research all facts on tulips, describe them from a scientific standpoint, and ensure your data is correct. But if you were writing a magazine article about your day at a tulip farm, or a scene from a book where your main characters are frolicking in a field of tulips, then you might prefer to use descriptive writing. Descriptive Writing Allows You To Use: Literary devices (metaphors, similes, allegories, archetypes etc) The five senses/sensory details Any tense you prefer Famous authors use descriptive writing in all their novels. Unlike a screenplay, where there\'s minimal need for narration and most of the story is based around dialogue, when writing a book or short story it\'s important to add as much description as possible. Persuasive Writing Persuasive writing is generally used in sales, marketing and advertising - although you might use it when trying to convince someone to work with you (such as in a query letter to an agent or a cover letter along with a job application). Convincing people to buy something, do something, or act a certain way through words alone is a very specific skill, which is why top ad agencies pay copywriters very well. Using A Persuasive Writing Style Means Applying The Following Approach: Write about what you know Understand your audience Hook their attention Research well Get your facts right Be empathetic Repeat yourself Use keywords Ask rhetorical questions (not too many) Creative Writing Creative writing generally refers to writing fiction - it\'s about creating characters, setting, and scenarios and bringing them to life. Although it\'s usually found in a novel or short story, creative writing styles can also be found in articles and even blog posts. An author\'s writing style is unique, and each one has a way of providing vivid descriptions of the human experience through their creatively descriptive writing style. They may choose flowery prose, they may keep it sharp and simple, or their stories may be unique and inventive in the way they are written. When choosing creative writing, consider the genre and study it well. Horror writers write very differently from erotic writers. And likewise, those who write for children approach their work very differently to authors who pen literary fiction. The beauty of creative writing is that there are no rules, so don\'t overthink it. Just be creative! Expository Writing Expository writing is a body of work that is either trying to explain, illuminate, educate or \'expose\' (which is where the word \'expository\' comes from). It may be an investigative piece by a journalist exposing a juicy story for a newspaper or magazine, or it may be a textbook or instruction manual explaining how something works. Even a blog post such as this one is expository writing because I\'m outlining all the different types of writing styles you can adopt and (I hope) you are learning along the way. The key to writing in an expository style is to keep things clear and succinct. Expository Writing Is Supported By Using: Diagrams Quotes or examples Bullet points Clear headers Images Subjective Writing Subjective writing is all about writing from your own point of view and sharing your opinion. Subjective writing is generally written in an individual\'s own voice and may discuss real life topics, often based on personal experiences. An example of this is a writer with their own column in a magazine or newspaper, a blogger, a reviewer, a non-fiction author writing a book about a topic they are knowledgeable in, or someone writing their memoirs. Although non-fiction work should feature accurate data and shouldn\'t include made-up facts or figures, with subjective writing the author is allowed to express their opinions freely. Review Writing A review writer focuses on the works of others (or products) and gives their subjective opinion on the topic they are covering. Critics and bloggers make a living from writing reviews which are widely read. In many cases, those reviews can make or break a movie/product/event, depending on the weight that the reviewer\'s words carry. To Be A Reviewer You Need To: Be knowledgeable about what you are writing Be credible Understand your audience Be prepared for reactions/backlash Back your findings with facts And (although your opinions are subjective) it always helps to be fair Anyone can review anything nowadays, so if you are passionate about something and want to practice your review writing, you can... Set up your own blog Create videos for social media Write reviews on pages such as Netgalley, Goodreads and Amazon Review books etc for recognised publications Poetic Writing Poetic writing isn\'t simply about writing poetry (although it does include that too). Writing poetically means creating a piece of work with emotional appeal. That may be a novel, a beautifully-written feature in a magazine, or even a piece of sales copy that really captures the hearts and imagination of your target audience. When considering whether to write your piece poetically, ask yourself what the objective of the work is. What Can Be Written Poetically: Poems Short stories Feature articles Novels Blogs Advertising copy What Can\'t Be Written Poetically: Academic papers Business papers Expository writing Scientific papers If you are really creative you may attempt to combine more than one style, such as writing a persuasive piece in a poetic fashion... but that, of course, is dependent on what you are selling and who you are selling it to. Formal Writing Unlike the other styles of writing above which give the writer the opportunity to express themselves creatively, use literary devices, and figurative language; the aim of formal writing is not to entertain or sweep the reader away with a compelling story but to outline facts and be accurate. You can find formal writing styles used in business publications and textbooks, non-fiction books, manuals and academic papers. Here are some examples of formal writing styles and how they differ from one another. Objective Writing Writing something objective means that you are unbiased - something a news journalist should strive to be. It is the very opposite of an opinion piece. With formal writing it is often important to be subjective because the focus of the work is on the subject and not on the point of view. An objective writer generally uses the third person (because they are not talking about their own experiences or what they think) and they stick to the facts. Examples Of Objective Writing May Include: News articles Press release Web copy Fact sheet Any type of report Academic papers Scientific, technical and business writing One exception may be in academic writing. Although the style is normally formal, if the student has been asked to give their review or opinion on something (such as their interpretation of Lady Macbeth\'s soliloquy) then the work will remain subjective. Technical Writing Technical writing is writing communication used in technical fields such as computer hardware and software. It can also include other technical industries such as: Architecture Engineering Aeronautics Robotics Finance Science Consumer electronics Medical Biotechnology Technical published works may include articles for technical or internal corporate publications and websites, reviews, consumer-facing literature or product information. To be a technical writer is really helps to understand both the industry you are writing for/about, as well as the audience. Technical writing is very... well, technical... so it\'s vital that all the information you share is factually correct. Scientific Writing Much like technical writing, if you wish to write for scientific journals and publications you really need to understand (and preferably be qualified in) what you are writing about. Scientific writing can centre around a number of topics; everything from robotics, AI and medicine, to historical scientific discoveries and climate change. Places That Feature Scientific Writing May Include: Scientific publications or websites News articles covering scientific discoveries Internal communication for the science industry Product descriptions or reviews Academic Writing For many of us, the first piece of writing we were ever asked to produce was an academic paper at school. Whether that includes an essay, a thesis, or a dissertation - scholarly writing takes a different type of skill from the other types of writing styles above. Writing academically involves a lot of research. Whether you set out to write an objective essay (ie if you are writing an essay on a time in history or a geographical location) or a subjective piece (ie your opinion on a piece of art, literature or music) it is still really important that you research and gather all the information required, use quotes and examples to back up your theories, and use citations/a bibliography to explain your findings. An academic essay should be written in three parts - somewhat like a narrative piece of writing. How To Structure An Essay Writing an essay is a little like writing an expository article (such as this one). Once you have collated your research and made notes, split your essay into three parts. 1. IntroductionThis is where you approach the topic and explain what you are going to do. You can even write \'In this essay I will...\' 2. Main CopyThis is the part of the essay where you address the question. Depending on the length of the essay you may want to split it in to 3-6 parts. Present each argument with clear references, citations and examples (always ensuring you address the initial question). 3. ConclusionThis is the last part of the essay where you include a shorter summary of what you have discovered, answer the initial question and make your final opinion/conclusion clear. Business Writing Writing for business is one of the more lucrative types of freelance writing as the corporate world tends to have bigger budgets for copywriters. Writing about business can be both objective and subjective, covering a large range of topics from economy and finance, to politics and business development. This can range from serious pieces in publications such as Time Magazine and the New York Times, to more personal articles on a business blog or website. Business writers also cater directly to consumers. They may write expository articles and How-To guides. There is also a large market for self help business books that assist readers with their business acumen or help them gain confidence in the corporate world. Once again, it\'s important when writing for business that you understand both the subject matter and the audience, as each industry varies greatly and the tone of what you write should do too. 6 Things To Consider Before Writing When you are commissioned to write a piece, there are a number of things you must know before you start. It goes without saying that the fee and deadline are important, especially if you are a freelancer, but if you are writing as part of your day job, you need to really understand the task you have been set. Here are 6 things to consider before writing: Word Count & Objective How many words is your piece? I knew, before writing this blog post, that the word count had to fall between 3,100-3,500 words. When you know what you have to work with, you can think about flow and pacing, and how to set out your article. If you are writing for online and the object of the piece is to attract traffic, then SEO and the layout are really important. Alternatively, if your goal is to persuade a brand\'s key demographic to buy something and you are only given a small word count, it\'s vital that you choose your words carefully and are as succinct as possible. This is especially important in advertising when the designers only have a small amount of space for your words. Unique Writing Styles Every writer has a unique writing style, and that may be why you\'re commissioned to write a certain piece. Ask yourself what the client/your boss is looking for and ensure your tone fits not only the topic and style of writing you are aiming for, but that it\'s in line with everything else that publication has released. Sentence Structure How you structure a sentence matters. If you are writing something creative or poetic, you can allow yourself to have long, descriptive prose. If you are writing something technical or expository, then it\'s a lot easier for the reader to see each sentence broken down into bullet points, with lots of headers. Word Choice As above, the style of writing you have chosen will determine the choice of words you use. Will you get technical, descriptive, creative or simple? That all depends on the... Audience It is impossible to write effective sales copy, a novel, or even a blog without knowing you who are talking to. If you are writing a thriller novel, you will use a completely different writing style than if you write romance. Likewise, if you are writing for a scientific journal it will sound very different than if you are writing toy reviews. Before I began planning this article I knew I was writing for adult writers. But this blog would have looked completely different if I were describing different writing styles to high school students. Publication/Platform Likewise, it\'s really important to know where your work is going to be published. All magazines and newspapers have a house style (even book publishers do). When you are commissioned to write for a publication they will send you a guide as to what your writing should sound like (as well as what they don\'t want). Always read other pieces of work in that publication to get an idea of your audience, their style and the tone required. Frequently Asked Questions What Are The 5 Main Styles Of Writing? Narrative - a piece of writing that has a start, beginning and end. Descriptive - prose that goes into detail and pulls the reader in. Persuasive - reserved for writers trying to sell products and services, or convince readers to do something or join somewhere. Expository - a style of writing that exposes something, illuminates, educates or reveals; this can include journalism, How-To guides, non-fiction and blogs such as this one. Creative - this normally applies to novels and short stories, although you can have non-fiction work that\'s creative, such as essays and memoirs. How Do I Identify My Writing Style? An author\'s writing style is defined by two things: Voice - this is how the piece of writing sounds, what makes it unique to that writer and their point of view. Tone - the tone is identified by the vibe the piece of writing conveys. Is it serious, humorous, eerie, or pompous, even? Get It Write Getting to write for a living is an honour, but getting it right is no easy feat. The key to success as an author and freelance writer is to be adaptable, to keep learning and to understand where your strengths lie. My one piece of advice to any writer starting out in this field is to focus on two to three types of writing. Perhaps you have a background in marketing, so are good at persuasive writing and expository writing, and are also an author. In which case stick to those three. Or perhaps you come from a technical and scientific background and have written a number of How-To non-fiction books. In which case specialise in the styles you are already familiar with. However and whatever you choose to write, I hope this article has been a useful reference guide and has inspired you to get your work out there. Happy writing!

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