PART 3: THE HOW
Finally, we come to How to write fiction.
The first time I sat in front of my laptop to begin
writing Dangle, I had the heebie-jeebies. So I decided to go with a
process…one that has been followed by most well-known writers. The premise was
ready. I was sure who the main protagonists of my story were. The structure of
the plot was laid out in my mind. So I buckled down to outlining the first ten
chapters in black and white.
Based on my learning, here are some basics.
Outline
On his website, Author Ken Follet says that an
outline is an absolute necessity to him. Writing an outline always helps to put
your thoughts in order and makes it easier to correct your mistakes.
What is an outline? An outline usually tells what
happens in the novel, chapter by chapter and also sketches biographies of the
characters. But don’t feel constrained by it. They are road maps that allow
flexibility. Take a look at the outlining process.
Build a tight premise
Begin your outline with a tight premise which
becomes a solid guide to your story telling. See that it answers the following
questions:
When you have the answers, combine them into one or
two sentences and you have a fleshed-out premise.
Make brief sketches of scene ideas
List out the scenes that come to your mind when you
think of the premise. Highlight those in the list that raise questions and then
answer them. Ensure to use a great deal of freedom and creativity during this
part of outlining.
Profiling characters
You need to create a cast of characters that leads
you through your story. Start profiling their lives from when they appear in
your story.
Choose settings
Select settings that are inherent to the plot.
Based on the scene ideas, make a list of settings.
Complete the outline
Now you will need to write out the complete plot.
How elaborate you want it to be is up to you. You can write single sentences or
more for each scene.
Concise your outline
It is possible that your outline may have become
extensive and you will want to condense it.
Put your outline to action
Now you can get going on your first draft. While
the outline will be a guide, never be afraid to deviate from it or explore new
ideas.
Outlines are also helpful when you want to send
your story for either reader feedback or to your publisher because it is your
story in a nutshell.
Write what you love
For your writing to be worth anything, write what
you love reading. Just because the market is good for romances, you decide to
write a romance even if it is a genre that does not appeal to you. The chances
are your romance will not appeal either. As a writer, I am fond of discovering
how the human mind works and thrillers chill me out. So all my books from
historical novels to true-blue thrillers to short stories have the leit motif
of mystery running through them.
Having read a great deal of your favourite genre,
you will be able to instinctively sketch out the scenes, dialogue and action.
Good writers always read with an eye for the writing. Unconsciously they learn
and then use them in their own writing.
Know about structure
Any aspiring writer must learn about the elements
that comprise the elements of a story, such as protagonist, antagonist,
conflict, arc, climax, resolution, character, back story. If you do not bother
to study about these, your novel could be missing a few and may turn out
incoherent or flat.
Structure is how the story is organized. Plot
comprises of the main events. Setting is the time and place where
the story occurs. Characters are the people in the story.
Finally, the theme is the main message, the central idea, of the
story.
Make time
You may have been dreaming for years but if anyone
tells you to write, you say, ‘I am too busy.’ Not just you, everybody is busy
with family, work and a trillion other things. But if you are serious about
writing your book, you will make time for it. Steal time from your schedules,
get up earlier, sleep later…do whatever works for you. If you have the passion
you must find the way. I gave up a corporate job and a fat salary to just write
all day but that was my choice. You may do it differently but never be too busy
to write. As Jack London said, ‘You can’t wait for inspiration; you have to go
after it with a club.’
Rewrite
However good you think you are or how much ever
your friends praise your writing, your first draft is never good enough.
Sending a first draft to an editor or agent is asking for a sure rejection of
your manuscript. First drafts are only the beginning. Write it and keep it away
for a couple of weeks. Then go back to look at it with new eyes. Sure enough
you will find gaps to fill and holes to plug. Never hesitate to rip, rip and
rip again. Refine your writing till it is a polished jewel. As Dorothy
Parker said in, The Art of Fiction, ‘I would write a book, or
a short story, at least three times – once to understand it, the second time to
improve the prose, and a third to compel it to say what it still must say.’
For me, rewriting is a must-do. Whether a short or
long fiction, only after several drafts do I send it to my editor and then go
through more drafts before editing starts.
True writing is rewriting. When you revise magic
happens. The best, most inspired ideas often appear during rewriting.
Your voice
Read other writers as much as you can but never try
to copy anyone’s style or narration. Develop your own way of telling a story.
Each of us has a unique way of speaking, then why should we write like others?
The specific way we write is called our ‘voice’. It is not only a unique way of
putting words together, but a unique sensibility, a distinctive way of looking
at the world, an outlook that enriches a writer’s opus.
Voice is the distinct personality, style, or point
of view of your writing. That is what Simon Cowell means when he tells
‘American Idol’ contestants to make the song their very own and not just do a
note-for-note karaoke version.
Besides voice is a significant qualitative element
of all good writing and every writer must develop one.
And lastly
Ignore the rules (Including mine)
You will get as much advice and theories as people.
They will want to pigeonhole you, put you in a genre with its own rules and
traditions. But like all rules, these are indicators to show you direction.
None of it is must-do but it is good to be informed so that you are that much
aware of the why, what and how that categorises good writing.
Shakespeare or Tolstoy didn’t follow rules. I think
many of us, writers, write better when we leave restrictions behind… when the
only thing to be true to is ourselves and our writing.
Let me leave with this thought to chew on.
Writing fiction is an art. At the end of the day, it
requires a lot of patience, practice and determination. Eventually, it is well
worth the effort because that is what transforms just any fiction into great
fiction!
All Rights Reserved. Copyright @Sutapa Basu 2019. First published on Readomania.com
