Time To Get Real

Writing Techniques: Storyline I

When writing from a first person or third person point of view, I find it essential to know my character as well as possible to write the story in the main character's "voice".

What annoys me as an avid reader is finding authors who don't take the time to craft their character's voices honestly. Unfortunately, a lot of books have been written by people who don't care about this important part of writing a story. It isn't all about action and drama in popular fiction, and convincing someone you're a good person in your memoirs. If people don't feel your characters are authentic, then chances are you won't be up for The Booker Prize anytime soon.

Rule Number 1 when it comes to crafting your voice: If your story has a solid basis in reality, write about what you know. If you're going to write about an investment banker swindling millions of dollars from a client, and that's the major plot of the story, then you should find an investment banker to talk to. How are you going to write about investment banking if you don't know their slang and their banking techniques and procedures? Good authors thank people who help them with their stories all the time. Who do you think those dedications are going out to? It's not all editors and family members who are thanked in the afterword of a book.

Something to keep in mind: There are a lot know-it-alls out there. Be prepared for people who pick apart every little thing you write about. But you as an author should be knowledgeable enough to draw the line between complete fiction and what you find to be an acceptable bending of the truth. If an investment banker should happen across your book about stealing investments, they should be able to laugh out loud at your mistakes and anachronisms in the book, not jump all over your shit and demand a refund.