 For Authors: June 21, 2017 Issue [#8354] |
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Although I have studied writing for most of my many years, I still read and attend workshops to learn more. A book by one of my favorite authors, Steven James, is one which has given me more ideas and knowledge.
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A Must Read: Story Trumps Structure by Steven James
Steven James not only writes books that captivate readers, like me, but he has a master in storytelling. When I heard he had written books on writing, I needed to read them. I want to share one of those books in this editorial and share a few of his ways to write "Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules"
First, he doesn't say to break all the "rules." But, let's look at a few of the strategies Steven shares in this book.
Plot nor characters by themselves provide good stories. Steven says tension is the key to good writing. "To uncover the plot of your story, don't ask what should happen, but what should go wrong." He goes on to say your plot is characters making choices to resolve tension. Even in romance, stories are not about romance but about romantic tension.
A common "rule" is that stories are either "plot-driven" or "character-driven." Steven says neither is true, that "all stories are tension-driven," that stories move forward "by tension escalating."
Another "rule" Steven debunks is the fiction of three acts. Sometimes a story needs two acts or four acts, maybe even just one act. He tells us to "think of your story as an organic whole that reveals a transformation in the life (internal, external, and interpersonal) of your character."
One last "rule" that Steven wants us to examine is the rule that we must start with a "hook." Yes, we must begin with something to gain the reader's attention, but it must bee the right hook. Readers expect the story to escalate from the beginning. He tells us that effective story beginnings do eight things:
1. Orient readers to the world of the story.
2. Lock in the genre.
3. Give readers a setting in time and place that they can picture.
4..Set the mood and tone.
5. Introduce the author's (or narrator's) voice
6. Introduce a protagonist whom readers will care about or an antagonist
Max 'indent' = 10 they will fear (Or, in some cases, both)
7. End in a way that's both surprising and satisfying.
8. Snag reader's attention. [Story Trumps Structure, pp 15-16]
I recommend all writers find a copy of this book and use it as a resource for better fiction writing. I will use more of Steven James' ideas in future editorials.
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