What do literary classics like Moby Dick, Bram Stoker's Dracula, War and Peace and To Kill A Mockingbird all have in common? What do they have in common with uber-successful modern novels?
The short answer: A solid plot.
That's the ticket, right there. Like the title of this week's entry, any of these most treasured stories were the result of a good map - a solid foundation.
So, how do we come up with a solid foundation? It's not as hard as you may think.
I know I am going to catch hell from all of you purists out there that believe that writing is an emotional, spiritual endeavor. Purists believe that writing is something from the heart and that your characters will take on a life of their own and that they will dictate which way the story goes. In their defense, to a certain extent, they're right. But, at this point, you need to step in as a frugal director, otherwise, three hundred pages later, your characters may have a life of their own, but they’ll be wandering aimlessly.
Now, here is your challenge…
Are you ready for it?
Are you sure?
I want you to think like a screenwriter. That’s right. I want you to throw away all of your conventions and think as though you are writing your next Hollywood blockbuster.
Screenwriters, unlike traditional print authors, have an immense obstacle to hurdle every time they start a new project. With a novel, an author has a limitless (well, virtually) palette with which to create their masterpiece. A screenwriter, on the other hand, has to set up their story quickly and convey as much information in about an hour and a half to two hours as they possibly can. This is where your challenge will come to play.
I want you to get out the 3” X 5” index cards and map out, what you believe to be, the most important scenes/chapters in your story: the catalyst, the big event, the crisis moment, the showdown and the resolution (which I will cover in another post). Once you have these mapped out, tack them up on a cork board on the wall by your computer, so that you may look at them throughout the entire process. Then, as you progress, if your story seems to have the wrong flow, you can rearrange the cards until it gets your story back on track.
Okay, so you have your main scenes/chapters mapped out and tacked up. What’s next?
Next, you want to begin to flesh out your story, but here is the real challenge: every chapter that you outline needs to add to the story and propel the story forward toward the final conclusion. If it is something that does not move the story forward, chances are that you don’t really need it.
“But, what about my chapter where Charlie and Suzy have a fling and - blah, blah, blah????”
Short answer: if it adds to the story and moves it forward, keep it. If not, axe it. If any given chapter does not add to the outside (action) story or the inside (emotional) story, your novel doesn’t need it.
So, what do you say? Give it a shot! You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. Once your masterpiece gets into the hands of your audience, they’ll thank you for it. You’ll give them a story so engaging and intense, that they won’t be able to put it down and – who knows? – you may even end up making a living doing the thing you love most, without the pain that goes with it.
Until next time… Write on!!
The short answer: A solid plot.
That's the ticket, right there. Like the title of this week's entry, any of these most treasured stories were the result of a good map - a solid foundation.
So, how do we come up with a solid foundation? It's not as hard as you may think.
I know I am going to catch hell from all of you purists out there that believe that writing is an emotional, spiritual endeavor. Purists believe that writing is something from the heart and that your characters will take on a life of their own and that they will dictate which way the story goes. In their defense, to a certain extent, they're right. But, at this point, you need to step in as a frugal director, otherwise, three hundred pages later, your characters may have a life of their own, but they’ll be wandering aimlessly.
Now, here is your challenge…
Are you ready for it?
Are you sure?
I want you to think like a screenwriter. That’s right. I want you to throw away all of your conventions and think as though you are writing your next Hollywood blockbuster.
Screenwriters, unlike traditional print authors, have an immense obstacle to hurdle every time they start a new project. With a novel, an author has a limitless (well, virtually) palette with which to create their masterpiece. A screenwriter, on the other hand, has to set up their story quickly and convey as much information in about an hour and a half to two hours as they possibly can. This is where your challenge will come to play.
I want you to get out the 3” X 5” index cards and map out, what you believe to be, the most important scenes/chapters in your story: the catalyst, the big event, the crisis moment, the showdown and the resolution (which I will cover in another post). Once you have these mapped out, tack them up on a cork board on the wall by your computer, so that you may look at them throughout the entire process. Then, as you progress, if your story seems to have the wrong flow, you can rearrange the cards until it gets your story back on track.
Okay, so you have your main scenes/chapters mapped out and tacked up. What’s next?
Next, you want to begin to flesh out your story, but here is the real challenge: every chapter that you outline needs to add to the story and propel the story forward toward the final conclusion. If it is something that does not move the story forward, chances are that you don’t really need it.
“But, what about my chapter where Charlie and Suzy have a fling and - blah, blah, blah????”
Short answer: if it adds to the story and moves it forward, keep it. If not, axe it. If any given chapter does not add to the outside (action) story or the inside (emotional) story, your novel doesn’t need it.
So, what do you say? Give it a shot! You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. Once your masterpiece gets into the hands of your audience, they’ll thank you for it. You’ll give them a story so engaging and intense, that they won’t be able to put it down and – who knows? – you may even end up making a living doing the thing you love most, without the pain that goes with it.
Until next time… Write on!!
