A Good Scene Isn’t Written, It’s Dramatised
Every scene has a purpose. Once you know that purpose, and you make sure the scene fulfils that purpose, job done, right?
Not quite.
If a man is needs money and he goes to an ATM and gets some cash, and the purpose of the scene is to get him from broke to not broke, then what you have is a dull scene.
Whether you tell me about him getting his money, or you show me him getting his money, it will be just as dull either way.
What the scene lacks isn’t purpose or clarity or action or a character with a goal, what it lacks is drama.
Can You Be Trusted To Tell A Good Story?
Or, to put it another way, would you want to read a story by someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about?
Me neither.
In fact, even if someone sounds like they don’t know what they’re talking about, that’s enough to turn off most people. They don’t want to read that guy’s story, or listen to his views, or spend any time in his presence.
When it comes to communicating with people, especially people you don’t know personally, to ‘sound like’ you know what you’re talking about is more important than actually knowing what you’re talking about.
Easy Ways To Keep The Reader Interested
The reaction I want when I read a story is Ooh, possibly Ah and maybe, if I’m lucky, Woo hoo! What I usually get when reading a WIP is Meh, maybe Blah and more often than not, Huh?
It’s all very well advising writers to write something interesting, but how do you do that? It’s all subjective isn’t it? When you read a good book it holds your attention — sometimes it’s obvious why, sometimes it isn’t.
So, here’s a list of the types of story elements that are universally attention grabbing. 100% guaranteed or your money back.
Conflict In Story Is Like Finding Gold
Conflict is the key to writing an interesting and dramatic story.
When you come across a moment where the main character faces a difficulty, that is a precious and valuable thing to have found. You need to keep digging until you get it all out.
What you shouldn’t do is find ways to make the problem go away. In real life you should, in fiction you shouldn’t.
There are three main cop-outs I encounter again and again when it comes to writers creating a wonderful opportunity for conflict and then running away from it as quickly as possible. If you do any of these, you need to stop. You’ve found gold, stop throwing it away.
Writing Characters Worth Reading
Characters are the key to your story. You want readers to connect with your main characters as quickly as possible. They should be able to see them, know them and be interested in them.
The easiest way to do this is with clichés, which is what often gets put on the page. Dave’s unhappy at work. Belinda’s in love with her boss. Phil wants to be left alone. These sorts of things tell you something vague and indeterminate… and instantly forgettable.
Also, bland (if accurate) description is very popular. Hairstyle, eye colour, body-type. But the fact she has long, golden hair down to her waist, or hazel eyes flecked with gold is like being shown a photograph of someone you don’t know: meaningless.
If you want the character to really make a strong first impression you need to find a way to get under the reader’s skin. How do you do that?
The Truth About The Price Of Books
There’s a lot of talk about whether books are priced fairly. Ebooks especially get a lot of flak for being .99c or free.
Various arguments are made for paying a fair price, not flooding the market, quality control. A popular one is that people value things based on how much they pay for them.
The truth is all this fretting has nothing to do with money. It’s got to do with how you feel about yourself as a writer. It’s got to do with how you think other’s see you. It’s got to do with being valued as a person, and worrying that you’re not.
Storytelling: Is Knowing Craft Really Necessary?
There are plenty of successful authors of gripping, bestselling novels whose writing, if you look at it in technical terms, is crappy. But having an excellent grasp of grammar does not guarantee a good story, either.
So, does that mean learning the ins and outs of show versus tell and passive versus active writing is a monumental waste of time?
In many cases yes, it is.
Why Reread Stories You Already Know?
You read a story, you loved the story, you were amazed the things that happened. Then you read it again.
This is true of all types of stories, movies, plays, comics. We go back to the stories we enjoyed the most. Even though we know what happens. Nothing is surprising, and “What happens next?” is a redundant question.
Why? And how can we use this to improve what we write?
Unknown Outcome Does Not Lead To Unpredictable Story
Readers enjoy the unexpected. Not knowing what’s going to happen is part of the pleasure of hearing a story. But just because you don’t know something doesn’t mean you want to know.
If a man approaches a crossroad where he can turn left or right, you don’t know which way he’s going to choose. But when he does choose, you won’t be surprised. You knew it was going to be one of the two.
So a character going about his business, even though every action he takes is unknown to the reader right up until it is revealed, won’t be engaging purely on the basis of not knowing.
Q:Your writing advice is excellent, I've reblogged everything you've written on TF for the last couple weeks. It's all very thorough and stimulating.
Thanks, very kind of you. I’ve always wanted to be thought of as stimulating.
stuff that's interesting (hopefully to at least one other person)
