plotter (someone who outlines their book before writing) or a pantser (someone who writes without an outline, \u201cby the seat of their pants,\u201d also known as a \u201cdiscovery writer\u201d)<\/a>, plot still plays a vital role in your book.<\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever had to endure a long, winding story from a child or strange uncle\u2014one that seems to have no point and no payoff at the end\u2014you know what it\u2019s like to skip plot. The story feels unsatisfactory<\/i>. It feels like it\u2019s just words for the sake of words.<\/p>\n
There are hundreds of ways to handle plot for your book. And pretty much any of them is the \u201cright way,\u201d depending on who you are. Some common techniques include:<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Three-Act Structure \u2013<\/b> Essentially, your story has a \u201cbeginning, middle, and end.\u201d Which sounds pretty \u201cwell, duh,\u201d but that\u2019s only because three-act storytelling has become the de facto<\/i> method of storytelling for Hollywood and publishing. It\u2019s such a standard that when someone breaks it, we feel it instinctively. See Syd Field\u2019s \u201cScreenplay\u201d for a wonderful breakdown of this structure.<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Hero\u2019s Journey \u2013 <\/b>Made famous by the work of Joseph Campbell, and then even more famous by Star Wars<\/i>, the hero\u2019s journey is a storytelling method derived from studying the common themes and structures in mythology throughout the ages. The basics are The Call to Adventure, refusal of the call, the journey, transformation, atonement, and the return. I\u2019ve glossed over quite a bit here, but I do want to note that Hero\u2019s Journey and the Three-Act Structure can actually work well together, though telling your story in three acts isn\u2019t necessarily a requirement.<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Non-linear storytelling \u2013 <\/b>If you\u2019ve ever seen \u201cMemento\u201d or \u201cPulp Fiction,\u201d you\u2019re familiar with this method of plot. The events of the story are told out of order\u2014sometimes with the ending told first, or starting from the middle. Again, this works well with a three-act structure, but it isn\u2019t required. Some stories have as little as one act, and as many as five. Maybe more. Writing is crazy.<\/p>\n
There are other ways to handle plot, but those are the three you find most often in the work that likely inspired you to get into this business. You\u2019ll note, too, that they all can either stand-alone or work together. Thus making any discussion of plot all the more challenging.<\/p>\n
But to simplify things a little, we can determine that plot is a progression<\/i> from beginning to end (linearly or otherwise), complicated by events<\/i>, and ultimately resolved.<\/i><\/p>\n
Basically, your job is to describe a cause<\/i> and then its effects<\/i>.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll hear the term \u201cplot point\u201d used in discussions such as these. That\u2019s just a fancy way of saying \u201ccause and effect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luke Skywalker\u2019s aunt and uncle are killed (cause), and he decides to join Obi-Wan on his quest to help Princess Leia after all (effect). Otherwise, he was content to stay home and be a farm boy forever. The plot point changed the game and moved him into the adventure, which is the part the viewer (or the reader) is there to see.<\/p>\n
HOW TO MEASURE IT:<\/b> Plot is the action of your story, but it\u2019s also the resolution. All action and no resolution means no plot. That\u2019s boring and annoying for readers.<\/p>\n
At the same time, easy<\/i> resolutions, that happen as if by magic, are also boring. We want to see a struggle\u2014whether it\u2019s the struggle to reclaim a lost artifact or the struggle to win the heart of someone the character loves. And to have a struggle, you have to have complications<\/i>.<\/p>\n
So to measure all this, you just need to be aware of the plot points, and to answer some basic questions:<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is it your protagonist wants?<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How will you deny them that desire?<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How will you get them to not give up?<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How will they work to achieve what they want despite the obstacles?<\/p>\n
–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And finally, how does all of this change them, by the end of the story?<\/p>\n
Voice \u2013 <\/b>the style and tone of how you tell your story<\/h3>\n
I saved voice for last, even though it could potentially be first. Because honestly, if you have a strong enough voice in your work, it can overcome just about any other weakness your writing may have.<\/p>\n
How often have you listened to someone tell a story to the end, even if it was on a topic that didn\u2019t quite interest you, just because they were great at telling it? I remember reading a post from someone writing all about replacing their RV toilet with a composting toilet, and I was riveted right to the end because they were entertaining<\/i>. It\u2019s not like I read about toilets all day. Usually.<\/p>\n
Voice is a skill, not a talent.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to note that right off the bat because when reading reviews of books, we often come away with a sense that the writer had a natural talent for storytelling that gave them an advantage. And in some sense, this could be true. But more often\u2014the majority of the time, in fact\u2014a writer\u2019s voice is more a function of time spent honing their craft.<\/p>\n
In some sense, voice is<\/i> craft.<\/p>\n
The way to shape your voice, as a writer, is exposure and practice.<\/p>\n
Exposure to the work of others\u2014in other words, reading<\/i> the work of others\u2014helps to train you and enhance your instincts. You\u2019ll get an ear for what good writing sounds like, making it easier to pick out.<\/p>\n
You probably have a favorite writer. Probably have a few, in fact.<\/p>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
What is it about that writer\u2019s work that resonates with you, when so many others didn\u2019t?<\/p>\n
It may be an ethereal quality that\u2019s hard to define or pin down. But as you read, pay attention to the turns of phrase, the rhythm, the expressions of ideas that really hit home with you. Take note of the verbiage used to describe something, especially something that would otherwise be mundane. Really spend some time thinking about how the writer hooked you with their words. And then try to replicate that yourself.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Franklin, in an apocryphal story from his youth, was said to have improved his own voice and craft by reading something that he found inspiring, then putting it aside and trying to rewrite it from memory. The point of this wasn\u2019t to memorize the passage, per se, but to get his brain to sync with the voice<\/i> of the work. He was teaching himself to have an ear for good writing, by attempting it again and again, and measuring it against a specific standard.<\/p>\n
Which leads us to\u2026<\/p>\n
HOW TO MEASURE IT:<\/b> Try this for yourself. Go back to a book or blog post or article you\u2019ve read that really hit home with you. Read a passage that you find inspiring, and then try writing it from memory.<\/p>\n
You won\u2019t get it perfect the first time. Just try to capture the elements of it that stuck with you, first. And then compare it to the original and see where you went left as they went right. And then, try again.<\/p>\n
After trying that for a while, branch out. Try writing about something else entirely but attempt to make it sound<\/i> like something your favorite author wrote. Switch it up by trying to write about the same subject with the voice of multiple authors.<\/p>\n
Do this with a variety of passages until the voice becomes instinctual. Then try your own voice. You\u2019ll find that things will have changed, and the way you wrote before will seem overly simple or stilted or lacking depth, while you are not gaining greater sophistication in how you write about any given topic.<\/p>\n
Practice makes perfect.<\/p>\n
Measuring your success comes from there. Comparing early writing with later writing and being able to identify where the earlier writing was weak, will give you a means of measuring your growth as a writer.<\/p>\n
Those are the essential elements of craft, but we haven\u2019t yet reached the end of our definition from above. The following sections will give you a quick look into the rest of the story.<\/p>\n
Readability and Appreciablity<\/h2>\n
\u201cAppreciabilty,\u201d by the way, is apparently not a word, according to spellcheck. But I need a term to convey this aspect of your writing. And as I am a writer, professionally, any word I invent is officially a word. Science.<\/p>\n
Basically, readability <\/i>and appreciability<\/i> apply to the quality of your work, from the perspective of your readers. All the elements we described above apply here. They are the blocks you use to build the story your readers will inhabit for a time.<\/p>\n
Readability is the ease with which readers take in the story, and how \u201csticky\u201d the story is for them. Do they read to the end, or drop off somewhere in the middle?<\/p>\n
Appreciabilty is a measure of your book\u2019s long-term nostalgia for the reader. Is the story memorable? Does it make them want to return to the world you\u2019ve created and live it again?<\/p>\n
Good craft starts with considering these factors, in terms of your target audience (we talk about this next). And the way you improve on either of these is by paying attention to how other writers handle them, as well as to the response you get from readers.<\/p>\n
This is where having an advanced reader team<\/b> (beta readers, street team, or whatever term you prefer) comes in very handy. You might consider constructing a team from both the readers of your work and from other writers in your community.<\/p>\n
One approach to finding advanced readers is to pay attention to reviews and feedback you get. Often, I will get emails from readers who like my work but have found something wrong\u2014a typo, a continuity error, maybe just an awkward turn of phrase. They will email me or reach out to me on social media, to let me know what they\u2019ve found. And if I find them polite, and their advice useful, I\u2019ll sometimes extend an invitation for them to join my street team.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s helpful to have other writers on your team, and you can usually find willing participants in writing groups, Facebook groups, or (even better) at writer\u2019s conventions. Just be aware that adding writers to your advanced reader team is typically a two-way street\u2014a reciprocal relationship wherein both of you swap work from time to time, reading to help each other out.<\/p>\n
If you do add writers to your advanced reader team, make sure they are operating at a skill level that is at least equal to, if not above, your own. It does little good to take advice from writers who aren\u2019t successful at the craft. Look for writers who are accomplishing some of what you\u2019re trying to accomplish.<\/p>\n
Craft Your Target Audience<\/h2>\n
The most important aspect of the writing business is the reader.<\/p>\n
Seriously, even books that are poorly written, have terrible covers, have no real marketing, and maybe even have no plot can be successful if the author takes the time to build up a readership. I\u2019m not going to name names\u2014but there are bestsellers out there that read like something written by a barely literate school child.<\/p>\n
Getting to know your reader, and then producing work aimed specifically at that reader, is an absolute must. Here are some tips for doing just that:<\/p>\n
Create a reader profile:<\/b> Just like it can be helpful to create a character profile, a reader profile can help make decision making and style choices clear. Spend time writing up a description of your ideal reader. Include this person\u2019s name, gender, interests, career choices, and anything else that might inform how they spend their time.<\/p>\n
BONUS: If you have this information about your reader, it will not only help with improving your craft, it can be used for targeting your marketing efforts.<\/p>\n
Hang out where they hang out:<\/b> Facebook groups, live events, retail stores\u2026 wherever your ideal reader would spend time, you should spend time there as well. Start looking at the world through their eyes, seeing things the way they see them. Learn to speak the language of their everyday lives, so that you can incorporate some of that in your work.<\/p>\n
Join their groups:<\/b> Become an active member of the things your readers are a part of. Spend time volunteering for their charities, chatting in their forums, geeking out over their passions. It\u2019s important to remember that as you participate in these things, it\u2019s not about promoting your books. You\u2019re spending time getting to know your reader by focusing on the things they focus on. You\u2019ll eventually have relationships with these people that can open opportunities to mention that you\u2019re a writer and that you have books for sale. But that\u2019s a bonus that comes after a lot of time and work. Aim to build trust first, and to sell second.<\/p>\nPractice Your Writing Craft<\/h2>\n
The key to improving your craft is to put the things you learn into a regular practice. I recommend doing something daily\u2014and it\u2019s not as difficult as you might think.<\/p>\n
We all have busy lives. That\u2019s going to make things challenging, no matter what. A lot of writers dream about the days when they\u2019re able to spend all their time writing, with no other distractions.<\/p>\n
They dream because that\u2019s all it is.<\/p>\n
No writer, anywhere, ever, has a life devoid of distractions. Day jobs, kids, family commitments, community commitments, health issues, even other passions and pursuits can all derail your writing. The life in which you can spend eight hours a day working on your book is rare.<\/p>\n
It might not even be desirable. Hear me out.<\/p>\n
When I first started publishing, I was working as a copywriter, full time. I\u2019d tinkered together stories and books for years, but always in the cracks between work and home life. Still, it was something that was important to me, so I made time for it. I may only have had an hour or two a week, but I spent them writing. And eventually, they paid off.<\/p>\n
Later, when I started seeing some success from my work, I was able to leave day jobs and other obligations behind, and focus exclusively on writing books. All day, every day.<\/p>\n
The result?<\/p>\n
I wrote less<\/i>, not more.<\/i><\/p>\n
I found that, somehow, despite having a full day open to me, I ended up doing anything but<\/i> writing. Given the chance to do nothing but this work I loved, I found that I had to do something else<\/i> just to get myself inspired. The something else usually took over\u2014paint the house, put in a new floor, get the car washed, organize the garage, build a new desk for the office. These are all good tasks. But I would do them instead of writing.<\/p>\n
What I found was that I needed limits<\/i>. I needed deadlines<\/i>. I needed to have windows of writing time, with a clear beginning and end. And with those, I became more efficient. If I knew I only had two hours a day to write, I spent those two hours writing, not letting anything else distract me.<\/p>\n
Once I embraced that limitation, the work too on a new hue. It became easier. It became something I was fighting for.<\/p>\n
Limitations<\/b> can help make your writing career work.<\/p>\n
The other key to developing a strong writing practice was consistent effort<\/b>.<\/p>\n
On the whole, I usually recommend a daily writing routine. Write X number of words per day or Y number of pages. Whatever your metric, apply it every single day.<\/p>\n
But sometimes \u201cdaily\u201d isn\u2019t possible. You might have a slice of time each week. Or each month. And those times are the<\/i> times. That\u2019s understandable. It\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the reality: Success only comes with consistent effort.<\/b><\/p>\n
So here\u2019s what I recommend:<\/p>\n
\n- Choose a time to write and make it sacred. Daily, weekly, monthly, doesn\u2019t matter. Choose a time, put it on your calendar, tell friends and family you are officially unavailable, and then do it. When life gets in the way, adjust that time to somewhen else. But become consistent. Also, I do recommend daily, even if all you can squeeze out of each day is half an hour. Commit to daily effort, and you\u2019ll see rapid progress.<\/li>\n
- Measure your work. Choose a target. A daily word count is good, and pretty standard. As is a daily page count. And the amount<\/i> doesn\u2019t matter as much as the consistency. So if you can do 100 words per day or 5,000 words per day, good. Just commit to doing that every day (or week or month) without backing off of it.<\/li>\n
- Learn something new every day\/week\/month\/year. Study craft and apply what you learn. It won\u2019t always work. Sometimes advice seems good, but doesn\u2019t click, or doesn\u2019t have the impact you\u2019d like. But just like committing to a writing goal, committing to a learning goal will help improve your writing craft.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Becoming a better writer really comes down to spending the time and energy to doing the work and learning how to do the work better. There\u2019s no secret sauce here, no magic spell, and no scientific formula. Getting better is a function of commitment and effort.<\/p>\n
Read\u2014a lot. Read good books and read bad books. Then try to figure out what makes them good or bad.<\/p>\n
Get into reading groups to discuss the books you read.<\/p>\n
Spend time talking to other authors\u2014especially authors who are better at this stuff than you are. I recommend attending writer\u2019s conferences, in person or virtually, to start finding authors you can follow.<\/p>\n
Improving your craft will happen as you put in more effort. Putting in the right effort will improve things even faster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We don\u2019t talk much about craft. When we are so focused on the business of publishing, your writing craft and the techniques you develop to become a successful author can get lost in the conversation. It\u2019s not that craft isn\u2019t important. Knowing your craft, as an author, is one of the three most important parts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[469],"tags":[164,163,199,272,275,161,162,273,274,277,278,276,165],"table_tags":[],"class_list":["post-483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-author-how","tag-character","tag-characterization","tag-dialogue","tag-discipline","tag-pacing","tag-plot","tag-plotting","tag-point-of-view","tag-pov","tag-readability","tag-target-audience","tag-voice","tag-writing-craft"],"yoast_head":"\n
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