Time to Write

How to write novels even if you have no ideas!

I just got an email offering to sell me an app that takes all the work out of writing romance novels. It’s the “Kindle Romance Idea Generator.”

Yes, I’m serious. The sales page tells me “Writing a Romance Novel Can Mean a Lot of Cash!” It helpfully points out that “Ideas are the lifeblood of any good book,” but the problem is “ideas are hard to come by.”

This app “Generates Endless Heroine’s (sic) for Romance Books.” Hey, what’s an apostrophe between friends?

With one press of a button, you get a full description of a heroine for your romance novel. The sample profile gives such useful information as, “she can not stand the smell of mustard,” and “her favorite hobbies include crafts and pinochle.”

For a small extra fee you also get a profile of the hero and his characteristics.  The sample description includes the fact that"his eyes are chocolate and his hair is light ash brown and his favorite hobbies include pinochle and bmx.”

Who knew that pinochle was so popular these days? Maybe if it’s a saucy romance novel they can play strip pinochle.

 The upgraded app also gives you a clue as to what keeps the hero and heroine apart. One example is that the heroine went to a trendy night club and had a one-night stand with a man she met on the dance floor. She didn’t expect to meet him again, but it turns out he’s the loan officer handling the refinancing of her home. I don’t see how that would keep them apart. In fact, probably it would get her a lower interest rate. 

If I were writing this novel, I’d make him the owner of a mustard factory. She loves him but she can’t stand the smell of mustard and breaks up with him. He opens a ketchup factory to try to win her back but loses everything due to a world-wide ketchup glut. I’d pitch it as a modern-day Romeo and Juliet…two lovers torn apart by condiments.

 See, this thing works!

 (Or you could buy my book, “Your Writing Coach,” but it assumes you have some ideas of your own.)

 

Do you have to be possessed to be a writer?

Can guidelines for young artists apply to young (and not so young) writers as well? A recent post features a short video about artist John Baldessari, narrated by Tom Waits. It end with three things Baldessari thinks young artists should know. Let’s look at how the second applies to writers:

"You have to be possessed, which you can’t will"

I think this is what some writers mean when they say they have to write, that if a day goes by on which they don’t write, they feel uncomfortable.

I’m sure that’s true for some writers, but I also believe there are different levels of this kind of possession. I don’t write every day, although I guess I think about it, either in terms of a current project or a new idea, just about every day.

Maybe I have “Possession Lite.”

Perhaps if I had a higher grade of possession I’d be better known or be a better writer, but it’s been enough to allow me to be a professional writer for a long time, and I’m happy with that. So if you don’t have that total drive, don’t think that means you’re not a writer, but you have to have at least some of it.

I also think while you can’t will it, you can create the conditions that make it more likely that you’ll have it. Sometimes you have to go through a period of uncertainty before the possession comes on. Maybe it’s better not to worry about it. Just get on with writing something. 

(How did the great writers of all time--Conrad, Austen, Twain, Kafka--do it? They reveal many of their secrets in my new book, Your Creative Writing Masterclass, published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

Why so many writers with talent fail

Can guidelines for young artists apply to young (and not so young) writers as well? The previous post features a short video about artist John Baldessari, narrated by Tom Waits. It end with three things Baldessari thinks young artists should know. Let’s look at how the first of these applies to writers:

"Talent is cheap"

Yep. If you’re creative and have lots of ideas, congratulations, you’ve taken the first step. But it’s only the first step. 

I’ve known lots of writers with talent but no discipline.

They talk entertainingly about what they are going to write someday.

When they hear about a new book or film sometimes they tell you, truthfully, that they had that idea, too.

Most likely they have part of a novel or screenplay in a drawer. If they show it to you, you will be impressed by their talent.

Often they affect the current version of a bohemian style. Black predominates in their wardrobe.

The only thing missing is action. Writing the book or the screenplay. Or at least finishing it—there’s always a bit of work left to do on it before they send it out.

It can be a pleasant lifestyle—some of the perks of being a writer but none of the stress and risk, plus you don't have to wash black clothes so often. No impact, though, and not much creative satisfaction.

People sometimes ask me what the definition is of a writer—that is, do you have to be published to call yourself a writer? I don’t think so. A writer is somebody who writes….and finishes what they write. And then starts on the next thing. 

(Why not listen to the writing advice of writers who had both talent and discipline--people like Dickens, Twain and Austen? You'll find it in my newest book, Your Creative Writing Masterclass, published by Nicholas Brealey and available now from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

52 Tips for Writing Success - 8: Don't fear research

If you are writing something that requires a lot of research, don't let that put you off. Here are some common misconceptions:

1: You have to know everything about your topic. 

Actually you just have to know the basics and then some specialized details. Details are what makes a scene, a book, a movie come alive.

2: You have to go there.

Sure, it's great to go to the locations you plan to use in your projects, but it's not absolutely necessary. These days you can find a wealth of information on just about any location in the world, on the internet. Check Flicker for photos, search for blogs about that location, etc. Also check to see whether there are relevant documentaries you can watch. 

3: It's hard to get help

Actually, experts (such as professors, doctors, lawyers, etc.) usually are flattered to be asked for their help. Ask them specific questions. Ask if they are willing to read one chapter or section--not too much, they're busy people. But if they say yes, send themthe whole manuscript or script, they may read it all. 

4: You have to do all the research before you start.

In fact you can do some general research and then dig up the rest as you encounter things you need to know.

Don't let the need for research stand in the way of telling the story you want to tell!

(For friendliy guidance in writing your book or script, get a copy of Your Writing Coach, published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other booksellers--the new edition is now available!)

If you want the reader to identify with your character, do this

In the previous post I referred to research done at Ohio State University on how and why readers identify with characters in fiction. Another finding of that research was that if the character is different in some major way from the reader, not surprisingly the reader identified less with the character if that difference was revealed early on vs. being revealed after the story covered several aspects where the reader and the character were similar.  

For the fiction author there is a practical implication--if you want your reader to identify with your protagonist, first emphasize the elements with which the reader probably can identify, then reveal the ones that are less likely to apply.

Of course this doesn't apply across the board--otherwise Kafka would have been wise to let us identify with Gregor before he turns into a bug. 

(Kafka is one of the great writers quoted in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available now form Amazon and other booksellers. Why not learn from great writers like Kafka, Dickens, Fitzgerald, Hemingway and 100 more?)

If you are what your read...what about what you write?

A team of researchers at Ohio State University have found that readers of literature "begin spontaneiously assuming the thoughts, behaviours, goals and traits of fictional characters as if they are their own." This is especially true of reading material written in the first person. 

Let's look at the specifics. One group of university students read a short story about a person who attended the same university as the group voting despite a number of obstacles. Another group read a similar short story but about someone not at their university. The accounts also varied as to whether they were written in the first person or the third person.

There was an election at the participants' university not long after this. The group who read the first person account of a character who attended their university had a much higher turnout on election day than the others (65% vs. 29%).

I wonder how this applies to writers who immerse themselves in a character as they write a novel or a screenplay. Are there "method" writers who feel the influence of their characters even when they're not writing?

I once was asked whether I wanted to write a screenplay based on the story of a woman who had been held captive and tortured. I turned it down because I didn't want to spend a lot of time immersed in that world--the job would have involved lengthy interviews with the victim who herself had a criminal past, and a number of her associates. 

Actually, the producer could tell this wasn't my cup of tea and wouldn't have hired me anyway, he told me after I'd said no. I think his statement was, "These people would eat you alive." 

It's not that I can't or don't want to write parts for villains; in fact it's a pleasure because they do tend to be the juiciest characters. However, they've been just one part of the story and I've always been more interested in how they are similar to the "hero" rather than how they are different. 

I've also had the opposite effect--that is, I've really enjoyedj spending time with characters I liked and was sad when I finished the screenplay.

Anyway, it's something to watch out for when you immerse yourself in a story. There may be times when you need to consciously leave the characters behind when you get up from your writing desk.

(How did the great writers like Dickens, Austen, Chekvhov, Hemingway and others approach creating vivid characters? You'll find their advice on this in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nichoals Brealey and available now from Amazon and other booksellers.)

Stuck on the story of your novel or screenplay? Play possible futures.

If you have the start of a story but things have ground to a halt and you're not sure where to take your protagonist next, try playing a game I call Possible Futures. 

Think of three very different paths your protagonist might take. Project each one forward one or two big steps.

For instance, let's see I've set up a story opening in which Ian, my protagonist, is a widower nearing retirement age. He hasn't managed to save much money and his pension plan just collapsed. I have a sympathetic character and a situation to which (unfortunately) a lot of people can relate. But where to go with the story?

Scenario One: When he's approached by a younger friend who says there's a way Ian could earn $50,000 for one week of work, Ian knows it  has to be something fishy. But he needs the money and decides it would be foolish not to at least hear what it's all about.

Scenario Two: Looking for an inexpensive way to have an evening out leads him to a senior citizens' social club where he turns out to be one of the very few men among a lot of widows. One quickly falls for him. She's rich and nice and would love to marry him. It would mean a comfortable retirement. He likes her but he doesn't really love her…does that still matter?

Scenario Three: Desperate for money, Ian signs up to be a subject of medical trials. When one of them goes terribly wrong due to negligence by the pharmaceuticals company, he has only one year to live. They offer him ten million dollars to shut up. He can have a dream life and money to leave to the grandchildren of his struggling son and daughter in law,  but it will mean being complicit in the coverup of the company's practices which may go on to hurt others.  

You can use the same strategy further along in the story. Let's say that you decided that Ian should go ahead and marry the widow--after all he does like her and has no intention of cheating her; he will be a good companion. But then…then we can think of three more options for what happens next:

1. She dies and he realises the rich thing was all an act. She had nothing but debts for which he is now responsible.

2. He meets another woman, and this time it IS love. But now he's spoken for…

3. He does marry her but the more he begins to actually love her the more suspicious she gets that he was after her money.

If you pay attention you'll get the sense that one of the options you generate is more right for you or your understanding of the character than the others. 

(There are some writers who have tips for you on how to create great characters and plots. Who are they? Well, they include Dostoyevsky, Dumas, and Dickens. Also Calvino, Carver, and Cather. Their advice and how to apply it to your project are in my newest book, Your Creative Writing Masterclass. It's published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

 

The Before and After quick method for plotting

Trying to get the basics of your story worked out? In a previous post I mentioned that for detective stories it can be useful to work backward from the murder or other crime.

Another approach that works for stories in general is to take one major dramatic moment that you know you want to have in the story and work both forward and backward from it.

If you have several scenes or moments like that in mind, they can become the cornerstones of your story.

Usually these are scenes of major conflict. Those happen when things have built up, so when you work backward you can think about what are the elements that led to the confrontation.

Such conflict always has consequences, too, and those will determine the scenes that come afterward.

The first outline you generate using this method may be too linear and predictable but they will be the raw materials for a more sophisticated version. You can decide which of these scenes to show, which just to suggest and which to hide from the audience or reader. Sometimes it also makes sense to mix up the time frame; for instance, you can start with a dramatic moment and then go back and show what led up to it.

However, before you can play around with the order, it really helps to have the events in mind in chronological order and that’s where the “before and after” method is a big help.

 (for advince on plotting from some of the world's greatest writers, including Mark Twain, Anton Chekhov and many more, see my lastest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass." It's published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

One way to plot a traditional mystery or detective novel

Want to write a detective novel but having problems with the plot? One method is to work backward.

Start with the murder. Who was the victim?

When you have worked out his or her story, including behaviour or personality traits or issues that could cause a lot of conflicts, you’ll also be able to come up with a group of people who all could have done it and their possible motives. 

These motives will suggest story strands. For instance, let's say the victim was having an affair. That means his wife and maybe the women (or man) he was having the affair with could both be suspects (especially if he had tried to end the affair).

That means in story terms you will have to think about how he met the person with whom he had the affair, how often they got together, where, what excuses he used to his wife for not being home, etc. You will not reveal all of this information, it will be raw material. 

For instance maybe your detective finds out the victim owed money to someone--another motive. In the course of investigating that lead he finds out that the victim used to go to a casino and the detective thinks that means the victim had a gambling problem.

Nobody at the casino recognizes the picture of the victim. One gambler, however, stays at the hotel next door and says, "I’ve seen him at the hotel several times."

That leads the detective to realize that the victim was meeting someone at the hotel.

When you have worked out a good story for each suspect you'll have plenty of raw material and then with half your brain you have to step back and pretend you are the detective and don't know any of this, and with the other half of your brain you remember it all and figure out how the detective can find out some of it and how one thing can lead to another. 

The important thing in this genre is to keep coming up with surprises. As I said, maybe the affair was with another man, or it was with a prostitute but he never slept with her, he just talked--and what he talked about leads to another secret he had.

When I read this kind of fiction the thing that interests me more than the mechanics of the plot is the personality of the detective or other protagonist. If he or she is interesting I’ll forgive some plot lapses. A good example: the Nero Wolfe novels by Rex Stout. Nero and his sidekick Archie are what makes the books fun to read. If you want your detective novel to stand out, I think coming up with a distinctive protagonist is the key.

 (Get advice on plotting, creating characters, developing your style and much more, from the great writers of the past and present, including Twain, Dickens, Austen, Amis, Vonnegut and many more. It's all in my new book, 'Your Creative Writing Masterclass,' published by Nicholas Brealey and available now from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

 

52 Tips to Writing Success - 7: Focus your efforts

I had a question recently, whether I knew from the start what kind of writing I wanted to do. The answer is no. I started out wanting to do all kinds of writing and did sample scripts of various kinds but I wasn't getting anywhere very fast. 

Finally a friendsaid: "You're putting 20% of your energy and attention into five different kinds of projects and 20% isn't enough to break in. Put 100% into one kind until you have broken in, then you can always spread out later."

I took that advice and focused on sitcoms first. Once I'd established a bit of a track record in sitcoms I was able to also write TV movies and a mini-series and a feature film.

I still suffer from the desire to to it all, but periodically I have to remind myself, "You can do it all...but not all at the same time."

ACTION: If you are spreading yourself too thin, consider my friend's advice about that 20%.