Creating A Successful Book

Tell Me A Story


What makes a successful book? If publishers knew the answer to that, they would turn out a never-ending string of best-sellers. They don't of course, so there is no real answer, but we do know some of the things that should be in place.

• The plot must have structure and proportion. The story must be in equilibrium. Stories that are in balance are beautiful, when they aren’t, they start to feel ugly.
• A story should never turn into a diatribe of desolation and emotional distress. Readers soon get tired of things like that, they become worn out.
• Readers should associate with characters. You make this connection possible by ensuring events COULD happen in that type of situation.
• The pace of the story should vary. Some scenes should be calmer than others.
• After a chapter containing an important incident, give readers chance to recuperate by writing a more leisurely scene.... Not a dull scene of course, but one with fewer disparities, fewer ups and downs.
• Make your plot congruent with life but LARGER than life.

Give your readers interesting and believable variation and if you're lucky, they’ll give you time.

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The Essence of Action, Plot, and Change

Tell Me a Story

I've been asked several times about action and plot. There seems to be some confusion regarding action. 

Janet W. was adamant that there would be NO action in her romantic novel. HER romance was going to be of the old-school, all hearts and roses. I had to disagree.

It is ESSENTIAL for every story to have action; be it romance, mystery, thriller or short story there must be action. Don't throw your arms up, action doesn't necessarily mean the 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' type that modern blockbuster films seem to favour.

Action

• Action does not imply that protagonists should always be on the go.
• Action does not mean constantly shifting the setting for your story.
• Action emerges out of conflict between characters and/ or circumstance.
• Action comes about through contradictory beliefs and qualities that gradually emerge and become apparent.
• Action means an escalation of circumstances.
• Action drives the story onward. A story is always about change; without change, there is no story.

 

Change, should be especially true for central characters, by the end of a story central characters should have grown in some way …. be it better or worse, they should have developed. This is action.

 So if action and change are what drive the story forward, what does the plot do?

Plot

• Plot is the arrangement of actions.
• Plot is the progression of fascinating happenings that cause change.
• Plots MUST be sensible and valid. Twists of fate and acts of God are not allowed in modern writing!

Hope this clears things up a little.

A Plot is a Plot is a Plot.....

Tell Me A Story - plot

You’re writing your first novel and you're full of anticipation. Your plot sets off with a super concept, which of course is your main conflict - it is isn't it? So, what do you tackle next?

Getting the plot right

1. Now you must bring about, in the most unaffected way you can, one intriguing setback after another. There must be nothing contrived about the plot. Flukes, misunderstandings, and Acts Of God are NOT allowed in modern writing. 
2. The challenges in the plot should come in a progression of highs and lows, one sub plot crisscrossing with another.
3. The most astonishing point of the main plot should not be reached until just before the end of your novel.
4. Before you reach this ‘astonishing’ point, all sub plots should be resolved. This supreme climax of drama should come about only from the original main conflict.
5. Combined with, and part of, this ‘astonishing’ point, should be the bleakest moment of the whole story.
6. At the ‘astonishing’ point, the central characters must appear to be up against an impenetrable barrier, but make sure you don't make this predicament so tortuous there is no way out. Each time you come up with a situation, scrutinize it. Work out how it affects the characters, and the previous and following parts of the plot.
7. Your reader must be convinced there is no way to resolve the predicament – until suddenly, the plot is disentangled, and the story is over.
8. Do it quickly. Tie up all loose ends, leave no threads hanging.

So you’ve written the end. The novel is finally closed.
Your reader MUST now be satisfied the characters have overcome all problems.

Readers should feel that your novel was about convincing people, facing plausible problems, who found realistic solutions... If they don't, you're in trouble!

Finding A Story Plot

Tell Me a Story - About Plots


AJ, can you tell me the secret of unearthing a decent plot. I've been striving to find one but am getting nowhere?

Hello Amy. Thank you for the message. If you're astonishingly blessed, a plot might come to you fully fashioned – but don’t hold your breath. This seldom happens – all right, we've all heard that Stephenie Meyer claims to have done it, but don't count on it happening for you.... Don’t lose hope though, there are other ways. Try these appetizers.

• Look to advice columns in magazines; they can be a source of ideas for stories.
• Check the blurb on the jackets of books in your category and fashion them into your own. Don’t steal a complete plot though; just use the blurb to kick-start your own. Plagiarism is very frowned upon.
• Read the Personal Columns in newspapers. They can be a fertile supply of plots and ideas.
• Check the Obituaries column. As morbid as it seems, there might just be something in there that triggers your imagination.
• Think of ‘maturing’ a bedtime story - the plot can perhaps be brought bang up to date.
• Fables, folklore, and fairy tales, also offer a rich fund of plots that can be adapted.
• Take an already published story, reorganise the plot, make male characters female, play a what-if game with it, and maybe you’ll start ideas rolling.

One thing further, don’t expect to find a unique plot. There’s little likelihood of finding one after all these years. Just settle for a damn good, well-written story.

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Romantic Suspense

Writing Tips - Summary of the Plot

Tell Me a Story - writing advice

Are you going off the rails, are you lost about what your plot should be doing? Look no further. Check out these simple rules and make sure your story follows them.

A plot should always contain:-

1. Action
2. Emotion
3. Balance
4. Tension
5. Momentum

Don't forget that your plot HAS to be plausible, yet larger than life

• Maintain a notebook of ideas and keep it at hand; it will help you plan your story
• If you get stuck, try rearranging other writer’s ideas
• At a basic level, your plot is simply an elaboration of the theme (see earlier post)
• Don’t ignore rules of cause and effect. Your plot must always be rational, don't let things happen without good reason.
• A plot should be based on what you know and are familiar with. If you don’t know, find out - do your research.
• Study other books to find how different authors conduct their plots - don't plagiarize - learn.
• Remember that there is no such thing as a new plot. Become skilled at dealing with old plots in fresh ways.

Follow these simple lines and you'll soon be on the right track

• Next post on Tell Me a Story

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Writing Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets

All About Write - 10 Top Writing Tips

Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know

Rounding the Plot

Tell Me a Story - writing tip

Okay, so this is your first story and you're full of excitement. Your novel sets off with a cracking idea, which is of course your main conflict - it is isn't it? So, what to do next?

Now you must engineer, in the most natural way you can, one fascinating problem after another. There must be nothing contrived about them, no coincidences, misunderstandings, or Acts Of God. The problems should come in a sequence of highs and lows, one sub-plot interweaving with another.
The most extraordinary point of your plot should not be reached until immediately before the end of your novel.

At this point, all subplots should be well out of the way. This ultimate peak of drama should come about only from the main conflict.

Coupled with, and part of, this extraordinary point, should be the darkest moment of the story.
The central characters must seem to be up against a wall, but make sure you don't make this absolute dilemma so Byzantine there is no way out. Each time you dream up a situation, scrutinize it. Work out how it affects the protagonists, and the previous and following parts of the plot.
Your reader must be persuaded there is no way to resolve the dilemma – until suddenly, wham, bang, all is unravelled and the story is over. Do it quickly. Tie up all loose ends, leave no threads hanging.

So it's the end. It’s all over and the book is finally closed. Your reader MUST now be absolutely satisfied the protagonists have conquered every problem.
Readers should feel that your novel was about credible people facing tolerable difficulties who found rational solutions. If they don't, you're in trouble!

• Next post on Tell Me a Story

Form and Proportion

Tell Me a Story - writing tips

All plots must have form and proportion. The story must have balance. Stories that are in balance are beautiful, get it wrong and things start to look ugly.

1. A plot should never be a tirade of devastation and emotional distress. Readers soon get fed up of things like that, they feel worn out.
2. Readers need to equate with characters. You make this rapport possible by making sure the events COULD happen in that type of situation.
3. The pace of the plot should vary. Some scenes must be more tranquil than others.
4. After a chapter dealing with an important incident, give your readers time to recover by composing a slower paced scene .... not a dull scene of course, but one with fewer contrasts, fewer ups and downs.
5. Make your plot compatible with life but LARGER than life.

Give your readers interesting and believable variation and if you're lucky, they’ll give you time.

Next post on Tell Me a Story.

Story Dialogue - 12 Cool Secrets For Story Dialogue
Lens Coating - What Everybody Ought To Know
All About Write - 10 Top Writing Tips

Creating Tension

Tell Me a Story - writing tip

AJ, how did you create tension in your novel? I couldn't stop reading PAST SINS. I simply HAD to find out what happened next. How can I create something similar, my stories always seem to fall flat?

That's very kind of you, Mary. Thank you. I've compiled a short list for creating tension, that is at least a starting point.

1. The goals of the main protagonists should be at odds.
2. Each of the main characters must be struggling to reach their individual aims, independent of, and at the expense of the other.
3. The route your protagonists take in achieving their aims becomes the source of action. You should make a meal of it; take full advantage.
4. The plot should have an emotive aspect. It should always be dynamic.
5. Strong feeling shouldn’t merely be related in characters; show by reactions, don't tell.
6. It’s the emotion that you invoke in your readers that counts.
7. It’s essential you understand the feelings you wish to stir in your reader before you write. You must write with that emotion in mind at all times.
8. The theme of the story should be one about which you care deeply.
9. You must be affected by your characters, be caught up with what happens to them.
10. Unless you believe in your characters and equate with their struggle, you may as well dump the whole idea. Your work won’t have the oomph that tempts people to turn pages.

Coupled with the above, a time constraint can also help in creating tension. Having to acomplish something before some consequence affects the characters is always a nail-biter. Hope this helps a little.

Next post on Tell Me a Story.

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Finding That Plot

Tell Me a Story - writing tips


AJ, can you PLEASE let me in on the secret of finding decent plots. I've been struggling and am getting nowhere?

Hi Jean. Thanks for the email. If you're unbelievably lucky, a plot will appear to you fully formed. This rarely takes place - okay Stephenie Meyer might have done it, but don't count on it.... Don’t despair though, there are other sources. Try these as starters.

• Refer to the ‘Agony Aunt’ columns in magazines; you'll find they'll fill you with ideas for stories.
• Go to your library and read the blurb from some books in your genre and work them into your own. Don’t pinch a complete plot from a published book though; use them as launch-pad for your own. Plagiarism is frowned upon.
• Checkout the Personal Column in newspapers. They can be a rich source of plots and ideas.
• Read the Obituaries, as macabre as it seems, there might just be something lying around in there that triggers you off.
• When you’re reading a bedtime story to the kids think about ‘maturing’ the plot, can it be brought up to date?
• Fairy tales, myths, and legends offer a good supply of plots that can be adapted.
• Take a published story, rearrange the plot, make male protagonists female and you’ll start the ball rolling in your head.

One more thing. Don’t wait to find an ultra unique plot. There’s not much chance of finding one after all these years. Just settle for a damn good, well-written story.

• Next post Tell Me a Story

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The Plot Thickens

Tell Me a Story - writing tip

I'm on various forums, and people keep asking me the same old questions. For some reason there seems to be a problem with PLOT and what it should contain to be successful. I thought it might clarify a few points if wrote a short article about it on RedGage.

• Next post on Tell Me a Story.

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