All Write - Fiction Advice

Having a great story idea is one thing, but no story is complete without a plot twist or two to give it that extra gravitas and intrigue. But what exactly is a plot twist?   And what do they achieve? A plot twist is basically an unexpected direction that the narrative takes.   They are designed to keep the reader guessing, to maintain a level of interest and atmosphere, and to move the story in a new direction – in other words it helps maintain the momentum of the story and helps to move it forward.     Plot twists are also useful for wrong footing the reader by making them think something might happen in a certain way, when in fact the complete opposite takes place and thus it surprises them.   The idea is to make the reader comfortable with the story, and then change direction.   This ploy keeps them turning the page.    Some writers foreshadow these plot twists, through subtle hints and symbolism, so the reader may become awar...

Every writer meets a stumbling block where writing is concerned, no matter how experienced.   Some are easy to overcome, while others are more persistent and tricky to deal with.   So what is a stumbling block, what does it mean? Firstly, it’s not to be confused with outright writer’s block – the inability to write.   Stumbling blocks happen during writing, where the writer realises that things are not going to plan, or they don’t ‘feel’ the story and therefore believe they’re disconnected from it.   The story seems to come to a halt. There are multiple reasons for this.   It might mean the plot has fallen through, the characters are not working, the story isn’t moving in any direction or doesn’t feel right, or the writer simply cannot make it work, no matter how hard he or she tries.   Sometimes stories simply do not work.   Or perhaps the writer is attempting something that is out of their comfort zone, something they’re not used t...

Why do we write?   We write because we have a tale to tell, a story to entertain people or we have something to say.   And because writing is a form of expression, a manifestation of creativity, mankind has used this medium to communicate for thousands of years.   But the fundamental reason storytelling has been that way is because of our need to understand the world around us. Writing isn’t just about writing a blockbusting story.   It’s about the need to make sense of things; it’s about understanding the human condition .   After all, why do people do the things they do?   What makes ordinary people become extraordinary?   What drives them to act the way they do?   What is it that makes us different to the next person?   What makes them who they are? We have always tried to make sense of things by weaving stories around what knowledge we have of the world.   This was common in antiquity, it’s how ancient myths developed. ...

The character’s personal story is a fundamental part of writing, and yet is often overlooked.   Their journey is as important as plot, dialogue or characterisation.   And it’s not the beginning or the end of the story that counts in this case, but rather what happens during the story. Every main character goes on a journey, whether it is an emotional, spiritual, physical, moral or a mental one.   He or she will be a different character by the end of the story; they will have changed somehow because of what they have experienced or what they have done during that time.   You character must always evolve . In real life, certain experiences change us – we may change how we think or act, our personalities might change, it may be that some incidents never leave us and have a profound impact on our lives – whether those are good, bad or indifferent.   Life constantly changes and shapes us. The same is true of your characters.   Their lives inevit...

Two of the most difficult things to get right for a novel are the beginning and the ending. The right beginning is important, which should jump in at a significant moment or start with action, but the ending – something that seems far off when we’re writing the story – is just as important.   An ending has to accomplish several things: it has to complete the story, it must offer resolution, it should tie up all loose ends and, finally, it should provide an ending that is logical and satisfactory. It’s worth noting that not all stories need to end in one explosive, violent event - and there is nothing wrong with that – because many novels don’t.   Some novels – literary ones in particular – have more of a gentle ‘ unveiling ’ at the end, whether that’s the unravelling life-journey of a character, or the answer to a particular plot twist or a simple revelation etc – as long as the story is resolved . And, of course, not all stories have happy endings.   Bu...

Fictional writing doesn’t have hard and fast rules, other than the use of grammar, but it does require an understanding of the fundamental principles of fiction writing.   Writers can choose to follow those principles and become better writers, or they can ignore them at their own peril and languish on the slush pile. Basic narrative structure is one of those principles that writers should follow and it takes part in three defined sections – beginning, middle and the end (resolution).   It’s how these are stitched together to make a story, and the order of the events that happen in the story. The beginning of a novel is the setup, where main characters are introduced and the basic premise of the plot and theme is revealed – the main problem or obstacle(s) that the main character has to overcome.   This where the writer sets the scene and hints at what might come. The middle contains the substance of the story – characters come into conflict, the main characte...

Every character needs a goal. In real life, we spend our lives striving towards goals – some achievable, some not so, but most of the goals we set ourselves are attainable, whether that’s saving to buy a new car, planning a dream house, getting married, saving for the future, planning a dream holiday or a family...or perhaps learning a new language, or gaining a degree.   They are all goals. Just as in real life, your characters also need affirming goals.   And once they have those goals, it’s then down to how you get your character to reach them that actually makes the narrative captivating. But what exactly are goals? Your character needs objectives in order to proceed to the story’s denouement, the climax, because without these objectives there will be no obstacles, and without obstacles there will be no conflict or tension, and without conflict or tension you don’t really have a story. This is shown in the following simple method: Character Goal/objec...