All Write - Fiction Advice

This is a phrase often used by writers to explain elements of a story, but many don’t understand what it actually means, or indeed what a story arc is. Whenever you hear reference to the story arc, or a narrative arc, as it is sometimes known, it is usually referring to the continuing narrative path; the logical construction of the story from the very beginning and right to the end. The best way to picture the arc is to imagine a line graph. Every narrative arc incorporates the start of the story, the major events and incidents that happen, and it follows through the rising action and conflicts, all the way to the end of the story. The “arc” reference is more of figurative thing - a starting point, which rises, then reaches a pinnacle; a conclusion, and then forms a descent towards a resolution, so in effect, it takes the shape of a curve (the symbolic arc). But the important thing to remember about the story arc is that it in truth; it’s a representation of the chronological ...

It’s an element that all writers need, but they are not always good at showing the reader. The problem with emotion is that sometimes, it’s just difficult and awkward to get right. The aim for any writer is to move the reader, so that they read a particularly moving scene and feel the emotion behind it and they may feel a tug at the heart, or even feel like crying. Perhaps they read a terrifying scene and it affects them with fear or apprehension. Or there might be a heart-warming, happy scene that simply makes the reader smile. Getting the reader to react to what the main character is feeling is no mean feat. The most common problem with trying to convey emotion occurs when writers sometimes make the mistake of telling the reader the emotion they should feel, for example ‘John was sad’ or ‘John was angry.’ While this may seem logical to write, it doesn’t convey any feeling; it doesn’t mean anything to the reader. For emotion to work, the reader has to feel it or be affe...

Many writers may not be aware that there are choices when it comes to how they approach their stories, and not many writers stop to think what kind of story they’re telling. There are, however, two types of story that are often referred to: Plot-driven and Character-driven, and they each serve the story differently. Most commercial fiction is plot-driven. In other words, the plot and the unfolding events linked to it drive the story forward. The characters revolve around that plot, rather than a secondary plot revolving around the characters. In character-driven stories, the opposite is true. The unfolding story revolves entirely around the characters and the plot takes a back seat in terms of importance. But which one should you use? That depends entirely what you want from your story and the genre you choose. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, so it’s important to not only choose the right one for your story, but to know it’s the right one and that it will f...

Part 1 looked at some of the reasons that might motivate our characters, things like backstory and emotional responses like revenge, resentment or love etc. But it’s not all down to those common emotional catalysts. There are other factors that help create motivation for your characters, for instance: Basic Need This isn’t an emotion, but rather a human requirement, but it’s still a driving force for motivation. It’s the need to do something, to find something or to achieve something. It could be a need to get to the bottom of something, the need to find ourselves, the need to feel happy, the need to settle down and have a family...all these needs are motivation markers that are inherent in all characters. It’s the simple things that writers miss, and basic needs are often overlooked. Past Incidents & Events The things that happen in our lives can have a positive or negative affect on us. Some incidents can scar us not just physically, but psychologically. They ...

Motivation is such an important element to fiction writing. Without it, there would be no story to tell. That’s how vital it is. Everything we do in life has a reason behind it, even the mundane things. This is basic human nature.   And sometimes, if we don’t do something, there may well be consequences. The thing about motivation is that is it controlled by behaviour – so psychology plays an important part. Characters, like real people, behave according to the things that go on around them and to them. Writing is all about the need to know why.   Why do people do what they do? What makes them react in a certain way? What lies beneath? It’s basic psychology; the need to not just know, but to understand the root of human behaviour. Every one of us has a backstory.   So do your characters.   Our backstories tell people who we are, where we’re from, who our parents are, what we do in life, our hopes and dreams and fears, and who we share that life with. We ...

Part 1 looked at the importance of effective scenes and how they work to enhance elements such as characterisation, plot, moving the story forward and imparting important information to the reader. But with all those elements in place, how do you start a new scene that seems natural and not forced? How can it appear to be a cohesive part of the story without it stuttering? There are many ways to begin scenes, and they will largely depend on what has happened in the previous scenes – remember that the story flow must be chronological , so proceeding scenes will follow in a logical way. Begin With Simple Exposition Writers sometimes start their scenes with a few narrative lines to get the reader into the next part of the story without A) too much info-dumping or B) jolting the reader, for example:- He slept better on a full stomach and in the morning he checked himself in the mirror and saw that his complexion had changed completely. He no longer looked like the pale gre...

There is no escaping it – every book needs great scenes in order to convey the story in such a way that the reader becomes fully immersed in the book and is unable to put it down. But is there a specific way writers should approach writing scenes? How do they know what to put into a scene and what to leave out? Every book is constructed in such a way that they rely on pivotal scenes that propel the story forward. It’s important that all scenes keep some kind of momentum and don’t allow the pace to grind to a halt. This is why many writers find constructing scenes a little overwhelming, especially when they’re not always sure what kind of scenes they need. We use scenes in various ways: To show the reader what’s going on To move the story forward To show characterisation To impart important or relevant information To help the plot Writing scenes might sound very straightforward, but there are a few things to think about when considering the elements that are...