How To Write From A-Z

Page 1

HOW TO WRITE FROM

A BOOK WITH TIPS AND TRICKS, TO HELP YOU EVOLVE AND IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS.





HOW TO WRITE FROM

A BOOK WITH TIPS AND TRICKS, TO HELP YOU EVOLVE AND IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS.


A

white page shouldn’t scare you




lift the block R E A D P O E T RY DO SOMETHING ELSE KEEP A JOURNAL DO WRITING EXERCISES FREEWRITE USE A DIFFERENT IMPLEMENT


character

THE CONTENTS OF POCKETS— A GYM BAG, A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX, A PURSE, A GLOVE BOX, OR A TRUNK—ARE ALL KEYS TO DECODING A CHARACTER.



discover, AND TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU.




the elements of narrative CHARACTERS P R O TA G O N I S T CONFLICT SETTING DIALOGUE THEME



find your theme YOUR ENTIRE STORY HAS AN UNDERLYING MEANING—OR IT SHOULD! DIG DEEP AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY. SPENDING TIME THINKING ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOUR STORY UNIVERSAL IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE OVERALL THEMES IN YOUR LIFE AND OTHER ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS AS WELL. YOUR STORY CAN USE ITS THEME TO ENVELOP AN EMOTION; THAT'S WHAT WILL MAKE YOUR STORY UNIVERSAL. WHEN YOU CONVEY YOUR THEME THROUGH EMOTION, YOU WILL CREATE AN EXPRESSION OF "TRUTH" THAT RESONATES WITH THE READER.



— E. M. Forster

‘THE KING DIED, AND THEN THE QUEEN DIED OF GRIEF,' IS A PLOT.”

“THE KING DIED AND THEN THE QUEEN DIED,' IS A STORY.


treat your

HERO

cruelly




inspiration C R E AT E A M O O D B O A R D F O R Y O U R S T O RY. U S E R E A L P E O P L E F O R I N S P I R AT I O N TO YOUR CHARACTERS. U S E R E A L P L A C E S F O R I N S P I R AT I O N TO YOUR SETTING.



just



keep


going




know your story “ EVERYBODY WALKS PAST A THOUSAND STORY IDEAS EVERY DAY. THE GOOD WRITERS ARE THE ONES WHO SEE FIVE OR SIX OF THEM. MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE ANY. ” — Orson Scott Card



let’s go back BACKSTORY IS THE BACKGROUND OF THE CHARACTER OR HISTORY OF EVENTS THAT PRECEDED THE STORY; IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED BEFORE PAGE ONE. INCORPORATING BACKSTORY IS A LITERARY DEVICE THAT CAN LEND DEPTH TO THE MAIN STORY. BACKSTORY IS TYPICALLY REVEALED AS THE NARRATIVE UNFOLDS.


in media res L AT I N F O R " I N T H E M I D D L E O F T H I N G S . " T H AT ' S A G R E AT WAY T O B E G I N A S T O RY.




narrative arc

CONFLICT CRISIS RESOLUTION



objects YOU HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOUR READERS THE GIFT OF "EVIDENCE" SO THAT THEY CAN DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF PERSON THIS CHARACTER IS. EACH OBJECT SHOULD HAVE AS MUCH SIGNIFICANCE AS IT WOULD IF YOU WERE INCLUDING IT IN A STILL-LIFE PAINTING.


TAKE A

P A U


S E







Q “IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN YOUR STORY, AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF IS "WHAT IF?" USE YOUR IMAGINATION, AND MAKE A LIST OF 5-10 POSSIBILITIES. USUALLY ONE OF THEM WILL JUST FEEL RIGHT, AND WILL NATURALLY FIT INTO THE NARRATIVE ARC. KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU ARE THE "BOSS" OF YOUR STORY, SO ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!” — Anne Bernays & Pamela Painter


revision means re-entering your story.



Of course, if you listen to music as you write, it will affect the mood of the story, but you can incorporate music into your story in other ways as well. Make a soundtrack for your character.




WHEN WRITING FICTION, YOU HAVE GREATER CONTROL OF PACING, AND YOU CAN SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP TIME AS NECESSARY.


WHEN YOU ARE PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF A CHILD YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF WEEPING AND SINGING. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE: THE MOTHER'S FACE, THE RUSH OF ENERGY WHEN THE BABY FINALLY ENTERS THE WORLD AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS, THE HUSBAND BREATHING WITH HIS WIFE, APPLYING A WASHCLOTH TO HER FOREHEAD. THE READER WILL UNDERSTAND WITHOUT YOU EVER HAVING TO DISCUSS THE NATURE OF LIFE.

use your senses




voice THE WAY YOUR WORDS "SOUND" ON THE PAGE.



start to

WRITE!



xrossroad. WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE - PENGUINRANDOMHOUSE.COM N AT I O N A L Y O U N G A R T S F O U N D AT I O N - Y O U N G A R T S . O R G T H E Y O U N G W R I T E R S S O C I E T Y - Y O U N G W R I T E R S S O C I T Y. C O M P O E T S & W R I T E R S - P W. O R G


so, you think you can WRITE?



the end






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