In my writer's group, we're a diverse bunch. There are literary fiction novelists, flash fiction scribes, essayists, poets, memoirists, writers for children, and international writers. The only way we're able to critique each other's work is by the fact that we understand and respect the rules and guidelines of each particular genre.
This got me thinking. What if my blog readers wanted to join a diverse writer's group? (One that doesn't say in the description, "We're a group of YA novelists helping each other on the way to publication", not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, if you're a YA novelist, you should join them. However, if that's not readily available around you, check out a diverse group, they're awesome.)
So, long story short, we're going to talk about the main difference between Fiction and Nonfiction.
This is great if you're critiquing the work of others, if you're a nonfiction writer with a novel idea, or a fiction writer ready to tackle the scientific explanation of worm holes.
What is the main difference between Fiction and Nonfiction?
Fiction poses questions, whereas nonfiction answers questions.
Yes, it really is that simple.
Think back to your high school days with all those giant textbooks. They often included bold headers throughout the chapter saying something like:
Why is the sky blue?
How does Carver embody minimalist style?
What is an integer?
The paragraphs of text that followed those headers would answer the question and explain why the answer was that way.
However, this is not the case in fiction. In fiction, whether it's a short story, novella or novel, the best writers simply present us with a question.
Harper Lee posed the question of how innocence is destroyed, as well as the impacts of racism.
F. Scott Fitzgerald posed what facilitates the decline of the "American Dream".
Mary Shelley posed the question of what are the tolls in the pursuit of knowledge.
Being a fiction writer means that through your work, you uncover a question for the reader to ponder and create their own answers for. A nonfiction writer has the question predefined and uses their writing to provide answers for that problem.
It's the ultimate boiling down of the term, show don't tell, to a thematic level.
(Special Note: Memoir and other creative nonfiction [think David Sedaris and Elizabeth Gilbert] has shifted more to a fiction "pose the question, don't answer it" mentality in this post-modern time. So, if you're writing a memoir that reads like fiction, but is merely recounting factual events, please follow the thematic guidelines for fiction writing. It'll be so much more successful.)
Showing posts with label Genre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Genre. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Why We Write (AKA An Explanation for Non-Writers with Questions)
It's been a busy week for me: meeting new people, explaining that I'm a writer, trying to answer their questions when they ask what I write.
Sure, it's easy enough to tell someone about your current project, but if you're like me and you write in a variety of genres (novels, short stories, poetry, nonfiction) and also for a variety of readers (children, teens, adults), chances are the questions get deeper, especially when you're talking to a non-writer.
So how do you explain to others exactly what you write without going into a twenty minute long explanation of all you can do?
I've found a simple way to do just that. Now, it won't stop questions from the most determined person, but it seems to be an alright explanation for most people.
Why We Write:
We write to describe something new and unusual in a simple and attainable way. Or, to describe something simple and commonplace in a new and unusual way.
What exactly does this mean?
It's easiest to explain with poems. Have you ever written or read a beautiful poem about washing the dishes or dusting the TV set that made you in awe of how someone could describe something so everyday in a beautiful way that made you never look at dishes or dusting the same way? I have. That's describing something commonplace in a new way. And it's definitely needed.
On the flip side, there are situations that are unique to a subset of our population that not all of us experience in our lives. Genre fiction, like fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery are great examples of this. Fantasy writers have to introduce you to the characters of their world and the rules of their setting. This is something none of us have ever experienced before, since the author is setting up the world from scratch. However, they must do their writing in a way that makes even the most outlandish idea possible for readers to understand. In that way, they explain something new and unusual in a simple way so we don't get lost. And it's definitely needed.
So, the next time you find yourself, drink in hand, speaking with someone about what you do, feel free to use this explanation to help people understand your drive to write.
[Special Note: I'm not sure if this idea came from a famous writing quote or from a previous professor of mine. However, if you ever find the origination of this idea out there on the internet, link me in. I'm sure whomever described it first did a better job than I, and I'd love to see that!]
Sure, it's easy enough to tell someone about your current project, but if you're like me and you write in a variety of genres (novels, short stories, poetry, nonfiction) and also for a variety of readers (children, teens, adults), chances are the questions get deeper, especially when you're talking to a non-writer.
So how do you explain to others exactly what you write without going into a twenty minute long explanation of all you can do?
I've found a simple way to do just that. Now, it won't stop questions from the most determined person, but it seems to be an alright explanation for most people.
Why We Write:
We write to describe something new and unusual in a simple and attainable way. Or, to describe something simple and commonplace in a new and unusual way.
What exactly does this mean?
It's easiest to explain with poems. Have you ever written or read a beautiful poem about washing the dishes or dusting the TV set that made you in awe of how someone could describe something so everyday in a beautiful way that made you never look at dishes or dusting the same way? I have. That's describing something commonplace in a new way. And it's definitely needed.
On the flip side, there are situations that are unique to a subset of our population that not all of us experience in our lives. Genre fiction, like fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery are great examples of this. Fantasy writers have to introduce you to the characters of their world and the rules of their setting. This is something none of us have ever experienced before, since the author is setting up the world from scratch. However, they must do their writing in a way that makes even the most outlandish idea possible for readers to understand. In that way, they explain something new and unusual in a simple way so we don't get lost. And it's definitely needed.
So, the next time you find yourself, drink in hand, speaking with someone about what you do, feel free to use this explanation to help people understand your drive to write.
[Special Note: I'm not sure if this idea came from a famous writing quote or from a previous professor of mine. However, if you ever find the origination of this idea out there on the internet, link me in. I'm sure whomever described it first did a better job than I, and I'd love to see that!]
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
How to Craft An Engaging Fantasy World
Sorry about the radio (or blog) silence last week, faithful scribes. I had my wisdom teeth and a molar removed and lost track of my regular life for a little while.
However, I'm back! And for your patience, I'm doing two posts this week to make up for it. The Bonus Post will follow this post shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.
Now, to get down to the real reason you're here. Do you love fantasy novels?
I sure do. I remember falling in love with them as a middle schooler when I read a plethora of fantasy and magical realism novels. Some of my favorites that still stand out to this day include:
The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The Wayside School books by Louis Sachar
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
...and many many more that I read and that are no doubt stuck back there in my subconscious, guiding me everyday.
Have you ever coveted the ability of these books and others to stick so strongly in the minds of readers? How do these authors make everything so vivid, so readers never want to leave the lands they've discovered there? What makes a novel worth reading again and again?
Characterization, plot, and description all have a little something to do with it, but especially in the fantasy genre, setting reigns key. So, today, I'm going to share with you a few ways to improve your fantasy world and make it more engaging so readers are immersed and never want to leave.
1. Draw a Map: You've probably seen maps in the front or back of epic fantasy novels (think LOTR) to help characters know where everything is placed and how it fits together. Maps are especially important if your characters are going journeying through the land and the reader needs to keep track of many locations and cities. However, maps are also great for stand-alone novels that take place in a single town. You don't have to be an artist, a simple, sloppy stick-figure map is great so you can look back at it and remember where the grocery store is, the blacksmith, and especially how to get back to the enchanted sword the protagonist buried in chapter 6.
2. Write a Bible: The best story worlds are so engaging because there are clear rules that the characters must follow or there will be consequences. Now, you can't have consequences if you don't first know the rules of your own world. Sit down and write a bible for your land. What are the steadfast rules that cannot be broken? Who has magic and who doesn't? Why? Explore every possibility back to the Old Testament where wars were waged and won and lost to shape the world your protagonist inhabits now. One word of warning, though; if you write your bible before your begin your first draft, make sure you're flexible to changing it. Some rules might be tweaked or made more rigid in the writing process and you'll need to be able to change your bible to fit accordingly. You can do this because YOU are the god of this fantasy world. YOU make the laws. No one will come and smite you unless you do it yourself.
3. Info Dump: After you've drawn your map and written your bible, go ahead and open a new blank page. Info dump all over the place there. Tell us the history of this holy site and all the smells, feels, and sights of your protagonist's bedroom. Get all the exposition out of the way here, too. Really go nuts. Now that you've gotten it out of your system, open a completely different blank page and begin your first draft for your novel. Allowing yourself to have that info dump moment allows you as the writer to get familiar with the fantasy world and its characters before you bring readers into the mix. Now, you can pick and choose sparingly which details you're going to include where - so the story unfolds naturally and the reader meets and acquaints himself with your world in due time. You'll be able to write more freely because you won't be worried about forgetting some detail or leaving out too much because you've got it all saved in a separate document that will never see the light of day.
4. Steal From the Real World: If you're writing a novel with integrated fantasy elements or magical realism, this is a no-brainer. Your story could be set in Indiana or Scotland or some other real tangible place. Go ahead and steal that. Even if you're writing an epic fantasy in a new world of your creation, think of places you've been that may give you concrete details from our real world. The supermarket, for example, or the doctor's office. Maybe you have a favorite stream in your hometown your protagonist goes to think by. Steal from the real world because it gives readers something familiar to relate to. However, even if you are basing your setting in a real world place, remember that you're writing a fantasy novel. Go ahead and infuse the fantastical. Make up a new and interesting coffee shop where the cups float to you when your order's ready. Have dragons and rainbow colored goats walking the London streets. Take from the real world and the usual and make it something amazing.
So, that's it! My steadfast rules to helping flesh out a fantasy world. Even if you don't employ them all, using just one or two will help you to better understand your world and its rules and history. It will help you write better, deeper material, even if you're writing a picture book. It may also help you to uncover avenues of adventure you'd never thought of before.
Before long, yours could be the next book causing people to stay up way past their bedtime, engrossed in your world.
However, I'm back! And for your patience, I'm doing two posts this week to make up for it. The Bonus Post will follow this post shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.
Now, to get down to the real reason you're here. Do you love fantasy novels?
I sure do. I remember falling in love with them as a middle schooler when I read a plethora of fantasy and magical realism novels. Some of my favorites that still stand out to this day include:
The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The Wayside School books by Louis Sachar
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
...and many many more that I read and that are no doubt stuck back there in my subconscious, guiding me everyday.
Have you ever coveted the ability of these books and others to stick so strongly in the minds of readers? How do these authors make everything so vivid, so readers never want to leave the lands they've discovered there? What makes a novel worth reading again and again?
Characterization, plot, and description all have a little something to do with it, but especially in the fantasy genre, setting reigns key. So, today, I'm going to share with you a few ways to improve your fantasy world and make it more engaging so readers are immersed and never want to leave.
1. Draw a Map: You've probably seen maps in the front or back of epic fantasy novels (think LOTR) to help characters know where everything is placed and how it fits together. Maps are especially important if your characters are going journeying through the land and the reader needs to keep track of many locations and cities. However, maps are also great for stand-alone novels that take place in a single town. You don't have to be an artist, a simple, sloppy stick-figure map is great so you can look back at it and remember where the grocery store is, the blacksmith, and especially how to get back to the enchanted sword the protagonist buried in chapter 6.
2. Write a Bible: The best story worlds are so engaging because there are clear rules that the characters must follow or there will be consequences. Now, you can't have consequences if you don't first know the rules of your own world. Sit down and write a bible for your land. What are the steadfast rules that cannot be broken? Who has magic and who doesn't? Why? Explore every possibility back to the Old Testament where wars were waged and won and lost to shape the world your protagonist inhabits now. One word of warning, though; if you write your bible before your begin your first draft, make sure you're flexible to changing it. Some rules might be tweaked or made more rigid in the writing process and you'll need to be able to change your bible to fit accordingly. You can do this because YOU are the god of this fantasy world. YOU make the laws. No one will come and smite you unless you do it yourself.
3. Info Dump: After you've drawn your map and written your bible, go ahead and open a new blank page. Info dump all over the place there. Tell us the history of this holy site and all the smells, feels, and sights of your protagonist's bedroom. Get all the exposition out of the way here, too. Really go nuts. Now that you've gotten it out of your system, open a completely different blank page and begin your first draft for your novel. Allowing yourself to have that info dump moment allows you as the writer to get familiar with the fantasy world and its characters before you bring readers into the mix. Now, you can pick and choose sparingly which details you're going to include where - so the story unfolds naturally and the reader meets and acquaints himself with your world in due time. You'll be able to write more freely because you won't be worried about forgetting some detail or leaving out too much because you've got it all saved in a separate document that will never see the light of day.
4. Steal From the Real World: If you're writing a novel with integrated fantasy elements or magical realism, this is a no-brainer. Your story could be set in Indiana or Scotland or some other real tangible place. Go ahead and steal that. Even if you're writing an epic fantasy in a new world of your creation, think of places you've been that may give you concrete details from our real world. The supermarket, for example, or the doctor's office. Maybe you have a favorite stream in your hometown your protagonist goes to think by. Steal from the real world because it gives readers something familiar to relate to. However, even if you are basing your setting in a real world place, remember that you're writing a fantasy novel. Go ahead and infuse the fantastical. Make up a new and interesting coffee shop where the cups float to you when your order's ready. Have dragons and rainbow colored goats walking the London streets. Take from the real world and the usual and make it something amazing.
So, that's it! My steadfast rules to helping flesh out a fantasy world. Even if you don't employ them all, using just one or two will help you to better understand your world and its rules and history. It will help you write better, deeper material, even if you're writing a picture book. It may also help you to uncover avenues of adventure you'd never thought of before.
Before long, yours could be the next book causing people to stay up way past their bedtime, engrossed in your world.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Diction (a peek at the longest word ever)
I'm feeling better - thank you. Let's get back to where we left off. Blogging!
Today I'd like to touch on the subject of word choice - diction.
Whether you're searching for the correct word for verbs, adverbs, or adjectives, word choice is one of the most important aspects of your story. The right word can elevate your tension, or kill it.
The more I read, the more I understand that word choice is also governed by audience. Who is your story intended to reach? If it's other writers - break out that thesaurus and scribble obscure words to your heart's content. This is most common in literary novels or works for literary magazines.
However, if you're writing a mainstream adult novel, you might want to pull back a little. Because (be honest with yourself now) how many times have you read a current novel and come across a word you weren't familiar with? Probably once or twice per book, right? With so many words out there, we can't possibly know them all - all the time. Now, did you stop your progression of reading and look up that vocab word like they made you do in third grade? No, of course not. You don't have time for that. You skipped the word, the context of the situation being enough to just ignore it.
And if you've read children's writing (YA, MG, picture books) lately, you know the vocab is even more accessible because words that are old hat to us are just being learned by them.
Now, I'm not trying to suggest that we lose our diction. I'm not suggesting we resort to using just the words that we say in a normal work day. Heck, we'd be limited to a slim thirty or forty vocab words forever.
Instead, keep your audience in mind when writing. Will the word you just chose be more of a stumbling block for your reader rather than a helpful hint? Will they have to skip it and figure out the scene from the rest of your words? Is that what you want?
To leave you this week, I have found the longest word in the English language. It has 189,819 letters (enough alone for its own series of books) and is the chemical name for the element titin.
Want to see this word? Check out the YouTube video here. But be forewarned, it takes three and a half hours to pronounce.
Today I'd like to touch on the subject of word choice - diction.
Whether you're searching for the correct word for verbs, adverbs, or adjectives, word choice is one of the most important aspects of your story. The right word can elevate your tension, or kill it.
The more I read, the more I understand that word choice is also governed by audience. Who is your story intended to reach? If it's other writers - break out that thesaurus and scribble obscure words to your heart's content. This is most common in literary novels or works for literary magazines.
However, if you're writing a mainstream adult novel, you might want to pull back a little. Because (be honest with yourself now) how many times have you read a current novel and come across a word you weren't familiar with? Probably once or twice per book, right? With so many words out there, we can't possibly know them all - all the time. Now, did you stop your progression of reading and look up that vocab word like they made you do in third grade? No, of course not. You don't have time for that. You skipped the word, the context of the situation being enough to just ignore it.
And if you've read children's writing (YA, MG, picture books) lately, you know the vocab is even more accessible because words that are old hat to us are just being learned by them.
Now, I'm not trying to suggest that we lose our diction. I'm not suggesting we resort to using just the words that we say in a normal work day. Heck, we'd be limited to a slim thirty or forty vocab words forever.
Instead, keep your audience in mind when writing. Will the word you just chose be more of a stumbling block for your reader rather than a helpful hint? Will they have to skip it and figure out the scene from the rest of your words? Is that what you want?
To leave you this week, I have found the longest word in the English language. It has 189,819 letters (enough alone for its own series of books) and is the chemical name for the element titin.
Want to see this word? Check out the YouTube video here. But be forewarned, it takes three and a half hours to pronounce.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
What's Hiding Behind That Beautiful Prose? (Why I Write YA)
When people ask me what my current novel is about and I tell them it's YA, they often look at me sideways. This one's not right in the head. She never grew up. Why would she write for children when she could write for adults?
The criticism is harshest from other writers (especially those who harbor disdain for anything that isn't "artistic" "insightful" or "literary").
They never seem to ask me out loud why I love writing YA (and am considering a new fantasy MG idea - I'll keep you posted). But, I'm going to answer them anyway.
I write YA because as a writer, you can't hide behind beautiful metaphors or long strings of gorgeous prose. You guys know what I'm talking about: Those novels where every stinking sentences is a metaphor (most obscure) and the beautiful prose flows unbounded from overly-long chapter to overly-long chapter. Now, adults will read this. Millions of books like this sell every year. Adults will sit there and think, "There must be some artistic reason this character has done nothing for 150 pages but look at a stain on his favorite coffee mug. It must mean something!" or "I know I've already read 500 pages and nothing has happened other than me following this character to and from work, but in the 548 pages to go, I know this boredom is going to be revealed as something amazing and insightful."
Adults will ponder your philosophy. They'll say it's existential or Darwinian.
Teens don't care. They don't have time for that, and they definitely won't read 500 pages just hoping that eventually they'll figure out the meaning.
Teens want a good story with fast pacing and connectable characters. They want to feel, smell, and taste what your characters are experiencing. And they want it every chapter, every sentence, every word. No where in a YA novel can you hide behind your good writing. No where is there room for brainy dribble. Because teens don't care about it and they definitely don't want to read it.
To write YA you need both great writing and fantastic storytelling ability.
So, my answer to those sideways glances and bulging, judgmental eyes is this: I write YA because it forces me to be a better writer. It forces me to cut the crap and keep only the things that propel the story. I can't keep a paragraph of useless but fantastic writing - I must save that for my journal and my eyes only.
I write YA because everything counts.
Does that make me juvenile?
Maybe. Think what you want, but I still make a wicked frozen pizza.
The criticism is harshest from other writers (especially those who harbor disdain for anything that isn't "artistic" "insightful" or "literary").
They never seem to ask me out loud why I love writing YA (and am considering a new fantasy MG idea - I'll keep you posted). But, I'm going to answer them anyway.
I write YA because as a writer, you can't hide behind beautiful metaphors or long strings of gorgeous prose. You guys know what I'm talking about: Those novels where every stinking sentences is a metaphor (most obscure) and the beautiful prose flows unbounded from overly-long chapter to overly-long chapter. Now, adults will read this. Millions of books like this sell every year. Adults will sit there and think, "There must be some artistic reason this character has done nothing for 150 pages but look at a stain on his favorite coffee mug. It must mean something!" or "I know I've already read 500 pages and nothing has happened other than me following this character to and from work, but in the 548 pages to go, I know this boredom is going to be revealed as something amazing and insightful."
Adults will ponder your philosophy. They'll say it's existential or Darwinian.
Teens don't care. They don't have time for that, and they definitely won't read 500 pages just hoping that eventually they'll figure out the meaning.
Teens want a good story with fast pacing and connectable characters. They want to feel, smell, and taste what your characters are experiencing. And they want it every chapter, every sentence, every word. No where in a YA novel can you hide behind your good writing. No where is there room for brainy dribble. Because teens don't care about it and they definitely don't want to read it.
To write YA you need both great writing and fantastic storytelling ability.
So, my answer to those sideways glances and bulging, judgmental eyes is this: I write YA because it forces me to be a better writer. It forces me to cut the crap and keep only the things that propel the story. I can't keep a paragraph of useless but fantastic writing - I must save that for my journal and my eyes only.
I write YA because everything counts.
Does that make me juvenile?
Maybe. Think what you want, but I still make a wicked frozen pizza.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
YA/New Adult Reading List
I've been fervently writing the first draft of a new YA novel. It's taken up all my time and brain power. My thoughts are planted firmly in the plot and characters of that world, but I still find time to read. It gives me a break from my own head. Also, it helps me understand the market I'm trying to break into. What's being published in YA? What works? What doesn't?
Here are a few of the books I've recently read:
Winger by Andrew Smith - it's vulgar and hilarious. Told from the POV of a 14 year-old boarding school boy. You will laugh, you will cry (I mean it), but most importantly, this stand-alone novel will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's so good. Check it out here on Amazon for a full description: http://www.amazon.com/Winger-Smith-Andrew/dp/1442444932/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072397&sr=1-1&keywords=winger+by+andrew+smith
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson - this was an accidental find at my local book store. I went in in search of the second novel in a series, but found this instead. It's the first book in a series by Sanderson but he hasn't gotten very far on book two (hint, hint, Sanderson). I highly recommend this read. It's gearpunk (not normally a genre I read, even in YA) and is at once suspenseful and beautiful. You will not see the twist coming at the end (or shall I say, the double twist?). I won't give away more. Here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rithmatist-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765338440/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072433&sr=1-1&keywords=the+rithmatist
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I must admit, this is the first Rainbow Rowell novel I've read. I'd seen her novels in bookstores, but never picked one up. While researching agents, I saw that everyone wanted "a Rainbow Rowell" for their YA roster. So, if it works, read it, right? I was not disappointed. Rowell's descriptions are killer and spot on. She's funny and poignant and heart breaking in this New Adult novel. I haven't finished this novel yet, so no notes on the ending, but the first half (Fall Semester) has me hooked. It pulls me away from writing my own YA novel when I need a break. I now understand why all agents want their own Rainbow Rowell. Check her out for yourself here: http://www.amazon.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell/dp/1250030951/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072613&sr=1-1&keywords=fangirl
Happy Reading, fellow scribes!
Here are a few of the books I've recently read:
Winger by Andrew Smith - it's vulgar and hilarious. Told from the POV of a 14 year-old boarding school boy. You will laugh, you will cry (I mean it), but most importantly, this stand-alone novel will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's so good. Check it out here on Amazon for a full description: http://www.amazon.com/Winger-Smith-Andrew/dp/1442444932/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072397&sr=1-1&keywords=winger+by+andrew+smith
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson - this was an accidental find at my local book store. I went in in search of the second novel in a series, but found this instead. It's the first book in a series by Sanderson but he hasn't gotten very far on book two (hint, hint, Sanderson). I highly recommend this read. It's gearpunk (not normally a genre I read, even in YA) and is at once suspenseful and beautiful. You will not see the twist coming at the end (or shall I say, the double twist?). I won't give away more. Here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rithmatist-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765338440/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072433&sr=1-1&keywords=the+rithmatist
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I must admit, this is the first Rainbow Rowell novel I've read. I'd seen her novels in bookstores, but never picked one up. While researching agents, I saw that everyone wanted "a Rainbow Rowell" for their YA roster. So, if it works, read it, right? I was not disappointed. Rowell's descriptions are killer and spot on. She's funny and poignant and heart breaking in this New Adult novel. I haven't finished this novel yet, so no notes on the ending, but the first half (Fall Semester) has me hooked. It pulls me away from writing my own YA novel when I need a break. I now understand why all agents want their own Rainbow Rowell. Check her out for yourself here: http://www.amazon.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell/dp/1250030951/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072613&sr=1-1&keywords=fangirl
Happy Reading, fellow scribes!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Take Your Novel Up a Notch: Research
Think historical fiction writers are the only ones who need to do research? Think again.
All writers need to research - though it may be in different ways. For writers in the sci-fi, fantasy, YA, Middle Grade, literary, romance, or commercial fields, research will take a different avenue than those who write historical fiction or westerns.
How? Well, instead of hours spent in the back of the library bent over a thick tome on boiler combustion until your sciatica aches - like the historical junkie - other writers are sitting on the floor in the YA section or dodging Dr Who cardboard cutouts in the fantasy/sci-fi room. Their research is less about knowing facts about a certain historical item, and more about knowing the conventions of the genre. What's been done? What's been overdone? Is this a good plot? A good voice? Good prose? If it's a popular title - why? Is it the character development, tension, or the romance that really ensnares the reader?
I once heard a good rule of thumb is to read 1,000 books in your genre for every 1,000 words you write. Does this seem impossible? Maybe - at the very least it's a daunting prospect. Most of us don't have the time to write a few sentences per day let alone read so many novels.
But you know what? It really does help you. You'll not only stay up to date on genre trends, publishers, and agents, but you'll also have a better feel for what you're writing. If you know nothing of boiler combustion and try to write a story where this is the main antagonist or a major part of the protagonist's life, it's going to be wrong for readers - especially those who know about boiler combustion. But if you do your research, every detail you add will be like a little piece of candy for your reader to find rather than a gaping hole in your story.
And who doesn't love candy?
Happy Reading (and subsequently, Writing)!
All writers need to research - though it may be in different ways. For writers in the sci-fi, fantasy, YA, Middle Grade, literary, romance, or commercial fields, research will take a different avenue than those who write historical fiction or westerns.
How? Well, instead of hours spent in the back of the library bent over a thick tome on boiler combustion until your sciatica aches - like the historical junkie - other writers are sitting on the floor in the YA section or dodging Dr Who cardboard cutouts in the fantasy/sci-fi room. Their research is less about knowing facts about a certain historical item, and more about knowing the conventions of the genre. What's been done? What's been overdone? Is this a good plot? A good voice? Good prose? If it's a popular title - why? Is it the character development, tension, or the romance that really ensnares the reader?
I once heard a good rule of thumb is to read 1,000 books in your genre for every 1,000 words you write. Does this seem impossible? Maybe - at the very least it's a daunting prospect. Most of us don't have the time to write a few sentences per day let alone read so many novels.
But you know what? It really does help you. You'll not only stay up to date on genre trends, publishers, and agents, but you'll also have a better feel for what you're writing. If you know nothing of boiler combustion and try to write a story where this is the main antagonist or a major part of the protagonist's life, it's going to be wrong for readers - especially those who know about boiler combustion. But if you do your research, every detail you add will be like a little piece of candy for your reader to find rather than a gaping hole in your story.
And who doesn't love candy?
Happy Reading (and subsequently, Writing)!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Knowing Where You're Going (aka Genres)
Are you close to querying your manuscript? Do you want to enter a shot story in a contest? Need an easier way to describe what you're writing to those distant relatives who ask?
Turn to Genre.
Genres are the way writers and the publishing industry categorize their story in a simple way.
Here's a list of common genres:
Action
Adventure
Biography
Mystery
Satire
Humor
Memoir
Erotica
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Cooking
Gay/Lesbian
Self Help
Inspirational
Romance
Political
Thriller
Suspense
Young Adult
Middle Grade
Commercial Fiction
Graphic Novel
Historical Fiction
Literary
Western
Many more exist, and in addition, these can be combined to better describe the manuscript you wrote. For example, I've seen many Action/Adventure, Thriller/Suspense, and Literary/Young Adult stories.
While many writers don't want to be confined by genre or labeled as writing one genre and not others, you will need to know your genre if you're going to query agents, or if you plan to traditionally publish, or find your book a home in a bookstore.
Genres also offers the writer a way to see what's been done before. Take Western, for instance. If you're writing a western genre novel, you can study the ones already published (the massive collection of Louis L'Amour at your local library, perhaps?) and see what's been done. Twist it, reimagine it, and come out with a story that isn't predictable, but is still publishable.
Genre is not a coffin wrapped in chains and locks. Genre is a fantastic tool to research other books like yours and to help those who ask (or those you tell) about your novel understand it via an established system.
Turn to Genre.
Genres are the way writers and the publishing industry categorize their story in a simple way.
Here's a list of common genres:
Action
Adventure
Biography
Mystery
Satire
Humor
Memoir
Erotica
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Cooking
Gay/Lesbian
Self Help
Inspirational
Romance
Political
Thriller
Suspense
Young Adult
Middle Grade
Commercial Fiction
Graphic Novel
Historical Fiction
Literary
Western
Many more exist, and in addition, these can be combined to better describe the manuscript you wrote. For example, I've seen many Action/Adventure, Thriller/Suspense, and Literary/Young Adult stories.
While many writers don't want to be confined by genre or labeled as writing one genre and not others, you will need to know your genre if you're going to query agents, or if you plan to traditionally publish, or find your book a home in a bookstore.
Genres also offers the writer a way to see what's been done before. Take Western, for instance. If you're writing a western genre novel, you can study the ones already published (the massive collection of Louis L'Amour at your local library, perhaps?) and see what's been done. Twist it, reimagine it, and come out with a story that isn't predictable, but is still publishable.
Genre is not a coffin wrapped in chains and locks. Genre is a fantastic tool to research other books like yours and to help those who ask (or those you tell) about your novel understand it via an established system.
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