Reader Question: “Is there a way to kill off the main character early or in the middle of a story? If so, does that kill the story or can it still work?”

There are a few instances where killing off the main character at any point in the story can work, but, generally, the Hero shouldn’t die. At The Hero’s Journey Seminar, Karel Seger’s covered this with very good reasoning. He explained that when the Hero dies the viewer is confused because he or she is no longer tied to the character. When death happens to other characters we feel the emotions through the Hero but if you do funky stuff to the Hero you create a detachment that brings the reader/viewer out of the story. I add however, that while it is rare for the death of the Hero to play well in a story it can be done, if it is done well.

Life After Death

For example, if the main character continues through the story after he is dead then it can work. Paranormal stories are becoming more common. Modern readers are open to the idea that there may be an afterlife or life after death. So, a character may die and return to the story as a ghost or other ethereal being. I can think of at least one fantastic example where the character was dead all along and you didn’t know it until the end of the movie. The body may physically die and then be magically or metaphysically reanimated, such as with vampires and zombies. I remember one such biblical death that has been remembered evangelically for centuries. An immortal might experience “death” several times and survive those experiences.

But, life after death isn’t necessary paranormal either. A Hero could experience what has come to be called a “near death experience”. The body may physically die, it may even be pronounced dead, and then spontaneously revive. The science-fictional aspect of cryogenics and other stasis are states where the body would be declared clinically dead. There is no longer a measurable heartbeat or brainwave. The body’s metabolism is slowed down to such a deep “sleep” state that it no longer dreams. Yet, from this “death” the character can revive, exactly as they were before or, as poor Han Solo could attest, with one hell of a hangover.

What is significant about these deaths is that the death experience itself is profound for the character. Experiencing death, and then living in some way beyond that experience leaves a mark on the character. They often experience fundamental change. In a way, they do die because after that experience it is impossible to be exactly who they were before. If you write a scene where the main character dies it needs to have that profundity.

Another aspect of life after death that is becoming more commonly accepted as possible is the survival of the soul after the body dies. In some religions, the soul resides in the heavens after death, but in others the soul is reborn into the world of the living. In this way a character could live again after dying. It could be interesting telling a story from the point-of-view of the eternal soul. What if your character remembers living a former life?

Death, And Then Dying

Sometimes a story can open on a death scene and then flash back. It’s not a popular method because, lets face it, how much is a reader going to be willing to invest in a story if she knows that the character is going to die at the end? But flashbacks can work, especially if the opening scene leaves the death uncertain. If the character is dying when the scene flashes back then your reader is given a strong hook to find out if the character is going to live or die. Again, however, the experience must be a profound one and if that character does ultimately die at the end then you should definitely remember the points I make next.

A Heroic Death

One movie I remember did it brilliantly. The character development through the movie was profound and in the final few minutes the main character makes a heroic choice. One life, for many, but the real choice he made was his life, for his daughter’s. And that’s where it was a real and just choice and where his death made him truly a hero. It did work. But I also remember leaving the cinema at the end out of that movie feeling betrayed and heartbroken. We’re used to great stories having the traditional “happy ending”. The good guys win and go home and live to fight another day. And, technically they did, the good guys did win, but at a terrible price.

I think if most stories did this we’d go into movies with fewer expectations about how things should unfold. This movie is proof that it can be done, and done well. But while a moment like this is memorable, is it truly being fair to your reader/viewer? When we give ourselves into the hands of the writer there is a bond of trust. We open ourselves up to care about these characters. Death is a part of life, it is painful, and killing of that main character can abruptly rip us away from the story. Grief creates disconnection. And we grieve for a well written character who dies. When it’s the main character, it’s almost like we die ourselves because we’ve been seeing the world through that characters eyes. It’s their life we’ve lived while reading the story. It’s very hard to remain invested in a story when our heart has been ripped out.

Not Always A Hero

Sometimes you have to be aware that the Hero may not be who you think he is. If you kill off a character early and the story continues with someone else then that initial character was not the Hero. Beware of this trap because it’s a dangerous one. You can invest a lot of time writing the story in the point of view of one character and making such a dramatic shift to another disjoints the story. If you’ve got this happening in a draft, seriously consider if you could tell the story from the second character’s point of view from the very beginning. Examine your reasoning, why does this shift take place and is it fully justified?

My Advice On Killing The Hero

If you must do it, if the story needs to have this character die, do it well. Make the death memorable and completely justifiable. Never kill a main character carelessly. Don’t have him hit by a bus. Senseless death is waste and a reader needs to feel a sense of purpose behind such a great loss. Fiction, unlike life, has to have meaning. Every action has a motive and a purpose. Even the death of your character, any character at all, needs to mean something. But if that death is of your main character, your Hero, it must be vital, and life-altering. Weigh the loss the reader feels, the grief, and the sense of disconnection with what character’s death gives back to the reader and make sure there is a fair trade there. Sometimes the Hero does have to die, and when he does, he should be remembered for the remarkable contribution he made to through his life.

Which stories, books, or movies do you know of that killed off the main character? How did you feel when it happened?

Do you have a question about writing fiction? Ask me via email, Facebook, Twitter, or Plurk.

Writer’s block is the bane of anyone and everyone who writes. You’ll be cruising through a story, your words are flowing nicely, until suddenly you’ve hit the brakes and can’t restart the engine. Most of us try to work through the road block, endlessly searching for inspiration, but sometimes you just can’t produce anything worthwhile. Instead of cursing the writing gods or pressing the delete button, take your hands off the keyboard, take a deep breath and consider trying one of these 20 creative ways to overcome writer’s block:

1. Relaxation Techniques: Practicing relaxation techniques can be extremely effective for overcoming writer’s block. Relaxation techniques can improve concentration, boost confidence and increase blood flow to major muscles. Taking a break from your writing to do a relaxation exercise will get your blood flowing and your brain back on track.
2. Attend a Writer’s Workshop: Attending a writer’s workshop is a surefire way to inspire you and overcome writer’s block. You may not be able to attend a workshop at the onset of writer’s block, but you can take the lessons and tricks you learned that will help you rise above writer’s block.
3. Jot in a Journal: It’s a good idea to carry a journal with you whenever you’re out and not sitting in front of a computer, so you can jot down story ideas, character names, conflicts or anything that comes to mind. Then, when you’re stuck on something, you can refer to the journal for ideas or inspiration.
4. Sleep on It: You may have exhausted your brain of ideas for one day, so it might be in your best interest to sleep it off. More than likely, you’ll wake up refreshed and ready to tackle your story the next day.
5. Read Inspirational Quotes: Sometimes the only way to get inspired is to read other’s inspiring words. Try reading inspirational quotes that will rejuvenate your spirit and get you back to writing.
6. Go for a Walk or Jog: Sometimes the only way to get back on track with your writing is to get moving. Go for a walk or jog to clear your mind and take in your surroundings. You never know what observation could be applied to your story and overcome your writer’s block.
7. Do Something Mindless: When you’re experiencing writer’s block, it’s best to step away from the computer and calm your brain down. You may find it beneficial to do something mindless like watch television, a movie or read a magazine before you return to writing.
8. Switch to Another Project: When you’re experiencing writer’s block, take a breather from what you’re working on and switch to another project. That way you’re still being productive and exercising your brain, before returning to your original project.
9. Writing Exercises: When you’ve fallen into a writing slump, try a writing exercise that will help you brainstorm and keep your mind fresh. Some writing exercises provide a prompt that narrows your focus, while others are free of constraints.
10. Stream-of-Consciousness Writing: Stream-of-consciousness writing allows you to use interior monologue to put your thoughts on paper. This kind of writing is raw and often difficult to follow, but it can clear your mind of nonsense and help you get back on track.
11. Change Sceneries: Your desk and white walls will get pretty old after a while. Venture away from your normal workspace and change sceneries when you are struggling with writer’s block. Even changing rooms within your house or going to your backyard will offer enough variety to get you out of your funk.
12. Play a Game: Playing games is a nice break from the frustrations of writer’s block, but it can also help you overcome the challenges in your writing. Games of all kinds can have a positive effect on your creativity and problem-solving skills.
13. Make an Inspiration Board: An inspiration board is an effective tool for overcoming writer’s block. This board is a collection of visual ideas like newspaper clippings, magazine pictures, photographs and just about anything that can be used to inspire you when you’re in a major slump.
14. Switch Art Forms: Sometimes you’ve got to step out of your art form and into another to start fresh. When you have writer’s block, you may want to shift your efforts toward another art form, such as playing a musical instrument, painting, drawing, dancing or photography. Whatever experience you choose, it will surely boost creativity and freshen your writing.
15. Unplug the Internet: Unplugging the Internet is one solution to overcoming writer’s block. This will put a temporary end to the countless distractions that circulate the web, like Facebook, Twitter and even e-mail. Getting back to the basics is refreshing and can make a huge difference in your overall productivity.
16. Read Blogs: One way to overcome writer’s block is to read the work of others. Blogs are fun to read and they touch on so many different topics that are bound to give you an idea or two.
17. Cut out the Rules: Writing without rules is especially helpful for those who have writer’s block. This approach allows you to write without inhibitions and let the words flow without interruption. In order to practice this difficult exercise, you’ll have to ignore spelling, grammar, formatting and context rules and just write. You can always edit later.
18. Listen to Music: Music can be extremely inspirational and relaxing at the same time. Listening to the right song can spark a new idea, help you solve a problem and collect your thoughts, which may be all you need to get over a bad case of writer’s block.
19. Talk and Ask Questions: When all else fails, spark up a conversation with others to get past your writer’s block. Better yet, ask fellow writers what they think of your topic or how can you expand on a particular part of your story. You’d be surprised by the amount of great ideas that come from the people you interact with everyday.
20. Follow the News: Whether you pick up a newspaper, turn on the local news channel or read a story online, the news is filled with real, raw stories that can be incredibly inspiring. News articles are also great references for expanding your vocabulary.

This post is shared by Corinne Reidy and originally appeared here, 20 Creative Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block.

By Katheryn Rivas

Writers do not — or at least should not — work in a vacuum. Regardless of whether or not they go to college, attend workshops or network with other professionals and hopeful professionals, they still absorb something of the world at large. These experiences ultimately mold their works, even on a subconscious level; so many creative types actively seek out other perspectives in order to add texture and dimension to their portfolios. One simple means of gaining insight involves simply picking up a book, and those by or about professionals in a desired field makes for a valuable start. The following biographies and autobiographies of influential and notable writers may not even scratch the surface of available, worthwhile reads. But they do, at least, provide a nice framework from which aspirant authors can move forward, eventually picking and choosing similar pieces relevant to their interests.

1. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway: A young, indomitable Ernest Hemingway bounds through sensuous European expatriate adventures, accompanied by his wife Hadley and little son. Anecdotes abound regarding his relationships with such literary and artistic figureheads as Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, James Joyce, Hilaire Belloc and many more, granting readers an intimate peek at the creativity bubbling in 1920s Paris. One of the most memorable stories involves the famous writer accompanying F. Scott Fitzgerald on a road trip, where to two grow closer in spite of their occasional blows. Quite a hilarious series of scenes, really, in spite of the occasional bit of tragedy, courtesy of poor Zelda Fitzgerald’s pernicious mental state.

2. Ignatius Rising by Deborah George Hardy and Rene Pol Nevils: Brilliant A Confederacy of Dunces scribe John Kennedy Toole led a fascinating, yet ultimately tragic life prior to winning a posthumous Pulitzer in 1981. While the more famous of his two novels certainly stands on its own as a work of literature, fans who pick up this revealing biography can easily piece together points of commonality between fantasy and reality. Most especially when it comes to the central relationship between a flustered and smothering widow and her lofty, melodramatic, intellectual son — for those who read both, A Confederacy of Dunces occasionally reads more as an autobiography than one of the most hilarious and provocative American novels of the 20th Century.

3. Maus by Art Spiegelman: The graphic memoir has gained considerable attention within the past few years, though it extends back much further than that. Though Art Spiegelman did not create the genre, he certainly wrote and drew one of its most notable and defining works. He interviewed his father Vladek about his gut-wrenching experiences as a prisoner in Auschwitz, depicting the era as a dangerous (and famously literal and metaphorical) game of cat-and-mouse. In spite of their bonding, Spiegelman does often find himself uneasy with his father’s present attitude, making this an incredibly realistic read on complex family relations as well as a useful history. Many Holocaust literature courses feature Maus prominently on their syllabus, alongside other essential biographies, such as Elie Wiesel’s Night.

4. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi: It probably comes as little surprise that at least one of the other more mainstream and recognized graphic memoirists cites Art Spiegelman as a major influence. Thanks to the faithful, truly lovely film adaptation, many flocked to Marjane Satrapi’s highly engaging autobiography and granted it the prestige it deserves. With equal parts humor and horror, she chronicles her life as a child growing up in Iran after the Shah’s deposition. Escaping the fundamentalist Islamic regime, she receives schooling in Europe, only to find that her host countries come packaged with their own sets of prejudices and abuses as well. Through simple yet incredibly evocative drawings, Satrapi pours out her emotions, personal failings, triumphs and tragedies with an elegant honesty.

5. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein: Gertrude Stein and her partner in life and business Alice B. Toklas lived a charmed expatriate existence in Paris following the First World War. Though written by the former, the popular book about their experiences actually sports the perspective of the latter, hence the title. As well-known patrons of the arts who often hosted salons and parties with the best and the brightest of the era, including T.S. Eliot, Henri Matisse and the aforementioned Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, her memoir overflows with stories of creativity and clashing. Of course, she also discusses her early life prior to the famous stint in Europe as well. Definitely an excellent autobiography for writers hoping to learn about the goings-on of myriad innovative and influential people.

6. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers: This Pulitzer finalist epitomizes (so far, anyway) the use of meta and postmodern elements in a memoir. Within a month of one another, Eggers’ parents die of different cancers, leaving him as the legal guardian of his little brother Christopher ("Toph"). What follows is a rich tale of family and self-awareness, punctuated frequently by pure fantasies, self-aware liberties, altered timelines, a frequently absent fourth wall and other narrative components. Eggers’ style mimics the way human memory compresses, decompresses, misremembers and imagines, resulting in a highly entertaining, emotional carnival ride on the cusp between fact and fiction. The "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" addendum offers a clearer focus on how he crafted this memorable work.

7. The Diary of Anais Nin by Anais Nin: Famous for her erotic works and relationship with Henry and June Miller, Anais Nin accomplished much, much more and befriended many other influential thinkers than most probably realize. Her diaries span nine volumes and recount multiple decades’ worth of experiences and ideas. Sharp and sensual, Nin encountered a battery of writers, artists, psychologists and other intellectuals, discussing both opinions and lessons gleaned from them. The well-educated, well-read and whip-smart woman provided her own unique perspective on the concepts batted about during her lifetime; any fans hoping to place her wonderful works into a cultural and personal context should certainly pick up at least one corresponding volume.

8. The Autobiography of Mark Twain by Mark Twain: American literature aficionados consider Mark Twain (the nom de plume of Samuel Langhorn Clemens) amongst the nation’s greatest writers and satirists. He dictated a number of anecdotes and ideologies in the last few years of his life, though prior to that nearly every attempt at scratching out a complete, formal autobiography fell flat. The stories themselves come loosely affiliated with one another and come published more as a series rather than a long, lengthy, linear narrative, meaning he left in nothing but the particularly poignant or humorous bits. As with many of his celebrated novels and short stories, the settings come slathered in such rich precision they seem almost as if characters in and of themselves.

9. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings contains some of the most poetic prose ever committed to print. No surprise, considering Maya Angelou once occupied the admirable position of Poet Laureate of the United States! In spite of her buoyant spirit, the writer’s life came fraught with racial stereotyping and bullying, sexual assault and an unexpected teen pregnancy. Yet she pulled courage from deep within her core and walked through the trials and tribulations with her head held high, coming out of the dark with a deep self-awareness many people will never achieve. Even non-writers can find something to love and appreciate about her inspiring story — though really, one should be able to say that about any on this list.

10. J.R.R. Tolkien Humphrey Carpenter: Though not an autobiography, the famous, academic, linguist and Lord of the Rings helmsman granted Humphrey Carpenter personal interviews and insights for his write-up — so much of what’s included here comes straight from the source. An intimate portrait into J.R.R. Tolkien’s life and works resulted, with the biographer piecing together how his myriad pursuits came to shape his illustrious career. His early life does not go unexplored, either, especially considering how much the death of his parents and subsequent descent into poverty impacted him. Relationships with family and friends factor greatly into the narrative as well, most especially the one he shared with equally beloved writer C.S. Lewis of The Chronicles of Narnia fame.

This post was shared by Kaitlyn Cole and originally appeared here, 10 Brilliant Biographies That Every Writer Must Read.

Rebecca says: I’m excited today to be able to introduce you all to Nava Atlas, a talented writer who is blog touring this month and through April with the fantastic ladies of WOW! Women on Writing. Nava has written a fantastic book for writers, rich with the stories and truths of talented female authors across time. I’ll be sharing a full review of The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life on April 14th and between now and then you have a chance to win your own copy by writing a short blog post about your own experiences with self-doubt, self-acceptance, and writing. But before I tell you more about that, let’s hear from Nava about her own experiences and those of three exceptional women of literature.

Self-Acceptance: A Hard-Fought Battle, Even for Accomplished Authors

by Nava Atlas

There’s a cartoon on my bulletin board of two caterpillars creeping along, with a butterfly hovering above them. One caterpillar eyes the butterfly suspiciously, and says, “You’ll never catch me going up in one of those things!” Maybe it isn’t what the cartoonist intended, but I see it as a metaphor for the sad state of women’s self-esteem. We’re destined to become glorious butterflies, yet we persist in perceiving ourselves as caterpillars, opting for crawling the safer but less exciting ground, instead of allowing ourselves to take flight.

It’s a tough task to reach the level of self-acceptance that allows a writer to feel she deserves to let her talent shine, and reap the rewards of hard work. Think of favorite classic authors such as Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton, and Louisa May Alcott, with their distinct styles and personas. It’s hard to imagine that they didn’t burst forth with the kind of self-regard that would allow them to write and succeed gloriously. And yet—they didn’t. Like most of us, they struggled with self-acceptance for years, sometimes for decades. Consider:

Edith Wharton, a wealthy heiress, was surrounded by disapproval, from her snooty mother and society friends to her gadfly husband, who scoffed at her literary pursuits. She tiptoed haltingly into the world of print, hampered by crippling insecurity. It took many small victories — published stories, books, and warm reviews — before Wharton believed she was worthy of success. Finally, “The reception of my books gave me the self-confidence I had so long lacked…” It took the reinforcement of the public and her peers for her to acquire a new image of herself as a capable, talented author—one who, before very long, became the first female author to win the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1921 for The Age of Innocence.

Like Edith Wharton, Virginia Woolf’s need for approval was vast, and she sought it from her husband, friends, publishers, and critics. But unlike Edith Wharton, those closest to her gave her just that. That didn’t allay her constant struggle with self-doubt, seeing herself as somehow “less than.” “I can assure you,” she wrote to her friend Vita Sackville-West, “all my novels were first-rate before I wrote them.” When her publishers or husband praised her efforts, it meant everything to her. Woolf needed the reinforcement of others to build a foundation of self-acceptance, which in turn gave her courage to create works that were experimental and far ahead of their time. Though self-doubt never left her, it was a catalyst to constantly do better, not a signal to stop growing.

Louisa May Alcott was determined to make a living by writing, no small feat for a woman of her time. To support her family, she wrote thrillers, gothics, and “sensational tales” under pseudonyms. After years of toil, she took up her publisher’s request to try a “girls’ story,” and reluctantly cranked out Little Women. Though neither she nor her publisher thought highly of the results, the book became an immediate best-seller. When she learned of its embrace by the public, Alcott changed her tune: “It reads better than I expected. Not a bit sensational, but simple and true…” No longer going from one anonymous literary identity to another, self-acceptance came after the “simple and true” novel that emerged from the pen of its reluctant author met an enthusiastic audience. Her career blossomed, as did the fortune she had long craved.

Once I learned of the universal struggles of authors like Wharton, Woolf, and Alcott while researching The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life, I realized that I was behaving more like the two caterpillars in the cartoon than the butterfly. I’ve played it safe by accepting only a certain version of myself as a writer, one that’s occasionally at odds with the “real me.” I think that’s about to change!

Like the two caterpillars crawling ever so slowly on the ground, the illusion of safety can get in the way of progress. After all, caterpillars are vulnerable to getting smooshed on the road. Sometimes acceptance of a new version of ourselves—as writers who have arrived, or are just on the cusp of doing so—lags behind what others have already perceived about us: we’re already aloft, like the butterfly; we just need the courage to lose sight of the ground below.

Rebecca says: Nava is available today to answer questions if you’d like to ask them by leaving a comment or say hi and let her know what you think of her post and her book.

Now, if you’d like a chance to win a copy of The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life there are a few opportunities over the course of Nava’s blog tour that you can find on the WOW! Women on Writing blog along with her other stops.

To win the copy I have available for a loyal Crafting Fiction reader, share your own experience with self-doubt as a writer in 300 to 600 words. Have you experienced self-doubt? Are you searching for approval, and acceptance from others as well as yourself? How has this influenced you as a writer?

You can share your blog post in one of two ways: either post it to your own blog or website with a link back to this post, or send it to me as a guest post for The Craft of Writing Fiction (either by email or in the dashboard).

A few months ago, a friend and fellow writer came to me with questions about action, plot, and how to tell a unique story. His questions were fantastic and I wanted to share our conversation for those of you who might be asking yourselves the same thing; “How can I write a story that is fresh and new if I’m following the ‘rules’ and ‘formula’ set out by tried-and-true authors?”

Oh, good question. Action, particularly in the action movie genre, tends to refer more specifically to motion and movements that are being taken. Action movies involve a great deal of momentum. The pace is usually quite fast and a lot of exciting events tend to occur.
Plot is more collective; it’s about WHY those actions happen, and when and how. The plot involves the motivations of the characters and the causal affect, why one action leads into, or causes, a reaction.

An action movie SHOULD have a plot, but some don’t. If stuff is blowing up and people are running about everywhere but there isn’t some underlying sense of motivation and purpose there is no plot.

A lot of ‘real life’ is fairly plotless. We do stuff, because it’s a new day; that’s action. But without goals and dreams there is no plot and we tend to wander from action to action aimlessly.

Like I said, a lot of real life IS plotless, but during the writing process it’s best to have a plot because in a story things are supposed to happen for a reason. If you factor in an action or event that appears to be plotless it is because within your plot that ‘natural’ or ‘light-hearted’ event is important to the story.

This is Chekov’s Gun Theory, which states, “One must not put a loaded rifle on the stage if no one is thinking of firing it.”

What this comes down to is plot devices. Everything in the story should serve the purpose of the plot. If it isn’t related then it doesn’t belong in the story. The plotless stuff should get taken OUT of a story.

Guy gets up, has coffee, blows his nose, has a shower… The reader doesn’t CARE! So it gets cut. Unless something significant happens in the event, such as his coffee is poisoned or he blows his brains out of his nose, it is noise that will bore and frustrate a reader. If an object, scene, or an action doesn’t serve the plot then it’s superfluous padding which can slow down and even dumb down a story.

Some stories are considered to be plot-driven while others are considered to be character-driven. If the scene develops the reader’s connection with the character it’s considered to be a character-driven scene and doesn’t necessarily ‘need’ a plot. But it’s better if the characters are driving the plot with all of their actions. That is how the two weave together.
Ideally, plot and character go together.

It’s the kind of thing worth considering when reading books. Look at them with your writer’s eye; pay attention to what feels connected to the greater theme of the story. Does anything happen that doesn’t, ultimately, lead into what happens next?
Life does that. If anything in my past had happened differently I wouldn’t be who I am in the present. And books are the same; the action serves the purpose of the plot, or at least it should.

You need both. Or rather, I should say, the best stories have both. There are plenty of stories that are “ok” which cater to one or the other predominantly but the stories readers come to love, the ones they become immersed in and won’t put down, are those which keep a balance between character and plot. Those stories build character enough to make us care that these things happen to this person, and plot enough to make what happens interesting.

Unique writing usually comes from voice. The same basic plot, even very similar characters have been written about hundreds of times before. (This is the basis of The Hero’s Journey.) But YOU haven’t written them. The way YOU tell the story will differ from the story someone else told.

If you talk to twenty people at a birthday party, every one of those twenty people would describe the party in a different and unique way. It would be like there were twenty parties instead of one. Each of us brings our own experiences and unique perspective to our storytelling.
Your storytelling can do things in a unique way based on your voice and the ideas that are uniquely yours.

It is better to balance the expected with the unexpected. Prepare and don’t prepare. Readers love twists, they love surprises, but they don’t like being mislead or sent off on tangents.

So, even if you do something unexpected, when the reader looks back it should be eye-opening for them. On reflection, they should be able to see the things that pointed to the twist before the twist happened.

For example, the second time you watch the movie, “Sixth Sense”, you realise there are lots of things that pointed to the twist from the very first scene. Natural human assumption about the way the world works creates a belief that causes viewers to miss those crucial hints the first time we see the movie, the twist makes us go “Shock, WOW!” and then ohhh, there, and there, oh yes, I remember that happening, etc.

Hints are good. Intelligent readers especially love the thrill of getting hints and trying to guess the ending. But be careful not to make those hints too obvious or the reader will guess and be right.

Well, you can write things completely opposite to that which is tried-and-true. It might work, but it might also become the biggest flop in this history of big flops. That’s what innovation is about; taking a chance that it won’t suck it big time.

If you want to write a book you can sell, you do it the way that has proven to work. Publishers don’t like taking risks so particularly for those of us writing for traditional publishers it can be important to follow the ‘rules’ and do what has proven to work.

If you want to do something fantastically unique and new, then don’t follow the ‘rules’. You have to be willing to break all the rules. It might pay off, but it might not. You have to weigh up if the risk is worth it to you. If you love the process of writing without following the tried-and-true, if it’s fun to be wild like that, then go for it. Forge the path for other writers to follow the new rules you create.

The only real ‘rule’ in writing is to write what you love. Because, odds are, if you love it there will be readers out there who love it as much as you do.

Original conversation took place on the 14th of September, 2010.

You lost your momentum. Your once exciting story feels like it’s gone off the rails somehow. The great beginning gave way to a floundering middle and you don’t know why. It’s frustrating and worrisome but don’t despair. This is a common, fixable problem.

So you’ve written a novel, but something is not quite right. You have a spectacular beginning to your story; a compelling hook, riveting main characters, and a worrisome conflict. Great!  Your ending is excellent with a twist, with a killer resolution – the satisfying all is well or isn’t this ironic last few words.

The problem, you decide, is the stuff in between. The middle of your book is lacking something. There’s no spark, no oomph.

Here are 5 tell-tale signs that your plot is losing steam.

1. Your main characters spend too much time apart.

This little tid-bit actually made a light go on in my head when I realized that the subplot was keeping my main characters apart for a large portion of the book. Doesn’t matter if they’re romantically involved or resolving a different type of relationship. They have to be together to get together.  You need time to build tension and your characters need time to resolve their conflict.

2. Your main character isn’t stressed out.

Conflict is the key to a good story. It creates tension and drama. If your main character is happy and comfortable they are also boring. Whether it’s an arch nemesis sabotaging them at every turn or a love interest that is out of reach, your main character has to suffer. Throwing conflicts in front of them also shows what they’re made of, how deep their desire goes for a given outcome, and what the stakes are. These revelations not only drive a story, they push your character along their arc of development.

3. Random, pointless details.

Do you write about the morning routine? Driving places? How about a few paragraphs describing boring stuff like what they do at work?  Busy work that doesn’t push the plot loses the reader and makes your characters too ordinary. Remember that your book is an escape for your readers. Only use the day to day if it’s significant. For example; if they don’t do something that later on proves a mistake. Then it’s a plot point.

4. Recapping and redundant conversations.

Your reader isn’t dumb. Don’t treat them like they are. If you already showed something in a scene, you don’t need to spend time talking about it, unless it’s a really convoluted storyline in which case sagging probably isn’t the only problem.

5. Second Fiddle becomes more interesting.

If secondary characters, supporting staff, and scenery become the focus of your book you’re in trouble. Quirky side-kicks, sassy best friends, the Beta-Male/friend are all essential, but be aware of those characters taking over. Avoid this by limiting their backstory to only what is relevant to the plot.

But wait. There is hope. Here are some steps to take BEFORE your plot starts to slow that will allow you to side-step the whole horrifying ordeal.  I know that some SEAT OF YOUR PANTS writers out there will hate me for this, but OUTLINING, is the best way to check for signs of trouble. An outline of your plot will help you see some essential components you might be missing.

Make sure you have a book-length plot. The number one reason for losing steam halfway through a story is that you don’t have enough of a plot to support a book-length manuscript.  The subplot doesn’t have enough emotional twists and turns or the main plot is too linear.  An outline can help you see if you need more of one or the other or if your novel should really be a novella or short story.

Make sure you limit the action. This may sound backwards, but too much action and your book becomes frenetic and hard to follow. Doling out the tension systematically, piece by piece, ramping up the stakes just a bit each time is a more effective way to keep your story exciting.

The middle matters in matters of the heart. Use the middle to focus on the romance or the relationship issues between characters. Make sure they contribute to major turning points in the plot.  Don’t go off on tangents like side character issues, or backstory. If you know the middle of novels tends to sag fill it with juicy stuff and it won’t.

Now it’s always a good idea to do check for these problems before your WIP needs a major overhaul. Sometimes going back in and adding subplots or adjusting the pace can fix your novel, but that can be frustrating. Bypass lengthy revisions by simply planning ahead and employing these strategies to avoid a plot that runs out of steam.

And herewith my first attempt,

forgive me for just playing a little here to see what an online community such as this is all about.

This website is, however, all about writing and that is what I do. My day job involves other people’s writing… in the academic sense. I, however, would like to think that my own string of words is a little more creative.

I started my rambling with badly thought out poetry – cries of teenage angst and when my path went to university these changed into short stories. And that is what I have been writing ever since.

I also do freelance editing – this again more in the academic field – less creative and more structured.

I decided to give my writing some structure last year and enrolled for a creative writing course. Specifically short stories. I surprised myself by doing very well. And that was when the writing bug took hold of me.

I am now playing with the idea of ghostwriting. I have come accross two websites thus far which stipulate that you have to be a native english speaker. This I am not.

Maybe that is a sign. Maybe I should take this as a hint that my own voice is important and worthy of being published.

But where do you start? Where do you get your foot in the door?

Another notion that fills me with dread is the one of no restrictions. We all have that fantasy of shouting from the rooftops, but I need some guidelines towards what I should be shouting about. Just a nudge in the right direction.

So with this entry my writing adventure starts in a sense. By putting my desire to write in words here, I can consider it a commitment. Hopefully but making my commitment here, I can have some feedback from the experience of others. And maybe then my whole world will not just be a project in progress, but possibly lead towards something real – my name in print.

Wow! Have you ever been to a workshop or seminar that just BLEW YOUR MIND? That was what the two-day seminar, “The Hero’s Journey“, put on in the Art Gallery of Western Australia Theatrette this weekend, did for me. It BLEW MY MIND! It truly was, as the presenter described, “The be all and end all, the mother of all story-telling theories.”

The seminar, hosted by WAnimate in conjunction with ScreenWest was presented by talented producer, consultant, teacher, blogger, and “student of story”, Karel Segers. Over the course of two days, Karel covered a great deal of ground, from The Monomyth and Mythical Structure, to Hero’s Journey Archetypes, and from the Three-Act Structure to the twelve stages of The Hero’s Journey. He managed to give us an overview of all this while interspersing compelling examples in dozens of clips and sequences from some of the most popular movies in the history of modern cinema. We had a blast. It truly was a lot of fun and I learned a great deal.

Although targeted at animators the seminar was a boon for producers, directors, and writers of all kinds. “The Hero’s Journey” has a particular slant toward screenwriting but I honestly feel that having an understanding of the journey can help fiction writers add depth and dynamic to their stories. By understanding “The Hero’s Journey” you begin to see that stories aren’t just about a beginning, middle, and end. There are stages of evolution and learning built into the character arc that extend throughout the plot. Seeing how this works in the majority of successful books and movies is pretty phenomenal. I’ll never watch a movie or read a book in the same way again.

So, I’m mind-blown. And, over the next few weeks I’ll share with you some of what I’ve learned through the seminar and some of what I’m continuing to learn. I’ll cover:

• The Monomyth and Mythical Structure
• Character Archetypes in The Hero’s Journey
  (and possibly break this down in detail by each individual archetype and that archetypes impact on the journey)
• What exactly is Three-Act and Four-Act Structure?
• Why Three-Acts and Four-Acts aren’t enough
• The Twelve Stages of The Hero’s Journey
  (and probably break it down by each stage and possibly share a series of movie analyses and clips that give examples of these stages)

While I get all these posts written, I’ll leave you with some references that were recommended by Karel and which I’ve already hunted down for my own further research:

• “The Hero With A Thousand Faces” by Joseph Campbell (1949)
• “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers” by Chris Vogler (1998)
• “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers (1991)
• “The Key: How to write damn good fiction using the power of myth” by James N. Frey (2002)
• “Myth And The Movies: Discovering the Mythic Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films” by Stuart Voytilla (1999)

And some I’m still trying to get my hands on:

• “Psychology of the Unconscious” by Carl Jung (1912) translation by Beatrice M. Hinkle (1916)
• “Owning Your Own Shadow” by Robert A. Johnson (1993)

There is a lot to cover and so much more I’ve yet to learn. But you know what was most inspiring about this weekend? I had a breakthrough with my current novel. Some of you might remember that I’ve been “stuck” with my current WIP for months now. My muse is holding my draft hostage at the seventy percent (70%) mark and, until this weekend, I was unable to figure out how to bring the strings of plot together to get to those magic words, “the end”. Thanks to what I’ve learned this weekend I’m moving forward again and it feels fantastic!

I want to give a huge shout out and thank you to Karel Segers and The Story Department, WAnimate, ScreenWest, The Art Gallery of Western Australia, and Writing WA for giving me the opportunity to attend The Hero’s Journey Seminar. I had an incredible time and I’d love to have more of these opportunities coming to Perth.