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None of these are required and doing them allis not probable— but, adding a few of these into your novel could really elevate your first page! Here are a few different ways to open your story in a way that makes it more intriguing! Lesssgooo:
1) Consider grounding your reader on the first page. No… not in the sense of sending them to their room (), but rather— place them in a setting and make sure they know where they are from the start. You don’t want to confuse your reader by waiting too long to describe the setting. Make sure they know where they are so that they can vividly see the scene in their mind. Plus, if it’s a breathtaking fantasy world, that could be your hook.
HOWEVER, make sure you’re not ONLY describing the setting. Try to mix some narration, action or dialogue in there.
2) Have a clear, distinct voice from the start. Voiceis the mixture of tone, POV, word choice and punctuation that an author uses to tell their story. Essentially, it’s their writing style (similar to how musicians all sing differently). Some writers have such a unique voice that you can tell it’s their writing right from the get-go. If your unique voice/style comes through strong enough on the first page, it could very well be one of the major things that captivates your reader.
3) Allude to something that’s about to happen. My favorite example of this is The Hunger Games. In the very firstparagraph, The Reaping is mentioned. This compels me to read more because I want to know what it is and why it has everyone stressed out.
4) Consider showing who your protagonist is. If your character is a hothead, maybe the plot starts while they’re extremely angry. If they’re an assassin, maybe they’re planning a hit, already on one… or just finished one.
5) Introduce tension and conflict. Conflict can be huge (a car chase) or super minor (running out of milk). If you do not want conflict on the first page, consider alluding to future conflict. Make the readers feel like something is about to happen (drop hints) and that whatever it is… will change the protagonist’s path— thus beginning their journey.
6) Based on your audience/genre, create a hook. For example, if you’re writing a fantasy, you could tease the magic of your world. You don’t have to explain your magic system and all it’s rules (in fact, the first page is way too early for that) but you could rather allude/hint at how: “her fingers felt hot, like when she burned them on the stove as a child. She couldn’t wipe off the heat, it was like they were on fire.”
7) THINGS NOT TO DO:
- Don’t let your character(s) wander around aimlessly. Give them something to do, put their goals and wants to use right away.
- Don’t info dump backstory
- Don’t start too early. Only go as far back as the reader needs to understand the inciting incident.
- Don’t overwhelm the reader with a ton of names or locations
- Don’t start your story in an overly generic way that editors have seen too many times (waking up, dreaming, running from something, etc.) The exception is if you can put your own unique twist on it.
- Try not to tell, but rather show.
Pt. 2 — Coming soon!
☕Official Blog:www.byzoemay.com
If a scene, conversation or an idea is not working in your novel… here is why you should not delete it, but rather save it away somewhere else. Taking out scenes that don’t work can be healthy for your story, but you should move them to a spare document instead of deleting them permanently. Here’s why:
1) You can use it in a different story. If it’s not working in your current novel, it could fit into a future project.
2) It can inspire new ideas. Saving your writing and looking back on it every now and again can inspire a completely new perspective on it. This could give birth to new ideas to write in your current novel… or even bring to life a whole new story idea!
3) You can fix the scene/idea later. Whether it’s writers block or just lack of sleep… maybe you just need to come back to it later with fresh eyes.
4) It might not be as bad as you think. If you’ve been working on your project every day for hours at a time, you might begin to overthink and nitpick your writing. Rather than delete stuff you grow to dislike, save it elsewhere and look back on it a few weeks later. You might realize that you just needed a break and it is actually a damn goodscene.
5) Maybe it’s not the scene that is broken, but your structure/backstory. If your scene feels out of place or like it’s not working, consider asking yourself whyit feels wrong. Maybe you need to figure out the bare bones of the scene and flesh it out more to make it work.
☕Official Blog:www.byzoemay.com
Here are some ideas on how to make a characters death heartbreaking. Hopefully they can be used to inspire a creative death in your story! (I swear I’m not a sadist).
1) Have them die right before they obtain the one thing they have always wanted. No… really, like minutesbefore. Not only can they see what they want want just out of reach, but they see someone else take it.
2) Kill them before they could make amends.
3) Stabbed in the back by someone they loved. Or by the one person they knew was untrustworthy but no one would listen to them.
4) Give the character a false-death and the relief that comes along with it… and then kill them for real right after.
5) Kill them while their walls are down and they finally let themselves be vulnerable.
6) Kill them right before their one-sided love interest returns their affection.
7) Make their death essential for others to live even though your character desperately doesn’t want to be left behind.
8) Have them find irony in their death. A dry, painful laugh as tears are pouring down their face.
9) Make them believe that they have failed everyone just before they die, while in reality the did the opposite. But they’ll never know that.
10) Give them a phobia and have them die from it.
11) Make their death an accident. Just after the huge battle is won and everyone is relieved, a weapon malfunctions and kills them.
12) Give them a slow death and prevent your other characters from being able to help or save them.
13) Make their death fully preventable, but it happens because of the neglect of everyone in the story.
14) Make them go somewhere they didn’t want to go in the first place and then have them die as they wish “they would have just stayed home.”
15) Kill them at their happiest hour.
16) Have them sacrifice themselves for someone who would neverdo the same for them.
Pt. 2 — Coming Soon!
☕Official Blog:www.byzoemay.com
Tone is the authors attitude towards a specific subject. Perhaps they are writing in a very lighthearted and cheerful way as they tell the story of two bestfriends exploring NYC together. Or maybe they’re writing in a very dark and scary tone as they take you on the journey of a woman lost in the forest with a strange man.
Tone is not to be confused with mood which is the atmosphere or overall feelings that your story conveys to the reader. You may write in a humorous tone and still make the readers feel sad or angry through the events of your story.
Give your readers a tone promise.
Does your beginning chapters relay the correct tone of your story? Brandon Sanderson believes that the first chapter of your novel should promise the reader the tone that they will be receiving as they continue to read.
Imagine you’re writing a comedy and your reader picks up your book expecting it to be a funny and lighthearted read… and then your story starts with a horrifying eerie tone and an axe murder who instills fear into the reader.
Maybe your storyis a comedy… but because you started the book out in the wrong tone, you risk the reader putting the book down.
Sometimesprologuescan be used to convey the correct tone when the beginning of your story doesn’t.
The readers mood does not have to match the authors tone.
For instance, in a dark romance novel, the main characters could be enjoying a sensual moment. The authors tone and writing might be romantic and fluffy… but because of your genre (vampire fiction), setting (dark castle) and context clues (he bit her neck a little too hard), the reader could be feeling a more tense and scary vibe.
Ask yourself what tone you want for your story.
If you’re writing a romance do you want it to be humorous and cute?
“He had the stubbiest fingers that wrapped around my own, and while they were great at opening a pickle jar… they were even better at keeping my hands warm.”
Or maybe mysterious and dark?
“His fingers were long and boney, like branches of the dead trees that circled the manor. Yet when he took my hand into his, all I could think about was how he chose to love me with them instead of kill me.”
These two tones are completelydifferent. Figure out what tone you want for your story (you can have multiple).
The Cold Opening
Hollywood does a common tonal promise called The Cold Open. It’s when you join the characters in the middle of a miniature adventure that foreshadows the bigger adventure your characters will be going on.
An example of this is a story that starts in the middle of a small heist to steal some gold from the town’s bank. Then, the actual plot is a bigger and longer version of this. After being caught, this group is so skilled that the town representatives task them with breaking into the usurpers castle to steal a magical item that threatens the freedom of everyone.
☕ Official Blog: www.zmwrites.com
Source:Brandon Sanderson’s Creative Writing Lectures on YT andMasterclass
Are you writing a scene (or maybe you abandoned it) that just isn’t working? Does it feel slow or empty? Are things not connecting right? Here are some quick ideas that you can consider implementing into your scene. Keep in mind these are not things that are required for a good scene (in fact some might not fit into your story at all), but rather inspiration.
1) What is at stake? How can you make the readers worry?
2) What are you character(s) goals?
3) What conflict is happening in the scene?
4) Is there romantic tension as a result of a subplot? Is someone jealous? Are two people swapping daring gazes?
5) What could the characters lose or gain from this scene? An object, self-dignity, friends… a life?
6) Is there room to add red herrings? What little hints can you sprinkle around to mislead your readers? Prepare for that twist you got coming.
7) Is someone being deceptive? Who is lying to the group?
8) Can you increase the drama? What do your characters disagree about?
9) Is there enough dialogue? Can you start an argument or discussion about something that is vital to the story?
10) What can you delete that has no meaning or impact on the story? Do we really need to know about how your protagonist rolled out of bed with a messy bun the size of Jupiter and how she brushes her teeth with Crest? Or can you skip mundane routines?
11) Take away something that your characters need. Have them frantic about finding it— it’s time for a new game plan.
12) Is it time for someone to die? Someone important to the protagonist?
13) What can you keepfrom your readers? Leave your readers asking questions. Who is that guy? What does this object do that they need to find? Why does the protagonist always get headaches?
14) Is it time to reveal what you’ve been keeping from your readers?
15) Do something that your readers would never expect.
16) Can you start a fight— a big one? One that changes the story’s direction completely. Does someone change sides or get severely injured?
17) Where’s the antagonist— what’s he doing? If he’s busy elsewhere, is it appropriate timing to raise tension around the idea of him? Are your characters talking about their plan to crush him, or is your protagonist having nightmares of him?
18) Is there a big choice that your characters need to make? One that changes everything. Which road do they take? Was it the right road? Your protagonist decides to open a door that says do not enter. A beast escapes that kills someone in the group.
19) Is your protagonist active or passive? Did a dragon fly up to your protagonist and place her on his back (passive), or did she search for the dragon and mount him herself (active)? Neither is wrong, but passive characters have potential to slow down the story.
20) Can you limit the time your characters have to do something? Do they have five minutes to steal an item from the antagonist’s castle before he comes home?
Pt. 2— Coming Soon!
☕Official Blog: www.zmwrites.com
If you’re feeling lost in your 2nd Act, or noticing that things are getting slow, saggy or unraveling, here are some things to consider:
Are you weaving in your subplots? If so, can you thicken them up?
Do you have a love subplot that you’ve been progressing? Are you using it to create tension and drama? Subplots (especially romantic ones) can create juicy conflict and motivation for your characters in the main plot. Add in a training subplot if your protagonist needs to know a certain skill or master a power while on their journey. Add in chaos— an axe murder moves to town, a tormented beast breaks free from their eternal prison, an ex-girlfriend comes back into the picture. Explore other subplots and how they could beef up your middle.
Do your characters have goals? Motivations?
I’m not talking about small goals, but the big ones that completely change your characters as they try to accomplish them. Do they want to defeat the evil villain, or do they have a murder to solve? Are they in search of their soulmate? If you don’t have a clear direction of your characters goals, your 2nd Act can become hard to navigate through.
Have you teased the Antagonist?
Some bad guys don’t ever meet or face off against the protagonist until the end, and that’s okay as long as you weave them throughout the story. Voldemort is a good example of a villain who is sprinkled throughout the story seamlessly. Add rumors of them, strange flashbacks or visions, their evil grunts doing their dirty work and so on. Make sure to place bits and pieces of your villain throughout the story, otherwise there is no suspenseful build up.
Do you have a MacGuffin you could add?
An object, item or idea that your characters need to obtain, thus giving them motivation. Some definitions say that the MacGuffin should be insignificant to the characters/audience and only be used to trigger the plot into motion. We don’t necessarily have any emotional ties to the Horcruxes in Harry Potter. Instead, all seven of them serve to solely propel the plot towards Voldemort and it’s end.
George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, believed that the audience should actually care about the MacGuffin as much as they do the characters. In Episode IV, the MacGuffin is the plans/blueprints of The Death Star— a planet-destroying weapon. The characters need to steal the plans before the weapon is built. We don’t want to see planets full of our favorite characters obliterated, therefore this type of MacGuffin pulls on our emotions more than the previous definition.
Could you introduce a twist?
What secrets can you reveal? What surprises can you spring on your characters and the audience? In Harry Potter, we’re caught off guard when Sirius Black is revealed not to be a bad guy, but instead an ally of Harry’s all along. Make sure you’re sprinkling in red herrings and hints along the way so that the reader doesn’t feel totally blind sided, cheated or confused at the sudden change in events.
☕ Official Blog: www.zmwrites.com
1) Give them a goal. Just like your protagonist, your side characters will become more complex if given a motive or agenda. Make sure you treat them like real people who have desires. What propels them forward, why are they in this story… what do they hope to accomplish?
2) Let them make an impact. Have their actions directly or indirectly effect the main plot and your protagonist. If the side character means something to the protagonist, they will mean something to the reader. Perhaps they gave your protagonist a shoulder to cry on, which then aided in the their journey.
3) Give them a theme. What lessons will this side character teach your protagonist (and the reader)? Take Redemptionas an example: does this side character cause trouble for the protagonist the whole story, only to have a change of heart in the end?
4) Give them at least one unique quality. Something to remember them by, something that makes them easily distinguishable. A lavish accent, a brutal scar, a bad habit, an obsession with something. The list goes on and on.
5) Have something they did effect the ending. No matter how small of an impact they have on the ending, give them a part of it. Did they say something to the protagonist that gave them courage in the end? Did they steal something that would’ve made the ending easier? Did they alert the bad guys of the protagonist’s incoming?
6) Introduce them twice. First introduce the character passively, in a conversation or as a passing shadow in the background. Then formally introduce them a second time into the story officially.
[Passive introduction]
“We’ve all heard rumors about the The Day Walker, but no one has ever seen him before. They say he freezes anything he touches.”
[After some time has passed in your story, introduce them formally]
The temperature suddenly dropped, our breath forming thick clouds that floated up towards the flickering lights. I tangled my fingers together, tried grabbing at the warmth that was fading away quickly. It was then that the door began to rattle, then shake, and then bust open with violent intent. Shards of the wood flew past us and in walked what we could only assume to be The Day Walker.
7) Give them a small arc. You already have your main characters to worry about when it comes to arcs, but you can easily deceive readers into believing that a side character has changed throughout the story. Your side character who was shaky and nervous on page 50, now stands tall and confident on page 230. They’ve changed, we just didn’t get to see how in great detail. You can add small scenes and details in between those pages suggesting the change.
8) Give them their own special setting. We all have places we prefer hanging out: a coffee shop, a street corner, the roof of a school, the mall. Anchor some of your side characters to a specific setting, that way it helps with your worldbuilding as well. Next time your main characters pass by that specific location, the readers might think of that side character.
9) Allow some side characters to be forgettable. Sometimes it’s okay for a character to exist for one purpose and then to never be seen again. Don’t stress yourself out trying to make all your characters serve a higher purpose, because some people only exist in our lives for a short period of time. That’s just life.
☕Official Blog: www.zmwrites.com
Slowing down the pace:
1) Confuse your protagonist.Is there a puzzle or obstacle that your characters have to solve in order to proceed? Can you make it harder for them? Or does solving one problem lead to an even bigger one?
2) Steal something away from your protagonist that they need for their next step. The dragon rider can’t find his dragon. The knight that is about to ride into battle broke his sword moments before.
3.) Add subplots. For seamless pacing, jump back and forth between your different plots. Just when something big is about to be revealed in the main plot, steer your readers off course into a subplot so that they’re on the edge of their seat waiting for you to return them to the main plot. Do this with your subplots as well for a back and forth game of suspense.
4) Make your sentences longer with more details. For a scene or moment that you want to highlight, drag it out with heightened details. Think of it as a slow motion scene in a movie.
5) Introspection. Have your character think, reflect or consider their next steps. Inner monologues and consciousness can help the reader to understand misbeliefs, flaws and motivations of a character as well. (Doing this in the middle of a fast-paced scene will slow it down, so be cautious where you use this).
Quickening the pace:
1) Set up a real ticking clock. The time is counting down and your protagonist needs to finish something in a limited amount of time. A tomb raider has only five minutes to find the relic and escape before they’re shut in the cave forever.
2) Increase the pressure on your protagonist. Put obstacles in between them and their goals, have an ex return to town, cause drama between them and their friends, place their biggest fear right in front of them, increase the romantic/sexual tension between them and a love interest.
3) Shorten your sentences/details. Quick action scenes should have short and to the point descriptions. The more details you add, the slower it will feel. Picture an action scene in a movie… punches flying left and right. There is no time to think or observe tiny details.
4) Add a loose cannon. A character who is unpredictable and that the characters worry most about. The tension of what they might do next can help drive your pacing, make the story feel more unyielding.
5) Balance your elements. Make sure you don’t write in huge chunks of just one element. Scenes need to be balanced with dialogue, narrative, action, setting, character, etc. Your pacing can get thrown out of wack if one whole scene is purely a monologue and then the next is solely dialogue. Weave them together!
Source: Plot Perfect by Paula Munier | Writersedit
☕ Official Blog: www.zmwrites.com
This post is about when to not use adverbs. However, adverbs are not all evil. There are tons of places where they strengthen your writing. I’ll cover that in a future post!
Adverbs are commonly used to modify a verb. Typically, this is done by adding an “-ly” to an adjective.
He danced swiftly.
She cried loudly.
He said angrily.
Instead of inserting an adverb here, you might consider going into more detail on the action. Show us how he dances swiftly:
He was light on his feet, empty in his mind. He let the music guide him. His movements reminded us of a feather caught in the ocean’s breeze.
Adverbs in dialogue tags
• A bad example of adverb usage in a speech tag:
“Don’t do that.” He said angrily.
• We can make this sentence stronger by showing his anger in an action, rather than telling it through the adverb “angrily.”
He shoved the boy with a snarl. “Don’t do that.”
• We can also adjust the dialogue itself, making the anger present in the character’s voice.
“Stop! Don’t do that. You’re pissing me off.” He said.
Adverbs being used unnecessarily
“He was so tired that he would eventually fall to the ground.”
“After crying all night, Sarah finally fell asleep.”
“The cat was very cute.”
These types of adverbs can slow down the pace and add an extra word that isn’t needed. The sentence is more direct and stronger without it.
“He was so tired that he would fall to the ground.”
“After crying all night, Sarah fell asleep.”
“The cat was adorable.”
Adverbs that take away the urgency
If used in the wrong place, or too often, adverbs such as suddenly, immediately, and abruptly can slow down an action that is meant to happen quickly. The more wordy your sentence is, the less clear and concise it is.
“It was quiet until suddenly a loud noise erupted.”
“It was quiet until a loud noise erupted.”“The red truck abruptly slammed into my car.”
“The red truck slammed into my car.”
☕ Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com
While researching this topic, one piece of advice kept showing up:
Your antagonist needs to be affecting the story as soon as possible (even if they’re not physically shown yet). Introduce them as close to the start as possible, whether it’s physically, by name, rumors or an action they have done off-page.
• Consider introducing them passively before they physically enter the story.
If your antagonist doesn’t enter the story until later, introduce them in passive ways. This could be word of mouth, rumors, visions, dreams… something that builds up the idea of the villain before they walk into the plot. A little appetizer before the meal. Another way to do this is by having something the antagonist does off the page affect your protagonist directly.
Example: In a murder mystery, the antagonist typically isn’t revealed until the end. However, he may be stealing evidence off-page, burning down houses, sabotaging the investigators, creating red herrings, planting traps, etc.
You could also give your antagonist henchmen who carry out their evil deeds for them until the antagonist steps in themselves. In Star Wars, the main antagonist is Darth Vader, who rules The Empire. The people who work for The Empire are always chasing Luke, giving him a constant struggle and conflict.
Examples:
Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Air Bender doesn’t enter the story until the final season. However, his atrocities are made known throughout the show and directly affect Aang and his friends.
Voldemort’s character from the Harry Potter series receives a similar treatment. He is shown in flashbacks, brief scenes and through rumors/word of mouth before he and Harry clash wands later on.
• Have your antagonist crush an influential authority figure.
Establish a character whom your protagonist idolizes, trusts or views as unbeatable. This could be a trusted mentor, a minor antagonist, an idolized father/mother figure, etc. Then, have your antagonist crush them.
When the antagonist easily defeats this powerful authority figure, it shows the protagonist (and readers) an unfathomable strength.
☕ Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com
Typically, your first chapter(s) are going to be introducing your protagonist. These chapters will be your protagonist in their “status quo” or normal life, just before the inciting incident occurs (which launches your character into the story/adventure).
Here’s a guide on how to introduce your character in a strong, memorable way.
1) Place your protagonist in a place and time, ASAP.
Make sure to ground your protagonist to a location as quick as possible. Even if it’s just a sentence describing their surroundings. You don’t want them floating aimlessly in the reader’s mind.
•Whereyour protagonist chooses to spend their time can reveal a lot about them in just the first chapter.
Example: A princess who is in disguise. She’s enjoying drinks in a bar downtown. This reveals a need to get away from her duties and to just be a normal civilian.
•Whatyour protagonist is doing in this setting will also help in showing who they are.
Example:At the bar, she’s the best dart player, always hitting bullseyes despite being drunk. This might hint at a hidden skillset of being a great marksman.
2) Build suspense by withholding information.
“He walked with a limp and a permanent scowl, the pain always reminding him of that fateful day.”
Instead of telling the readers right away how he got the limp, withhold that information and let the audience wonder a little bit. Reveal it later on for a satisfying connection of the dots.
3) Give your protagonist a goal.
Don’t confuse your readers by not defining a clear goal for your protagonist. Make sure your characters main motivation is declared early on.
Suzanne Collins does this by reiterating through the first chapters just how much Katniss does for Prim. Protecting Prim and feeding her is Katniss’s priority— so much so, that she refuses to run away with Gale.
Therefore, when she volunteers as Tribute in her place, we understand why. We know what her goal is: protecting Prim. We understand why she won’t give up during the Games.
4) Introduce them while they’re doing an Action.
Is a starving girl hunting for her impoverished family? Does a cocky pilot try showing off, only to nearly crash and get kicked out of flight school?
Introduce them doing something within their daily routine. Reveal their personality through their actions. You only have so many pages to really sell the reader on why they should follow your character’s story… so make it count! Don’t have them wandering aimlessly or doing something super mundane that doesn’t tie into the story.
PART 2 — SOON TO COME!
☕ Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com
1) Be deliberate where you place backstory.
Going into a character’s past and revealing information can slow down a scene. If you’re in the middle of a very tense scene, revealing too much backstory might pull the reader out of the moment. On the contrary, if you reveal a pivotal piece of a characters backstory during a critical moment of the story, it could be the peak of the tension!
2) Make the reader emotionally involved.
If they care about the characters, it’ll mean more to them when they get into a dangerous situation. This can build more tension and have the reader on the edge of their seat regarding the safety of the cared-for character.
3) Make a conflict even worse.
Turn a bad situation into a terrible one. Just when the characters think they’ve defeated a boss, reveal an even bigger bad guy behind him. When you give the reader a “calm” after the storm, make the readers feel like something bad could happen at any moment with your descriptive word choice. Make sure to balance the tension with some smaller, relaxed scenes.
4) Use the mood of your scene to your advantage.
Mood is the atmosphere/feelings that your story makes the reader feel. Using descriptive writing is prime for setting the mood. Be deliberate in the details that you tell the audience. “There was a whisper of wind that slithered past my ear as we entered the abandoned manor. The floors creaked and shifted as if the place was being lived in at this very moment.”
5) Pick the correct pace.
Readers grow tense when they don’t know what will happen next. You can drag the tension out in a slow scene (watching the villain grow closer through a crack in a door), or make the reader’s heart pound in a fast-paced, high-stakes scene (a character’s wound won’t stop bleeding in the middle of a battle).
6) Don’t reveal the answer right away.
Tension doesn’t just come from dangerous situations or stressful scenes. You can keep your readers engaged by raising intriguing questions and not revealing the answer until a later time. This keeps the audience interested in what will happen next, and depending on the intensity of the question, also keeps them on the edge of their seat.
Ex. Throughout multiple scenes, the villain has had multiple chances to kill the protagonist. Each time, he falters and physically cannot hurt the protagonist. Many chapters later, it’s revealed that the villain is bound by life to the protagonist, despite having an extreme hatred for them.
All the while, the reader might’ve been wondering with growing tension: “why can’t he hurt the protagonist? Does he care for them? Is it a curse? Maybe he’s a good guy? Are they related, maybe?”
7) Secrets, backstory, twists, and cliffhangers.
Is a character keeping a secret? Does the reader know about it, but not the other characters? Is there pivotal backstory information about your protagonist that could shock the reader or upset the plot? Can you end a chapter or scene with a big question that leaves the readers dying to know the answer?
☕ Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com
So you have your idea but you’re struggling to piece your plot together? You have the vision but you’re not sure how to execute it? Here’s my advice:
1) Pick your Story Structure
My first recommendation would be (if you haven’t already) find the story structure you’d like to use! There are tons of different outlines/layouts you can follow to make sure your story has all the major scenes/key points that make a story…. well, a story! Turn to Google to research some Story Structures (there’s the Three Act Structure, The Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat, etc.)
Let me show you a small glimpse into how a book might follow a story structure. We’ll take The Hunger Games as an example, which uses the Three Act Structure.
Act One (The Set Up) - Introduce your protagonist in their normal world.
1) Introduction/Beginning - chapter one shows us Katniss in her ordinary world, taking care of her family, meeting Gale in the woods and navigating through the dystopian society of District 12. We’re also introduced to the dreaded Reaping.
2) Inciting Incident - in chapter two Katniss Volunteers as Tribute, effectively launching her into the real story of her needing to survive The Hunger Games.
3) Resolution (reaction/second thoughts) - Katniss gets to say goodbye to Gale and her family, feeling doubt and anxiety on what’s to come.
These structures don’t have to be followed strictly, but if you can take your plot and scene ideas and place them into a template like above, it will help piece your story together immensely! Find one on Google and see how it helps!
2) Focus on Your Characters and Their Goals
The protagonist’s goal or want should be one of the major factors in driving them through the plot. Therefore, if you’re not totally sure on what it is that they want, it can cause big holes in your story. The plot can begin to wander and dilly dally as you’re not sure where your characters want to go!
Katniss has one major and clear goal. Without this goal, the story would never take place. Her goal is to protect her sister Prim and in order to do that, she must win The Hunger Games.
Of course, throughout the story, she gains smaller goals like protecting Peeta and Rue— but her overall goal never changes.
3) Clarify your Main Idea and Add Subplots around it
When brainstorming, things can get muddy. Make sure your main, central plot idea stays solid. Bring your major secondary ideas into subplots around the main idea that might involve other characters or locations in your story.
The main plot in The Hunger Games is Katniss surviving the Games. Other subplots include her increasing romance with Peeta, and her complicated friendship/relationship with Gale. Rue’s struggle as a young girl who must survive the games is another Subplot, especially with how Katniss befriends her, refusing to think about how only one of them can survive.
4) Consider adding in some Character Archetypes
Maybe you have too many characters, or not enough. Have you checked to make sure every character is serving some kind of purpose? Character Archetypes can be a good way to assign a role to important characters. Head to Google to find lists of Character Archetypes!
InThe Hunger Games, Katniss is the Hero, Haymitch is The Mentor, Rue is The Innocent, Peeta is the Lover, etc.
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What is the inciting incident?
You’ll hear it described in numerous different ways.
It’s the event that launches the plot into motion. It’s what shakes up the protagonist’s life (in a positive or negative way) and shoves them into an adventure. It’s the event that upsets the protagonist’s normal life or status quo. It’s the beginning of the narrative’s movement and can be either positive or negative as it pummels us down the story and to the climax.
A strong inciting incident will make use of the protagonist’s internal struggles, fatal flaws, and false beliefs.
When does the inciting incident happen?
The inciting incident happens within the first act.
A common misconception is that the inciting incident is the hook of your story. This is not typically the case. The hook is an opening tactic used to capture your reader and keep their interest, typically the first sentence, paragraph, or page of a story.
As a good rule of thumb, the sooner your inciting incident occurs, the better. If you wait too long, your readers could lose interest— after all, it’s the event that launches your characters into the real story.
Some sources say it should happen around the 12% mark of your story. Between the first 20-30 pages of your novel, or the first couple chapters of your story.
How do you write an inciting incident?
1) Your inciting incident should begin your story’s main plot and change your protagonist’s life forever.
What happens before the inciting incident is your protagonist’s status quo or normal life. The inciting incident will force your protagonist to leave this world behind, thus beginning the plot. Nothing will be the same for your character after this event. The choice they made is irreversible and has consequences (good or bad).
2) Your inciting incident should set the tone and touch on your story’s theme(s).
If the inciting incident launches your protagonist into a new world, this event should reflect the tone and overall theme of the story you’ll be telling. For example, we’ll use “betrayal” as one of our story’s main themes. Maybe the inciting incident could be something like:
“Alice comes home early to find her boyfriend cheating on her with her bestfriend. These two people were her only friends/family left in this small town, so she packs up her bags and leaves for a fresh start somewhere else.“
3) Typically, the inciting incident is out of your protagonist’s control and happens to them.
4) Convince the readers that your protagonist had no other option but to leave their normal life behind.
Your protagonist has to make a choice to either stay in their status quo or to risk everything and go out on a dangerous adventure. You should structure your inciting incident in a way that convinces readers that your protagonist had no other choice but to take on the adventure. Otherwise, your readers might say, “oh well they could’ve just stayed home. They didn’t need to go on this adventure.”
If Katniss doesn’t volunteer, her sister dies in the Games.
5) Use your protagonist’s misbelief/fatal flaw.
If you want to make your inciting incident stronger, think about how your protagonist would really react to the event given their fatal flaw. When the inciting incident happens, your protagonist responds based on their current misbeliefs of the world.
Examples of inciting incidents
The Hunger Games. Katniss volunteers as tribute for her sister Prim in the beginning pages of chapter 2. From this moment forward, Katniss’s life is thrown off course in a negative manner as she must fight in the Games.
Pride and Prejudice. The arrival of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy into town is seen as the inciting incident as the course of the story changes from here. When Elizabeth overhears Mr. Darcy talking negatively of her at the Ball, their string of conflict begins, preventing them from admitting their love for one another.
A Court of Thorns and Roses. Feyre kills a fae that she believed to be a wolf. This sparks Tamlin coming to town to capture her for breaking the treaty.
The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy is literally ripped away from her status quo by a tornado and launched into a new world.
Romeo and Juliet. The two lovers meet each other at a Ball, sparking their love at first sight and dramatic romance.
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How do you find the right pacing for a scene? First, figure out if you’re writing a fast scene or a slow scene. An action scene would be fast-paced and intense, while a first kiss might be slow and passionate.
Fewer details quicken a scene.
More details slow a scene down.
Action scenes thrive off fewer details. When a punch is flying toward your character, they’re not going to notice all the fine details of the setting or their attacker. They’re also not going to have that much time to time to think. The more details you explain or the longer you’re inside your characters thoughts, the slower the action becomes.
A slow, sensual scene will thrive off lots of sensory details. Your character has time to think and feel. Let them hear, touch, see, smell and taste to make the scene as detailed as you want it to be. A good, intimate scene will have lots of heart-racing details that places the reader in the seat of the protagonist.
Your scene can include both fast and slow pacing by changing up how you treat your details and dialogue.
Dialogue is a great tool for changing the pacing of your scene.
Quick, short dialogue exchanges with no action tags will speed up your scene and also leave white space on the page. That emptiness gives the reader a sense of movement and progression.
“Where are you going!”
“Anywhere but here.”
“Please, just wait a minute.”
“No. You had your chance.”
You can slow dialogue down by adding in monologues and inner thoughts, placing in action descriptions, and also adding in longer speeches.
“Where are you going!” My lips cracked and my legs buckled as I pleaded. Why did he have to be like this? If he would just listen to me…
If you keep your characters moving and physically doing something during dialogue, it can help with pacing, rather than having them halt their actions just to talk.
Lastly, choosing when to reveal information can be dire in your ability to control the pace of your plot.
We all know that info-dumping is frowned upon, so to avoid this we slowly feed the reader information as the story progresses. By creating questions that your reader wants to know the answers to, you effectively keep them turning pages.
Where you place those questions and their answers change your pacing. Do you want to answer the question within the same scene or chapter? Or leave the question to sauté in your reader’s mind for a big, mind-blowing reveal a few chapters later?
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It’s a very debated topic amongst writers: does every scene I write need meaning behind it? Can I just write one or two scenes that exist solely for entertainment purposes?
Every answer you get will be different. Here is my answer:
Every scene should serve a purpose, no matter how small, to the overall story.
Not every scene needs conflict, action, or a big push forward… but the scene itself should exist for a reason. Little steps and quiet scenes can be just as powerful as huge plot pushes and major conflicts… if they hold some kind of importance to the characters or plot.
Even your silly, comedic relief scenes or your smutty, sexy scenes. You could reveal a secret, show character development through internal thoughts or actions, create or fix a conflict, develop a relationship between two characters, have your protagonist get a step closer to solving a problem/completing their goal, or a step backward.
Not every scene needs to push the big plot forward, but can instead be tiny stepping stones in progressing character development or subplots.
The Lion King has many scenes that you might see as just silly or fun, but even those colorful, musical scenes serve a purpose to the story. The playfulness of “Just Can’t Wait to Be King” brings a joyous contrast to the darker scenes, and also lets the audience know what Simba thinks about being king.
Let’s take the Tracker Jacker scene from The Hunger Games as a very well-rounded example. Even though it’s not your traditional fist-to-fist action scene, it holds a lot of suspense as Katniss is put into a situation of wits.
This scene where Katniss drops a hive of Tracker Jackers onto other contestants moves the plot forward in so many ways:
1) Rue and Katniss begin a friendship as Rue helps her.
2) Katniss is stung herself, furthering the stakes.
3) Some of the contestants are taken out, putting Katniss one step further to possibly winning the Games. This also challenges Katniss’s morals as she willkill to survive, but she never wantsto take a life.
4) Katniss manages to get a bow and arrow which is a huge turning point in her probability of winning the Games.
5) The intrigue behind what the Tracker Jacker’s are further the worldbuilding.6) Whether it’s a hallucination or Peeta himself telling Katniss to run, the audience and Katniss herself sees that Peeta may not actually be against her after all— which is a misconception Katniss develops after seeing him partner with the Careers.
In just one scene, Suzanne Collin’s progresses subplots and the main plot, furthers her worldbuilding, creates conflict, raises the stakes, and also sets up the next scene flawlessly as Rue will end up taking care of Katniss and her injuries.
It’s like every scene she writes, she tries to get the most out of it that she can.
And I think we all can take some inspiration from that!
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Whether you’re mentally or physically in the dumps or your story itself is just in an unmovable place— here are some tips on how to get unstuck and progress your story!
1) Add more obstacles for your protagonist or intensify their problems.
If your story is feeling slow or stuck, it might be because there’s not enough happening. Experiment with this. Do you have enough conflict? A really solid, well-thought-of character goal? Can you worsen your character’s problems or make their path to the end much more difficult?
You don’t have to use any of these ideas you end up brainstorming— but rather just explore different pathways of doubling down on the drama. You might just find a path that really resonates with your theme and story.
So, here’s a conflict. Let’s intensify it and make it worse:
Jake’s crazy ex comes to town.
She just got out of prison for trying to kill him.
Actually, escaped prison.
… And brought four of the town’s more notorious inmates with her.
When she tries to sabotage Jake’s life, the inmates protect Jake.
Because unbeknownst to him, his father was a huge crime lord.
The inmates now expect him to take over as a crime lord.
Depending on how slowly and naturally you unravel these problems, it can become a super intriguing, suspenseful story with one mystery after another revealing itself!
2) Explore deeper into other characters.
Think about what it would be like to give a side character more screen time. Consider what the story would be like if they were the main character, or if they were the main character’s best friend, the villain, etc. You might find out that one character might fit better a different role.
Can the actions and reactions of a side character affect the story or your protagonist more intensely? Do you have too many characters? Can you merge any of them together? Debatably, two really interesting side characters are better than five basic ones.
3) Don’t stop writing because your novel is straying from your initial idea/outline.
If your story feels like it’s taking control of itself and ending up down pathways you weren’t intending… keep writing. Freely, recklessly, sporadically. It’s better than writing nothing at all, isn’t it? Stick to your outline and plans as much as you can, but don’t let it stop you from writing because you’re not following it enough. You won’t know for sure if you dislike a pathway until you explore down it. You could write a dozen chapters that you don’t like… but out of all those scenes, you might have written your favorite one that you can keep!
4) Begin writing your most anticipated scenes!
If you’re a linear writer like me… this can be hard. I like to write in order, and in a way, it feels exciting to “finally get to write that one scene I’ve been dying to explore!” But on the other hand… it can be dreadful and boring to slosh through smaller scenes before getting to the real heart of the story.
So, treat yourself every now and then. Don’t wait to write those smutty scenes, those action-packed scenes, those juicy secrets reveals. Write them and enjoy it! Let the passion back into writing.
5) Count your subplots.
Do you have too many? Or maybe not enough? Are you getting as much as you can out of them? Do they add to your theme(s)? Are your side character interweaved throughout these subplots? Here are some ways that subplots can help your story:
• Subplots can balance the pacing of your story by slowing it down or speeding it up (a slow-burn romance might slow things down, while a thrilling mystery might speed it up).
• Provide twists and turns, create suspense and mystery.
• Can solve plot holes or problems in your main plot.
• Intensify or mirror your theme. If the theme of your story is betrayal, you could have minor or major lessons of betrayal laced into your subplots.
• Balance and add different moods to your story. If your story is really dark and eerie, some comedic relief, romance, hope, etc. could be added through subplots.
6) Go back to the source.
Why did you begin this story in the first place? Was it a dream you had? Did you see something out in nature that sparked a huge idea? Does it come from a personal experience? Think about how your story has evolved since then. Do you like the direction it’s going in now? Is the primary theme you wanted to tell still intact?
Going back to the seed that started it all can be a great way to figure out where the problem came from. Has your story strayed too much from your idea? Maybe your character has naturally developed in ways that contradict how you wanted them to be. Either way, once you figure out where it went wrong, you can begin to backtrack and fix things!
7) Create a Deadline.
Start with small goals: one paragraph a day, for example.
A deadline will force you to write— no matter how little. One sentence could lead to a paragraph, which might turn into a page. Starting is always the hardest part, but you have to start somewhere in order to enter the “flow” of things.
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You hear a lot of advice on what you needto do as a writer… but what about things you shouldn’t do? These are all subjective tips I’ve found online— take as much info as you want from them, and disregard the things you don’t agree with!
1) Never disregard story structure. Even if you’re a pantser or love creative writing without constraints, always keep a basic structure in mind. This doesn’t mean to follow it religiously, but instead… keep it in the back of your brain so that your story can build towards important plot points, the climax and properly develop your characters. Write freely, but never forget the foundation of what makes a successful story.
2) Never abandon your first novel. To become an experienced and proficient writer, it takes time and practice. If your first novel isn’t working out, never trash it completely. After all, first-time projects usually are never going to be as good as later pieces.
Either set it aside for a later time, or use it to practice on. It’s in the editing and rewriting where you can fix it, or decide that it’s not as strong as you’d hoped. In that case, you can take bits and pieces of it and transform it into an entirely new story.
3) Never worry about how you “should” be writing. Not only does this take the fun out of the process, but it can make your writing choppy and unnatural. Everyone writes differently, there is no “one size fits all”. Take time to learn the rules of the craft, the structures, the patterns— but when it comes to the act of writing, don’t restrict yourself.
4) Don’t edit alone. Do the first rounds of editing on your own, but when it comes to a point where you can’t find anything else to fix— consider handing your draft over to trusted friends and family, beta readers and even professional editors if you have the money to do so!
5) Don’t be on the computer too long/neglect exercise. When you work out the body, you’re also working out the mind. If you feel sluggish or sore from sitting all day, your writing will most likely suffer as well! No matter how little, try to fit some kind of physical movement into your days.
6) Never skip the fundamentals. Grammar, good sentence structure, strong vocabulary… don’t ever forget the small, simple things that build healthy stories. You could have an amazing plot, but if your fundamentals suffer, it could drag everything down with it!
7) Never try to write like your idols. If you’re trying hard to copy a certain writing style, you aren’t in the “flow” of things. It’s when we try too hard that we lose the sheer joy of the process. Read and study your favorite authors and naturally you’ll pick up certain habits from them— but never try to force your writing to be similar to theirs. Your own style and voice will come within time.
8) Never write something because the market says so. If horror is the best-selling category but you hate it— don’t feel like you have to write that specific genre to be successful. There are niches and fanbases for every genre and if you truly love what you are writing, it will show in the work that you do!
9) Never let others determine your story’s worth. Not everyone will like your story, but that doesn’t determine if it’s good or not. Harry Potter was rejected 12 times… but look at it now. Never falter because someone might not like your story and never let their opinion dictate if you should be writing or not. At the end of the day, we write because we love to.
10) Never follow the rules too strictly. Yes, that includes this post, haha! In writing, rules are guidelines, and when you pave your own path— that’s when your style and creativity begin to bubble. You still need to learn the rules of course— but if every writer stuck to the same formula… all the novels in the world would be predictable and lacking uniqueness.
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Here is some fictional writing tips to reignite your passions and help you experiment with your writing! Keep in mind, advice is subjective and as writers— we all have different preferences when it comes to writing! Take a few or take none at all, here are a handful of tips!
1) Don’t limit yourself into one genre. When reading and writing, consider branching out into different genres. You’ll never know if you’ll enjoy that genre unless you give it a try. Experimenting with adding new genres to your story can make it more dynamic. However, if you don’tenjoy a genre, don’twrite in it. Write what you love to read.
2) "It’s doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing good fiction.“ — Jonathan Franzen. Don’t let your precious writing time be wilted by social media, notifications and distractions. But what about research you might ask? Allot a specific time for that, or make a note to research it later.
3) Don’t listen to the market. Write the story you want to tell, not the story that publishers want to sell.
4) Take inspiration from real life. Even if you’re writing a fantasy or sci-fi, we are humansthat are reading the story! Take core functionalities from our real world and twist them to fit your story. Consider crafting your characters from the worst and best people you’ve observed in real life.
5) Read it aloud. If a paragraph or dialogue line is feeling stiff, read it aloud or listen to your story back with a text-to-speech. Listen for the rhythm and naturality of your writing. Sometimes we can only catch rigidness by hearing it.
6) Know your audience. Do not try to appeal to everyone… this can make your story too broad. It will stretch your story in too many directions and it will end up in a mess. A story that appeals to a teenaged high schooler probably won’t be enjoyed by a 50 year old father of three. Figure out who your readers will be and focus on making it the best for them,not for everyone.
7) Let your readers use their imagination. Don’t spoon feed them every single little detail. Instead, give them key details that are needed for them to fill in the blanks and imagine the world as they see it in their head.
8) Even if you’re not using the Three Act Structure, it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with it. Every good story needs some kind of back bone— a beginning, middle and end. Discover different kinds of structures and once you have a firm grip on them, pick and pull from them, break them, follow them or just use them as loose guidelines. Even if you’re free writing without structure, I think it’s important to knowthe structures.
9) Do not send out your rough draft. Make sure to revise it as many times as it takes to make it the best that it can be. The better quality that it is when you send it to editors or beta readers, the more concrete their advice can be. (ex. you don’t want them focusing on minor spelling errors or very thin, detail lacking paragraphs that you know you would’ve fixed in the first or second revision. Instead, you want all that stuff to be as wrapped up as possible so that they can focus on critiquing the best version of your writing.)
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None of these are required, but if you’re still debating the purpose of a character or want to add a new one— here are some archetypes to consider that can strength your theme and the story you are trying to tell! There will be a part two as the list continues!
It can also be a really neat exercise to dissect your favorite books to see which archetypes appear in there! The Hero might be easy to pinpoint, but a character archetype like The Guardian might be harder to find.
1) The Hero
The main protagonist, the focus of the story. The person we follow as they adventure out into the unknown and learn new things, meet new people. It’s vital that this character develops on their journey and the audience should want the hero to achieve their goals.
This is Katniss Everdeen, Harry Potter, Neo from the Matrix.
2) The Mentor
The mentor teaches the hero important skills that they will need to survive on their adventure and in the new world they’re emerging into. Typically, the mentor is very prominent in the early stages of the book, but will fade away as the plot progresses and the hero becomes adept and ready to take on their own obstacles.
There can be multiple mentors for different stages of the characters journey, but I would put a limit on it. For example, Hagrid leads Harry into the wizarding world and introduces him to the basics of being a wizard, but Dumbledore is the one who mainly councils Harry throughout the story.
This is Haymitch and Cena, Dumbledore and Hagrid, Morpheus.
3) The Ally
The trustful friend of the hero, one who listens and supports them. They can be used as an outlet for your character to share plans, thoughts and secrets to— thus revealing them to the audience at the same time.
The ally can be really strong as an opposite of your hero. If your hero is impulsive, the ally could be cautious and tentative. Or if your hero is reserved, the ally could be bold and loud. This can be great for balancing the story as both characters make up for the others shortcomings. There can be more than one ally.
This is Peeta and Rue, Ron and Hermione, Trinity.
4) The Innocent
Typically the innocent is a child, but regardless of their age, they see the world as rainbow and sunshine. Something occurs that will change their perspective and as they go throughout the story, they learn lessons and are forced to do some growing up.
This is Hermione, this is Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
5) The Herald
This one is really interesting that I just discovered by reading the source article for this post. The Herald is the person who brings the invitation into the new world or the threat that rockets the hero out of their everyday live and into the adventure.
The Herald doesn’t have to be a character, but can be a physical letter or form of message. If the herald is a character, they usually never appear in the story again— UNLESS, they fill one of the other rolls.
This is Effie Trinkett who officially brings the Reaping to District 12 and pulls the names from the bowl, this is Hagrid who tells Harry Potter that he is a wizard and Trinity who introduces the Matrix to Neo.
6) The Rebel
The character who will not settle for how things are, who wants a change and will make it happen. They have an immense sense for justice but this doesn’t make them a hero/good guy all the time, sometimes they can be an anti-hero and do bad things in order to achieve justice.
This is Han Solo in Star Wars, this is Katniss, this is Robin Hood.
7) The Trickster
The trickster can bring comedic value to the story and lighten the mood, while at the same time bringing light to serious issues. They will make you laugh but also raise very significant and important questions.
This is Haymitch who makes us laugh but also shows us a dark side of winning the Hunger Games. This is Hagrid who represents the prejudice against half-bloods, while also offering comedic relief along the story.
8) The Shapeshifter
The shapeshifter has a few different routes you can take. But ultimately, they betray the hero at one point or another.
• An ally who is revealed to be a secret betrayer— but wait! In the hero’s time of need, this shapeshifter ends up helping the hero— sometimes resulting in their own downfall or death.
• An ally who outright betrays the hero.
• An antagonistic force who helps the hero in the end.
This is Seneca Crane who is an antagonistic force against Katniss but also allows for her and Peeta to win the games— resulting in his death. This is professor Snape who is falsely portrayed as a villain, but has secretly been aiding Harry through the story. This is Cypher who outright betrays Neo and the group, having pretended to be an ally for the majority of the movie.
9) The Guardian
Not the main antagonist, but a huge obstacle in the way of the hero’s goal. The hero must get past the guardian in order to get closer their goal. The guardian does not have to be a character, but can be creatures or physical obstacles.
This is the modified beasts who Katniss most overcome before her interaction with Cato, this is Harry Potter’s uncle who is always trying to sabotage Harry’s connecting to the wizarding world.
10) The Shadow
The main opponent of the hero, the antagonist. The Shadow tries stopping the hero from achieving their goals in many different ways. The antagonistic force typically does not lighten up or give mercy to the hero.
This is Snow, this is Voldemort, this is Agent Smith.
Part 2 with more character archetypes — Coming Soon.
