How To Make Your Writing Relatable
When you finally find time to sit down and write, sometimes everything just flows smoothly, but more often than not, you find yourself stuck at a stand still. You wonder how you're going to catch your reader's attention while still holding true to what you want to write. It's easy to get lost and overwork your writing, and I've fallen prey to this many times myself, but here are some tricks that I've learned certainly help with the process of writing.
1. Write What You Know
While the idea of going along with the flow and writing the New York Time's next number one is certainly appealing, it's much easier to start with writing about things that hold meaning to you. Has someone in your life gone through a rough time? Did you fall in love and marry your high school sweetheart? Was your summer trip a big enough inspiration for an entire novel? If the answer was yes to any of those, it's as simple as planning around those life events and creating a kick-ass novel.
If you're still young and have yet to go through these major life events, try simply sticking to the simple ones that you might've overlooked. Some examples might be developing your first crush, starting at a new school, and drifting apart from someone you were close to.
And I'm not saying that your whole story has to be based around these events, but if you do happen to write a scene that is based off something that you've personally experienced, it is a lot easier to describe the character's emotion and how everything plays out.
This is incredibly simple to incorporate into romance, teen fiction, and humour stories that are, for the most part, set in the world we live in. When you jump into writing YA fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery however, things tend to get a lot more jumbled.
But that's completely fine!
The events in these genres of books may be altered to fit the storyline, the setting, and the plot, but there are ways to still put yourself into your writing. Your main character's personality or appearance can be modeled after yourself – giving you an easier task when remembering how he or she is supposed to look and act. Or, you can simply use feelings you felt in one situation to relate to things you're character is dealing with.
Has a relative of yours gotten sick and passed away? Then maybe you should have someone close to the main hero of your story dying of a plague while they're forced to watch.
Have you ever had to conquer your fear of heights or spiders? Those emotions can be twisted and given to your protagonist as they step foot into a dangerous battle.
2. If You Don't Know – Research
There are so many aspects of writing that some authors never come across in their daily lives. You may never be stuck in the middle of a love triangle, and you might never have the chance to travel the world, but if you want to write about these things, there is nothing stopping you.
Simply research!
Some authors spend hours on the Internet, and a countless number of Google searches later, compile a list of notes that are of great use to them later on. I've done it for a large amount of my stories. I would've never been able to plan out Staying Afloat without looking up the details of a cruise line and researching the sights and stops the boat docked at, and writing a story like Defending Parker, which is centered around a trial of an innocent teenage boy, would not have been something I could've accomplished without facts and tips online.
And while the Internet may be a great help to authors writing novels with heavy scientific background or historical information, it isn't the only option when it comes to research.
Talk to friends and family – even reach out to strangers or people online if you need to!
There are so many mediums for good communication these days that, if you aren't sure of something, or are second guessing yourself, it's as simple as opening up apps like Twitter and Facebook and sending a quick message. People are always willing to help you become the best writer you can be.
I also find that, if you have a vague plot written out or an idea floating around in your head, that reading stories with similar events (or even just in the same genre) helps you get a feel on how to write your next masterpiece. You can learn a lot from published authors who have gone through the same rough steps as you at one point or another, and you may even find a style of writing that you want to explore further.
That being said – do not copy these authors' work!
3. Give Your Readers Something To Relate To.
Some readers may be drawn to the hopeless clichés that you know are utterly overused, but a lot of readers want to experience something different – something that is plausible and has a chance of happening in their own lives.
Characters should never be perfect, because no one is like that in real life. Everyone has a flaw, and it doesn't make the people within your story broken – it makes them human.
Unless they aren't human, but that's a whole other concept.
When you're developing a new character, make sure to plan out the habits, personality, and appearance. These simple things that trail throughout the pages of your book will give your readers a chance to jump into their shoes, making them easily relatable.
Also, if you can relate to the things you're writing about, there is a large possibility that your readers will be able to as well. Many readers are drawn to stories that reflect aspects of their own experiences, just as you should favour writing about them.
I personally love reading the YA stories that aren't centered around the romance, but have bigger plots that serve as backdrops for the love story. Things like finding who you really are, adjusting to the changes of moving to a new town, and contemplating the choice of giving someone from your past a second chance are things that make a better story because of their real world potential.
Of course, there are always the stories that you can relate to that your readers can't, and vice versa.
However, when everything is said and done, remember that it is your story. You don't have to change things around and make yourself unhappy with your writing just to please a group of readers. There will always be people who can't find something to relate to with your work, and that's completely okay!
Just stick to what you want to write, but don'tbe afraid to step out of your comfort zone a bit and explore new possibilities.
Emma has been writing on Wattpad for almost five years, and is incredibly close to finishing the first draft of her fifth full-length novel. She is both a featured writer and a member of the Wattpad Stars. Living up in Canada, she currently attends university, and is hoping to find time to polish up some of her stories for publishing one day!
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How to Write Young Adult (with Wattpad's Finest)
Non-FictionTips and tricks for writing young adult by Wattpad's finest.
