Everything you need to know to make your reader crave the next chapter.
Are your villains villainous enough? Are your heroes heroic? How to make dialogues sound believable? Build an atmosphere? What about diversity? The plot? The pacing? Is your hea...
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
(c) W. Somerset Maugham
⋙⋘
Do you see the irony in this quote? I do. Everyone tries to teach us to write a perfect story, yet nobody knows how to write a perfect story. Otherwise why not a single story in the world is perfect, right? Because writing--as any other art--is subjective. Every story is special, and that's the beauty in it.
I'm not here to give you strict rules, but merely share what I find helpful to 'channel' my own art, to stay true to myself and my characters, without trying to write what--as it seems--will please a potential reader. Because we can't please everyone! Why bother?
So, here are my three rules for writing my own best story:
1. Listen to your heart. I'm serious. You're the author of your characters, the creator. If you don't love them--nobody will. If you stay true to your heart, if you live--and write--your truth, no criticism can ruin you. You're true and honest and real, just as your story. If your friends--and readers--don't understand you, they're not your friends and readers, let them go. Find those who see the world the way you do.
2. Tell a story you yourself want to read. Let's be realistic, writing is EXHAUSTING. You think of your story non-stop, you write and rewrite and edit every line you typed...Sooner or later, you're gonna hate those lines. To avoid it--write a book you want to read. To enjoy living those scenes and emotions over and over again.
3. Write every day. Just one scene? Okay. One line? Good. One word? Fine! Keep your inspirational door open. Slow progress is MUCH better than no progress. Besides, writing one word, you'll most probably come up with another word and another...Blink, and you have a story! Never give up.
⋙⋘
These are the rules I always use myself. I wrote my novel WITCHES BURN AT DAWN this way--and I actually finished it! At some point I thought I never would...But I loved every moment of trying. And--a year later it shortlisted in THE WATTYS 2021! Positive thinking is a powerful thing, I'm telling you.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
