GET TO THE POINT!

This year, 2015, I’m an MG Pitch Wars mentor. I’m having a ball! From writing my ‘Why choose me?’ blog post, to receiving 64 submissions, to the headache of picking my mentee, to the surprise thrills of being able to pick two mentees, to now working with my gorgeous new friends for life (Stacey and Judy) on revising their manuscripts ready for the agent round in November. Major fun. And I can only thank Brenda Drake over and over for inviting me to join the gang. I’m privileged, and will work my socks and knickers off to ensure my mentees receive a bunch of agent hugs in just over a month’s time.

But, having read through all the first chapters sent to me by an incredibly talented group of writers­, there was a recurring issue that appeared time and again. And the same problem I see come up in the manuscripts I edit in my day job. It all boils down to the book starting in the wrong place, which of course affects that all important hook, the pull, the magnetism that makes a reader want to keep going, turning the pages and finding out what’s going to happen. I’m not kidding here when I add, this problem is so easily fixed.

Honestly, more often than not, in my Pitch Wars submissions, simply deleting the first two or three pages, and sometimes the first few paragraphs, was really all the author needed to do. It is an issue all writers have, not just newbies, but seasoned writers too, and you only need to check out posts and articles littering the internet to know how true this is. We, the story tellers, want our readers to understand the whys of our characters, and to do that we’re convinced we need to get the back story across as soon as possible.

 

Wrong. We don’t.

 

 

Most readers want in first; they want a taste of the action, of the tension; they want subtlety and clues; they want to be intrigued; they want to be thrown bam! straight into that life-changing moment of the main character, and the whole point of us, the authors, writing the story.

Back story is important and needs to be included, but not in paragraph after paragraph of distant narrative, or a character unrealistically and far too conveniently thinking about their lives to date. I’m afraid it’s downright boring. If you have books on shelves or a manuscript in the slush piles, boring isn’t a faux pas you can afford.

And this goes for the rest of the book, not just the first chapter. It’s absolutely fine to do this in earlier drafts, in fact, as an editor and writer, I would encourage you do to this. For one, it gets it out of your brain and allows you, the creator of this character’s past, to ‘see’ it and iron out any inconsistencies, rather than have it cooped up in your mind. I also encourage authors to complete biographies or character profile sheets for everyone in the book for the same reason. Plus, this is a separate document you can refer to as you write.

Once that first draft is finished, work through your manuscript with a brightly coloured pen (real or virtual) and highlight the back story. Then decide if it really really needs to be there. If it does, don’t just tell the reader or have the character once again conveniently consider it, blend something in subtly. A clue, a snippet, a cheeky insight. Don’t put the whole chocolate mud cake in front of the reader on page one, just smear a little ganache here and there. Make their eyes light up, make them lick their lips, make them drool. ‘Ooo, chocolate cake. Must turn page. Must find cake.’

 

Get the picture?

Example? OK.

 

DON’T DO THIS

‘Just two years’ ago, John’s heart had been broken. Carol, his girlfriend of five years, his childhood sweetheart, had dumped him. Packed her bags and left for a younger model. He knew it was coming, but was too nervous to mention it. He didn’t want to lose her. He didn’t want to be alone.

John spent many weeks and months afterwards staring at the TV screen, neither watching whatever was on nor thinking of anything in particular. He’d been emptied out of all thought, all emotion.

So when he met Liz, six months’ ago, he was wary. Cautious. Afraid to ever feel that way again.’

 

DO THIS

‘John breathed in deeply, trying to push aside the tightening of his stomach. This was all a bit too familiar. The iPhone in her hand. The stupid grin on her face. Only this time it was Liz, not Carol.

He released the breath slowly through his nostrils. Should he say something? Or sit there, on the same couch just like last time, and wait for the break up to happen? Could he deal with that pain again? Probably not.

John opened his mouth, but all that came out was a strange squeak that he quickly disguised as a cough.

Liz looked up and frowned. John smiled and averted his gaze quickly back to the TV screen.’

 

The second excerpt puts the reader in the scene. They see John, his shyness, his nerves, his worry. They’re introduced to his previous heartbreak. In the first, they’re being told this through a back story dumping, unable to engage fully with any action. I know which I prefer, and I know which would make me keep reading. The second. Is Liz about to dump him? Will John build up the confidence to ask who she’s texting? Let’s keep reading and find out.

 

Be subtle. Blend. Intrigue. Show, don’t tell.

Building your novel

My post came half way through the day as I was weighing up the best way to handle this topic. Today, I want to talk about narrative structure. We're going to look at traditional narrative versus non-traditional structure.

First off, let's say a little something about structure. There is no one way to do it. However, what's important is that you pick your structure wisely. Structure is not just something that should be fallen into accidentally. It is the scaffolding that holds up your narrative and it should lend to the story in its entirety.

With that in mind, let's start with our first chosen structure:

THREE-ACT STRUCTURE

The three-act structure is a model most commonly used in screenwriting, but also used in novels. It divides a fictional narrative into three parts, often called the Setup, the Confrontation and the Resolution.

SETUP - This is used to set up your setting, characters, initial conflict, and world building. It includes your inciting incident, leading up to your first plot point (where your main character's life changes irrevocably). This is where you need to establish your dramatic question (e.g. Will Emily find her true love, or will the bad guy get her first?)

CONFRONTATION - This is also known as rising action. The idea is for the main character to attempt to overcome the obstacles before them and the antagonist, only to find themselves in ever worsening situations. The main character must learn new skills, as well as arrive at a higher sense of awareness of who they are and what they are capable of. This is vital in order for them to deal with their predicament.

RESOLUTION - This is the denouncement of your tale, including the resolutions of the core plot and the subplots. It is the climax of your novel, and the answer to the dramatic question.



Pros: This structure allows for a plot and character arc that rises with the tension of the novel, and allows for simultaneous, organized and well-set out points that the reader has come to expect and know. It is simple, universally applicable, and many readers expect it.

Cons: This can restrict the creativity of the story and can become a little predictable.

NON-TRADITIONAL STRUCTURE

This is where the writer chooses to create a structure of their own choosing - this may involving writing out of chronological order, working with epistolary elements, writing a story in reverse, utilizing tandem structures...anything the writer dreams up.

Non-traditional structure is as wide and varied as the writer's imagination. However, there is a caveat: a strong plot and character arc must still be firmly in place. The reader will still expect to see growth and development of the character, inciting incidents. pinch points, and a solid resolution.

Pros: This structure lends itself very well to suspense, mystery, surprises, twists, and intrigue. It can also be very good for bringing the reader firmly into the character's head if using an epistolary style. Many writers choose this so they can play with the writing boundaries, making a statement with their structure and not just with their words.

Cons: Non-traditional structure can become unwieldy and messy if not handled with care. The writer still needs to engage all the points traditional structure does, without losing the reader along the way. It's also important that this structure isn't used as a gimmick, and that it is used to bring out the very best of your story.



No matter the structure you choose, you must use it wisely. Make sure you use what suits your novel best. Are you working on a thriller? Could a non-chronological novel jazz things up and lend to the intrigue? Could an epistolary novel of letters and diary excerpts add depth to a romance novel? Or are you on a hero's quest that works best with a traditional structure, or a sci-fi novel that demands a clean three act format? That's not to say certain genres need one format or another. Certainly not. What it does mean is that you need to think through your structures and decide which one makes your novel better, stronger, and clearer.

At the end of the day, it's your choice - but choose wisely.