| Before beginning the process of building the plot | | | | writers fall by the wayside here. |
| outline, let us take a look at matters concerning | | | | Now we finally come to the building of the plot |
| writing the novel which will not sustain articles of | | | | outline. As already discussed novels, are built in |
| their own. | | | | scenes - one scene following another, and so |
| You may have noticed that the reader is | | | | must the outline be built in similar fashion. But the |
| mentioned many times in these articles. The | | | | scenes here are skeletons - merely aiding the |
| reader is everything to the writer and should be | | | | writer in what he intends to achieve in each scene |
| taken into consideration at all times. The writer | | | | (what the scene is about and what is revealed to |
| must ask - have I made myself clear? Will my | | | | the reader to enable him to understand what is |
| readers understand what I am driving at? This | | | | going on.) It is worth noting that it is easier for |
| must be asked constantly especially in relation to | | | | the writer to think in small chunks of plot in the |
| characters for instance. Avoid choosing similar | | | | form of scenes than in whole chapters which can |
| names for characters particularly avoid names | | | | be unwieldy. Each scene must push the plot |
| starting with the same letter. This may sound | | | | forward relentlessly. There are devices to aid the |
| trifling, but when the reader is immersed in the | | | | writer here such as dialogue and pace which will |
| book similarity in names can suddenly cause | | | | be discussed in another article. |
| confusion and instantly the reader is wrenched out | | | | This very first scene must contain the hook and |
| of the story and the spell is broken. | | | | it must be strong enough to capture the reader |
| Another spell-breaker is to have multiple | | | | and hold him. The key character is introduced, |
| points-of-view happening in the same scene - but | | | | along with his/her desire to attain that special goal |
| that is a subject to be gone into more thoroughly | | | | or achieve that heartfelt aspiration. Also contained |
| while discussing plotting. It is the writer's job to | | | | here is the insurmountable obstacle that is |
| first hook the reader with a juicy worm at the | | | | preventing this. Note - there will be further |
| start and then never let up on the tension, | | | | obstacles along the way in the plot which the key |
| keeping the reader dangling at the end of the line | | | | character will overcome after much struggling, but |
| until the denouement. | | | | this first impediment cannot be overcome until |
| Keeping the reader immersed in the story must | | | | the denouement. The writer must plan for this. |
| be the author's main aim. This brings us nicely to | | | | The thing to be avoided in this first scene is a |
| the question of 'style'. Many new writers agonise | | | | plethora of characters. Some characters are in |
| over style, asking, is my writing good or bad? | | | | the novel to help the key character achieve his |
| The writing may be considered 'bad' when it is | | | | goals and other characters are there to prevent |
| overblown with flowery language - the old 'purple | | | | his success. Introducing a bunch of characters |
| prose'; when it is stilted and inflexible and full of | | | | with similar 'voices' in the first scene makes the |
| itself; language for language sake. This often | | | | reader's head spin and he will not take the worm. |
| happens when new writers strive to write like | | | | The writer builds up a series of skeletal scenes in |
| their favourite author, or to make them appear | | | | the outline which are, in fact, lists of things to |
| erudite. But, as has been pointed out in another | | | | achieve or present to the reader in each particular |
| article, every writer is unique, whether he/she | | | | scene. There will be many such skeletal scenes, |
| wants to be or not. Imitating another author's | | | | some short, some long depending of what the |
| style is doomed to failure. | | | | writer must convey to the reader. Thus the plot |
| New writers should forget about 'style' and | | | | develops scene by scene, so it goes without |
| instead employ simplicity in language in their | | | | saying that the outline should be completed first |
| writing. Say what you mean - in the 'language of | | | | as a guide to the actual writing. |
| men' as Wordsworth put it. The plot can be as | | | | Let us not be confused as to what scenes are or |
| intricate and complex as you like, but everything | | | | should be. Scenes must be dynamic. That is to |
| must be done in plain, simple language. The erudite | | | | say, something is happening all the time. The |
| writer may have problems with this notion when | | | | action in a scene is pushing it towards the |
| his or her scholarliness gets in the way of | | | | promised action in the next scene. While the |
| simplicity. But then scholars may have little | | | | reader is craving for action, there must be some |
| interest in the commercial novel which can sell in | | | | scenes where the pace slows, just a little. Slow |
| thousands and which is the subject of this series | | | | the pace too much though and the whole thing |
| of articles. | | | | can grind to a halt. The reader must be in |
| New writers must aim to find their own 'voice'. | | | | anticipation of the next exciting event. There |
| This is comparatively easy to do, since everyone | | | | should be a few surprises awaiting the reader |
| is unique. Be yourself. An author's individual voice | | | | along the way and now and then a shock that he |
| comes with confidence and expertise. It is | | | | had not anticipated. |
| through dogged persistence, practice and gaining | | | | It is advisable to avoid long paragraphs of |
| experience in writing that makes an author's voice | | | | description. These may be colourful but can add |
| distinctive. This is his style of writing. A writer | | | | very little drama to the plot, and can hamper the |
| must keep faith in himself and believe in his talent | | | | all-important device 'pace'. |
| especially in the face of repeated rejection of his | | | | A pacy novel is one where the reader cannot put |
| manuscripts. No one said it was going to be easy. | | | | the book down. He has to know what happens |
| The writer who believes in himself implicitly and | | | | next, even if it means getting up late for work |
| refuses to give in will eventually find success. Woe | | | | the next morning. In the next article we will |
| is the writer who having written five chapters | | | | discuss the devices that aid pace - dialogue, |
| tears them up because in his eyes they are not | | | | action, strong characterisation and meatiness of |
| good enough. After all, a writer's first success | | | | the story line. |
| comes in completing a manuscript. Many would-be | | | | |