Stories are the backbone of what makes us human. So it’s as natural as the sun coming up that we tell them, write them, listen and read them. Hemingway said he’d let go of many things through writing, and readers worldwide have learned great truths through the literature of our history.
But if you go at writing a novel from that standpoint, it’ll get so bogged down in “seriousness” that everyone (agents, editors, readers) will quit it faster than you can say Pulitzer Prize.
Because in essence, novels are meant to entertain.
Haven’t you ever picked up that new, “big,” important novel and after a chapter gone, “Blech!” And for a variety of reasons. Because if a novel doesn’t grab you up and transport you to a different world (even if that’s within the main character’s mind), your loyalty to it will disintegrate like a Hollywood marriage.
To entertain is something of a nebulous term itself, as we all have different tastes. Which is one reason we have so many different genres and subgenres of fiction. While you may not be caught dead reading a category Romance, Chick Lit might tweak your fancy all day long. You might hate Westerns, but love literature set in the West.
Case in point: my author, Randy Denmon, just won the prestigious Spur Award for his novel, Lords of an Empty Land. http://www.amazon.com/Lords-Empty-Land-Randy-Denmon/dp/0786035366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458143785&sr=8-1&keywords=Lords+of+an+empty+land It’ a post-Civil War novel set in Louisiana, about a history I never knew. While the Spur is awarded by Western Writers of America, the book simply transcends the genre.
Although not apparent on the surface (or in the bookstore), publishing operates through very rigid lines.
The point being, the novels you love to read, and more importantly for our purposes to write, might have meant a host of things to you, but first and foremost, they entertained you—if only in your own head.
So, how do we do that?
What you, as a writer, know is that you must have the elements of great fiction to begin with. That takes time, study, guidance, and lots of writing. The tools of great writing—whether fiction or non—can be learned. And, they simply must be.
Characterization, plotting, organization and structure, voice, tone, etc.—all of these must be there in order for a novel to fly. And the devil truly is, as they say, in the details.
Because it’s by mastering these elements (so deceptively simple, no?) that we bring the magic forth from great fiction.
I could write a book on each of these topics, so we’ll save them for subsequent months. But you have to learn those skills first, before your okay or even good novel will be great.
The elements of great fiction provide the foundation upon which you stand to launch that fabulous story into the heavens of bestseller-dom.
From there, the intangibles come in.
Ask yourself:
* Did I have fun writing this passage/chapter/book?
* Do I care about my characters? (So often cardboard characters are mouthpieces for one belief system or another, and the author quite obviously didn’t like them to begin with. If you, as the author, don’t like your folks, how can we, as your readers?)
* Am I bored when going through revisions? (Be prepared to read your own book a thousand times, as you rewrite/revise/polish. If doing so bores you, just think how jaded agents and editors will react.)
* Does the middle drag? I.e., is your book the victim of ‘sagging middles’? http://www.maloneeditorial.com/structure-and-the-novel-those-dreaded-sagging-middles/
* When you read it aloud, is the prose ratchety, awkward, stumbling? Or does it sing with poetry if Literary, or move at a crisp pace if genre?
* Is the book all of one piece?
The key is to keep these questions in the front of your mind (taped to your monitor will help). Revisit them regularly.
Most importantly, with all of these tools solidly in your arsenal, then let your creativity run. Give that horse its head, hold on, and enjoy the visceral thrill of the ride.
That’s what makes for great fiction.
As an award-winning author and editor, since 1993, 50 + of my authors’ books have sold to Traditional publishers. Many have won awards, been made into films, been featured in Publishers Weekly, and become bestsellers. I also love English Labradors, red wine, and write literary fiction and co-authored nonfiction,
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Glad you enjoy it, and hope it’s helpful!
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I enjoyed reading your post, Susan. As an author of two novels, I agree very much with the fact that authors must proof their manuscripts thousands of times, at least it seemed like thousands of times for me. I am quite sure I proofed everything a hundred different times before sending the manuscripts to the publisher. I believe the most important thing is to have the manuscript formatted correctly, because when the page sizes, font sizes, etc. changes during the publishing process, the format will remain in tact. Keep writing the great articles.
Dallas A. Dixon
The blog is absolutely fantastic. Lots of great information and inspiration, both of which we all need.
Thanks
Good for you, Miranda! A huge litmus test is when you set a novel aside for awhile, come back to it, and still love it! That tells you it’s good 🙂
These are all really great tips! I think pacing of a novel is so important as a reader. There’s nothing worse than a book that takes too long to get going or one that ends super abruptly.
Exactly, Molly! The ebb and flow of the pacing is imperative!
This is a great post for would be authors who need a little kick to get going. I will be marking this for future reference, thank you.
Thank you, Suzanne–glad to have you here!
I think reading it aloud is a great idea! Also, if you are bored with your revisions chances are you audience will be too. Really great writing tips! Keep up the good work.
Reading aloud is a fabulou tip, Jonathan. Isn’t it amazing how you can then hear when the prose goes clanky? And yep, if you as the writer get bored with your revisions, oh, man, what will your readers do!
You make some excellent points! I imagine that if one were to write a book now and then several more before writing that first book again, it would be dramatically better simply for the practice.
Absolutely, Liz. Writing is like exercising any muscle–the more you do it, the better you write. That’s why my first tip is always: Write, write, write!
I love a great novel! One that keeps me wanting to read more !
That’s the essence of it, Melissa!