How to Not Lecture in a Novel

In fiction: description and images are rarely confused with lecture.


Write your lecture as an image in a scene, a face, a hand, a landscape, as seen by a person. 

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

How to Start A Short Story or Novel

How should a story start?


 After looking at a bunch of excellent short stories and some novels, an excellent formula is: a character, an action, and a thing that is a symbol. 


Examples: 


"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice." Gabriel García Márquez (trans. Gregory Rabassa) One Hundred Years of Solitude
"I am an invisible man." Ralph Ellison Invisible Man
"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself." Virginia Woolf Mrs. Dalloway 
"We started dying before the snow, and like the snow, we continued to fall." Louise Erdrich Tracks 
"Vaughan died yesterday in his last car-crash" .J. G. Ballard Crash 

My favorite: 


"He—for there could be no doubt of his sex, though the fashion of the time did something to disguise it—was in the act of slicing at the head of a Moor which swung from the rafters." Virginia Woolf, Orlando 

It's not the only way to start a story, but it is an effective one. 

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

How to End Your Novel or Story

How to end a novel or story. Honesty = trust -> happiness. 


That's how you do a happy ending, not just a smooch.

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

What you need to have in order to write a darn good novel

Got a life?

In order to write, you need to have a life.

You do have one, even if you're trying to make the family's ends meet. You don't have to run with the bulls in Spain or get killed in a Greek civil war. Be mindful of your own life: the drama, the people, the symbols, what people are working through, how they do things.

That's all fodder for the mill.

How to Tell if Your Idea for a Story is a Good One

How do you know if an idea is a good one?

Think about *conflict.*

Is there conflict within the character or in the situation.

If not, then you need to find how conflict is intrinsic to the character or situation. If you can't find the conflict, it might not be a good idea for a story.

Does all fiction have to have conflict? Well, maybe, and probably.

You need to consider what fiction is for. Nonfiction writing is to inform. Fiction is either (1) to entertain, or (2) to forge the consciousness of the (human) race. Both of those jobs are dependent on conflict within the story. You may have a different idea of what fiction is for. Consider whether or not your philosophy needs conflict, but your story probably does.

For writers: describing things without cliches or adjectives

Stuck for how to describe a color that isn't a cliche? Try a verb plus a noun. That red and orange sunrise? It's like bleeding peaches. That blue and green dress? It's like ivy growing on the ocean. Stars in the sky? Like sugar spilled on a black table. Use judiciously.

You can receive these writing prompts daily by liking us on Facebook: Dr. Kenyon’s Writing Apple or by subscribing to the RSS/Atom feed at Blog: Dr. Kenyon’s Writing Apple Blogspot .  

How To Write the First Line of A Story

Stuck for how to start a story? Go find a really good first line and "mimic" it. Break down the sentence structure and voice and use it to get a running start. Is your story told from the first person at a later time than the events? Rebecca. Is your character doing something active and characteristic and you have a strong theme? Orlando. Etc. 


100 Best First Lines of Novels 

You can receive these writing prompts daily by liking us on Facebook: Dr. Kenyon’s Writing Apple or by subscribing to the RSS/Atom feed at Blog: Dr. Kenyon’s Writing Apple Blogspot .  

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

Amazing way to write three times more fiction!

I have discovered a new, brilliant, amazing way to TRIPLE your writing output every day! Every, every day! Triple, AT LEAST, the number of rough draft words that you write AND pages of editing that you finish! 


How, you ask? What is this amazing secret? 


TURN OFF THE FLIPPING INTERNET. 


Either unplug the cable or turn off the wireless switch. 


Just turn it off. 

The Best Sentence You've Ever Written

What's your best line in your story? Look hard at your story and find that one, best, most unique, most-in-your-voice line. Look hard at it. Now make the rest of the story match that line.

Contrast Makes Your Writing More Interesting

"The wages of sin are death. The wages of blackjack are around five hundred dollars an hour."

Contrast makes your writing more interesting.

Contrast can be a simple verbiage set-up, as this is, or a contrast in characters or situation ("The Prince and the Pauper, etc.) Play up the contrast in your WIP.

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

Write More, Write Faster

How much do you write every day? Do you have an allotted or limited time? 


Try Focus Booster for a gentle reminder that your time is ticking away. 


You download the app, and it puts a tiny little bar on the top of your screen that slowly ticks down the minutes. 


(Not a paid ad. I use it. It's great.) 


If you need a more brutal prod, tune in tomorrow for a truly 
nefarious writing aid.

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

Naming your Main Character: Would Rose McGowan or Charlie Rose Smell As Sweet?

Through the looking glass, Lewis Carroll's Alice stumbles upon an enormous egg-shaped figure celebrating his un-birthday. She tries to introduce herself:

"It's a stupid name enough!" Humpty Dumpty interrupted impatiently. "What does it mean?"

"Must a name mean something?" Alice asked doubtfully.

"Of course it must," Humpty Dumpty said with a short laugh: "My name means the shape I am - and a good handsome shape it is, too. With a name like yours, you might be any shape, almost."

Dare you use something symbolic as a name for your character? 


Symbolic names occur so often in real life.


Dirty twitter pics by Rep. Weiner. 


Financial rape by Ken Lay. 


Bernie Made-off with your money. 


Martha Stewart = steward, someone who runs a household.


Shakespeare used Proteus for a changeable character (2 Gents of V), Malvolio as an ethically challenged Puritan (12th Night, and then J.K. Rowling used "Marvolo" for Tom Riddle/Voldemort's middle name), the narrator Rumor (2 Henry 4), and Falstaff as his base alter ego (Fall-staff = Shake-spear, both are moving sticks.)


Dare you!

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

Grab your reader with emotion in the first scene

Speaking of the beginning: begin your book with an emotional punch and big contrasts. 


*Basic Instinct* began with Sharon Stone having sex a guy and then stabbing him through the heart. 


Witness began with bucolic Amish scenes and then little Samuel witnessing a brutal murder. 


Emo is all!

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)

You Must Know the End of Your Character's Story, but not the End of the Plot

Do you know how your WIP ends? 

While I'm a "pantser" (writing "by the seat of my,") rather than a plotter, I sure do. The end must be contained in the beginning to create a cohesive experience for your reader.

To that end: look at your beginning. What happens in your beginning that is so important for your character to change about themselves? Do they have doubt (in love? in humanity?) that must turn to faith? Do they have fear that must turn to trust? 

That's your character's story arc.

As far as the plot is concerned, meh. Whatever. That's where you write by the seat of your pants.

Sleeping Your Way Through the Plot: Your Novel and the Main Character

Where does your character sleep while the plot is going on? 


If your plot lasts more than 24 hours, they're going to get groggy, and the effects of sleep deprivation will sneak up on them. 


Can they go home? 


Do they find a hotel? What level of hotel? How do they pay for it? How does this impact their budget, checking account, and credit card limit? Most hotels require an ID and a major credit card.


 Do they have those?

Thanks for reading!

Here’s two interesting 99c short stories for you to read: (More fiction coming soon.)

The Law of Large Numbers (Kindle Store on Amazon)

The Law of Large Numbers (All Formats)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (Kindle Store on Amazon)

Nag Is Hindi for Cobra (All Formats)  

Your Main Character and Airplanes

Does your character like flying on an airplane? Do they have to fly for your story? How does this affect them? Do they drive or take a train to avoid it, and how does that affect the story?

Disclaimer

Dr. Kenyon will *once again* be traveling on business this week, working on technical writing. Posts may be sporadic. Keep writing!

Do your worst to your character in your WIP to get the plot going

What is the worst thing that could happen to your character? Worse than that. No, really really bad. Worse. Yeah, that one. Do that to them. Have them lose the mentor or the reason to go on. Force them to make the choice that they desperately are avoiding. That's what makes a good story.

The Chronology of Your Fiction: What Day Is It? It matters.

 In your WIP, consider what day of the week it is and what day of the year it is. Is there an upcoming holiday that may throw a kink into your character's plans?

What if it's Memorial Day or Turkey Day weekend coming up, and they need to book a flight?

Or Tax Day is 3 days away and they haven't filed yet, in addition to the plot?

Or if New Year's Eve is in 1 day and there are going to be police roadblocks all over, looking for DUIs but also running plates?

Or Mother's Day, and they need to make that phone call or are hoping for that phone call from a disappeared child?

Or Diwali (early November-ish), and they're in India, where the street crowds set off fireworks and your character has 'Nam/Riyadh flashbacks? 

Or Christamas, and no one wants them, or two sets of divorced/remarried parents want them and there's a blowup every year, no matter where they go? 

Daily Plotting Help

Happy Friday! What day of the week does your work-in-progress begin on? Weekday? Weekend? What does that mean for your characters as far as being able to buy something they need (stores close when?), eat (restaurants close at different times on weekdays vs. weekends,) go to a doctor vs. an ER or a dentist, get help from tech support, call their office, or call friends for help (during office hours, they might be unavailable, on weekends, they might be gone or drunk.) 

How's that 5000 words coming?

How's that 5000 words coming? You halfway yet?

Just Desserts

What is your character's favorite dessert? Lemon or chocolate? Vanilla or butterscotch? Baskin Robbins Rum Raisin or Junior's cheesecake or Le Cirque's vanilla panna cotta with lavender-rhubarb sorbet or Grandma's Baptist Butternut Squash Pie? How often do they eat this dessert? What effect does that have on their wallet, their waistline, and their perception of this favorite?

Dr. Kenyon's Writing Apple

This author blog, while still authory, will also be converted to Dr. Kenyon's Writing Apple,  a daily writing prompt to help you with your current WIP, not an exercise in creative futility.

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