Novel Writing Formula

I was editing a manuscript the other day. I had already been through it once before, and the author had done a good job revising it and making the story smoother.

But there was still something missing.

It got me thinking. What makes a good novel? Is there some magic formula?

I went back to the manuscript and read a few passages over and over. Then a light bulb came on. It wasn't just one thing that the author needed to work on -- it was several things that needed to be used effectively in order for the novel to make sense to the reader.

I believe there are four key items that need to be balanced in order for a novel to work. A sort of "formula" if you will. Test them against your favorite novels and see if you agree. Or test them against the manuscript you are writing to see if you left anything out. Each item below needs to be in balance, or the story will feel off to the reader.

1. Action. You can't have a story without it. The people in the story are doing something, or something is happening to them. We read the story because we want to know what is going to happen next. The action sets the pace and hooks us.

2. Description. We need to know what the scene looks like. We need to know what the characters look like. And then we need to know what the action looks like. An author who can paint a picture with words has the makings for a great novel. If we can picture the story in our minds as if it was playing out like a movie, you've hit gold.

3. Dialogue. This is further down the list, because without great action or description, you can't have great dialogue. You have to know what a character is doing and looks like before the dialogue will even begin to make sense. Dialogue should only include the most important things the characters say -- summarize the rest. Dialogue will bring attention and punch, so use it just in the places you want the move attention and punch.

4. Reflection. Readers need time to unwind. They want to think about what they are reading while they are continuing with the story. The need a minute to breathe. So the characters must reflect. If you are writing a novel, talk about the characters' insights on what is happened. While they are moving to the next adventure, show us their thoughts. How is it changing them?

Once you have each of those in balance, then simply repeat, repeat, repeat.

As it turns out, the manuscript I was editing was strong on action, ok with description, ok with dialogue, and definitely did not have enough reflection. So I complimented her action, offered a few additions to aid in the descriptions, added dialogue where she had previously summarized for some extra attention and punch, and finally I left long comments about how she could reflect.

What do you think is a good formula for writing a novel?

The Exciting World of Juxtaposition

I think juxtaposition is not just a luxury, it is essential.

I love juxtaposition. I love a million things going on at once. Perhaps that is why I have three children and a crazy husband, a house and a job and.... is it any wonder I collapse at the end of every day? I love it.

I'm reading a book right now, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, that is full of juxtaposition. Every chapter so far is a different time period, place, person's point of view... it's wonderful. The plot is moving along, slow like, but at the same time it feels fast, because I'm getting snippets of it from so many different places.

I love juxtaposition because it's not straight forward. It's not "he went from point A to point B." It's, "as he was going to point A, something else was happening over here which will most likely affect how he gets to point B, but you aren't sure how quite yet."

It really throws a wrench into things. But then, isn't that how life is? It's not straight forward. It's not one sided. It's not point A to point B. There are so many factors, people, choices, events... everything affects our lives and makes it all the more worthwhile.

There are several methods of juxtaposition: themes, characters, situations, etc.

I think the most used juxtaposition technique is character driven, as it is fairly simple to do and seems to capture readers the best. Think of the most popular shows and books... anything about several people who are all different, and how their lives are going. We compare and contrast as the story goes along. But somehow they are all intertwining with each other. The plot comes together as all of the characters come together, and magically things are worked out.

A situation juxtaposition would be more like a war, where separate battles are taking place. So many things are going on at once, and if this works, and that works, and so on, then the good guys will have a chance at winning. It seems that everything is hanging in the balance, until finally all of the situations work out, usually at the same time. I'm actually editing a manuscript right now that has just had two groups of men separate in order to surround a castle for battle. As I read, I get to see the switch between each group, and it is getting more exciting as each gets closer to battle. I wonder, how will the two groups turn out? How are they different? How are they the same? How do they depend on each other? It creates a whole new dynamic.

As essential as I believe juxtaposition to be, it can be difficult for some to incorporate. It is like telling several stories at once.

I think probably the most classic example of juxtaposition can be found in The Lord of the Rings. It uses all of it... we follow several characters, some of which get separated and so we switch around finding out what happens to them, but there are also battles going on, and everything hinges on everything else. On top of that, the theme of good vs. evil is obvious, but there is also the theme of life as a journey. In addition, there are personal struggles that I think become excellent themes, and they play out all at once. But that's ok, because the juxtaposition of several things at once can be an exciting adventure.

Sam: This is it. 
Frodo: This is what? 
Sam: If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been. 
Frodo: Come on, Sam. Remember what Bilbo used to say: "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

How Long Should a Chapter Be?

If you are Dan Brown... a few pages.

If you are the author of all the textbooks I used in high school and college... a hundred million (this is a rough estimate).

In essence, there isn't really an all-inclusive answer. The short answer is "it depends!"

* * *

It depends on your story.
Is it fiction or nonfiction?

For fiction: It depends on your plot.
Is your plot complex or simple? Does it include a lot of characters and locations, etc.?

For nonfiction:  It depends on your arguments.
What points are you discussing? How much space do you need to discuss them well?

It depends on your audience.
Is it for a young adult or scholarly audience? What can that audience handle?

It depends on how long your book is in its entirety. 
What is your word count?

* * *


So, for example, if you are writing a young adult fictional story that has a fairly simple plot and is 20-50,000 words, it's fair to guess that the chapters will be short, or just a few pages.

But if you are writing a nonfiction scholarly textbook with somewhere around 100,000 words, the chapters will need to be long.

If you are still unsure, find several other books in the same genre as your book-in-progress and compare. How long are the chapters in each of those books?

If you are STILL unsure, then don't make any chapters. Worry about it later. Perhaps it will come to you, or you can always ask the advice of an editor.

What do you think? How long should a chapter be?

What is Passive Voice?

You've heard the term, "be a defensive driver." Obviously, it means to always be on the lookout and avoid accidents before they happen.

In the writing world, we don't want to be defensive. Being defensive is weak! Instead, we want to be proactive. And so we use the following phrase: "avoid passive voice." But exactly what is passive voice?

There is a great handout on passive voice by The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

I see passive voice all the time, and it really gets on my nerves. Here are some examples:


The cheese was eaten.
Fun was had by all.
Why was the road crossed by the chicken? (Example from handout)


Do you see something wrong with these sentences? They are grammatically "correct" but just lack some umph.

If you thought, "who ate the cheese?" or "who had fun?" or "why is the word 'chicken' where it is?" then you are onto something! Basically, the subject and action are a little sloppy. The sentence is telling us what happened, but no proactively. Kind of like when your kid does something wrong, and they try to downplay it.

"The vase was broken." vs "I broke the vase."

If you have a manuscript started, go through it and try to pick out any passive sentences. Once you have identified them, figure out how to make them stand out.

The door opened slowly. vs. Charlie slowly pushed the door open.

See how that small change makes a big difference? The sentence is more commanding and offers more imagry to the reader. They don't just see the door, they see a person acting on the door.

What do you think?

Should I Write My Book in First Person or Third Person?

My Sister's Keeper

First Person: I, me, my
Third Person: They, she, he

Maybe you are ready to start writing your novel, or you already have a completed fiction manuscript in hand. 

Either way, you'll have to decide which perspective is most engaging for your story -- first person or third person?

If it's coming from your head, but it's not about you, then you're probably writing in third person. Third person is very common. It's natural.

But like every writer, you must question every nook and cranny of what you are writing. {Writers are such fussy people.}

Writer Kris Cramer writes about First Person vs Third Person (and everything in between) in a great post {in a very non fussy way to boot}.

Here are just a few things that came to my mind when comparing the two:

First Person Pro:
readers really get to know the inside of the main character's head

First Person Con:
the story misses out on some possibly key play by play because the main character has to be present to witness it or figure out that it happened

Third Person Pro:
readers get a broad scope of all the characters from a subjective point of view

Third Person Con:
it can be harder for writers to develop so many characters or they may focus too much on descriptions rather than getting into characters' heads

So really, it comes down to your story. Which point of view will best bring across what you are trying to say? Which point of view is better for your reader?

*Is the story mostly about one character? Is getting into his mind important? Stick with First Person.

*What if you have a big plot with lots of players? Third Person might be a better choice.

Homework Assignment: Write a chapter in First Person. Then take the same chapter and write it in Third Person. Which one has bigger impact?

If you STILL can't decide, there are even other options. Jodi Picoult wrote My Sister's Keeper with each chapter in a different point of view -- each character takes turns telling "their side" of the story in First Person. It was a unique experience. For that particular book, I thought it worked wonders. Each chapter was a fresh new look into the story. Be careful if this interests you, though. Writing this way is definitely not for amateurs; it must be done right if done at all.


Discussion: What pros and cons of First Person and Third Person do you see?

Holding Back Information for Suspense

I wrote out my love story. It's a true story. And I'm in it.

I decided to write it down because there are details I'm forgetting. Through writing it, I've been able to relive it, which is one of the best parts! (Who doesn't love falling in love all over again?) The story takes place over time, so early on I realized I would need to write a series.

I didn't know how long it would be, what I would include, or when it would end (First kiss? Engagement? Wedding day? Ever?). I just knew I had to keep writing.

Through it all, I've become addicted to suspense. With each portion I always try to end with something that will keep the reader coming back for more. That wasn't my intention, to gain readers or what-not. But the suspense has kept my family and friends on the edge of their seats and ME at the edge of the keyboard, hardly able to contain the next installment within my fingers.

What is it about suspense that we love so much?

The waiting, the wanting, the longing... we are impatient! We are busy! We want to know now. Suspense forces us to wait. It's a love-hate thing. We are so consumed with the story, that when it suddenly stops we throw up our hands and say "No! Not yet!"

Like on a recent episode of Castle when Ric realizes the killer isn't actually dead-- he runs to Kate's apartment and BOOM! It explodes before our eyes. Is she ok? Oh no! Then.... come the credits.

Gahhh!

I was so mad, being forced to wait another week to find out what happened. But at the same time, I loved it. Scenarios ran through my mind, and for the most part I knew Kate was ok. But there is that 1-2% of you that isn't sure. Maybe she's severely injured, or maybe Kate is about to die but Castle goes up and rescues her. There are a million possibilities. How it really happens, that is what we are waiting for.

Growing up, when we would watch movies as a family my dad could ALWAYS predict the end. It was so maddening! Don't tell us, dag nabbit! He was always right. At first I couldn't understand how he did it.

But lately I find myself doing the same thing. Really, most plots are fairly obvious. There are many ways it could go, but we all know which route will lead to maximum impact. Sure, some stories take twists and turns we don't expect. But for the most part, when I watch a movie or read a book, I know how it will end.

Regardless, I read or watch it anyway. I hunger for the story, especially for the suspense. A chapter ends and leaves me hanging for a few pages, and I almost race forward to see how it is resolved!

If you are a writer, I implore you to use suspense more in your writing.

Hold back a little information. Reveal bits and pieces here and there, but don't tell the reader EVERYTHING. Keep them guessing. Give them enough to think, "What does that mean? Is the author telling me something?" Whet their appetite.

In the case of my love story, we all know how it will end (duh, it's about me and my husband. We got married!) So I have to build suspense for it to be interesting. Here are some examples:

* * *

We laughed. She was embarrassed. But laughed some more. I liked this girl, crazy as she was. Tori would become one of my best friends ever, helping me survive my time in a new town. And as it turned out, Tori would become instrumental in leading me and Jon to the marriage alter. (to be continued)

* * *

Much to my happiness, he finally came to a stop, and my body peeled itself off the contraption. I literally fell to the ground, maybe even kissing the snow, except the ground was probably still spinning. I vowed to never, ever ride on a snowmobile with him again. To this day I can say I have upheld that vow.

But within a few weeks, Jon would muster up the courage and I would actually agree to ride with him... in his car.... on a date. (to be continued)

* * *

At some point I thought for sure Jon would jump right out of his seat. He was beaming, and fidgity. Once I was done eating and they took my plate away, I rested my hands on the table. Somehow Jon thought it was ok to rest his hands on mine.

"We're not dating." I scolded him.

"Oh! Sorry!" He was grinning from ear to ear.

It was like he knew something I didn't.