How many times have you been part of a group or team where there is at least one person who has to be a stickler for keeping things on track? They correct you if they feel you’re wrong, and/or make sure everything is done right. I think it’s a rule of life that every group has to have someone like this in their life in order to keep everyone on track whether it’s their job or not (I’m laughing here, because I know people like this). These people can (but not always) cause tension in your story. So if you want to spice things up a bit, included one of these types of characters within your story.
Tag: Writing
Waltzing Heart by L. M. Montes
Dancing just, you and me, long ago, but no more,
in your arms, twirling so, spinning such, love for you,
music grows, sweetly now, slow it down, swish about,
lights dim to, darkness so, shadows float, soundless with,
eerie moon, beams so low, I’m alone,
fade you did, from this house, all that’s left,
is your ghost, haunting me, ne’er to rest.
Software for Novel Writing
Here is a list of the top software of 2022 for writing a novel:
- Livingwriter
http://livingwriter.com - Scrivener
http://literatureandlatte.com - Storyist
http://storyist - Final Draft
http://finaldraft.com
The one I use is Scrivener, but any of these are good. The following link talks about each of the above four all in one place. That way, if you need one of them, you can better make that decision about which to use.
The Tarnish
Draft one of your story is like tarnish on your good silverware or your jewelry. There are parts of it that are discolored, or in the case of your story, make no sense, or is in need of more information. Your grammar and spelling may need to be cleaned up as well. That’s what the first draft is: a mess that needs to be fixed. But, hey, you have it down on paper (in an electronic document) right? Right. That’s what counts.
Once you get that first draft done, that’s when it’s time to clean the “tarnish” off and polish it up. So, you go back to the beginning of your story and start reading through it, all the while making notations of changes you might want to make. When that’s done, go back to the beginning once more and make those changes you noted.
Keep going over and over your story like that until it’s the way you want it. Make sure everything makes sense. Lastly, you want to check grammar and spelling and word redundancies. When that’s done, you will have a finely polished story that will shine its brightest.
Character Richness
Have you ever read a book, and you liked the characters so much that you didn’t want the book to end? Oh yes, I’ve been down that road myself. That means the author did their job of creating characters that stand out and touch your heart. But, how did they do that?
- Their characters displayed emotion to the point that the reader ‘felt’ right along with them.
- The character displayed a habit or two. This personalizes the character, makes them human.
- The character was relatable. We as a reader could identify with that character. We may have understood what they were experiencing. If not, then we could at least feel for them and/or root for them.
- The dialogue sounded real and not mechanical or robotic. Maybe they made you laugh or cry.
These are just some of the elements a writer uses in order to bring a richness to their characters. Take your time developing them. Observe people around you and jot down notes of things you see or hear them say or do.
When You Get Discouraged
Not everything you do when writing is going to work out the first time around. I think you know this already, but sometimes we can still get discouraged and still need reminding. There are times when something in your daily life can bring you down. It can affect your writing whether you might think so or not. For some people it won’t, but not everyone is the same. Let it add to your writing instead of distract you.
- So how can you use that negative situation to strengthen your writing? Use it. Jot down how you’re feeling, then later, when you’re writing a scene that calls for those emotions, you can refer to your notes.
- Take a deep breath, relax, and focus on your story. When your mind tries to veer back to the problem that’s bothering you. Refocus on your story and take another deep breath.
- Surround yourself with someone who will uplift you. Talk to them about how your feeling. You’d be surprised the good this can do. Then your getting it out of your system.
- At times we get discouraged about our writing. Don’t get yourself down about that. Look at your previous writings that brought in a lot of praise. What did others like about it? Focus on that.
Story Tracks
Keeping track of your story as you’re writing it can be daunting the lengthier it gets. You have to remember from one chapter and scene to the next what happens where. How does a writer track their stories information so that they can refer back? Story tracks, or at least that’s what I call them. In other words, note cards.
For each chapter take a few note cards and jot down a brief summary of the chapter or scene, or jot down the main ideas about what is going on. By doing this, if you need to refer back to a previous scene or chapter in your manuscript, you can refer to your note cards for each chapter first before scrolling back through all those pages worth of text in your manuscript. Trust me, it will save you lots of time.
The Weed by L. M. Montes
In walked a woman who sat with the rest,
her clothes of silk and makeup smooth,
she had to look her best,
smile she did
and greetings pure,
who would have guessed that underneath
she seethed with vengeance sure.
The others were impressed
as they spoke with her aright,
and never did they see her
in any such different light,
it wasn’t till she dropped a word
with innocence so bright,
that shuttered and shook the others
against themselves with all their might.
Now, she was truly happy
with malice that brought delight
of having caused a killing ruckus
so scathing and impolite.
List of Character Flaws
Below is a list of character flaws you might find helpful when creating characters for your story. It always helps to consult a reference when the mind goes blank and you can’t think of enough possible ideas. My article I published on January 18, 2021 called Character Flaws goes into more detail about this topic.
- stubborn
- vain
- lazy
- headstrong
- cowardice
- cruelty
- selfishness
- manipulative
- dishonest
- unfair
- paranoid
- hypocrisy
- negative
- entitlement
- cynical
- petty
- assertive
- wrathful
- violent
- player
- user of others
- superstitious
- shy
- sensitive
- jealous
The Tension Factor
Components of creating tension:
- An opposing force
- Unanswered question or questions created by the situation or by other characters within the story and keeps readers asking more questions thereby raising their curiosity
- Danger, fear, or conflict
- Increased danger, fear, or conflict that ebbs and flows as the story moves along
- Engaging characters with opposing goals
If you’re having difficulty coming up with specific ideas that will create tension/suspense, think of it this way, play on your main character’s fears. Make them as uncomfortable and fearful as possible. Throw the works at them. Just don’t forget to give them the courage to work through that fear and accomplish the story’s goals.
