Why Insta-Love Rarely Works

*Before I begin, I want to apologize for my lengthy absence. My computer broke down and has been in the shop for the last couple of months and I have had very little access to a computer since that time. Just wanted to let you all know that I haven't disappeared.*

If you've been following me, you probably know I touched on the idea of insta-love a bit in my post Writing Romance Without Being Cheesy, but I want to go a bit more in depth with it today.

So, what exactly is insta-love? Well, if you look around, different people define it different ways, but there is a consensus that it revolves around the idea of love at first sight. For the purposes of this post, insta-love is when two characters consider themselves in love after having only spent a maximum of 24-hours in each other's presence.

And if we are honest, this happens a lot in literature. It's popping up everywhere in YA literature but even in other places. I mean, ever heard of Romeo and Juliet? That is the classic insta-love story. Why is it everywhere? In my opinion, because it's easy.  Sure, some people genuinely think it's cute and romantic, but the fact is writing insta-love is quick and to the point. You get to skip all the inbetween stuff (you know, the part where they are getting to know each other) and jump from seeing each other across the room to soulmates.

But the inbetween, the stuff that's being skipped over is the most important part of a love story. Why are we leaving this out?

Before you add some insta-love into your story, give some thought to these points which usually make insta-love hard to appreciate.

1. Many times, authors write as if insta-attraction = insta-love
I can understand insta-attaction. It's not hard to believe that people might have some kind of attraction to one another after hanging out for the first time. But love? That's where you start to lose me. I'll believe they enjoyed each others' company, want to hang out again sometime, but I'm not about to believe they are in love. That's going a little too far. You love people you know, you don't love people you talked to once.

2. With insta-love, it's hard to believe these people are in love for any reason other than that they are both hot
It's sad but true. Two hot people meet. Bam! They're in love. They meet once and for the rest of the book, they don't stop thinking about each other and spend the rest of the book trying to find the person they know they love. Honestly, these people basically know nothing about each other. So they were charming the first time they talked. Maybe even the second time. But you can't really love someone you've had a few conversations with. Mostly it just seems the character is in love because the other person is physically appealing. Like, what other reason do they have? They don't know each other on a deeper level than what's on the outside. They haven't had the time to know each other that way.

3. Sharing one experience together isn't love
Sometimes, two people meet each other because they are stuck in the same situation. They are stuck in an elevator, next to each other on an airplane or hiding out during a storm and by the end of the experience, they are in love. Well, that's not really how love works. Falling in love is a bit more than a crush, or wanting to spend more time with someone. That can happen within a few hours. Falling in love doesn't happen quite so fast.

4. Insta-love is basically falling in love with a stranger
Admit it, that's kind of exactly what it is. If you don't know the person's flaws, fears, past, what makes them happy, sad, angry, laugh or cry, you don't really know this person. If your characters haven't had been with each other through thick and thin, helped them through tough situations, they don't know each other on a personal level and having them fall in love just seems ridiculous.

These are not all the reasons that insta-love doesn't always work well in a novel, but in my opinion, they are some of the biggest. A couple of other reasons that it's difficult to do realistically is because it doesn't set the stage for a long lasting relationship. As the couple finds out more about each other, not just their perfect hair, dazzling smile and charming conversation, they may drift apart. Until they see each other at their worst, they can't really know if they are in love. It's easy to be in love with someone who doesn't show their dark side when they are with you.

If your characters fall in love right away, they lack connection. And so do the readers. It's hard to understand why these characters are in love and we won't care when they break apart. Also, in many of the books I've read that involve insta-love, 90% of the book is the two characters yearning for the person they barely know and it's quite a turn off.

If you have a love story in your novel story, really think about it. Is it insta-love? How well do your characters actually know each other? It's not easy to write a captivating, realistic romance within a novel, even as a subplot. Using insta-love robs the reader of the love story and it's taking the easy way out. We want to know your characters and see that they know each other before they decide that they are soulmates.

Is Your Novel a Soap Opera?

What's a story without a little drama? Stories need conflict and conflict means drama. And let's be honest, we like a little bit of drama, but we don't want a constant stream of it.

So, does your novel have appropriate drama or soap opera drama?

Soap opera isn't a typical term to use when writing a novel, it's just a phrase I use to describe a story with too much drama because soap operas are full of drama. And some people like that, I guess, but it doesn't always work so well in a novel as it does on TV.

It's not always easy to tell when your story becomes a soap opera because the line where you cross into soap opera territory can be a thin one. Sometimes it's not until I'm rereading my work that I realize I've written a soap opera.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if you need to tone down the drama.

1. Is my character overreacting?
I see overreacting a lot in books I read in situations like "my best friend likes my ex-boyfriend oh my gosh how could she? I thought she was my friend," and "you lied to me? I'm never talking to you again!" For every day problems such as those, you don't need such a dramatic reaction. It's okay to have an overreaction in the moment, because sometimes people overreact, but to keep it that way the entire book is a little much. Have your character overreact if they are going to acknowledge later on that they were overreacting.  For every conflict, there's an appropriate amount of drama and you don't want to over-do it. Don't make it so that a little dishonesty/betrayal between friends is the end of the world.

2. ...how about under-reacting?
You need to watch out for this, too. If you have a character under-react to something, it can be a problem. I once read a book where, near the end, the protagonist's parents discovered that she had been molested several times as a young girl and they were just like "I'm sorry honey" and then basically went on with their lives. And I kind of just stared at the book for a while thinking "seriously?" If your character is going to under-react, they may as well not react at all. Sometimes, depending on the situation, you need a dramatic reaction. Make sure the drama fits the conflict.

3. Who is the victim?
Keep in mind that everyone should not react to the same situation in the same way. Some people may not need to react at all. If your protagonist isn't the person who's being lied to or cheated on, make sure they don't take those events personally. Paying attention to which characters are affected by the dramatic situations will help you write the reactions appropriately.

4. How easily can the problem(s) be fixed?
If you are writing about a situation that really isn't that big of a deal in the big picture and, it probably has a simple solution. Which means if your characters are spazzing out about it, the drama needs toned down. It can be annoying to the reader if your characters are hung out on a problem that they've already solved five or six different ways in their head while waiting for your characters to move on. If the issue can be resolved quickly and easily, don't draw it out for three or four chapters.

5. Do I have too much going on?
Be careful not to throw too much at your character at once. Not only is it hard for them to deal with, but it's hard for the reader to follow along. It also has the potential to throw you off course. If you have a character who is dealing with several big issues (mother dying, spouse cheating/divorce, single parent, job loss, estranged family), that's going to require a lot of reactions and can very easily become too much reaction.

6. Is this a pity party?
When your character is going through some tough stuff, it's hard not to make them feel sorry for themselves. And a little bit of that is okay. What you don't want to do is make it self-pity central. No one wants to read a book where the main character is just feeling sorry for themselves. I know. I've read some books like that. Recently, I read one where the main guy kept remembering that he was sad his wife was dead every two lines for the whole book. So the book was basically him having a pity party. And it was really boring. So be very careful you're not going overboard with the self pity. Give your character time to take it in then move on with the story. They don't have to forget their hardship, but don't keep bringing it up unless it moves the story forward.

And also, lighten up! Even dramas and tragedies don't have to be solemn all the time. Give your reader a break from the heaviness every once in  a while. A lighthearted moment every now and then can seriously help reduce the level of soapiness from your drama.

Remember, you want some drama. But you don't want a soap opera.

Are You Feeding Your Reader Too Much Information?

When writing a story, there is a lot of information you have to give your reader. You have to give information about the characters, setting, plot, conflict, relationships, etc and if readers don't have this information, they won't be able to follow the story very well.

As the writer, our job, which is sometimes difficult (or always difficult if you're me) is choosing when and how to reveal this information.

Of course, there is information that the reader needs to know right away, like who the characters are, the setting, and what is even going on. When I am reading a book I typically go into it thinking "who are you and why do I care?" And the reader needs the answers to those questions as soon as possible. You don't want to be in the third chapter of a story and still not have a basic concept of the plot.

Remember, your reader knows absolutely nothing when they are starting the book and you know everything and it's your job to make sure they get all the information they need in a way that's interesting and not confusing.

Besides the basic information, eventually, your reader will need to know the answers to all those questions you've been asking throughout the novel. You'll need to reveal twists, turns, and motives. Much of this is typically revealed at the end of the story, when everyone finally gets all the answers. Want to know why the villain did what he/she did? It will probably be revealed at the end, which is okay. You don't want to give something like that away in the middle of the story because it takes away from the tension and suspense.

Don't wait until the end, though, to reveal all the information you've been building up to or your reader is going to feel overwhelmed and have a hard time keeping up with it. Give information  little by little throughout the story so your reader gets hints and save the big reveal for the end.That way, your reader isn't totally clueless and they still get the climax they've been waiting for.

Just be aware that you can't reveal everything at once because that is throwing too much information out there. Your reader will get an information overload. I know this because it's happened to me before. More than once. Some authors just pile information on you. They either tell you nothing or everything at once and it's not good for the reader. Keep your reader engaged by giving them hints every now and then.

That is a good strategy for the information your reader has to know by the end of the story. Like, if your villain is your protagonist's father but they don't know, that would be the thing you want to reveal at the end, but that is not the time to reveal the family history. When you share the relationship of the villain and protagonist, the reader should already have a good idea of the protagonist's family history. You don't want to spoil a moment like that with a history lesson so get it out of the way beforehand.

So, what about the information the reader needs to know at the beginning, like figuring out what exactly is going on? Well, there's not one right way to do it, but there are wrong ways. One way that gets boring really fast is the question and answer session where one character is asking questions and the other one is answering them all which happens in way too many books.

Like, say there is a magic tree that your main character needs to know about, and you have a secondary character that has all the information that the protagonist needs so you have a dialogue that goes something like this:

MC: Where do I get this magic?

SC: From the Magic Tree, of course!

MC: Magic Tree?

SC: Yes. Long ago, a magician planted a tree where he would be able to keep all his magic and when he passed on, he left his magic in the tree.

MC: How am I supposed to get the magic?

SC: Using the magician's retrieval spell.

MC: But where am I supposed to find this spell?

SC: In his spell book, I think. Or somewhere in his abandoned house. Everyone was scared of him and they figure he's still haunting his home so no one's been up there since he died. Everything he owned should still be there. Including his spells.

MC: So, I just go to his house, find this spell, find the tree, recite the spell and I have the magic I need? And then what? Will I be in danger? Will anyone be able to take it from me?

SC: After you recite the spell, you should have the magic, and yes, you will not be safe. There are many that are after his magic. And if someone kills you, they will inherit the magic from you.

But, anyway, hopefully through that less than brilliant dialogue I just wrote out of nowhere, you get an idea of what I mean. Any question the main character asks, the supporting character has an answer. And sometimes it's okay for another character to be able to answer the questions of the MC, but if they have a series of questions and they all get an answer, that's a boring way to find out what the main plot idea is.

It's just a method the author uses to quickly give the reader the information so they can get into the story and, sometimes, it's unrealistic that a secondary character knows so much. It's telling the reader, not showing the reader.

There are much better ways to give this information. For example, perhaps the MC, instead of asking all those questions about the Magic Tree just goes to the magician's house and happens upon the retrieval spell without really knowing what they're looking for. That way, they get what they need, the reader is in the know and they discovered the information on their own, nobody told them.

Hopefully, you get an idea about what I mean. Choosing when and how to give information is important to the story because the right sort of lack of information is what keeps the reader reading. They finish a story because they want the answers and if you throw everything at them once, it's confusing and chaotic. You have to do it carefully and sparingly and make it interesting. It's really not fun for the reader when the MC gets all their questions answered without having to do anything.

Using Backstory the Right Way

I have mixed feelings about backstories - both as a writer and a reader. Usually, I don't like to read backstories. I find them tedious. I acknowledge, though, that sometimes they are needed. When I write, however, I always feel like I need to add a backstory or no one will know where my characters are coming from or why they choose to do what they do. But this is not the case. Even if it may feel like it, sometimes you don't need a backstory.

Yes, sometimes your readers need to know certain parts of the history of your story, but if you can manage to add it throughout the story when appropriate, instead of taking the time to write a backstory for your readers then it will flow much better.

As a  reader, reading backstory feels like I'm not reading the real story. Either I have to read this history before the story starts or the story is interrupted to give me a history lesson about what's going on. The history should be incorporated into the story, not separated.

Backstory can be useful to your story and even interesting for the reader if you use it correctly, though. When used the right way, backstory can add to your story, rather than take away.

Don't use backstory in the first chapter. Ever. When the story begins, the reader doesn't care about what happened then. They care about what's happening now. Once they have become familiar with your character and are involved in the story, they may not only willingly read the backstory, they may actually want to the history. Just not in the beginning. Give them time to connect and care for the reader before they get a history. 

Make sure your backstory is relevant to the front story (what's currently happening). Think whether or not it really needs to be there. Don't put it in because you think it's interesting and the reader might also find it interesting. That's a waste of time. Put it in because it reveals something about your character the reader needs to know and moves the story forward. If it's not relevant, it doesn't need to be there. What I will sometimes when I really want to write out the backstory, but I know it's not needed in the story I'm writing, I will actually write it out anyway. Separately, though, for my own benefit. That way, I will have it when I want it and it enables me to better understand my characters and write the story more efficiently. So I write backstories a lot, but I don't always incorporate them into the finished story.

Quick and to the point is the best way to go when writing a backstory. Yes, the reader may be interested in the backstory, but don't interrupt the story to give 2-3 pages of history. Give a paragraph or a couple of sentences. Don't beat around the bush. Just say it.

Once you're sure that you are going to include a backstory and that it's essential to the main story, you need to decide how to incorporate it and there are several different ways to do that.

Spread it throughout the story
This is often a good choice because instead of overwhelming the reader with information, you are just giving bits and pieces as needed. This way, your reader gets all the information they need without feeling like the story gets put on pause. In fact, if you do it really well, the reader may not even realize they are reading a backstory because it fits perfectly into the scene.

Flashback
Flashbacks and memories are another option to use when writing a backstory. If the character is remembering something, it doesn't feel so much to the reader like it's happening solely for their benefit. But flashbacks aren't always the right way to go. If you use a flashback, make sure it doesn't last much longer than a couple of paragraphs so as not to bore your reader and don't put a flashback in the middle of an action sequence. That will erase the tension.

Have another character need to know the information
If another character is ignorant of the information, and needs to know it to move the story along, then having someone give a brief explanation is a good way to add some backstory without being too tedious.

Dialogue
Putting a backstory into a dialogue between characters makes it simple for the reader to follow along. It makes it a conversation, and not a history lesson. If two characters are discussing it (not just for fun, but because they have a reason to be discussing it) it can fit much better into your story than a narrative.

However you do it, make sure it's realistic! I cannot emphasize that enough. In way too many books I've read, there is unrealistic backstory/conversation. Usually this occurs between the antagonist and protagonist. It will be near the end, when the villain has been found out, and the protagonist will just be asking the villain how/why they did what they did and the villain will explain everything to them! I cannot tell you how much this annoys me. In what way is explaining your evil plan and the motives behind your villainy to the person trying to stop you realistic? It happens in so many movies/books that it seems normal for that to happen. But it's not.

This applies to backstory because many times, an antagonist explaining their villainy is backstory. And it's a good thought to keep in mind when writing. Always ask yourself  "Is this a realistic moment to give a backstory?" and if the answer is no, then don't write it. If you're unsure, don't write it. Try to figure out if the backstory would fit. Try it out. See if it works. Don't add it in if you're not sure it fits at the moment. Never guess.

If you add backstory because you think it's interesting and you think the reader will find interesting, or you know so you want the reader to know, you're proud of the history you created, something like that, it will never work. It will cripple your story. Backstory, when used correctly, helps a story in so many ways. It gives the reader a better understanding of the character, it reveals fears and motivation and can also thicken the plot.

As long as looking into the past helps your story move forward, everything should be fine.

Should You Force Yourself to Write?

If I'm perfectly honest, even though I love to write, I often just don't feel like doing it. I love creating worlds and characters and storylines, but the actual writing is hard work and I don't like writing when I'm not in the mood. Because, after all, you need to wait for inspiration, right? If you write when you don't want to, it's going to suck, correct?

Well, maybe. But maybe not. The answer to this question depends on how serious you are about your writing.

And I am writing this to myself as much as anyone else because I am such a hypocrite in this area. I know for a fact that if I only wrote at the times when I was actually feeling inspired to write, I would never finish what I was working on.

So, short answer, yes. You should force yourself to write.

But there's more to it than that. If you have a project that you're working on and seriously want to finish, there are times you just have to force yourself to write. Sometimes you have to put your nose to the grindstone. You don't have to wait for inspiration. You're still capable of writing great stuff, even with no inspiration, even when you don't feel like it. It just takes more effort. You may have to make extra notes. You may have to try things a few different ways, but it can be done.

If you want to sit around and wait to be inspired, that's your call, but, in the words of Jack London, "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." Sometimes inspiration comes to you when you're not expecting it, but if you consider yourself a writer and are looking to improve your skills, if you only write when you have inspiration, then you're not going to be writing as much as you should. Writing isn't easy and it's not supposed to be, so only writing when you're in the mood isn't how it's supposed to work.

Make a schedule for writing and stick to it. It can be as simple as 100 words a day. At least you're writing. That's what's important. If you really, really, really, can't get in the mood, just make yourself write 100 words and then you're done for the day.

Always have a daily goal. It really does help when you know what you're aiming for. When there's a starting point and a finishing point. And, honestly, one of the reasons writers make plans like that is because we know we aren't always going to feel like writing, so we know we have to force it out of us sometimes. That's why, when you make a schedule, you know ahead of time what to do when you don't feel like writing but know that you should. This way, you will write the same amount every day whether you feel like it or not. If you are in the mood, you may write more than the required amount and that's awesome, but you will reach the goal every day.

No one feels like writing all the time so if you're not too serious about writing, you don't have a project in the works, perhaps you don't need to force yourself to write. But if you're trying to finish something, you need to plan to not feel like writing some days but writing anyway.

You have to know when enough is enough, though. Don't push yourself to the point of exhaustion. If you need a break, or you need to stop, stop. If you are trying, it counts. Don't hurt yourself. But don't procrastinate, either.

So, hopefully, having finally written this down will have motivated me enough to quit procrastinating on my writing and to stop waiting until I'm in the mood or have new ideas. Because sometimes, you can't for ideas, sometimes you have to seek them out.

Writing Romance Without Being Cheesy

I am very picky about romance. If it's going to be there, it has to be good. If I find it to be cheesy, I really can't stand it which is why I typically don't read romance novels. In my opinion, those are generally very cheesy books.

But any book you might read will probably have a love story intertwined in it, even if it's not a romance novel. And where there's a love story, there's bound to be some romance somewhere.

Now, I like love stories and I stick them into my own writing, but I'm always afraid of making them too cheesy. And, honestly, no one wants their writing to be seen as cheesy. And by the end of this post, you might be sick of the word cheesy. But if you're going to read it, that's a risk you're going to have to take.

I have realized these past few months that when I am working on the romance aspect of my work, I am trying not to be cheesy. In fact, I am focusing so much on it not being cheesy that it ends up not being very good at all. Honestly, it's pretty dull.

So, how do you make it not cheesy and still good? Well, that is the hard part because what is and is not cheesy is largely a matter of opinion. Some people find romantic love, in general, to be cheesy. So, really, how do you know if you're being cheesy or not? People are going to have their opinions either way, but, as the writer, there are some things you need to think about if you want to reduce the level of cheesiness of your love story.

1. Avoid clichés
There is nothing cheesier than a cliché love story. And love at first sight is the cliché-est. This isn't to say love at first sight never works in a novel, but if you have nothing that sets it apart from every other love at first sight tale, then it's just a cliché. In my opinion, the whole idea of "falling in love" with someone upon seeing them for the first time is cheesy because it robs your reader of what connects or attracts the characters to each other. Another cliché is having one character who is shy, one who isn't and they have this unexplainable attraction to each other. What makes these type of romantic stories cheesy is the entire romance is based on the physical appearance of the two. The people are basically in love because they are both good looking. It's cliché. And also cheesy. Be aware that your story doesn't have to be swooning hearts and fluttering eyelids all the time. Also, it's very cliché to have your characters fall in love because they have a similar past or because they share one intense situation together. The more original you are, the less cheesy it will be.

2. Give your characters time to get to know each other
Don't be under the impression that your characters have to like each other right away - not even on a friendly basis. They don't need an instant connection. It's one thing to have your characters enter a relationship almost right from the go, but, if they become friends first - go through struggles, experience laughter and pain together, then the romantic connection will be much stronger and there will definitely be the feeling that this relationship will be a long lasting one because the characters are more than just attracted to each other. They care about each other. And your reader has had time to see the relationship develop. They have also gone through all these situations with the characters and they will be much more involved in their relationship. Think about TV shows. The two characters we know are right for each other usually take a few years to get together. They just become better and better friends, being involved in each others lives and by the time they get together, we are really wanting it to happen. It's the same technique you should use when writing. Give your readers a reason why these characters should be in love. If they don't have a history, then they don't have much of a future. You want to make sure your characters are falling for the actions of the other, not their appearance.

3. Don't write as if you're planning on starting a relationship
When you are writing, don't focus on the upcoming relationship. Pretend like you have no idea it's even going to happen. These characters are getting to know each other and, right now, are not even thinking about each other romantically so you shouldn't be either. In one of my stories, before I started, I had these two characters for which I'd planned a romantic relationship by the end of it, but as I wrote and focused on the story and just let it take its course, the characters weren't falling in love. It kind of bothered me because I'd really been planning for them to have those feelings for each other, but even though they were best friends and had been through everything together, their friendship never became anything more. And, of course, I could still make it happen but placing them together would be strange and awkward. And that doesn't always happen. Most of the time, when I plan for two characters to be together by the end, it happens. What I'm trying to say is, you can have the plan for two people to get together, but don't write like that's the plan. Don't force it to happen. You may find, as your characters develop, they just aren't a good romantic match. Maybe someone you didn't expect will end up being the love interest.

4.  Make sure your characters aren't constantly thinking about each other
Remember that if you're not writing a romance novel, your story isn't about two people falling in love. Even in a romance novel, the reader needs a break from the romance every once in a while. So, although you have to develop this relationship throughout the book, keep in mind it's a subplot, not the main plot. Eventually, your characters may have a desire for each other, but you don't want to overdo  it. Save it for the appropriate places and your reader won't be rolling their eyes so much.

5. Keep the lovey-dovey stuff to a minimum
Once your characters have entered into the romantic relationship, the story isn't over. Congratulations if you were able to successfully write a budding romance, but don't give up on it once the relationship is in place. These are the still the same characters and they can't suddenly change towards each other. Keep the relationship real. Don't have them be making out every time they see each other or constantly holding hands and making goo goo eyes. Sometimes it's okay to do things if you want, but, once again, don't overdo it. Relationships take a lot of hard work to keep together so don't write as if they're on their honeymoon the entire time. Real couples argue, make mistakes. What illustrates love more than any romantic action is if your characters can disagree, argue, make the wrong choices and still be with each other at the end of the day. A good question to ask yourself throughout the story is not "what do people do when they're in love?", but, "what do my characters do when they're in love?"

Like with everything about writing, these tips aren't set in stone. I can't say "follow these steps and I guarantee the perfect love story every time!" Every love story is different, but, generally, you can use these methods in any type to make it less cheesy.

As long as it's a budding romance and not an instant romance, the chances of it being cheesy are reduced. This doesn't mean there can't be any sort of physical attraction at the beginning, but slow down before they're in a relationship and "in love" with each other.

Like I said at the beginning, I am very picky about romance and I think that's one reason I struggle with writing it in a way that I'm satisfied. So, learn from my mistake and don't worry about whether or not your love story is cheesy as you're writing it. Just write what feels natural and then look it over and see if you think it's cheesy or not. Really, though, if you have a plan from the beginning and know what you're doing, it's probably not going to be cheesy. Confidence often gets rid of cheesiness.

The Deal With Outlining

I hate outlining.

Really.

I hate it so much that I usually skip it.

We often hear that there are no rules to being a writer, but it seems, as writers, that we are all expected to outline. We are taught to outline as if it is the correct way to write anything and everything.

I took a creative writing class a few years back where, in the space of a year, each student wrote his or her own novel. The first actual writing step we had to do was create the outline. While I enjoyed the class, I ended up not liking my finished work. In my opinion, it is the weakest thing I have ever written and I'm convinced it was because of the outline.

So I typically don't outline anymore. I tend to let my stories flow naturally. I like to be surprised by where my story takes me.

I'm not here to diss outlining, though. Outlining can and has been a great asset to many writers and is often very helpful in the writing process. Outlining can be wonderful, but it's not always necessary. If you look around, you'll see that writers today are divided on the subject of outlining. K.M. Weiland (she has a wonderful writing blog that I love) strongly believes in outlining, while Writer's Digest has a great article on how you can write awesome stories with no outline.

Don't feel pressured to write an outline. If the thought of creating one stresses you out, just don't create one. My problem with outlines is when I have one, I feel limited, like I have to stick to my outline no matter what - but that's definitely not true. You can have an outline and completely stray from it if you wish. You are the writer, after all. You are the god of this story and can do whatever you want.

This isn't to say go ahead and start writing with no plan whatsoever. When I get an idea for a story, I don't jump on it right away. I let it flesh out and develop for a few days so I at least know my main characters and have a fairly stable idea about where the story is going. But I definitely don't make an outline.

Don't let anyone except yourself tell you if you need to make an outline before you start writing. Some writers do better with one and others do better without. You know if you need an outline. You're not a lazy writer if you don't have an outline, you just have a different writing process. If people are going to say there are no rules to writing a novel, don't let them give you any.

When Your Characters Stop Listening to You

Raise your hand if you haven't experienced the difficulty of characters who just flat out don't want to do what you tell them. If you raised your hand, lucky you. This blog post probably won't be of much use to you.

But if you do have this problem, what do you do? What are you supposed to do when you want the story to go one way, but your characters are taking it another?

Well, the first thing you should do is good advice for basically any situation: don't panic. Just take a deep breath. It's okay if it's not working out how you originally planned. Several times during the writing process, I have come to the realization that the plans I had for the story when  I started writing just fly out the window.

Take a break
Always take a break first and see if that solves the problem. When we're going at it too long and too hard, our brains mess things up. We need to relax and switch activities every once in a while. So, if you're suddenly having trouble with your characters, make sure you take a break before you consider other options. A break may be all you need. If however, when you return to writing and the problem is still there, you may have a character that just isn't listening to you.

Let the characters lead
When you've created well rounded characters who you know really well and can carry the weight of the story, you may find that they actually know the story better than you do. They may have their own ideas. So, if your characters are resisting your instructions and pulling in a different direction, don't be afraid to explore that direction. If your character is trying to take control, it's okay to let them for a little bit and see where it takes you.

It can be very frustrating sometimes, though, when we desperately want our character to do something, but we can't realistically make it happen. We, of course, can write it, but something about it feels very forced and awkward. Listen to your gut. If your hand doesn't want to write it, maybe it's a sign that you need to reconsider the events taking place.

I once had a character that I had specific plans for when I started the story and I thought it was a brilliant idea. I realized, though, by the end, that this particular character ended up being someone completely different than I had intended him to be without my even noticing it. I just followed his lead and it ended up working much better with my story.

Re-evaluate your character
If you have a specific character that is causing trouble, take a moment and re-evaluate them. Maybe they changed and you didn't realize, which is why you can't seem to get under control. Maybe your story changed and you really just don't need them anymore.  

So, relax, this isn't a disaster. Just remember that if your characters stop listening to you, maybe you should start listening to your characters.

Show, Don't Tell

For as long as I've been into writing, one of the pieces of advice I've heard the most is "Show, don't tell." And I think it's great advice. There's just one problem: I've never really heard people explain how to do it. Everyone's telling me to show and not tell, but no one is showing me how to show and not tell.

This is unfortunate for me because one of my struggles with writing is showing instead of telling. I try to do it but I never know if I've succeeded. As I write, I'm constantly thinking "Am I showing or telling? Did I show that right? How do I show this instead of tell it?"

For me, telling someone to show and not tell without telling them how to do that is like giving someone a math test without teaching them math. What are we supposed to do?

Obviously, I struggle with this aspect and if I struggle with it, somebody else probably does too. I wish I knew everything there was to know about showing and not telling, but, honestly, I need to read this information more than I need to write it. So, why am I writing it? Because I have to tackle it sometime.

So, obviously, when we talk about showing vs telling, we want the reader to see what we're talking about rather than just hear it. We need to be as vivid as possible without being too wordy, which is very challenging.

So, to get started, here is an example of showing vs telling.

Telling:  Mary was brunette.

Showing: Mary's hair cascaded down her back. It was a dark, rich color which reminded most people of  freshly melted chocolate or sitting in front of a fireplace with hot cocoa during the winter.

Though the description may be slightly overboard, hopefully you have an idea of what the goal is when talking about showing rather than telling if you didn't already. 

It's plain to see that those descriptions are different, but how are they different? What, exactly, sets them apart from each other? Verbs, adjectives, visual imagery. The difference is one is flatly telling you how things are, and the other one is describing it for you so you can see it yourself.

Descriptive language is how you show something. Instead of saying someone is tall, say they tower over everyone else. It gives your reader an image of what the person looks like. It all boils down to word choice. This is a great reason to write with a thesaurus next to you because synonyms have a way of livening up a scene. Don't say loud say ear-splitting. Don't say happy say delighted. Just changing one word is sometimes all it takes to show your readers what is happening rather than telling them.

In the above example, for the showing, I never said Mary's hair was brown, but you knew anyway. That's exactly what I mean; I literally never wrote that she had brown hair. I showed you. I described it so you could see it. I didn't have to say what color it was.

It might not seem like it's so difficult when you look at it like this, but it really is. When you apply it to your own writing, it becomes a real challenge. You have to make sure you're showing in every scene, that you're always being vivid and adding enough imagery without over-doing it. You can't be too wordy or flowery because that turns people off and if there's too many words then it confuses people and makes your storyline harder to follow.

One of my absolute favorite quotes about showing vs telling comes from Anton Chekhov: "Don't tell me moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." It really illustrates, for me, the difference between showing and telling. If you simply state the obvious, it's boring. Would you rather read a sentence such as:

"she threw herself onto her bed as the tears she'd been fighting all day finally escaped while she tried to stifle her sobs with a pillow,"

or a sentence like:

"when she got to her room, she started to cry."?

Both  sentences say the same thing, but one is showing you and the other is merely telling you. The second sentence is dull in comparison to the first. Even without being compared to anything, it's weak and doesn't have any descriptive language. It's as if we are hearing a story second-hand rather than watching it unfold ourselves. The first sentence, though, engages you by describing what is happening as it happens. It's not telling you that she cried, it's telling you how she cried.

Don't be black and white with your writing, be colorful. Adjectives and verbs are really helpful in this area because they paint the picture. But, as I said earlier, it's all about the word you choose. Angry is an adjective, but it's not nearly as descriptive as the adjectives irritated or enraged. Those give a much clearer idea of exactly what a character is feeling and paints a vivid picture for your reader.

I know that one of the reasons showing instead of telling is hard for me is because I can already see it all in my head. I see it without words and when I write that someone is happy, I don't feel the need to explain more because I already get it. I know my characters and my story and I don't have to describe it for myself. And it's hard to describe how it looks sometimes. Sometimes, you have such an exact picture in your mind of how something looks and none of the ways you describe it seem to do it justice. You just can't find the right words. It can be really, really difficult to be descriptive.

Painting a picture with words is a talent you have to work for. You're lucky if it comes naturally. But, if you work at it and achieve it, you can create a literary masterpiece.

Killing a Character? Why?

As readers, we rejoice when the villains are killed and devastated when our favorite characters die, but, as writers, killing is just part of the job - and many times it's a part of the job we look forward to.

We want to make our readers feel all sorts of emotions while reading our book. We want them to feel happy, scared, angry, surprised, disgusted (in a good way) and, yes, sad. Any emotions we can evoke are good ones. And you want to them feel several different emotions, not just one of them the whole time because, in the end, that will bore the reader. They come looking for adventure, and they expect their emotions to be toyed with. Sometimes characters just have to die.

But it's not just about the reader. It's also about your story. Sometimes we want to kill a character for the sake of killing them and because we want our reader to react to the death. But, before you kill them, you have to ask yourself a question.

Why am I killing this character?

If you don't know why you're killing the character, no one else will either. Your character must have a reason to die. If there is no reason and you're killing them just because you want the reader to mourn them, it's not going to work out that way. It's all about reason. If there's no reason, the reader is not going to react or care the way you want them to. If you are sentencing a character to death, but are unable to pinpoint exactly why they have to go, then you should think twice before getting rid of them. Maybe they need to die, maybe they don't. If you're unsure, ask yourself these questions.

Is my character in the way?
Sometimes we end up with a character who just gets in the way of everything. They started out with real purpose and you had some big plans for them but, along the way, they sort of got kicked to the side and now really serve no purpose. It happens to the best of us. If you have a character that's just there and isn't really helping to move the plot along, don't kill them. When you kill for the sole purpose of getting rid of a character that you no longer have a need for, it shows. You won't be fooling anyone. It's taking the easy way out. So, obviously, this character needs not to be in the story because they're just getting in the way of everything but you don't need to kill them off. What you need to do is acknowledge they have no purpose and go back and completely write them out. This way, instead of having to kill them later, now they just never existed. You don't need characters in your story who serve no purpose, so don't have them in there in the first place.

Will killing this character move the plot forward?
If the answer to this question is no, you need to think again about killing them. Everything that happens in your story, every scene, every event, every death, has to help the plot along. If killing your character puts a pause on the plot or is completely irrelevant to the plot, then what's the point of killing them?

Is killing the character really necessary?
Sometimes, the plot demands we kill the character and sometimes it doesn't. Don't kill your character if you don't need to. You really want to avoid just going around killing characters because if it keeps happening and it doesn't need to happen, the reader isn't going to cry, they're going to get annoyed. We need to really plan out the character deaths and make sure it's necessary in order for the reader to care when the character dies.

How will the death affect the main character?
If you're going to kill a character, the death has to affect the main character. Whether positively or negatively, the main character has to have some reaction to it. Remember that the death of whoever you're killing has to push the plot forward, and your main character is carrying the plot with them, so they must be affected one way or another by the character's death. It doesn't have to be an emotional reaction. They may not have even known the character, but the death needs to come back to them somehow. Maybe it just makes their task more difficult, or maybe easier. Just make sure the death affects the main character either directly or indirectly.

Am I killing the character to make the reader sad or to shock them?
It's important that you don't kill off characters for the purpose of getting a reaction from your audience. You won't get the reaction you want if you kill for the sole purpose of getting a reaction. If your character dies in the right way, at the right time, for the right reasons, the reader will react. But don't try to get a reaction from them. Do not kill for the reader, kill for your story.

Am I killing the character because it's the bad guy?
It's common for the villain to die at the end of a story. But it's not written in stone that every villain ultimately has to die. In fact, it's not even suggested anywhere. Don't kill the villain just because they're the bad guy. They must have as much reason to die as any other character and that reason can't just be that they're the opposing force. Kill the villain only if they have to die for the sake of your story. Only if it makes the story better and they have no other option. When killing a bad guy, you have to ask yourself the same questions you would before killing any other character.

The point here is that you really need to think before killing your character. Really question your motives for doing it and make sure it's absolutely necessary for your story. Especially if you find yourself unable to pinpoint exactly why you're doing it. The truth is, sometimes, no matter how much we want to kill a character, they really don't need to die and we have to acknowledge that.

But, also, sometimes we really don't want to kill a character even though the plot is demanding they die and we must acknowledge that as well. Readers often imagine that authors love to kill and do it out of enjoyment and, sometimes that's true, but the other truth is that, many times, it's just as hard for the author to kill the character as it is for the reader to read about it. We love our characters, but we know that they can't always make it through alive. If you're having a hard time executing a beloved character, just remember the words of Robert Frost: "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." If your story is messing with your emotions, you can be sure it will do as much for your reader.

How to Start (And Not Start) Your Novel

So you've got the perfect idea for a good story and you can't wait to get started. It's just itching to get out of you.

When you finally have time to sit down and work on it, though, you have to be careful how you start it. If it doesn't have a good beginning, readers won't be interested enough to read further, even if the rest of it is amazing.

The beginning of your story is supposed to tell the reader how good the rest of it is. It's like you're saying to the reader "Hey, this is how good the story is. This is why you should read it." The beginning has to be as good as the rest of it, if not better. It is, after all, what makes your reader want to finish the story.

Your beginning has to hook the reader and pull them in enough to make them keep turning the pages, and that isn't an easy task.  There is no one way to start your novel that always works, but there are several different types of beginnings that tend to grab a reader's interest.

Do use humor. Humor is an excellent way to begin just about anything: a speech, a conversation with someone you just met, a novel. This is because people are almost immediately put at ease with a little bit of humor. It is also beneficial, for you, as the writer, because if you start off with something witty, your reader opens up your book and the first thing they see is something clever, then they are likely to continue reading. People like to laugh, and if you can get them to early on, then you are very likely to catch a devoted reader. Humor is also effective in a different way. If your reader is captivated by the humor, then in the very first line, they have a reaction to your story and they are subconsciously pushed to read on. But you have to be careful with humor. Don't just open with a joke, unless it works with your story. Don't just be funny, the humor has to tie in to your story somehow or you'll lose the reader a couple of paragraphs in. It has to introduce your story.

For example, think of the opening line in The Voyage of The Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis: "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." This opening line is witty and introduces us to the main character. In one sentence, we have been given a good amount of information. By C.S. Lewis' use of the word "boy" we know Eustace is a kid and not nearing adulthood. We know that he pretty much an unpleasant person to hang out around with. He's probably bratty or something of a bully.

Your humorous opening can't just be humorous. It has to give information about your story or you will quickly lose your reader's interest.

Don't begin with description. Of anything. Not the landscape, not the weather, not the protagonist. The first thing the reader wants to know when they open up a book is the answer to "Why do I care?" and it's a question you have to answer right away. If the first thing the reader sees is a description of a sunrise or the Smith family at dinner, they're not going to read much farther. When a reader opens a book for the first time, they don't want to know what the protagonist looks like, they want to care about the protagonist and feel involved right away. Telling them the character's hair color doesn't provide much of a connection.

Do have something significant going on. There has to be something happening when your story starts, otherwise, why are you including the scene? Your characters need to be doing something or in the middle of something that will get your reader involved in the action right away. Opening with you protagonist waking up in the morning and getting ready for school isn't significant, even if your story is about a kid in high school. Opening with a police interrogation is significant.

Don't begin with a backstory. Starting with a history is saying to the reader, "Wait a minute. Before the story starts, here's something you need to know." And that won't do. The book is open, your story should already be started. If your reader needs to know backstory, there's ways to work into your story without taking a time out. And the reader is more likely to be interested in the backstory if they are previously engaged in the story and care about your character.

Do use suspense. It's never too early for suspense. If you have your readers on the edge of their seats at the beginning, that's a good sign. If your opening scene is suspenseful, they may not have a connection with the protagonist right away, but they certainly are involved in the story. Be careful, though. You don't want to throw too much at them at once. Don't be all suspense because you still have a story to tell and you need to introduce your story to the reader.

Don't start with a dream. A dream is teasing the reader. You have something interesting going on and then, when your character wakes up, it's like saying, "Just kidding! None of that happened. Here's the real story." As a reader, it's aggravating. We don't want to be pulled into a story to find out it's not the story at all.

Do have some kind of introduction or reference to important secondary characters. No, they don't all have to be present at the beginning, or even mentioned in the first chapter, but you need to introduce all important characters early on. If your story is already going on and your reader is used to the flow and has already become familiar with your protagonist and then in chapter five, you introduce a significant secondary character that should already have been at least mentioned, it's going to throw your reader off balance.

Don't start off by telling your readers that your work of fiction is a true story. It's a waste of time because no matter how many times you say everything really happened, we know it didn't and the more you try to convince us, the more annoyed we will become. The Percy Jackson series starts off this way, and though they are fine books, the beginning does tend to annoy me somewhat. Just know that your reader knows it's fiction and you don't want to spend time telling them it's real. It can get in the way of your story.

These beginnings, are, of course, not your only options. There are several different theories out there about ways stories should begin and if you're still unsure after reading this, keep looking around. You don't want to start your story when you're still not sure how you should start it.

Keep in mind that the beginning is one of the most important parts of your books and, consequently, one of the hardest to write. You have to hook your reader (without being too crazy) and at the same time, give them enough information to understand what's going on right away. Don't spend time writing about a situation while keeping your reader in suspense of what, exactly, the situation is. They need to understand right away. Beginning a book is tough job.

Remember the words of Richard Peck: "You're only as good as your opening line." If your opening doesn't make the reader want to read more, they're not going to read more. The beginning is the only chance you have to hook your reader's interest. If the opening isn't good, they'll assume the rest of it isn't any good, either.

Don't be discouraged if you're having trouble coming up with a good beginning. It takes time to find the perfect opening for your story. We all struggle with this part of writing because the beginning is only a few lines long, but they have to say a lot. But the better you understand what the reader is looking for in those first few sentences and the job your opening has to do, the better your beginning will be.

Dealing With Dead End Stories

Don't you hate when you get a brilliant idea for a story and you're itching to get started on it so you do, and then halfway through it (or somewhere in the middle) you can't write anymore? The story isn't going anywhere and nothing is happening. You've hit a dead end. What are you supposed to do when you hit this roadblock? Wait and see if inspiration hits? Give up? Should you give your seemingly dead story a funeral? How do you deal with it?

Fortunately, just because your story seems to have lost its point, doesn't mean it's a lost cause. There are some tactics you can try before throwing in the towel.

Outline
I don't like making outlines and it's a step I often skip (and usually end up regretting). But, the truth is, you're less likely to hit a dead end in your story if you make an outline for it before you start writing. If you have an outline, you'll always know where the story is supposed to go and the major events that are going to take it there, lessening the chances of a dead end creeping up on you. But not eliminating them.

Brainstorm
Brainstorming is a good way to dig yourself out of a hole. When you're faced with a dead end story, grab a paper and pen (sometimes it can help to actually hand write it instead of typing) and write down any ideas you have of ways the story can progress. Even if you think the idea is dumb, write it down. The goal is to write down any ideas to get the story moving again. You don't have to use one of them, but it might give you the inspiration you need.

Discipline
If you make yourself sit down and write the story, you might find that once you get some words out, it will start flowing more easily. Give yourself a goal and stick to it. When you sit down with your story, tell yourself you're not getting up until you've written 100 words or 1000 words or give yourself a time frame where you do nothing but work on it, like one or two hours. Do it consistently for a few days and see if you get back into the natural flow and the story is slowly starting to come back to life.

Don't Limit Yourself
Whatever your plan was when you started the story, know that it's perfectly acceptable to change it and head in an entirely different direction. If you made an outline, you don't have to stick to it, especially if it's not working out for you. You are the writer, you can do anything you want so don't think you're bound to write it one way if it will work better another way.

Keep Calm and Carry On
Don't stress out if you feel like you've lost the story. Just take a break from it for a while and then come back to it and see if it's going better. Write it even if you feel like it's dumb or not working out. It might be dumb, it might not be working, or it might be going really well but you're not going to know until you're finished. It's okay to have doubts about where your story is going, but don't let it keep you from writing.

Get a Second Opinion
It's common to not want to share our unfinished work with others, but if worse comes to worse, you might want to give it a try. Having someone who doesn't know the story like you do read it with a fresh pair of eyes can be beneficial as they can tell what doesn't seem to be working from the reader's point of view. But you want to be careful. Don't hand it over to just anyone. Let someone see it who knows what they're doing and how to spot things that don't fit into the story too well. If a reader can help pinpoint why you seem to be at a dead end, you just might be able to write your way out of it.

Deadline
Set a deadline for yourself and work to finish it by then. The pressure of a deadline can be more help than you might think. Knowing you have to have it completed by a certain time motivates your brain to work harder on getting back into the flow of your story.

Re-Evaluate Your Story
Take some time to look over your story with a critical eye. Look for things that may have caused it to come to a stand still. Is there a character that keeps getting in the way? Get rid of them. Is there a moment in the plot where everything seems to start heading downhill? Fix it. Is there a specific scene that seems to bring the story to a halt? Change it. Did something happen in the beginning to make it unfold into a dead end? Rewrite the beginning. Just make sure there's not something in the story that's causing it to seem like a dead end story. Maybe all you need to do is fill in a missing plot hole, or add an exciting plot twist. Don't be afraid to experiment. 

These are all ideas you can try if you want to complete your story but feel like it's just not do-able anymore. If you want to get the story out, you can get it out. You just have to find the method that works best for you.

You also need to know when it's time to give up on the story. If you're not passionate about finishing and find the whole thing dull, then you might need to call it quits because if you're not passionate about your story, chances are the reader isn't going to enjoy it, either. If you've lost focus on your story or your gut is telling you to stop, you might need to heed those signs and realize that it might be better for you to start a brand new project.

Don't give up, though, if you're just finding it difficult and make sure you've exhausted all resources before letting it go. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide if your story is something you can complete, or if you need to give up on it.

Hopefully this has given you some ideas on things you can try when you come to a dead end before calling it quits. I've made the decision to quit on a few stories that weren't working out, but then a year or two later, I looked at them again and found new ideas and ways to keep it going. So even quitting on the story doesn't always mean it's over forever. Sometimes it's just a matter of time.

Does Your Protagonist Have Too Many Pros?

Writing a protagonist is hard. You have to come up with someone who your readers will like to spend time with. If you're going to achieve this, you're going to need to create a character that has likeable traits.

Your protagonist has a big job to do: they have to carry the weight of the story. If your protagonist is weak, your story is going to be weak as well.

When you're creating a protagonist, remember that protagonist is not synonymous with hero. They don't have to be the good guy. But they do need to be likeable.

Even if your protagonist isn't the good guy, your reader is going to be spending a lot of time with this character and getting to know them. They need some good qualities.

Because of this, what tends to happen is that people create their protagonists and make them too good. Sometimes, we want our protagonist to be a role model so we emphasize their goodness. But many times, when that's the case, we don't realize that there is such a thing as too good and it's easy to make our protagonist too perfect. If that happens, your reader won't relate to your character or even like them.

Remember that your character is human, so he/she must have flaws. That's how readers relate. No one is able to connect to a character who is always perfect. Make sure your character is wrong sometimes.

I like the book Inkheart a lot. I think it's a really great story but I absolutely cannot stand Meggie, the protagonist. She is definitely a flawed character, so that's not the problem. She's selfish, arrogant, rebellious and disobedient. The problem with her is that, despite these flaws, she's never wrong. Every decision she makes ultimately ends up being the right one. She flatly disregards things her father says and it ends up being the right decision. Which just makes her more arrogant and there's very little character development with her.

So even if you make your character flawed, they can still be too perfect if they are always right, even in the midst of their flaws. They can't just have flaws because that's not enough. Their flaws need to get them in trouble, they need to make mistakes. Otherwise, there's no point to having them. If your protagonist has flaws, but he/she never struggles with them, the flaws may as well not exist.

Having a flawed protagonist helps you story in several ways. If your character has no imperfections, or not enough imperfections, there is no room for development and character development is important. Flaws add depth to your character and make them far more realistic than they otherwise would be. Flaws also add to your story by creating minor conflicts that your protagonist must learn to correct.

Don't just give your character random flaws, though. Give them flaws that will help your plot unfold and be significant to your story. Have someone who is burdened with making decisions be impulsive so that they must learn to think before they act, or make them indecisive and have their inability to make choices affect those around them. Flaws are part of being human, so don't make your protagonist flawless.

Everyone makes bad decisions, so don't be afraid to let your protagonist do so as well. Be careful, though, when creating your character, you don't give them too many faults, either. Don't be so focused on giving them imperfections that you forget about giving them some good qualities, too. Even if they're not a hero, or the good guy, if there's nothing likeable about them, your reader isn't going to like spending the whole book with them. Don't go overboard with the good qualities, and don't go overboard with the flaws. You need to find a balance between the two.

When used correctly, some traits can be used as both a likeable characteristic and a flaw. One such trait is sarcasm. In a positive light, it can add humor to a dry or humorless scene and relieve tension in an uncomfortable or awkward situation. It can be helpful to you, as the writer, to have a character around with a quick wit. It can also function as a flaw, though, when used at the wrong moments. It can make your character look insensitive at times or they can use their sarcasm to speak derogatorily to or about others.

Don't put yourself in a box. Look at the traits your character has and see if you can use them for good and bad qualities alike. If your protagonist is a know-it-all, that trait doesn't always have to hinder the process. Sometimes it might actually help the situation. You're not limited one way or the other.

So take a good look at your protagonist. What traits do they possess? What flaws? What virtues? How do these characteristics contribute to your story and deepen the character? If you can't answer these questions, it might be time to re-evaluate your character and focus more on giving them some of the characteristics they are lacking. Make sure it adds to your story, though. The whole point of this is to help your story be the best it can be, so whatever traits you give to your character need to be beneficial to the story you're writing.

No Conflict, No Story

People say there are no rules for writing, and that's true to an extent, but, in reality, there are a few standard rules one should follow when writing a story.

One rule that everyone should absolutely follow is you must have conflict! If you don't have conflict, you don't have a story.

Think about it.

You have a character who is trying to reach a goal. Let's say you have a guy, John, who has the goal to own a big company. His friends and family are entirely supportive. He gets hired and quickly moves up the corporate ladder until he's given the company. Well, that's great for John, but boring for the reader. No one wants to read a story like that. Take that same scenario, though, and add a few complications. John has rivals at the company who also want the job. There are some co-workers he doesn't get along with. He is so focused on achieving his goal and so work oriented, that he alienates some friends and family in the process. His father threatens to write him out of the will if he doesn't take over the family business. His girlfriend/wife announces she's pregnant but he's not the father. His parents are divorcing.

See how much better that makes it already? Now, all that conflict might be a bit much, but you can see what I'm talking about, right? If your protagonist doesn't have obstacles to overcome, then your story is hardly a story.

I cannot emphasize enough how crucial conflict is. It makes your story a story. No one will read your story if there's nothing to read about. I saw firsthand how conflict makes a story once. I was reading a story someone on the internet had written and there was no conflict. Not one. Everyone got along so extremely perfectly. It was unreal. The siblings never argued, everything was perfect all the time. BORING! I couldn't finish it.

You have to be careful, though, when creating conflict because if it's not good conflict, it will bore your readers as well.

So, how do you keep readers from giving up on the book? Well, there are different types of conflict to consider when you are planning out your story. Here are some of the more common ones.

Man vs. Man
This type of conflict is a person against a person. It involves a protagonist and a villain. Two people getting in the way of each other's goals. But it doesn't have to be just one person. Your protagonist may be up against a group of people. This type of conflict often involves a physical confrontation between the opposing parties, but that's not required. It may be a battle of different ideas. Examples of books using this type of conflict are The Count of Monte Cristo, Harry Potter, and The Wizard of Oz

Man vs. Nature
In this case, your protagonist is up against his surroundings. Nature could mean the weather, animals, or the land, to give you a few examples. This type of conflict can make for a really good story because nature isn't something you can reason with or defeat. It's just something you have to survive. Man vs. Nature is a conflict that creates a story showing your character's strength. Examples of this in literature are The old Man and The Sea, Jaws, Moby Dick, Into the Wild, Lord of the Flies and Robinson Crusoe

Man vs. Society
Going against the laws of the land, rejecting traditions, institutions and fighting against your own culture, falls into this category. When your protagonist sees that they are living in a corrupt society and fight to change it or get out of it, the antagonist is their own culture, their way of life. Some books you may have read with man vs. society are 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, The Hunger Games, Crime and Punishment, and Brave New World

Man vs. Self
If you haven't already figured it out, this type of conflict occurs when a character is at war with their own mind. They are fighting a battle with themselves. They may struggle with self-doubt, low self esteem, maybe an inferiority or superiority complex. They have to fight off their own prejudices. They may have a mental disease or are struggling with external vices such as drugs or alcohol. I typically find stories based around internal conflict intriguing. It is an interesting story when your main character is both the protagonist and antagonist. Stories that use this conflict are Hamlet, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Requiem for a Dream

Man vs. God
Some people don't count this type of conflict as it can be similar to most other types. When done in certain ways, it can be seen as Man vs. Man or Man vs. Self, Society and even nature, so this conflict type is often left out of the list. But it's also included many times, occasionally under a different heading such as Man vs. Supernatural or Man vs. Fate. I like to include it, though, because even though it can fall into the other categories, there are some things about it that I see as unique. If there is God, a god or any supernatural power or being in your story that your protagonist is fighting against, it would fit better into this category than it would into Man vs. Man or Man vs. Society because even though those might cover it, there are some elements to the supernatural powers that don't quite fit into those categories. This conflict can also include a character attempting to change their predetermined destiny. Books like this are The Odyssey, Slaughterhouse Five, Oedipus Rex and Seventh Seal

These are the main type of conflicts in literature, although some lists may add some or leave one off. Be aware, though, when creating your conflict, most books have more than one type of conflict. The books I mentioned all have more than one type of conflict. A lot of them could also go under other categories. So don't limit yourself to one type of conflict. The best books have more than one problem for the protagonist to face.

What I do when I'm creating the conflict for my story, I don't think about the categories or the rules, I just decide what the conflict is going to be and then later see what category it fits into. Don't fit your story to the category, fit the category to your story.

Whatever you do, make sure your story has a conflict at the center of it. Conflict does more than create your story, it makes the reader connect with your character. If John, our character from the beginning of this post, never has problems and gets what he wants right away, the reader isn't going to like him or care about him. They will be annoyed by him and hate him. But not in the way we want readers to hate our characters. If John doesn't have problems, if his family isn't dysfunctional or his boss doesn't hate him or he doesn't get fired, no one can relate to him. If his life is free of conflict, then there's nothing real about him for real readers to connect with. Readers are happy for the character when they get what they want, reach their goal or have good things happen to them only if they've faced hardships along the way.

Defeating Writer's Block

If you're a writer, I think it's safe to assumed that at one time or another, you've experienced writer's block. And that you hated it. And if you haven't, please, tell me your secret!

Writer's block is the writer's worst enemy. Often, it comes out of nowhere at the worst times. While you're trying to write, it tries to keep you from writing.

I know I've suffered from it on several occasions. Since the phenomenon isn't going to stop existing anytime soon, instead of waiting for it to go away, we must make it go away. After all, who's story is this? Yours or writer's block? So, how does one defeat writer's block? Well, there are several ways to overcome it.

Take a break

That's right. Writer's block can be eliminated by the simple task of taking a writing break. If you've been hard at it for a while, when writer's block strikes, the best strategy is sometimes just to do something else until it goes away, realizing it's not bothering you. Do something that isn't writing. After you've given yourself a couple of hours, even a whole day if you must, come back to your writing and try again. You may find that giving your brain a break gets it fueled up and ready to work again.

Read

You may be surprised to find that reading can help end writer's block, but it can and has and I'm confident it will do it again. So read. Read whatever. Just focusing for a while one someone else's writing, can help you get out of writer's block. If you read something you like, it can be a source of inspiration. For me, that would be good classic novel, poetry, or something I can relate to. Honestly, though, even reading something I don't like can help. I'll read something I think is stupid and be like 'I can do better than this," and then I go do just that. The point is just to read whatever you think will help you. But don't read looking for inspiration, let inspiration find you.

Don't procrastinate

Taking a break and procrastinating might sound similar but they are two very different things. Taking  a break is giving your mind the time off that it needs while procrastinating is avoiding the writing. That doesn't end writer's block, it helps it. The more you avoid writing, the worse your writer's block can become. Sometimes it helps to force yourself to write, even when you feel like you can't.

Write something else

Working on another writing project is often a good idea because you're getting ideas out, even if it's not for your main work. If you don't have another project in the works, then just open a blank document and start writing. Don't worry about content or anything. Whatever comes out is what you need to write down. It will help get your ideas flowing.

Keep a writing schedule

Make a schedule and stick to it. Write for thirty minutes, an hour, two hours, whatever you feel is best for you and then stop. Even if you're on a roll, even in you want to finish your paragraph. Just stop writing. Take a fifteen minute break. Make some tea or coffee. Come back to your project and start writing again. Having a schedule and not overdoing yourself is a great way to beat writer's block.

Listen to music

If you're really stuck and nothing is working for you, try listening to some music. Relax your mind and let the music and lyrics do their thing. It's pretty easy. Just relax and hear the music then try writing again. Music is inspirational and can be a great help in getting over writer's block.

Get rid of distractions

You are not going to be able to write if you have a bunch of distractions around you. So, get rid of them. Yes, this means turning off your phone. The internet is also a huge distraction, so turn that off too. Time can be a distraction. If you don't feel like you have time, or you're in a hurry, it distracts you from writing. Make time to write so you don't feel pressured. If clutter distracts you, tidy up around the space you'll be writing. Getting rid of distractions is more help than it sounds like, so don't skip this one!

Do something creative

Yes, writing is creative, but when you've got writer's block, it's the hardest thing in the world to do so be creative some other way. Write poetry, compose a song, paint, draw, play around with Photoshop, create your own recipe, build something, design your own outfit. If it's creative, do it. Once you have your creative juices flowing again, go back to writing and see what a difference it made.

Glass of water technique

This is something I learned from Writer's Digest. I've never tried it so I can't exactly vouch for it, but they say it works every time, but you'll have to try it out for yourself. If all else fails, this method might be worth a shot. The idea is fill a glass of water before you go to bed and then hold it up and speak an intention to it (like "I intend to write to the best of my ability tomorrow. I will at my best and my word choice will be excellent"....."I'll resolve my story's issues in my sleep" < -- their suggestion). Something like that. Then you drink half the glass and set it on your nightstand. When you wake up, immediately drink the other half and start writing for at least an hour. They suggest trying this for three nights. It sounds a bit strange to me, but hey, if it works it works!


These are, of course, not the only ways to defeat writer's block. There are many more techniques out there, you just need to find the ones that work for you. The important thing is not to give in to writer's block. Don't let it win! Writer's block haunts every writer, so don't feel bad when you get a particularly tough case of it. It happens. You just need to know how to deal with it when it strikes. Give these methods a try. Hopefully, they will work for you, but if they don't, don't be discouraged, there are a hundred more ways out there! 
 

Creating Your Villain

Every story needs an antagonist. Otherwise, your story isn't going to be a very good story. If you want your antagonist to be an actual person, then you are going to need to create a villain. Which can be difficult but creating a villain is one of my favorite things about writing.

After you've decided who your villain is, you need to figure out why he/she is the villain. What is this person doing that is making things difficult for your protagonist? Why is your villain a villain? Are they evil or just misunderstood? What is their goal?

Those are just a few questions you'll have to answer if you want to create a good, strong villain.

A lot of people don't put enough thought into their villain when creating the character. They just know the story needs a bad guy so they put in a character who just does bad things for no particular reason and there's no depth to the character, making the villain not very believable. Your villain is just as human as your protagonist. They have a story, you're just not telling it.

The first thing I do when I sit down to create my villain is decide what kind of villain they are. This is important to know because all villains aren't the same. If you don't know what kind of villain you have, the character will be one huge mess that no one, not even you, can understand. Here are what I feel are the more common type of villains.

Born Bad
Whatever it is that makes your villain a villain, it's important that he/she isn't just the bad guy. There has to be a reason the bad guy is bad. If your villain was just born bad it can come across as lazy writing. Unless you need the villain to be born bad because it goes with your plot, then my suggestion would be to avoid this option, unless you can do it really well. Being born bad doesn't really give your villain reasons or motivation for anything. It's just who they are, suggesting they can't be changed.

Inherently Evil
The inherently evil villain is a mix between born bad and the one with a history. Unlike the born bad villain who does bad things because he/she is bad or because your story needs a bad guy, the inherently evil villain is evil because their moral compass just doesn't work. They are evil because they don't know anything else. Maybe they were taught it was the correct path since they were young. Their parents were corrupt, so they were raised in a corrupted way. Perhaps they get pleasure from seeing others suffer or inflicting pain and misery on individuals. They're not bad because they're bad, they're bad because their brain is wired differently.

Insane
This type of villainy is intriguing and exciting to read because you know there is nothing your villain won't do. It also makes for an interesting character. Like the Joker from Batman. This gives your villain a reason for their villainy without creating the history of what made them evil. A psychotic character is always interesting when written well. Almost like their evilness is a disease that has them under control. Their evil stems from nothing except the disease in their brain.

A History
The villain in my current novel has a history that changed him into the villain he is, and that's also a good way to create the villain because it forces you to really understand your villain and where they are coming from, enabling you to write a character with layers for your reader to uncover and one that will involve them. Giving your villain a past will show the reader that there was a series of events that happened to this character to make him/her become a villain. You don't need to write the villain's backstory for the reader (although it can help if you do it for yourself) but you do need to make it clear that the villain is human and has a past.

Misunderstood
Maybe your villain isn't evil at all and is just a misunderstood character. They are opposed by your protagonist, but, really, aren't any more of an actual villain than you or I. For example, say someone was writing a story about a kid in high school who gets bullied. In your story, the bully would be the villain, but the bully isn't evil. It's just another kid. The "villain" is the person who stands between the protagonist and their goal and while they may not be an evil person, they are the evil the protagonist must ultimately overcome by either defeating or befriending. Sometimes your protagonist is the villain to your villain.

Perhaps you know of other types of villains and that's great. Like I said, this is just the information I've gathered over the years and how I tackle the writing process. These are the villains I commonly choose from. They're not categorized how professionals do, but this is how I categorize them.

Once you've figured out what kind of villain you have, you need to know why they are the villain. What does your villain want? What is their goal? How does their goal conflict with the goal of your protagonist?

When you know what your villain wants, you need to decide how they go about obtaining it. If it doesn't conflict with your protagonist, you need to find another way for your villain to try and get what they want.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that your villain has to be good. They have to be a genius, or exceptionally strong, or have some unique quality that makes them a difficult opponent. If your villain is weak and shallow, then so is your story because your villain provides conflict and without conflict, there's no story.

How to Really Interview Your Characters

What is your character's favorite color? Favorite food? Favorite music group? Favorite book?

After you answer the above questions, ask yourself how much better you know your character than you did before answering those questions.

Now answer this one:
What is your character's biggest fear?

Which questions gave you more insight? The first four, or the last one? For me, it would be the last one. You, as the writer and creator, need to know your characters on a deep, intimate level, and figuring out their favorite color just doesn't give you the information you need to write them well.

Nearly everyone suggests that you interview your character so you can make sure you really know them inside and out and it's a good idea. But some of the questions they say you should ask really aren't that helpful. I've seen so many articles about interviewing characters that suggest finding out your character's favorite color and school subject. Find out their favorites. I keep seeing that. But, honestly, that's never helped me. Knowing whether or not my character likes to play sports doesn't really help me understand my character.

So, my advice? Ignore all the questions asking what soda your character likes to drink. Nobody needs to know that. Not even you. At least not right now. In fact, if I'm not coming up with my own questions and I'm using a list created by someone else, I generally ignore every question that uses the word "favorite". Only ask questions that will help you discover who your character truly is.

The way I see it, you can't really get to know your character if you're not asking the right questions. So, what are the right questions? Well, the good news is, you're not limited to any specific questions that are the "right" ones. Whatever will help you understand your character are the questions you need to be asking them.

If you're unsure about what questions you should be asking, here's some questions I use to give you an idea. Or, if you feel so inclined, you are welcome to use these exact questions when you sit down with you character and give them the interview.

1. Are you an optimist, a pessimist or a realist?

2. What is your biggest fear?

3. What do you think happens to us when we die?

4. Do you believe in God? Why or why not?

5. What is your view on spirituality?

6. If you had to shoot your best friend to save your own life, would you? What if you had to shoot a stranger?

7. What is your goal in life?

8. How do you decide what is right and what is wrong?

9. What are your insecurities?

10. What is your political position?

11. Do you have any problems with self-esteem?

12. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

13. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

14. Are you afraid of change?

15.  If a stranger walked up to you and said if you left everything you knew and loved behind and followed him, you would get the best life has to offer, would you do it?

16. Are you a leader, or a follower?

17. Someone hands you a knife to defend yourself against an animal. What do you do?

18. A rich man offers you a million dollars if you steal something for him. Do you accept?

19. Who or what are your enemies and why are they your enemies?

20. How much do you value honesty?

21. What is your biggest regret?

22. Do you have any secrets? What are they?

23. What motivates you?

24. Do you think education is important?

These are just a few questions you might want to consider asking your characters. You don't have to use all of them, or any of them. I don't even use all of them every time. It depends on my character, usually. But you need to understand that the questions don't give you an understanding of your character all by themselves. They do have the half the work, but the other bit comes from your character's answers. So I highly recommend you avoid using just yes or no to answer these questions whenever possible. Be as detailed as you possibly can to give yourself as much knowledge about your character as you can. You need to know your characters better than your readers ever will. If you don't know them inside out, you can't write them realistically. That's why I always try to include questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. That doesn't give you much insight.

These sorts of questions are better than the simple 'what's your favorite movie' type of questions because they make your character look inside themselves and get into the deeper parts of their personalities to find the answers. It helps you to understand who they truly are. Once you have these questions figured out, then you ask them about their favorite color.