Writing Prompt #22: Prove Them Wrong!

So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.

5 Common Story Problems with Simple Fixes

Our stories are often plagued with these common story problems, but if we don’t know how to fix them, we’ll never improve our writing. It’s important that you remember you don’t need to scrap your novel if you keep having the same issues over and over again. Hopefully this list will help you pinpoint what’s going on and provide ways for you to improve your novel.

Problem: Unmotivated Characters

If you’re having trouble figuring out where your story should go next, the problem could be with unmotivated characters. Characters aren’t in your novel just so you can push them around every once in a while and make them do things. They need to develop over time and keep your story going in the right direction.

Solution:

Work on your character’s wants, goals, and motivations. You need to figure out what’s driving your character if you want them to do anything. Where do they want to end up? What’s standing in their way? What’s their plan? Who will help them? Think about everything your character will need to do to resolve your novel. Focus on what they want and what motivates their actions and your characters will stop being dull and lifeless.

Problem: Boring First Chapters

A boring first chapter is dangerous because you want to captivate your audience right away. You don’t want to lose readers just because of this, but sometimes it happens.  You should give enough information to keep your readers interested, while also keeping them intrigued enough to figure out what happens next.

Solution:

Putting emotion into your scenes from the beginning will not only help set the tone, but we’ll get an immediate understanding of your world. The best advice I can give is to construct a scene that helps us best understand your character. If they’re on the run, show us that they’re being chased. If they’re sad and lonely, construct a scene that lets us feel their isolation. You don’t necessarily need to open your book with action, but you do need to introduce the conflict. Think about what your character wants and go from there. Think of your first chapter as an introduction to an essay. You don’t go right into the points immediately, but you set us up for something good.

Problem: Plot Holes

Writers worry about forgetting to include important information in their novel that’s necessary to the plot. If you’re discovering that readers often point out plot holes in your story, maybe it’s time to reevaluate how you plan your novel.

Solution:

Pre-planning or prewriting your novel often solves any plot hole problems. If you take the time to write out important scenes so you don’t forget them, your story will become stronger. However, if you’re not someone who likes to do so much planning, you can tackle plot holes during the editing phase. Take notes when you’re editing so that you can catch these plot holes and figure out where you can add necessary information. A plot hole does not always mean your novel needs loads of reworking, but it is something you need to take the time to fill in.

Problem: Poor Pacing

Poor pacing can ruin a novel, but luckily it’s something you can tackle head on before you even start writing your story. Good pacing helps add tension to your novel and helps you make sure there’s enough rising and falling action to keep your story interesting.

Solution:

Planning out your novel ahead of time also helps solve pacing problems. You can create a timeline that helps you keep track and plan out when you want certain things to happen. Read up on story arcs and try to plan out your scenes accordingly. If you’re already done with your novel and you notice poor pacing, try rearranging scenes or spreading out the action.

Problem: Info-Dumping

A very common writing problem is info-dumping. This is when you tell your readers loads of information at a time without showing them anything important. Info-dumps usually occur in first chapters of novels, but they can happen anytime during the course of your story. Info- dumps can drag down your story and bore your readers.

Solution:

Cut out long paragraphs where you explain what’s going on in your novel and show your readers instead. Avoid over explaining things that can be explained through action. Letting your audience figure things out instead is a much more satisfying reading experience and it lets your readers connect with your characters on a deeper level.

-Kris Noel

Worldbuilding: Food and Drink

When building a world, sometimes food and drink can be overlooked in the worldbuilding process.  It can sometimes just be assumed what the characters are eating.  But not all taverns and restaurants serve the same things, especially if they are different locations.  What different classes eat will vary as well.  So it is important to work out a menu for your culture.  Especially when trying to figure out what just made your character ill. In this post, I have compiled a list of questions pertaining to food and drink.  While it was exhausting to put together, the list itself is not exhaustive.  The intent of the questions is to get you thinking about your characters’ diets, and possibly the diet of all the other cultures you may have created.

Be as detailed as possible, answer questions not listed, and above all, have fun!

The questions compiled are inspired, taken, modified, or edited from three forums on the NaNoWriMo website: Respond, Answer, Ask 2016 Worldbuilding, Respond, Answer, Ask, 2016 Fantasy, and Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions.

What is the common breakfast meal?

What is the common lunch meal?

What is the common dinner meal?

Does it differ from class to class?

Are there any more meals in the day? Second breakfast?  Elevensies? Chocolate time?  Midnight snack?

What times do the meals take place?

Is there any take out form of meal? What restaurants sell fast food?  How do they package the food?  Do they charge more because of packaging?

What does the typical restaurant/tavern sell? What are some popular restaurants/taverns?  What is the favorite hang out place?

What can be found at a bar?

What kinds of alcoholic drinks are available?

What kind of drinks do they have with their meal? Just water?  Or perhaps a sip of wine?

What kind of drinks do they have without meals? Perhaps it is improper to have tea with breakfast.  Perhaps milk is best drunk alone.

What role does food and drink play? Are they for sustenance only?  Are they a status of wealth?

What are some popular dishes or recipes?

What are some favorite snacks? Jerky? Dried fruit?  Chocolate?  Some food not found on Earth?

What foods are seasonal?

What is considered dessert?

What kind of seasonings are used? Which ones are popular?  Which ones are coveted because it is hard to get them?

How is food and drink stored?

Do diets vary by place or species? Do elves and humans living together eat the same thing?  Or do they have a separate diet?  Why?

What food is common?

What food is consider a delicacy?

What foods have to be prepared in a certain way so they are not poisonous? Blowfish not cooked properly can poisonous.  The pits of apricots and apple seeds are lethal if too many are eaten.  What foods must be prepared or eaten with care?

What are some foods that would only be seen on a rich person’s table?

What are some foods that would only be seen on a poor person’s table?

What are some foods that would sold on the street? Corndogs?  Scorpion on a stick?  Fried frog?

Does the community hold potlucks?  What would be brought to a potluck?

What are some dining etiquettes? Burping at the table is a compliment to the chef.  It is impolite to not thank the host for the food before eating.  No elbows are allowed on the table.

Is it improper to eat with someone outside of their class?

What kind of dishes are used at the table?

What are some things no one should do at the table?

Are there foods for the road?

What are some common poisons? Everyone knows it’s poisonous.  And it can be found anywhere.

What are some lesser known poisons? Exotic poisons.  Poisons from different lands.  Poisons that assassins may use in the king’s cup.

Most effective poisons? What is consider most effective?  Poisons where the victim is clearly poisoned, with foam coming from the mouth?  Or poisons where the victim slips into a deep sleep and no one knows what happened until they discover the victim won’t wake up?

How is drinking water collected?

What are the most common crops?

Does magic play in a part in agriculture?

What is the most common animal to be hunted?

Is fishing an available option?

Types of Opening Scenes for Your Novel

Here are a handful of ways to open the very first scene in your book! There are plenty more to explore, but these are a set of very tried and true methods.

Autobiographic - your protagonist starts the book reflecting or talking about a past event. They’re looking back in time and sharing an important piece of information with the reader.

In trouble/conflict - a problem has arisen for the protagonist and a sense of urgency is established. This can be an intense conflict like a chase scene or a puzzling problem.

Mysterious opening - the reader is introduced to something peculiar (a fantasy location, unique magic, a cloaked figure, etc.) that raises questions in their mind. Their curiosity will keep them reading.

Scene-setting - the most common opening where you focus on introducing the setting and the characters in it before anything else.

The questioner - the protagonist is questioning something: “Who invited the guy in the trench coat covered in red?”

Beginning with a thought - the novel is started with a philosophical quote or meaningful thought from the protagonist. “What is living worth if she’s not doing it with me?”

Intriguing dialogue - the book starts with interesting dialogue that captures the attention of the reader.

Mood establisher - the novel opens with a deliberate mood that signifies to the reader what they should expect from the story. Ex. a spooky story may open with eerie words and a dark atmosphere.

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

“Why do teenagers go so hardcore at everything?”

“Because they’re forced to go through highschool during one of the most sensitive parts of the brain’s development, which makes everything seem like a never-ending nightmare. It’s a defense mechanism.”

Something's Wrong With You (senses)

Eyes

"Can you focus on me?"

"Hey... I'm over here?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Whoa, hey - sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"I'm - I'm right in front of you."

"Can you... can you not see?"

"When did you lose your vision?"

"Hey, it's okay - it's okay. Let me take your hand and lead you."

"Don't be scared - it'll be okay. We'll fix it."

"Don't flinch - I'm going to touch you."

Ears

"Hello? Hellloooo?"

"Are you ignoring me?"

"God, you never pay attention -"

"I'm talking to you!"

"Why aren't you listening?"

"Pay attention!"

"Listen!"

"Can you not hear me or something?"

"Why are you looking at me like that..?"

"What - wait... you can't hear? Why am I saying this you can't hear it."

Mouth

"Why are you making that face? I spent ages cooking that."

"Why are you adding salt to that?"

"Whoa, you're drooling like crazy."

"Are you choking?"

"Bland? How can it be bland?"

"I can't taste anything."

"My mouth just tastes like blood."

"Everything tastes of nothing."

"My tongue's gone numb."

"Bleh."

Nose

"Eugh, can't you smell that?"

"Oh, that smells hideous."

"It reeks in here!"

"You stink."

"I think I broke my nose."

"I can't smell anything?"

"I think I've gone nose-blind."

"Should I... be able to smell anything?"

"I think I burnt my nostril hairs out."

"Everything just smells like smoke."

Feeling

"I think I just burnt my fingerprints off."

"My hands have gone numb."

"I can't - I can't feel anything. At all."

"Are you touching me? I can't tell -"

"Your hands are shaking."

"Okay - if you're going to keep dropping things you need to put them down."

"Can you feel this?"

"I'm going to run my fingers through your hair."

"I'm taking your hand."

"It's okay - it's okay. Just take a breath. The feeling will come back."

Writing Prompts #463: Write This Story

“In about three seconds you’re going to hear a very loud noise. Do not be alarmed.”

“Ignore my booty.”

“Impossible, you have a glorious ass and I must worship it.”

Writing Prompt #169: Hook, Line and Sinker

She never should have gotten up this morning. She knew it. Her dog knew it. And she was pretty sure the strange man on her doorstep knew it too.

“The walls looked ready to take their secrets to the grave”