The Place For My Writers Notes

Original posting 23 December 2008

And it's time for yet another article from Writers Digest. This one, from pages 26 to 29 of the February 2005 issue is by Michael J. Vaughn, with the title "Anatomy of a Bestseller." Basically, he looks at Life of Pi, Bridget Jone's Diary, and the Rule of Four to pull out some lessons about writing. To be precise, he offers six points. They even have exercises! So what are the suggestions?

First of all, "If anyone tells you he has a sure-fire formula for a bestseller, quickly back away and keep one hand on your wallet." Good advice. Still, there are some useful ideas such as:

1. Make Promises. Foreshadowing that there would be death involved, raising a puzzle about the protagonist, or simply promising to have fun. "You do need to deliver an intriguing promise, and you need to keep it."
2. The Pistol on the Mantelpiece. If you spend time on something, use it later. When you create an expectation in the reader, fulfill it later.
3. Lingo Bonding. Circles of friends often use slang and syntax and phrases that help define the group. An author's use of language can also build a relationship with the readers. Wordplay and other treats for the readers can be helpful.
4. Crank It Up. Give your hero a hard time. "Adversity is the most essential spice in the fiction chef's pantry. Just when things look their bleakest, however, stop and ask yourself this question: How can I make it even worse?"
5. Mess with People's Beliefs. Challenging long-held beliefs sells books.
6. Attention to Detail. Many people brush aside comic works, and yet, comedy is hard to write. Well-rounded characters, and attention to detail -- a body of knowledge -- makes people read the book.

"If you take anything away from this session of idea-harvesting, take this: you'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you take on the subject you're passionate about. The work will seem like joy, the joy will radiate from the page and perhaps, someday, you'll find your name on that precious list of bestsellers. And people will steal ideas from you."

So there you have it. Six ideas, no waiting. Oh yes, let's take a look at the exercises.

1. Make promises. After you write your climax, go back to the first pages of the novel and see if there aren't places you can insert hints about what's coming.
2. The Pistol on the Mantelpiece. When something just appears in your story and you don't know just what it means, go ahead and write an explanation for its appearance and how it might affect the plot.
3. Lingo Bonding. Unusual names, phrases, etc.? Devise a bit of back story to explain it, and then feel free to use it as a running thread in the story.
4. Crank It Up. "Got your hero pinned to the mat? Stop right there, take out a piece of paper and write 10 ways you could make the situation even worse. You may decide to use none of them. But one of them could be just the twist to make your story unforgettable."
5. Mess with People's Beliefs. If you're considering issues you'd like to write about, think about the ones where you're not sure -- that you struggle with. Gray areas are more interesting and surprising than simple black-and-white ideas. Or take an issue or stance that most people would support and think about a scenario where you would argue the opposite of the majority.
6. Attention to Detail. When you start your novel, consider the hobbies and backgrounds of the characters. Do some research.

That's from Michael Vaughn. I'd like to add that you might consider taking a few moments with two or three books that you like, and think about what writing lessons or guidelines or ideas you might take from them? After all, making up your own guidelines -- with a catchy little phrase, a description of what it's all about, some links to the examples from the books, and a reminder to practice -- this is a great way to expand your journal of writing tips.

And if you want to, feel free to post some of them here on the list.