SPA Girls Podcast – EP29 – The Ingredients For a Delicious Novel
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This week we went with a baking theme, and talked about the ingredients that we think are most important when ‘cooking’ a novel. This wasn’t an exhaustive list, just a few of the things we think you should work on first, to make sure your novel is going to be the best it can be. We know most about, and are most focused on, the romance genre, so it’s a multi-layered Black Forest chocolate gateau cake. Just saying. But for anyone who’s interested in a little bit of help with writing craft, listen in to our discussion of the most important ingredients… 🙂
Ingredients for a great story (according to the SPA Girls)
The Hook
This is what lures the reader into the story, like hooking the fish. It needs to grab the reader from the start of the story, or blurb. Don’t ramble get the reader into the story straight away.
- Start with a question. Ask your readers to think about where this book is heading.
- Use descriptive words. Creating a picture in the reader’s mind can make them want to keep turning the page.
- Intrigue them.
Characters
- Interview your characters and get to know them. Work out what they look like in your head.
- Give them values, pain and fear. What motivates them and makes them vulnerable
- Make them likeable, even if they start out mean. They must be empathetic.
- Conflict is important. Let us see why your characters are behaving the way they are.
- Make sure your characters have substance.
- You may know your characters but your readers do not, it is your job to fill them in.
- Your characters need to be relatable.
- If you are stuck with a character, interview them. It’s great fun and you’ll be surprised what you learn!
Conflict
The two types of conflict are internal and external. With internal conflict, it is personal to the person involved. This type of conflict takes place within the person. It can surface when a person’s values or morals are tested or otherwise compromised.
External conflict is conflict that occurs outside of the person. This can be conflict that is observed in others or outside forces that are causing conflict for the person in obtaining what they want.
- Conflict is not necessarily arguing, it is the conflict of opposing goals. If you have an antagonist and protagonist, then the antagonist has to want the opposite of what the protagonist wants.
- Conflict needs to drive each scene, until they reach the ultimate goal. Often the goals will change, but it is resolving the problem to get to the goal.
- Conflict helps the journey to fulfillment.
- Don’t solve a conflict in a way that is out of character and unbelievable.
- Conflicts should and will make your characters stronger.
Saggy Middle
The sagging middle occurs when the writing between the opening and climax of your book looses the readers interest. This is one of the most common issues a writer falls into.
- Plotting can help this, because often a sagging middle is from a weak structure.
- Remember that each scene should move the story forward, if it doesn’t then cut it, no matter how good you believe it is.
- See links for plotting books.
Show don’t tell
A well written chapter can draw an image in the reader’s mind instead of telling the reader what to think or believe, and this is what you want to achieve.
For example her is a sentence that tells:
Miss Simple was a skinny, angry old woman.
Instead of:
Miss Simple slid her slight, stooped frame through the narrow opening. She glared at the children who dared to enter her orchard, making each one quiver with fear.
Remember, create a vision in the readers mind.
Info Dump
This is when you put a lot of information into the book in one place and jar the reader out of the story. We know you need to tell some of the back-story, and describe your characters and setting etc, but you need to weave it into the story not dump it. This can also be showing instead of telling.
Ending
In a romance the reader expectations are that there is a HEA (happy ever after) or HFN (happy for now) ending.
Links
Goal, motivation and conflict Debra Dixon – http://www.debradixon.com/books/gmc.html
James Scott Bell – http://jamesscottbell.com/styled-7/
Shawyn Coyne – http://www.storygrid.com/
