Writing guidelines can help us climb that “book mountain”
by Ruth Harris
A breath-taking article about a Polish team of mountaineers planning to climb K2 in the winter—a risky-to-the-max feat that has never been accomplished—reminded me that every book is K2, a mountain that has never been climbed. Like expert climbers, writers make progress step by step, or, to be precise, word by word.
Writing guidelines for climbing Book Mountain
We start at base camp, familiarize ourselves with the terrain and altitude, thread our way through ice falls and high mountain passes, we set our own ropes and carry our own gear. We drag ourselves through the middle, crawl to the summit, enjoy the view from the top, then do our best to survive the perilous descent (aka write the ending).
Struggling and suffering, we endure setbacks and doubts, make mistakes and mis-steps. We depend on our equipment and our team, but, in the end, we (usually) climb our mountains alone. The good news is that (usually) climbing the book mountain won’t kill us (although sometimes it feels that way) and we will live to climb again. 😉
Between us, Anne and I have been climbing book mountains for decades. We have written under pen names and our own names. We’ve have successes and failures and, along the way, we have made every mistake (and then some).
We are too old (and too experienced) to think that rules, which tend to be rigid, work when it comes to something as risky and unpredictable as writing a book (or climbing a mountain).
Much as we are wary of rules, especially stupid rules, we have learned (the hard way) that certain general writing guidelines apply. Rules (with a few important exceptions) are rigid and come with a my-way-or-the-highway attitude. Guidelines, however, have the advantage of being flexible and customizable.
Here are our own thoughts and those of our favorite gurus and bloggers on guidelines that work:
Start with the first step. Preparing for the ascent.
The writer’s consciousness is a library of memories, observations, emotions, all residing in our subconscious waiting for us to use.
- An idea, a character, a theme, that won’t let go.
- It can be sad, funny, tragic, epic, super brilliant or dumber-than-dumb, but it works its way into our mind and sticks like a burr.
- It can be triggered by an overheard snatch of dialogue on the street, in a restaurant, at the supermarket.
- Perhaps a phrase in the newspaper, in a book, in a meeting at work will be the trigger.
- Or a random memory that springs up unexpectedly while we’re driving, folding laundry, listening to music, exercising, chatting with a friend, fighting with a roommate.
The writer’s job is to take the necessary steps turn this roiling stew into a story that will engage readers. From brainstorming to writing the first sentence and polishing the final draft, there are techniques and guidelines that will help on the way.
Turning a vague idea into a usable story idea.
Starting with a fuzzy notion but no clue where to go from there?
- Karen Wiesner, the award-winning author of ninety books, suggests ways to keep ideas flowing, even when “blocked.”
- Sci-fi author, Veronica Sicoe delves into the details of brainstorming your story idea into a working concept.
- At Fiction University, Janice Hardy offers an easy tip for developing story ideas from hazy to usable.
- To get you started, here’s a list of 24 mind mapping software tools.
Pants? Plot? Or something in between?
One size does not fit all.
- Our guest blogger, top freelance editor M. J. Bush contributed an invaluable post on the subject: 25 must-read tips on plotting from top authors and editors.
- Then there is Libby Hawker’s popular guide to plotting, Take Off Your Pants.
- In Writing Into The Dark, prolific author and USAT bestseller Dean Wesley Smith guides you through the joy of writing a book without an outline and explains the value of cycling.
- Chuck Wendig zeroes in plotting and prepping with index cards, the zero draft, beat sheets and tentpole moments.
- NYT and USAT bestseller, Russell Blake, uses a spreadsheet to plot his action/adventure/mystery thrillers and explains why he doesn’t for his NA stories.
- From story discovery to knowing your characters, author and writing coach, Jennifer Blanchard explores the value of pantsing.
Begin at the beginning. Or not.
“An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story,” said Stephen King. “It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.” Plus a list of 50 best first sentences to inspire you.
- Anne unpacks the elements of first chapters that keep your reader in mind.
- In this post, Anne lays out six first chapter no-nos and explains why she writes the last chapter first.
- From Huh, what plot? to Where are we?, Ruth has suggested tips and fixes for first chapter blues.
That &$%# first draft.
Hemingway said, “All first drafts are shit.” However, you can’t fix, revise, rewrite, edit something that doesn’t exist.
Duh.
Bottom line: no first draft, no book.
Hold your nose and type: getting the first draft done. Speed kills, or does it?
More thoughts on the maze of the first draft.
“I don’t fiddle or edit or change while I’m going through that first draft,” says Nora Roberts. She explains her process, says character is everything, and writes three or four drafts.
Editors, editing, revising.
- Ruth, a long-time editor, goes into the nitty-gritty of the editing process.
- Our guest, Jami Gold, Paranormal Author and star blogger, knows all about beta readers.
- Anne explains seven ways beta readers can help improve your book.
- Wanna DIY? Gurus explain the ins and outs of self-editing.
- NYTimes bestselling author, Jerry Jenkins, provides a 21 item check list.
From Trimalchio to The Great Gatsby. How to choose a title.
Sometimes the perfect title for your book is there from the beginning. Sometimes you have to name the baby. Here’s help:
- Anne drills down into the art and craft of choosing a title.
- Seven tips for finding the right title.
- The 101 best book titles.
- Author and friend-of-the-blog, Tara Sperling, explores book title generators.
Rules that DO work.
- Anne lays down the laws of the (Amazon) jungle—Eight Rules Authors Need to Know to Stay Safe
- You will be judged (harshly) on grammar and spelling. Spell check isn’t perfect, but it’s your friend. Grammarly will help, too
- Learn to keep a style sheet! Ruth explains how and why a style sheet will save your a$$.
- Avoid the mistakes that red-flag a newbie writer.
Mistakes, Misery and Surviving The Enemy:
- Anne confesses 10 mistakes she made so you don’t have to.
- Because she learned the hard way, Ruth tells writers how to survive Hard Knocks U.
- Ruth takes on rejection and lands a knockout punch.
- Anne gives some advice about how to get out of your own way, i.e. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.
- Anne’s writers’ enemy list takes names and kicks butt.
- Stress? Burnout? Ruth has some suggestions.
by Ruth Harris (@RuthHarrisBooks) May 28th, 2017BOOK OF THE WEEK
“A SPECTACULAR, RICHLY PLOTTED NOVEL. Racing to a shocking climax, this glittering novel is first-class entertainment, a story of love and money, and how both are made, lost, and found again.” ...New York Times
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Boyds Mill Press accepts unagented submissions of children’s book manuscripts. Highlights for Children owns the press.
New American Press Fiction Book Contest. A prize of $1,000 and publication by New American Press is given annually for a book of fiction. Lori Ostlund will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a collection of short stories or flash fiction, a novella, or a novel of at least 100 pages with a $25 entry fee by June 15.
20 Literary Journals that publish new writers. Compiled by the good folks at Authors Publish magazine.
What a great compilation! I’m bookmarking this post, so I can guide others to it, now and in future. Thanks, Ruth, for the time you spent on this one!
Melodie–Thanks! I appreciate being appreciated! 🙂
My guideline is that first drafts aren’t shit, garbage, or terrible.
I know there are lots of guidelines saying the opposite, but it also sets up a very negative outlook on the story. Writers start thinking their drafts are shit, and they end up writing in a way that fulfills that prophecy. Bob Mayer said to me in one of the classes I attended (being a pantser and discouraged by my messy process that, at the time seemed more broken than working) that there would always be a lot of people who will put down your writing. There’s no point to doing it yourself.
Linda—I think it’s useful to write first drafts freely and without inhibition. For me, the “shitty first draft” is hardly the worst outcome but a solid beginning. I have never seen a first draft that didn’t need editing/revising/rewriting. Doesn’t mean putting yourself down—not at all!—just means that the writer is on the way to understanding the demands of the process.
The advice is actually supposed to be “don’t write perfect.” But “shit” is such an emotionally charged word that people tend not to translate it as “don’t write perfect,” but “my writing is shit.”
I pre-plan to death so I can plow through the first draft. (My least favorite part of writing.) As a result, it’s usually not that messy.
Guidelines give us what we are already wired to do – be creative.
Alex—I admire you. I find that pre-planning takes the energy out of the work. I wish I could learn to pre-plan in a way that makes my own process freer! Any tips?
Fantabuloso, as usual. Thanks Ruth & Anne.
CS—Mucho thanks! 🙂
That goat kind of looks like me, halfway up the “mountain.” Great article, though.
Gay–That goat picture was my choice. 🙂 The great article is all Ruth’s.
Finding the right non-copyrighted illustration can sometimes be a challenge. But I really related to that goat. 🙂
I LOVE that goat! I even wrote a mushy valentine to a lovable, mischievous goat named Boozie in A Kiss At Kihali. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007YUZYMS/
The guideline that I’m current having the most fun with is the “vague idea for a plot and not knowing where to go.”
I’m continuing to mine an old slushie novel for books (extracted one so far) and for the second, all I had for a plot idea was a girl (not the main character) and a bar, which was the boiled remains of a secondary plot that was pulled from the slushie.
Because of that vague plot idea, I allowed myself to touch upon themes/concepts that I dearly love: fantasy (featuring hybrid humans), religion, human emotions and celibacy (don’t ask, it would take too long to explain).
So gar, I have roughly 33k/7 chapters/55 pages written and I’m enjoying every minute of writing this novella/novel. for the first time in about five years.
GB—Color me impressed! I love the idea of mining an old slushie for new books. Brilliant!
Thanks, Ruth. I’m glad you qualified with usually several times.
A roiling stew? Excellent description. That brings to mind a pot filled with words that bubble up and sink back to the bottom, resurfacing when they float above the potatoes that stick because nobody stirs the mixture.
As for pantsing and plotting? I change my approach with every story and novel.
Guidelines? Yes. Rules? Maybe–but best to know when to break them.
Kathy—Impressive that you change your approach with every story/novel. I want to be like you when I grow up!
Excellent post Ruth. So many great links, thank you. Bookmarked! Hi Anne. 🙂
dgkaye—Thanks for the kind words! Hope you found the post helpful. 🙂
I always do! 🙂
This is a great post. I remember reading so many posts when I began writing that were all about “rules”. I would go through my manuscript and change the entire thing because I was told “no adverbs” or “no that’s” or whatever. But looking at posts as suggestions for guiding us down the road of writing instead of hard and fast “musts” is a much better idea.
Patricia—Sorry you had to do all that extra work! 🙁 People who post rules mean well, but I don’t think they’ve really thought through the consequences for the writers on the other end.
So much valuable information all in one place. You have given us a treasure, Ruth! Thank you!
Hi Christine, Thanks for the kind words. 🙂 Hope the post will be helpful.
When I started writing fiction some time ago, I wasn’t aware there were any rules to either the process or the profession. I mean, there is such a great abundance of the written word! The only rule I’ve encountered so far was that my 800 page (!!) first novel would not be published unless it lost a little weight. No one is looking for the next Tolstoy.
And speaking of starting the ascent, I encourage everyone here to invest in 3M, the maker of stickie notes. I’m starting the 6th novel in my Detective Emilia Cruz series which means I’ll be buying a ton of them. Having both “pantsed” and “plotted” I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s easier to write a first draft with fewer nervous breakdowns when there’s an outline to follow. If the draft is crummy, so much the better because it allows us to do what we love best: wallow in words and creativity until we make the story sing.
Carmen—Congratulations on your 6th novel! Thanks for sharing your conclusions about the usefulness of an outline. Much appreciated. 🙂
Ruth, this is so damn wonderful. I don’t know how to respond other than a resounding “YES!!” It’s just packed with information all writers will need at some time. Just recently I put together what I’m calling a hybrid memoir of my mother during three stages of our lives together: my childhood; my adolescence and young adulthood; and the last decade of her life when I was middle-aged. Not plugging the book but want to say I broke several memoir rules by including my short fiction and poems and then providing commentary about those stages in our life together to move the book thru the three acts. While researching for this book, I discovered I’d been writing fiction and memoir about our relationship for the past 25 years. Just didn’t quite realize it. A hybrid memoir? That’s what I’m calling it. I’ve only seen one book that like this. Can’t recall the name but it’s a true crime nonfiction story that’s also part memoir. It’s great fun when you feel you can break the rules. Where would we be if Capote didn’t do this with the nonfiction novel–In Cold Blood. We’d never seen anything quite like it before. Here’s hoping. And thank you for such a great post full of terrific tips. Hugs your way. You deserve a martini or two! Paul
Paul—Thanks for the flattering words! Isn’t it interesting how we often don’t realize ourselves what we’re actually writing until much later? I recently saw a quote from Woody Allen that reflects my own experience—to paraphrase: people who aren’t writers think we make it up, but we don’t. It comes out of our subconscious. Which is why, in a way, we don’t know what we’re doing until we do it.
This is a fantastic list! Thank you. I’m sharing this.
One of the things I’ve found helpful is something an attitude I’ve finally found a way to put into words: view writing as part of a system. And when one book is through the system, it’s time to start on putting in another one. Far from being mechanical, it has made my writing more fun than ever!
Amy—Thanks for the kind words! Love your idea of viewing writing as part of a system. Takes all (or at least a lot) of the ego and BS out of it and frees us. Winner!
I like to think I’m somewhere in the middle of the plotting-planning debate. On the one hand, I have an overall series arc, and I know where I want to go with each book. On the other hand, I try not to plan the books themselves all that tightly. It feels like strangling my creativity when I back myself into a “I MUST go this way” corner. I know where I want to go, but not how I’m going to get there, at least until I actually write it.
About the Writing Rules Police. Surprisingly, I’ve never encountered it, especially considering how often other people mention it. The only time I ever encountered strict writing rules, it was self-imposed. My first full-length novel was set in a steampunk-fantasy Victorian England, and I hadn’t done much research when I started. So I decided to outlaw all contractions, in the narration and the dialogue, because that’s how I thought people talked back then.
Even if they did talk like Vulcans in the 19th century, it would probably end up boring a modern audience to tears with how much it reminded me of a school essay. So I added in most of the contractions, and I think it made the story better. Since then, I’ve found other, more natural-sounding ways to produce a Victorian aesthetic in my writing. Ways that don’t involve turning everyone into robots or Vulcans 🙂
Sarah—I’m with you somewhere in the middle of the plotter-panther arc! Thanks for sharing your decision chain. Very helpful! These are the kinds of decisions writers constantly face.