Writing a Novel Your Way

Idea and Write

As you recall from Part 1, we introduced our (okay, my) six musts. They are:

1. Write.

2. Find your writing place.

3. Respect your reader.

4. Keep your promises.

5. Self-edit.

6. Create an ending that is inevitable and a surprise.

Now that you have your writing space, let’s move on to getting ready to write your first best draft. I have divided this section into 5 parts.

1. Your idea, and create five folders (Story, Promises, Notes, Research, ToDo).

Idea – In a story, everything begins with an idea. You ask: “What if?” The reader asks: “And then what happened?”

To find your idea, create a layered and dramatic premise. Have one or more of your characters face -

A sticky situation.

A problem to solve.

Something they want badly.

Have them face a hell of a dilemma.

How to deal with a traumatic event.

How to find intimacy.

How to get rich quickly.

If you are at a complete loss, read a story on the front page of a newspaper. Next, turn to the middle of that newspaper and read an unrelated story. Ask yourself, “What if the stories are related?” Now add a couple of the issues listed above.

Create Five Folders. This is all about the first must: write.

You can use physical folders, virtual folders on your laptop, or any combination that works for you. I use my laptop for my Story folder and lined pads for the other four folders. Now you are ready to write your first draft. What are these folders for, you ask?

Story – this is your novel, memoir, or creative non-fiction. This is what you are going to your writing place to write.

Promises – (promises/foreshadowing). Every time you make a promise to your reader or create a moment of foreshadowing, list it in this folder. When you are doing your final edit, you will check to make certain you kept your promises. For example, in the first chapter of “Weepers,” which takes place on Christmas Eve, seven-year-old Angelo looks at the Christmas trees in front of the newspaper building and asks his father, “How come nobody stole the trees, papa?” His father responds, “They belong to Uncle Nunzio.” Angelo nods and keeps walking. In that short exchange, I made 3 promises to my reader. 1. This is a bad neighborhood (people steal Christmas trees); 2. Uncle Nunzio is not someone to mess with; 3. There is a relationship between Angelo and “Uncle” Nunzio. During “Weepers,” I must show (not tell) the truth of these three promises. I simply list the promise, chapter, and page number, then go back to writing my story. Keep writing your first draft. Cool?

Notes – These are the questions about plot, story, and characters that come up as you’re writing. In “Nunzio’s Way,” as I was writing, I thought I might want to introduce Heather to Frank’s family earlier in the book. I jot a note about that in my Notes pad and immediately go back to writing my story. Every time you have an idea about your story, plot, or a character, jot a quick note in your Notes pad and go back to writing your story. Keep writing your first draft. Cool?

Research – While writing my first draft of “Nunzio’s Way,” set in 1960, I wrote a scene in which an airline crew walks to the terminal, pulling their luggage behind them. I hesitated, unsure when luggage got wheels, so I jotted a note in my Research pad, “When did luggage get wheels?” and immediately went back to writing. (I later learned during my second draft and research that it wasn’t until the mid-1970s, so I updated that detail.) Keep writing your first draft. Cool?

ToDo – I used to call this pad the Shoulds, but we no longer use that word, right? I’ll say more about that later. This pad is for those moments while writing when you realize you need to paint the bathroom, cut the grass, or take a nap, or…add it to your ToDo pad, and go back to writing. You’ll get to it, whatever it might be, later, but right now you are writing. Keep writing your first draft. Cool?

2. Whose story are you telling, and why are you the best person to tell it?

Whose story? – It can be a couple of characters or just one, but you must be clear about this.

Why are YOU telling the story? Is it personal, political, about values, or about history? Why you? It ought to be something you feel strongly about and want to know more about. Many folks will tell you to write what you know. I say, write what you want to know, because you’re going to spend a great deal of time researching and writing about the issues and ideas you come up with, so you’d better have a strong desire to learn about the events, times, information, etc. In “Weepers,” I tried to raise the curtain on poverty in the projects. Why me? Because I lived it.

3. What is the story – do you know the whole story or the implication points?

Some writers have a clear story from beginning to end, while others have a general sense of a character going from here to there. For example, on a road trip from Wisconsin to Florida, some people will use their navigation system (a detailed outline before even starting the first draft) to get to Florida, while others will simply head south (writing by the seat of their pants – often referred to as “pants”), and still others will use a combination of both. Use what works for you.

4. When and where does the story take place? Go there, even if you’ve been there before.

Get a map, floor plans, and other details. Even though I grew up in the Al Smith projects, I went back, walked the streets, obtained apartment floor plans, talked to people, visited diners, and listened. You have to experience as much of what you are writing as possible.

5. How will you tell the story (1^st person, 3^rd person, start to end, end to midpoint, etc.)?

You can ruin a good idea by getting the “how” question wrong. Try both approaches for chapter one. You can change the POV within the story, but never within a scene. Where will you start? At the end? In the middle? At the beginning? If there is a single most important rule, it is “do what works best for you.”

Peace, love, music, and writing,

Nick

https://nickchiarkas.com/