Writing Strategies For Beginners


Writing Strategies For Beginners Tips for Beginning Novelists Guest Post By Robert Douglass

Writing Strategies For Beginners

Tips for Beginning Novelists

Guest Post By Robert Douglass

 

Writing Strategies For Beginners Tips for Beginning Novelists Guest Post By Robert Douglass
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I wrote the first draft of my novel and had a fine story for a cozy mystery. However, it was flat. I thought my characters would be so compelling, but they didn’t have much depth. As I worked to correct the problem, I found a few books on writing (Truby, Bird, Cron – listed below) and found a vast array of principles and concepts that made sense to me after spending so much time writing the manuscript.


  • John Truby – The Anatomy of Story
  • Matt Bird – The Secrets of Story
  • Lisa Cron – Story Genius

This new knowledge showed me areas that were lacking but also showed me how to frame things correctly and avoid the problems. It made sense to me and I was excited, and rightfully so, and I began to edit and re-write the manuscript and tell a better story.


The overall structure of the story began to shape up which allowed me to fine tune the plot with the best sequence of events. I referenced the books now and then to make sure I was following the concepts I thought would work best for the story. I liked where the story was going and worked through the scenes and noted how I could add details about the surroundings, sequence of events, characters, etc.

 

As I considered the scenes I got back to the original intent as I was now able to see how the characters would really act in the situation – like telling the boss his idea is great but slumping in the desk chair after he left the office to show the new throbbing headache. The characters began to form in a much deeper way and it became apparent how to show the inner struggles of the characters and their real life emotions and attitudes.

 

Was this the cure all for the entire story? No, my editor still had recommendations to form a fuller story, but it was essential learning and a way to get the manuscript to the next level. And the recommendations from the editor made sense as I had the ability to understand ideas with fresh thinking as I had found ways of writing that worked for me.

 

Writing Strategies For Beginners Tips for Beginning Novelists Guest Post By Robert Douglass
Robert has an AAS in Microsoft Networking Technology from Glendale Community College and is a Microsoft Certified Professional.

He likes reading, writing, and exploring natural wonders. His favorite pastime is telling tall stories around the campfire.

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Writing Strategies For Beginners Tips for Beginning Novelists Guest Post By Robert Douglass

1 Comments

  1. Wall-to-wall books6 December 2021 at 14:50

    Interesting Guest post! Thanks so much. This sounds like a fun read.

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