Compared to all my fellow captives in here, I am something of a novice when it comes to this whole writing malarkey. That said, I’ve been writing professionally in some capacity or other for the past 13 years, so I’ve picked up a few useful tips and tricks along the way.
So in an attempt to curry some sort of favour with the monsters (and maybe bag myself a curry in the process) I’m going to share the stuff I’ve learned in a series of short writing lessons.
Without further ado, let’s get stuck in.
Barry’s Writing Lesson #1: Do a Bungee Jump
Wait, don’t stop reading yet! This is a serious tip, and possibly the single most important piece of advice I’ll give you (which gives you some idea of the standard of the lessons still to come).
Good stories involve conflict, right? I’m telling you nothing new, you’ve heard that a hundred times. The series I’m currently writing for HarperCollins – INVISIBLE FIENDS – is of the horror genre. In horror stories, people get scared. Really scared. Scared almost to death, in fact.
How do you describe that fear? Do you say “oooh, they were dead scared”? Or do you talk about the feeling of nausea which grips your protagonist’s stomach? The crashing roar of their own heart beating in their ears? The headspinning, blood-chilling, sensations of terror which almost overwhelm them as they struggle to face their worst fears?
I know which I’d find more interesting to read.
And how do you get a real, honest insight into that terror? How do you experience it so vividly that you can accurately recreate it on the page? You bungee jump. Or you sing karaoke. Or you let a spider crawl up your arm. You pick something which frightens you, and you do it. Just don’t forget to make a mental note of everything you feel while you are, or you’ll have terrified yourself for nothing!
This doesn’t just apply to horror, either. Jeopardy of some kind or another plays a major part in most stories, so whether your protagonist is scared of leaping out of a plane, asking a girl out on a date, or opening their school exam results, go live out your own fear and you’ll do a much better job of writing about theirs.
Check back soon for Barry’s Writing Lesson #2: Use Public Transport
11/02/2009 at 8:47 am Permalink
A great tip, Baz. But Blusterfart the Unsteady has read your post and has been giving me meaningful grunts. They sound something like ‘oo unji umph’ Which I have the horrible feeling means ‘You bungy jump!’.
None of my characters bungy jump! I agree totally with your sentiment – I’ve done archery, knife throwing, lock picking and many other things as practical research, but bungy jumping? Eeek! I spent 21 years trying not to have to jump from a great height!
11/02/2009 at 5:43 pm Permalink
Wise words, Baz. My favourite bit is “make a mental note of everything you feel” – that’s particularly sharp.
To anyone reading this: what, in your life, might be stretchable into a part of a story? When you feel something, what other experiences (perhaps including fantastical or imaginary ones) might that feeling also describe?
If authors truly have a superpower(?!) it’s this: every part of our lives could be the seed or an element of a story. If something good happens, I try to experience it as strongly as I can, so I can remember it. If something bad happens (as, frankly, has been more often the case since I arrived in this cave ;p) I think, ‘Well, at least there might be a story in here!’
Try it.
11/02/2009 at 5:46 pm Permalink
Even wiser words, Sam.
It comes down to that old chestnut, I suppose: “Where do you get your ideas from?”
Like most authors, not a day goes by for me when I don’t have at least four or five potential story ideas. They don’t come floating down out of the cosmos (well, maybe sometimes). Mostly they come from asking questions. “What would happen if I did that instead of that?” “How would I react if X happened?” “Why is that giant slime-beast winking at me?”
It’s about being aware of what’s going on around you, questioning it, then coming up with your own answers.
11/02/2009 at 6:42 pm Permalink
Does riding a camel count? I did that once for Radio 4 and it scared me to death – in spite of a sudden deep love for the camel. You can hear it if you go here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2006_29_fri.shtml
Ali
PS. Must write a camel into my next book…