Having trouble writing fiction? Well, don’t worry because you are not alone. Many people find it hard to build imaginary places or mold characters with complex personalities from just their imagination.
Writing a great fictional story takes a lot of time and practice. You need to break free from your comfort zone and use your creative juices in order to weave the right words for your story. This post will teach you useful tips and techniques on how to build the best fiction story that you can write.
1. Stay focused on your main plot
Oftentimes, writers become so excited with the world they are building that they create webs of numerous subplots that are interesting, but never help the characters develop in any way. Don’t let your creativity wander too much and just channel your energy into developing one main plot line. If you plan on creating subplots, make sure that they will connect with the main story line somehow.
2. Avoid using thought verbs
Thought verbs include words such “wonders,” “thinks,” “imagines,” “remembers,” “believes,” and a hundred more that we usually use to describe how characters think.
The problem with using thought verbs is that they are intangible and abstract. It makes sentences weak and does not give any visual stimulation to the reader. Instead of your characters wondering something, you should describe in full detail the object of the character’s curiosity so that the reader will also wonder about it.
In short, do not use shortcuts. You must try to create specific sensory details like smell, sight, taste, sound, and feelings to strengthen your scenes.
3. Revise your story
Revisions are important in any story writing process because this allows you to fill up plot holes and recognize flaws in the storyline. There are two approaches that writers commonly use when revising. The first one is to finish the story before changing anything and the second is to do rewrites as you go along. Try using both methods first to check which suits you best.
4. Schedule different time slots for research and writing
Research and writing should always be done separately. This is to ensure that you will not be distracted when you are developing the story. Whenever we search for inspiration from the internet or reading other books, we become so immersed in what we are reading that we tend to forget about the story we need to craft.
5. Read
Reading other people’s work will give you an idea on how they became successful. It can also help you find the genre and writing style that you wish to adopt. However, never copy their work.
Some final notes
Fiction writing can be very easy, as long as you let your imagination fly. Keep in mind that becoming an amazing wordsmith does not just happen overnight. Constantly practice your craft by writing and reading every day. Do not trap yourself in just one genre and try a variety of styles until you find something that you are good at.
