
I’ve been actively writing fiction for a little over 6 years now, and I want to share 3 tricks that have helped me grow and improve as a young writer. These have proved to be successful for me, but remember that the writing process is not one size fits all.
With that said, here they are!
1. Write the dialogue first
If you’re stuck on a scene, try writing the dialogue first. You can do this even if the scene requires no dialogue. Often there is something the character wants to say, and writing it out can guide the scene in ways you hadn’t thought of beforehand. Adding in the setting and actions later can also be eye-opening since you’ll already have the gist of the scene, it will grant you a new perspective on where they need to be.
This practice can also help determine distinct character voices.
2. Half-baked outlines!
I know what you’re thinking, “How can anything being half-baked be a good idea?”
Outlining is a tricky thing. Kind of like brownies, everyone likes them a different way: Under-done, overdone, cakey, fudgy, etc. There’s not a wrong way to do it, and you get to figure out what works best.
When you go to write a story it can be helpful to have an outline, for sure. But if you’re like me, you prefer a bit of freedom when it comes to the drafting process.
“How can I get the best of both worlds?” you may be wondering.
I’ve found that thinking of an outline in terms of Acts is tremendously helpful to this process. I’ll write out the basic structure of Acts 1 and 2, and from there I’ll freewheel it. Especially if it’s the first draft. Taking the time to plan an entire novel before the first draft is done proves to be inconsequential because as soon as you sit down to write, the story has it’s own ideas.
Approaching it this way knocks out some of the planning and grants you room to breathe, while still giving direction.
3. Key scenes first, and don’t edit too heavily before revisions
Once you’ve written your wonderfully clunky draft, you get to start revising. Not editing, remember. You don’t want to spend hours editing a chapter that may not even make the directors cut. Trust me. I’ve been there. I’m sure we all have at one point.
What I do with revisions is this: I’ll comb through the story as a reader, and delete the obvious offenders. I’ll rethink settings, and do another sweep for character inconsistencies. Sometimes, I’ll add character inconsistencies. Because people are not always their truest selves, and fictional characters are no exception.
After that, I’ll rewrite each key scene with focus and care. I’ll give them the close attention I couldn’t spare while drafting. Writing out the heart of the story will often lead you to the rest of it.
These are the points your characters are at their highest and lowest, where events are the most impactful. Sometimes, you’ll find that writing those scenes one by one makes up an entire story on their own. Which, to be honest, is what a story should be. No filler, no meandering, each scene should be moving the story somewhere, somehow. Even if it’s a small step.
And there you have it: three tricks that have helped me to complete a short story and get it to publication, successfully draft four stories, and continue to keep me centered during the revision process. You can check my project page for more information if you’re curious.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this is helpful for someone!