By: Jeffrey B. Allen

05-30-09

 

This is how I write. I was never formally taught how to write, so I settled on a method that worked for me. I thought-stream. I am sure other authors do the same, but I wouldn’t know about other authors really, other than the fact that I have read a lot of books about writing, and I have read many articles about how to write, some written by authors of fiction, and others who make their living writing about writing. But I don’t really know how others write, because writing is such an intimate thing. It is like reaching into your soul and bringing out things, deeply personal things that are placed into the storyline or instilled into the characters.

           

Thought-streaming is pouring short sentences onto the paper one on top of the other without regard for spelling or punctuation. I will throw down twenty five pages of a thought-stream in an hour or two, and then I will go back and spend weeks, maybe months, developing those ideas into one chapter or more. I am an avid, if not compulsive, revisionist.

           

There are rules, however, and I believe in the rules. For instance, the first book an aspiring author should buy is The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. This little book should be a bible to the author, and should be referred to often. Next, read as many books as you need to in order to understand the rules of engagement.   That’s right, conversation and the description of conversation. The conversation between characters can be agonizing if done poorly, or it can flow through a reader like sweet-water if done correctly. Once the story is sketched out, and the idea hatched, writing is as diverse an art form as painting, composing, or sculpting. It is just a tiny bit more structured. Be aware of the structure, and then bend it, but never break it. 

           

I write fiction. Fiction requires characters. Depending on the story, the number of characters will vary from one to many. There is no rule governing that. In my novel, GoneAway Into the Land, my characters were paramount to the story. Without believability and consistency there wouldn't be a prayer in the world of getting a reader to finish my book. But don’t try too hard. Trying to instill a voice, or characteristic trait into a character by force will not work. As in real life, I believe the reader must get to know the characters slowly. It will not be love or hate or loathing or compassion at first sight; this will allow plenty of time for you to develop the character traits and the voice. For instance, in real life, we never really know a person until he or she wants us to. And conversely, we never open ourselves up to just anyone without first establishing a trust or mutual affection or admiration. The same goes with writing. Let your reader get to know your characters as you got to know them, slowly. But do not misunderstand, the author holds the reins, the author controls the script, and it is necessary to put the characters into the mind of the reader in exactly the right way, and at exactly the right and intended emotional place in the story. Preconceiving that intention and then attaining it is paramount to good storytelling.

           

When I had introduced my final character into GoneAway I stopped writing the novel for a while. I needed to know my characters better. So I wrote biographies of each character, large or small. Sometimes the most insignificant character in a story can be the most fun to work with. The voice of a character will come naturally if you know that character intimately. The biographies took months to write, but without them I would never have instilled life into my characters. I know I achieved it, not because the reviews say so, but because I love everyone of them, even the evil ones. Not to digress, but, as I said, you must achieve intimacy with your characters in order for your reader to do the same. There is a downside to that success. They stay with you as life long companions long after your book is published. Sometimes getting rid of your previous characters in order to get to know new ones can be very difficult, and can stop you from writing another story. It happened to me. I still fight them off, but I never want to lose them, I just want to prevent them from filtering in to my new story.

           

Lastly, I would be very careful of dialect. In historical fiction it is more necessary and sometimes in fiction it does become necessary, but if you don’t need it, don’t use it. One of the greatest stories of all time is John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Here is a story where dialect, voice inflection, and nuance was, without question, necessary in order for the reader to feel the compassion for George and especially for Lennie. I used my own dialect for the Beast in my story. Some have praised me and others have said it was not necessary. That is your call as an author. Remember, as in oil painting, if it doesn’t work you can always paint over it, take it out and try something different. That decision is hard to make by yourself, so find an objective reader or an editor who will tell you, point blank, whether the voice of a particular character works. Do not put your book out to be published until you have worked tirelessly to make your characters believable.

           

Lastly; oh I said that before, but one last thing. Be careful of using ‘he said’ or ‘she said’ followed by lengthy scene description. Let the conversation invoke the scene as much as possible. Trust the reader to envision the scene. I have read books that continually remold my imagined scene my mind’s eye has created. If I have to fight with the author to envision his characters speaking to one another, then I want no part of reading his story. In fact, if the reader is able to figure out who is speaking, there is no need at all for ‘he said’, or ‘she said’.

           

Love your characters, and so will your reader. No matter whether they are the hero or the nemesis, your compassion for them and your understanding of their plight will transmit to your reader.

           

Thank you for reading, and I hope you will read GoneAway Into the Land.       

           

Jeffrey B. Allen

www.jeffreyballen.com