The Local Writer

Today's post is about how to make your idea come alive, for yourself and for your reader. It is important that you become a fan of your story first. Why? Because writing a novel is a long process. As I have said before, it is a thankless job that can last for years without any reward. So for that reason, you must make the process its own reward if you want to finish your manuscript. [ Click this link to watch the video that mirrors this post. ] The story you love I believe that it is easier and makes more sense to write a story from your own interest and aptitude. For example, I am not a romantic person in a general sense. So it would be absolute torture if I should try to write a romance novel. I prefer thrillers, adventures and horrors which can come in any form: sci-fi, historical or contemporary. Give me a rogue spaceship, a deserted island or a haunted mansion anytime. So the first thing you must do as a writer, is know your own preference for stories. This process is super fu...

 It is very difficult to pin down how a good idea for a story comes about because, to tell you the truth, it can come from anywhere. Today, I will be talking about how I keep my story-sense on high alert at all times. This post is not about doing research, because research only comes after you get an idea and you need to build the world and events around your story. No, this post is about that 'aha' moment when you get a plot for a story. [ Here is the video that mirrors this post. ] If you live in a modern town or city, the area you move about in is generally safe, so it is very easy to tune out of your surroundings. You don't have to worry about stepping on animal droppings, or on a snake, or worry about what is hiding behind a leafy bush in front of you. You can safely keep your head bowed over a book or a smartphone and walk on. However, if you want to be a convincing storyteller, you need to tune into your surroundings. You need to put away your device and pay attentio...

 When I was a teenager, I found this exciting book by Sir Walter Scott, The Heart of Midlothian . Now, I was not a particularly studious teenager, but in those days when you rely on books donated by the public, you usually end up with books that 'adults' think are good to read, which more often than not, was a classic. There was no choice, either I read them, or I read nothing. Okay, enough of my whining about growing up in Sibu in the 80's, now back to The Heart of Midlothian.  [To watch a video version of this post, you can click here .]  A Case Study I picked this book as an example for this video because I wanted something that most people can find in libraries. Why this particular story? Because I love the first 3/4 of the story, but I was bored out of my wits for the last quarter. I love it so much that over the years, I would re-read the book, but only the first 3/4. At first, I could not understand why this was happening. Each time I re-read; I would try to make m...