The Local Writer

 If you have been following my posts, you would be familiar with my insistence that you only write what is familiar to you when you pick a genre, a theme or a backdrop to your story. I am not interested in all the silly word-for-word or ' lurus bendul ' argument that people will come up with, such as 'but I want to write about an immortal. Does this mean I can't because I am mortal."  [ Click this link to watch the video that mirrors this post.] Even the idea that a female writer should only write about female protagonists and a male writer should write about a male protagonists makes little sense. This is because in this day and age, we now know that physical gender has nothing to do with courage, intelligence or emotion. It matters more that you get their attitude, temperament and motivation properly aligned. The only danger of writing about a character whose gender, race or religion is different from ours is our tendency to fall back on biases and assumptions. ...

What is a hero? For the sake of this post, when I say hero or he, it also means heroine and she. Let me answer the question with more questions. How is a folklore hero different from the modern hero? How do you write a traditional hero into your historical story without compromising a realistic portrayal of the hero and alienating your history-buff reader at the same time? Trying to find this balance was the biggest headache I had when I was writing 'The Monk Prince'. [ Click this link to watch the video that mirrors this post. ] Let's start by looking at traditional folklore itself. These tales usually focus on how gifted the hero is or how strong and magnificent he looks. The physical aspect is sometimes used as a metaphor to show the hero's character. For example, in The Romance of the 3 Kingdoms, the Chinese hero Liu Bei is described as having earlobes so long that they touched his shoulders. This is a symbol of benevolence and virtue, and it is a physical trait tha...

 A TV Network in Malaysia in the 80's used to show Shakespeare plays in the afternoon, and I remember watching quite a number of them. What did not occur to me then, was that many of these characters were non-British yet they all spoke with British accents and used English expressions in their manner of speech. You will know what I mean if you watch a scene from Act II of Anthony and Cleopatra . I must admit, I also tend to write dialogue for my characters in a formal manner because I have grown up reading classics. When I do read a local book, I will read them in the original language. So writing colloquial dialogue in English is quite awkward for me. [ Click this link to watch the video that mirrors this post.] Today's tips are purely my opinion. Different writers will use different methods to come up with a style that is comfortable for them. Maybe you already have your own style, but you are not sure if it is best. Let me assure you that there is no best style in this day ...

 Today's post is about archetypes. The handsome brave warrior, the beautiful tragic bride, the filial son or daughter etc. These characters are popular because they work. They come up quite often in stories because readers like reading about them. [ Click this link to watch the video that mirrors this post. ] Today, I would like to talk about how you can use these existing popular symbols and adapt them to your local story. There are lots of articles and writing tips online that lists out the different archetypes, so I will not discuss them all in here. You can just search for a list online, and adapt them to your needs. Archetypes are Familiar I have said in earlier videos that I do not like reading romance. However, stumbling across the work of a Chinese writer a few days back has convinced me that it could be because I have been reading the wrong kind of romances. Right now, I am quite obsessed with Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's Heaven Official's Blessing . I guess I just need lot...

Today's post is about how to start the research process. You have a plot and you have your characters all lined up. If this is your first attempt at writing a novel, there is a tendency to want to include everything. If your culture is well established in international literature, then your job at this point is to decide whether or not to follow the existing well-known format for a story, or to come up with your own. At the very least, you will have a general idea of what works and what does not.  [ Click this link to watch the video that mirrors this post. ] If, however, you happen to be the first one to write about your people in a mainstream language, then you will have to make a lot of decisions blind. This is why it is critical that you already have a good reading habit. Your experience as a reader will be your guide as you write your story. Because if you can't know what does or does not work instinctively, then you will have to become extremely technical about it. Techni...

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...