The Art and Craft of Writing

1. The Trick: Create emotional contrast for impact

If you want a scene to culminate in a particular emotional reaction, start the scene with the opposite emotion.

Emotional rollercoaster. The Trick is a fundamental writing technique that creates engaging narratives by setting up contrasting emotional states. By establishing an expectation and then delivering an unexpected outcome, writers can create satisfying twists and surprises that keep readers engaged.

Applications:

• Begin a happy scene with gloom
• Start a tragic moment with unexpected confidence
• Use subtle reversals to avoid predictability

The Trick works because it mirrors real-life emotional experiences, where our feelings often shift dramatically. It also provides a sense of narrative movement, preventing scenes from feeling static or predictable.

2. Breathe life into characters with conflicting qualities

To make a character come to life, give him two conflicting qualities and/or goals.

Complex personalities. Three-dimensional characters possess conflicting traits or goals that create internal tension and make them more relatable and interesting to readers. This complexity allows characters to act in unexpected ways while remaining true to their established nature.

Character development techniques:

• Pair opposing traits (e.g., graceful but grumpy)
• Create conflicting goals (e.g., desire to travel vs. love of home)
• Use Donald Maass's character exercise:
  1. Write down the character's main quality
  2. Write an opposing quality
  3. Write a scene demonstrating the opposing quality
  4. Repeat with goals instead of qualities

By giving characters depth through conflicting elements, authors create more dynamic and engaging personalities that resonate with readers.

3. Engage readers with multi-sensory descriptions

Add two to five senses to every description.

Vivid world-building. Engaging readers' senses creates a more immersive reading experience by helping them visualize and "feel" the story's setting. This technique is especially crucial for historical, science fiction, or fantasy settings where readers need more context to understand the world.

Sensory description tips:

• Sight: Use specific details and panning techniques
• Sound: Include both close and distant noises
• Smell: Incorporate scents to evoke strong memories
• Touch: Describe textures and temperature
• Taste: Use sparingly but effectively in relevant scenes

Aim to include at least two or three different senses in each descriptive passage to create a rich, multi-dimensional experience for the reader.

4. Weave two story threads for depth and interest

Each scene must have two separate things happening in it.

Narrative complexity. The Two Strings technique involves intertwining multiple story elements to create a more engaging and dynamic narrative. This approach prevents scenes from feeling flat or one-dimensional by introducing contrast and complexity.

Implementing Two Strings:

• Combine plot advancement with character development
• Interweave main plot and subplot elements
• Contrast dialogue with conflicting internal thoughts
• Balance action with emotional development

By incorporating multiple threads into each scene, authors can create richer, more nuanced stories that keep readers invested and provide multiple layers of meaning.

5. Use anticipation to keep readers invested

The secret to engaging readers: If the character cares, the reader cares.

Reader investment. Anticipation is a crucial element in maintaining reader interest. By clearly establishing what characters want or fear, authors can create a sense of anticipation that keeps readers engaged and turning pages.

Creating anticipation:

• Clearly define character goals and desires
• Establish stakes and potential consequences
• Foreshadow future events without spoiling surprises
• Use internal dialogue to reveal character concerns

When readers understand what characters are hoping for or dreading, they become emotionally invested in the outcome, increasing their engagement with the story.

6. Reveal character goals early to drive the narrative

The secret to making every story—and scene—engaging and satisfying is to give the reader a glimpse of the character's purpose.

Purposeful characters. Introducing character goals early in the story provides readers with a reason to care about the narrative and its outcome. This technique helps create anticipation and gives the story direction.

Implementing character goals:

• Introduce the main character's goal in the opening scene
• Make sure the goal relates to the story's conclusion
• Use goals to create conflict and tension
• Revisit and evolve goals throughout the narrative

By giving readers a clear understanding of what characters want to achieve, authors create a sense of purpose that drives the story forward and keeps readers invested in the outcome.

7. Craft openings that hook and intrigue

The best way to hook the reader is to leave him with a question that is not answered until deep into the work.

Captivating beginnings. A strong opening is crucial for engaging readers and encouraging them to continue with the story. The most effective openings create intrigue by posing questions or setting up mysteries that aren't immediately resolved.

Elements of a strong opening:

• Introduce a compelling hook or question
• Establish the setting and tone
• Introduce a character readers can connect with
• Create anticipation for what's to come

Aim to include these elements within the first 100-200 words of your story to immediately capture the reader's attention and draw them into the narrative.

8. Balance plot complexity with reader satisfaction

Ask yourself: How can I make this more…

Escalating tension. Creating a satisfying plot involves continually raising the stakes and introducing new complications while maintaining a sense of coherence and purpose. This balance keeps readers engaged without overwhelming them.

Plot development techniques:

• Ask "What could make it worse?" repeatedly
• Consider "What could make it more interesting?"
• Explore multiple angles: sadder, funnier, more romantic, etc.
• Use Two Strings to alternate between plot threads

By consistently finding ways to complicate and elevate the narrative, authors can create rich, engaging plots that keep readers invested throughout the story.

9. Integrate backstory seamlessly as revelation

Backstory that the reader longs for becomes revelation.

Strategic information delivery. Effective backstory integration involves revealing information at moments when it's most impactful and desired by the reader. This approach turns potentially dull exposition into exciting revelations.

Backstory integration techniques:

• Use the Long Live the Queen rating system:
  +1: Changes character's mood or emotion
  +2: Leads to character action
  +3: Affects a character's choice
• Reveal backstory after readers are invested in characters
• Use backstory to explain motivations and deepen understanding

By carefully timing the release of backstory information, authors can maintain narrative momentum while providing depth and context to their characters and plot.

10. Convey emotion through visceral reactions

Add visceral reactions—physical involuntary reactions—to heighten the connection with the reader.

Emotional resonance. Describing characters' involuntary physical reactions to emotions helps readers connect more deeply with the story and characters. These visceral reactions create a more immersive emotional experience for the reader.

Incorporating visceral reactions:

• Describe physical sensations: racing heart, sweaty palms, etc.
• Use subtle cues: swallowing hard, clenching fists, etc.
• Balance visceral reactions with other emotional indicators
• Follow the order: visceral reaction, then mental reaction

By including these physical manifestations of emotion, authors can create a more vivid and relatable emotional landscape for their characters and readers.

11. Utilize interior dialogue for character depth

Readers don't trust dialogue. Let your characters think, and let what they think be juxtaposed to the dialogue, showing the readers a new angle.

Inner complexity. Interior dialogue provides insight into characters' true thoughts and feelings, often contrasting with their spoken words. This technique adds depth to characters and creates tension between their inner and outer selves.

Implementing interior dialogue:

• Contrast thoughts with spoken dialogue
• Reveal hidden motivations and fears
• Provide context for character actions
• Use to deliver backstory or additional information

Interior dialogue allows authors to create multi-dimensional characters whose inner lives are as rich and complex as their external actions and words.

12. Create payload moments for narrative impact

Every scene should have a moment that moves the plot along or heightens awareness, drawing the reader into something greater.

Narrative rewards. Payload moments are key revelations or events that provide readers with a sense of satisfaction and progression. These moments elevate the story and reward readers for their investment in the narrative.

Types of payload moments:

• Plot revelations that answer questions or raise new ones
• Character insights that deepen understanding
• Thematic expansions that broaden the story's scope
• Unexpected twists that reframe previous events

By including payload moments in each scene or chapter, authors can maintain reader interest and create a sense of continuous discovery and engagement throughout the story.

Last updated: August 13, 2024