I have always been very passionate about writing and have had lots of opportunities to express myself through literary works. I have been fortunate enough to have a fantastic teacher who encouraged me to explore different genres and encouraged me to try new things. Although I have learnt so much from her, I feel that there are certain elements of writing that I am still struggling to grasp fully. I would love to learn more about writing so that I can become a better, more confident author.
The Elements of Writing That I Want to Learn
I have always been passionate about writing. I remember having to write a short story when I was in primary school and admiring the elegant way my teacher would write. I would sit up late at night writing poems and short stories and thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into different genres. Although I have learnt so much from my primary school teachers, I feel that there are certain aspects of writing that I am still struggling to grasp fully. Here are some of the elements of writing that I want to learn:
The Genre Of Your Novel
The first thing I want to learn is the genre of my novel. At the moment, I am writing a YA fiction novel and although I have chosen a fictionally based genre, I feel that this is something that I might struggle with. I want to explore different areas of fiction and try new things, but I feel that my comfort zone is Young Adult fiction. I would love to know more about the elements of realistic fiction and create something new that incorporates those elements.
How To Craft A Powerful Opening
The elements of a powerful opening are something that every aspiring author should know. Once you have established your main character and set the scene, you can move on to write the opening of your novel. Most novels begin with an exciting opening that hooks the reader and compels them to turn the page. I think that one of the most effective ways of enticing the reader is through the use of intriguing and powerful words that will compel the reader to keep on reading. These are the words that will shape your writing and dictate the type of content that you will use throughout the remainder of the story. The opening is one of the most vital parts of a novel and you should work hard to ensure that it draws the reader in and keeps them turning the pages long into the night. When writing the opening of your novel, use all the elements that you have learnt so far and craft a masterpiece that will hold readers in the palm of your hand.
The Art Of Character Development
Character development is vital when crafting a compelling story. The better you are at crafting memorable characters, the stronger your story will be. Every character should be unique, memorable and should serve a purpose. A character who is well-developed will always draw the reader in deeper and make the story more memorable. A good character is the result of excellent planning and careful execution. When developing your characters, it is important to ensure that they evolve and change over the course of the story. To craft a memorable character, you will need to consider their backstory, what motivated them to act in the way that they did and what they want out of life. You should write a detailed character history that will flesh out their motivations and aspirations. The more you know about your characters, the better you will be able to write compelling scenes and provide the reader with a multi-faceted view of the story.
The Art Of Building Conflict
All of the stories that we read have some kind of conflict. Without it, literature would be dull and unfulfilling. Stories are inherently thrilling as we are presented with a battle of wits or the struggle of good vs evil. Stories should be crafted so that they are as exciting and dynamic as possible. The more dynamic the conflict, the more suspenseful the story will be. There are lots of tools at your disposal to create tension, from language to setting and the various characters that you will introduce. You should look to the master storytellers for inspiration and model your writing after their example to produce something extraordinary.
How To Use The Passive Voice
Active and passive voice are vital tools that every author should know how to use. When writing in the passive voice, you are stating something in a way that suggests that another entity is responsible for that action. For example, “The door was opened by Tim.” In this example, Tim is the agent of action and door is the object of action. It is a way of phrasing that provides you with maximum options when it comes to describing something. The door was opened by Tim suggests that Tim was the one who opened the door. It is a way of phrasing that allows you to write in the first or third person, whichever you prefer. Most people use the passive voice when they are describing something that happened to them or something that they witnessed. When using the passive voice, you should avoid the use of “-ing” words such as “to open”, “to build”, “to create”, “to build up” and “to form” as these are all “-ing” words that imply an action was carried out by the noun that they are attached to. For example, “The room was built with wood and stone.” Instead, try using words such as “comprised of”, “including”, “formed by” or “is” to describe the room’s elements. Using the passive voice prevents the reader from becoming disengaged and encourages them to continue reading. This is because they have to work harder to figure out who performed the action and what was the outcome. The passive voice can also help to create a sense of mystery as it allows you to withhold information about the protagonist and leave the reader wondering who they are, where they come from and what happened to them. Whenever possible, you should try and write in the active voice as it builds momentum and is more appealing to the reader. However, if you are unable to use the active voice for whatever reason, you should adopt the passive voice.
How To Use Adjectives To Increase The Reader’s Emotion
Adjectives are vital when writing fiction as they can increase or decrease the emotion that the reader feels when reading your story. When choosing your adjectives, consider the context that you are placing them in and the effect that they will have. The stronger your adjectives, the better as they will make bigger impressions on the reader. The most effective way of using adjectives is to attach them to nouns or other adjectives. For example, “A funny story about a dog,” has much more impact when read as “A funny story about a dog – funny,” than when read as “A story about a dog – funny.” Using adjectives in this way helps the reader to focus on the subject of your story even when there are lots of adjectives being used. One of the reasons why this example is effective is because the adjectives that are being used here are relevant to the context of what is being described – a story about a dog. Nouns and adjectives that are relevant to the context of your story will always have greater impact than those that are not. This brings us back to the issue of choosing your words wisely as it will help your writing to stand out. You should try and choose words that are as impactful as possible and ensure that every aspect of your story – from establishing your characters through their dialogue to the way that you write your chapters – contributes to the overall effect. Your story will take on a life of its own as you continue to develop it and shape it into something amazing.