Devise Your Story: A Guide on Novel Writing - Outlining, Plotting, and Strategizing
In the realm of novel writing, Aimée Walsh, an acclaimed author and critic, offers valuable insights for those who prefer a more intuitive, fluid approach to crafting their stories. Walsh suggests that for such writers, breaking down a novel project into manageable components can facilitate a more organic creative process while still providing some structure to the writing journey.
Walsh emphasises the importance of recognising the diversity of writing approaches. She encourages writers to tailor their project management style according to their preferred method—whether they are meticulous plotters or those who allow their imagination to guide the character and the story. For fluid writers, this likely means working with broad outlines or thematic parts, allowing the story to evolve naturally as they write.
One of Walsh's key strategies is to break the novel project down into a goal of 70-90,000 words with a desired first draft completion time of a year or 18 months. She works out how many words she would like to write over a sustained period, with a check-in every three months. This approach helps to maintain focus and ensure the project doesn't fall by the wayside.
In terms of character development, Walsh stresses the importance of creating three-dimensional characters, even if they add nothing substantial to the narrative. She advises considering characters as multifaceted individuals, not inherently 'good' or 'bad'. Dialogue should be written as if listening to a chat, considering each specific person's speech patterns or dialect.
When it comes to dialogue, Walsh advises avoiding stilted conversations, over-explaining through discussions, or mismatched vocabulary. Conversations should have a natural flow with pauses, misunderstandings, and so forth. Objects in scenes should be introduced clearly to avoid confusion for the reader.
Walsh also encourages writers to be succinct when explaining the novel's plot. Being able to do so easily is important for agents, editors, copyeditors, proofreaders, publicists, and eventual readers to understand it. She suggests thinking visually about your scenes to avoid letting the reader get caught up on rogue details.
Lastly, Walsh encourages writers to be confident in what their novel wants to convey. She advises avoiding imposing moral judgements on characters, allowing the story and characters to unfold naturally. By following these tips, writers can embark on a more fluid and organic writing journey, resulting in a novel that is both engaging and well-crafted.
Aimée Walsh, in her guidance for fluid writers, recommends structuring their novel projects around broad outlines or thematic parts, mimicking a lifestyle where creativity evolves naturally, much like a home-and-garden project that is nurtured over time. To maintain focus and avoid the project being neglected, she suggests a goal of 70-90,000 words with a desired first draft completion time of a year or 18 months, checking in every three months.
