Time to Write Week 46

Group 1: Edits chapter 26 and chapter 6

Group 2: Writing Chapter 46

Group 3: Writing Chapter 26

7 weeks remaining in our writing journey

So what makes a good story? We have been Writing for months now. Are you starting to think about what will make your story stand out? What will make you story different or special when it's time to share it out there. 

No matter the genre you are writing you gotta jump through the hoops that will catch the readers and keep them in the depths of your story. 

Add drama. Put your hero/heroine through heck. Mystery is great. Tension should hook readers. Secrets are fun. Suspense keeps the readers on their toes. As you are maybe approaching the ending of your story...UP THE STAKES. Up the conflict. Toss in an unexpected twist. 

On your read through when you are finished with your first draft...that reading out loud part should help you see where your story flows. If it reads Rocky and broken your readers may lay the book down. Give them some smooth and orderly reading with cadence that flows. 

Grow the characters that are believable. Their struggles should be real. Their conflicts should be big. The goal should be even bigger. I have mentioned this but giving your character flaws can add to the story. Make sure each character is an individual and not like any other. KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS. As I have mentioned. Who is your hero? What do they want? Why do that want it? Whats the conflict holding them back? How?

I know some authors who complete questions on the characters and if you are not sure...search online for a character sheet you can print out and complete and add to your writers notebook. 

Ever chapter and scene in your story should matter enough that if you removed it, your story would not be complete. All those boring sections...beef those up to matter when you get to your edits. 

Take time to deepen back story but tell more in less sentences. As I have mentioned background dumps are not good but some things are important to tell. Do it by telling a little at a time throughout the story. 

Subplots are the smaller stories going on while your main conflict grows. Deepen those to matter and don't add them for filler. They need to add to the story and be connected somehow to the main plot. So pay attention to add why they matter. 

On scenery and area your characters are located. Do your homework. Make sure your research is correct. Make sure to describe concise settings so the reader can see them as they read. 

Use dialogue to move the story forward. If you just have characters chatter back and forth for not providing story information then you have work to do. Every bit of dialogue should be to share more story. It should matter. Not just add to word count. 

Go back this week and read your opening paragraphs. Does your story start with a bang sending your main character into a point of no return. Make your flow of opening this story capture your readers wiry happenings they cannot put down. 

And on your ending. Leave the reader not hanging nut so satisfied and in love with your characters they hate to leave behind. 

Give you reader and ending that will hold them for a long time. And you know what. They will read your next story too. 

Now work hard on giving your readers a worthy story.