How do you admisnister your next book? When I get ideas for my next story, I quickly think up scenes and conversations that I'll love to put in there. I have to plan and structure the storyline of my book otherwise it'll run off track, but often when I write the story seems to take a turn I hadn't planned because the turn simply feels more natural. This often makes the work I put into the skeleton redundant and the scenes and conversations might not really fit anymore. This makes me wonder, how do you plan and structure your book in order to avoid this?
Consider if the turn you are taking makes the story better. That is sometimes the case. There is no problem about going off track from your plan as long as you find your way back. All writers do this. You may find, for example, the volition of your protagonist changes the way you originally planned a scene. This is to be expected and one of the great joys of writing. The expected becomes the unexpected. The important thing is to keep on track, bang out the story and change what you need to change after the first draft.
To quote James Patterson, 'Outline Outline Outline.' Which is the American term for planning. If you work without a plan you will go off on tangents. With a plan you are in control of your novel and can stick rigidly to the plot and storyline. Without a plan your novel controls you.
You need to know the beginning, middle and end of your novel. Then you can make working chapter titles of how you are going to get from the beginning to the middle, and from the middle to the end. If you keep thinking wth the plot and storyline in mind, you should stay on track.
Below is my guide. I hope that readers find my collection of tips useful.
ADRIAN’S - WRITING / REVISION AND EDITING GUIDE
WRITING TIPS
One main storyline: keep the storyline as straight and clear as you can make it.
Plot / Chain of events.
Central themes, Eg : Revenge, Love, Hate, Life, Death, Greed, Betrayal, Adversity.
Be careful that there are not too many changes of geographical settings or locations. When you change, have a strong reason for doing so.
One main character: not too many characters, a maximum of five or six is best.
Focus the readers like and dislike in your characters. How do the characters function: Elianor is sensible, Marianne is over-emotional, Macbeth is ambitious, etc.
Round characters are key and very important.
Flat characters play minor roles.
OPENING TO THE NOVEL
Your opening should be dramatic, straight Into the Action.
Frame by frame continuity.
What are the functions of your characters?
What makes each character uniquely different from each other?
SHOW DON’T TELL
Define your characters by their actions, and by what they think and say about
SENTENCES
Sign-Posting is Very Important.
Each Sentence : What is My Basic Point Subject? What Am I Saying About It?
If in doubt over a choice of words, opt for the simple word over the longer more complicated word.
Keep sentences short, use simple vocabulary.
Sentences should be visual and speakable.
One thought one sentence.
Build sentence round a person or solid object.
CHAPTERS
Chapters should be short: no more than eight to twelve pages. They can be as short as half a page, or two, three, four pages in length.
Chapters should have broad themes, yet be strong as a unit.
A chapter should link with the preceding and following chapter.
Chapters should have a dramatic opening. A landmark signpost and end with a cliff-hanger. (maybe) or a hook (always).
Who or what is the chapter about?
Where is the chapter set/location?
Each chapter should be a water-tight, self-contained episode.
PARAGRAPHS
A paragraph should contain one main topic.
The topic should be clearly signalled by the opening sentence, which is called a topic sentence.
You should be able to get an overview of the content of a paragraph by just by scanning the opening (topic) sentence of each paragraph.
The topic is then developed, either by further explanation, an example, or by a contrast of opinion.
You may occasionally need a linking sentence to the next paragraph.
Short paragraphs are best – long paragraphs only if it is necessary.
A break in the text occurs at a change of, Subject, Time, Place and Viewpoint, indicated by asterisks or a white space between sections.
DIALOGUE
Half to two-thirds of your novel your novel should consist of dialogue. Only use stream-of-thought for secret, or private, or highly individual experience.
It is vitally important to have your characters talk to each other.
Use characters’ streams of thought to let people know their inner world; perhaps reveal things that would not be revealed in any other way.
What did your characters, think, see, hear, smell, taste or feel.
Is your dialogue speakable?
Does your dialogue make sense when spoken aloud?
CAN I SEE IT
Use your imagination to picture the scene you are writing about.
Write descriptions of your characters’ surroundings. What they see, hear, touch, taste, smell.
Use vivid descriptions.
Use real life experiences to describe characters, scenes and locations.
FAMOUS AUTHOR’S ADVICE
Henry James : Dramatise, Dramatise, Dramatise. Add as much credible drama and suspense as possible.
Ruth Padell : Show Don’t Tell. Do not narrate when your characters can explain themselves and each other, by what they say, think and do.
Walter Allen : Settings are centrally important and should be motivated.
What is the purpose of the setting?
What is its role in the novel?
Raleigh : Good novelists are great novel readers.
James Patterson : Outline, outline, outline. Plan you novel. Have the beginning, middle and end. List your chapters before you start writing.
FR and QD Leavis : The Function of characters, their roles in the novel should be made clear.
What is unique to each individual character.
Alain : ( French Philosopher ) An abstract style is always bad. Your sentences should be full of stones, metals, chairs, tables, animals, men and women.
SEVEN TESTS OF A NOVEL
MEMORIZE - TCPSSSD
T = Themes / Concepts - Eg, Conflict between Love and Duty
C = Characters / Character Driven Novel
P = Plot / Linked Cause and Effect Storyline
S = Structure / Chapters to end with a Hook or Cliffhanger and to be resolved in next chapters opening paragraphs.
S = Style / Speakable – Visual – Does it Flow – Is the Style as Simple as Possible, but No Simpler.
S = Setting / Reason for the Setting – Setting to be Generally Motivated
Drama = Show don’t Tell / Dramatise Dramatise Dramatise.
Readers may copy my short guide for their use.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
I'm always adding bits to outlines, and characters often go off at a tangent to do their own thing.
I think you need to be flexible, not treating your plan as something which must be adhered to at all costs. After all, real life never works like that. Mine doesn't, anyway ;)