Sunday 15 May 2016

What Reading Has Taught Me About Writing (2)

In December/January 2014/15 I had a six week reading binge to get through much of my to-read back list, and enjoyed it more than I had ever expected, so much so that ever since then I've read at least two books a week ~ it's so easy to let reading slip by when you're busy writing, blogging, tweeting, etc.  I started my book review blog, and along the way I discovered that reading was teaching me more about writing, too.  I wrote a post about this HERE.  


Since January I've read over 50 books, many of them when I was laid up after an operation.  The reading time was such a bonus that I didn't mind the lack of mobility!  Along the way I've learnt a few more valuable lessons, and observed some oft-repeated errors I would like to share.

First of all, I'd like to thank Rayne Hall for this:

  So true.....
  • Lots of descriptive words do not necessarily bring a scene to life.  Making a scene come alive is an art, not a simple matter of having a large vocabulary of adjectives.  I worry that I don't include enough description in my books, but I've read passages in which every time some guy walks down a road you can't get to the next bit of plot development without reading about what he can smell in the air, the colour of the stone the buildings are made from, the wild flowers he passes on the verge - I know creative writing classes tell students to be aware of these things, but it doesn't mean they all have to be included, regardless; perhaps they're best kept to creative writing exercises.  In other words, it's a good idea to learn when you need description to convey atmosphere, and when it's holding up the action.  
  • I always feel irritated when reviewers mark down a book (any book) because they didn't like such and such a character, when you weren't meant to like him/her!  A couple of times someone's said something to me like 'I did enjoyed 'Best Seller' but I'm afraid I didn't like Eden'.  Um, no, I'd be worried if you did..... a book full of jolly nice people all being jolly nice to each other would be boring - but!!!  You need at least one person that the reader can really, really like.  I've had to think about making more of my characters likeable, sometimes; it's so much more fun to write baddies!  But think about your favourite TV show; if you didn't actively like most of Rick's gang in The Walking Dead, you wouldn't care if they got killed by the zombies and/or Negan, would you?  You've got to have someone to root for, whether they're saving the world from the undead, destroying a dragon, or just trying to get the guy in the corner shop to fancy them.  
It's never not a good time for a picture of Norman Reedus
My thoughts on the 'who will it be' question of the year HERE, by the way!
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  • Predictable sucks.  Nothing makes me perk up and mentally prepare for giving a book another half or even a whole star than when it makes me say 'wow, I didn't see that coming!'  Give me anything but withered old chestnuts like the heroine and hero getting off on the wrong foot and denying the sexual chemistry that their friends and the reader can see painted in huge red lettersA quick flick to the back of the book and there they'll be, snogging on the last page.  Or the dedicated cop with an alcohol problem he's been fighting for ten years, whose methods aren't orthodox but get results.  Similarly, it's a real disappointment when I've enjoyed a book but from the last 85-90% it's just a slow winding down, with nothing else happening.  Not every book can have or needs a gut punching twist, but there's got to be something...
  • The boring bits - cut 'em out.  If a 'linking' chapter/page/paragraph was boring for you to write, it'll be boring to read, tooBe brave - try jumping into the next scene without all this: 'for the next three weeks, Joe and Sam carried on in much the same way; the days were moderately uneventful.  Joe began his taxidermy course, and Sam handed in his notice at the strip club.  He then got a job as a Sexy Fireman-o-Gram, and they put their plans together to go and rescue Princess Aurora from the Evil Baron's castle.'  Cut straight to them rescuing Princess Aurora.  You can fill in the info about Joe stuffing racoons and Sam taking his threads off for money, somewhere in the next bit.  It just takes a bit of confidence and experience to realise that you don't have to tell the reader every damn thing!
  • If you're changing POV (character point of view), there needs to be a reason for it.  Now that multiple POVs is the new black, everyone's giving it a go, but if a change in POV doesn't add anything to the plot, all it does is to divert the reader from the main story.  You also need to judge which POV a section is best told from, and make sure you have the ability to write in several different 'voices', or it just becomes confusing"Hang on a minute, why's Joe taking his clothes off in that pub?  Oh, of course, I forgot, this chapter is from Sam's POV.  And how come the Evil Baron uses the same colloquialisms as two lads from EssexSo this is Joe walking down the tunnel, right?  Oh no, he's wearing a skirt.  Must be Princess Aurora."  Another thing to watch is telling the same scene twice from two different characters' viewpoint.  It's interesting, if the second person has a completely different outlook, but, again, the repeat of the same occurrences needs to add something else to the plot, or the novel can run the risk of becoming repetitive or too slow.
  • Head-hopping.  Just don't.  This is when you start the chapter (or whatever) from Joe's point of view, placing the reader in Joe's head, feeling his fear and excitement as he enters the evil baron's castle to rescue Princess Aurora ~ then you suddenly, without any pause in the proceedings, move the reader into Aurora's head, telling us that she is feeling scared/excited/struck by Stockholm Syndrome and actually wants to stay with the Evil Baron.  I know that some consider this to be a choice of style, i.e., using the omniscient narrator, but you need to know exactly what you're doing to carry it off well.  Otherwise, it's just confusing and reeks of 'amateur'; any decent editor should flag it up.  If you want to change POV within a chapter/passage, it's best to leave a gap between paragraphs, or asterisks
  • Talent.  Of all the elements that make a book a delight, pretty good, just okay or distinctly put-down-able, this is what much of it comes down to: whether the writer has the innate ability to write sentences that keep the reader wanting to turn the page.  You can improve on what you have, but it can't be manufactured if it's just not thereOf course, we all hope we have it, and it's hard to tell if you do or not, or to what extent; reviews and book sales can give some indication but are not infallible.  I've written more about this in my previous post on the subject, link in the first paragraph.

I reckon it was Stephen King who said something about not being able to be a good writer unless you read, and, whoever said it, it's so true.  TV dramas and films help, as well, if you notice how a plot is constructed, how characters develop, and be aware of what works and what doesn't.

 Happy reading and writing! 

45 comments:

  1. Oh yes - I agree completely. The more I read, the more I learn about writing!

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    1. Yes! I am sure other things have occurred to me over the months... perhaps that will become part 3! :)

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  2. I agree too! I found myself nodding a lot about the head hopping and POV thing too...and about needing to care about at least one of the characters. If not one of the characters in a book is someone I can care two hoots about, I just can't be bothered with it and mostly give up. In fact I agree with pretty much everything you've said. The predictability thing is difficult. Sometimes I like a book to be predictable, but it depends on the type of book, the setting and characters. I'm reading a lot at the moment too, but not writing so much except stupidly long blog posts! I'll get back to the rhythm soon...I suppose. Look after yourself TT! xx

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    1. I know what you mean about predicatbility; the readers of HEA romance would disagree with me, I am sure! But I can only write from my own point of view (and not change into yours, mid reply, HA HA HA!!).

      I know just what you mean about the rhythm, it's so easy to fall into just reading, writing reviews and blog posts, isn't it? Then suddenly you realise it's MONTHS since you said you'd start the next book...!

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  3. Sound advice, reading for review will open up your eyes to lots of ways a book works or it doesn't. Have a note book by your side and make notes to remind you about points and soon reading takes on a whole new dimension.

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    1. I do it by highlighting in the text, Rosie - I just to make notes but ended up forgetting to look at them, or not being able to understand my cryptic observations!!! Yes, you're so right, about reading for review, especially.

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  4. You're spot on, Terry. Having a few (only)writing weeks and keeping this in mind. Thanks

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    1. That's good to hear, Judith! I need to do that, to crack on better with the new one. xx

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  5. I have found that reading has become even more essential in my life since I started writing T. I learn so much by reading the work of others and seeing what does, or doesn't, work (IMHO, of course!) Excellent post :-)

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    1. Thank you, and what can I say except ditto! :)

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  6. I seem to read less and less now - shameful! I'm going to take a leaf out of your book and set myself some reading goals.

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    1. It's really good to get back into it, Wendy - if you want any recommendations, let me know!

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  7. I've recently started reading novels and I love reading. Reading is fun! Great post.

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  8. Great advice Terry. Thanks so much!

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  9. Exactly! I've done some sample edits for a few people where I've said, take few steps back and go and read loads and absorb as much as you can about the craft of writing before you try it yourself. And it's an ongoing process - always room for improvement and for learning more.

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    1. Absolutely - 20 or so novels in, I hope I can always continue to improve!!! I reviewed one the other day that made me say similar; great material, no problems with the grammar, etc - she just needed to learn how to write a novel. Now that publishing is so easy, too many rush to publish their very first thing. It's a bit like throwing a five course dinner party for six when you've previously only cooked casseroles with cook in sauces, for two :)

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  10. Absolutely.And the other way I learn is by teaching a text...nothing like taking it apart with a bright teenager to see how the writer went about it. And I learned a lot from reading the sort of writers that are 'despised'...Dan Brown is wonderful for seeing pace and cliff hanging in action - lets face it, there HAS to be a reason why some of these writers are at the top of the reading tree.

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    1. Too right. The popular novel is an art in itself. Similarly, Jackie Collins was one of the best EVER at characterisation. I agree re taking apart a text; I can still remember stuff from my English A Level that comes in handy!

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  11. I love this post, Terry. I struggled with writing dialogue and found help by reading and analysing chunks of dialogue in my favourite books. It's interesting to read your point about descriptive words - I keep my descriptions quite short and punchy in my YA books and yet I always receive compliments from my younger readers about how descriptive my writing is - hopefully that means I've got the balance right. All these tips I picked up from my reading pile. :-)

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    1. That's great, Shelley - it means you can convey atmosphere well, a real talent! As for dialogue, try saying it out loud. Actually BE the characters having the conversation, then you can feel what they would say. I think dialogue is one of my stronger points, and I always do that if I'm not sure about it. I sit there at my desk acting out the scene - I don't actually say it out loud like an actor would, but I sit there being Dan or Steve or Maisie (new book!) or whoever, muttering away!!!

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  12. Another great post, Terry!

    And I sooooooo agree with you on the descriptions. Yes, if the woman is getting married, I might want to know a little about the dress...or if she's deciding between dressing slutty or conservative for the first date, and the writer makes me laugh, then yes, I want to know what she's wearing. Otherwise, uck!!! I'm not reading a fashion magazine. I think descriptions have to fit the scene. Yes, I need to smell the smoke if something just blew up, or if there's and intruder in the house who smells like cigarettes. But...there has to be a reason to add a scent.

    Oh, and the part about not liking a character. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT! Personally, I think all characters should have quirks. Otherwise, they'd be boring. I had a reader say, "At one point, I even thought the husband was the murderer..." Why, yes, sir, that's what you were supposed to think. LOL!

    Again, thank you for the great post. Sharing!

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    1. Carmen, I'd like to shake your hand! Lovely to see someone who has the same thoughts as me. I can feel your frustration at the husband/murderer thing... like, um, we spend ages doing all this stuff so you DON'T like the boyfriend/guess the murderer, etc... du-uh!!

      As for the descriptions, I often forget to describe people at all. I can 'see' them, so if it doesn't matter what the hell colour her hair is, why add it? If I did high fives, I'd do one with you now :)

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    2. 👍 Thumb up work? Speaking of which, is it thumb up or thumbs up?

      Right before I read your reply, I was reading your bio. We've been friends a long time on Twitter, and have had a few convos over the years, but wow! Of course, I'm a contemporary women's fiction/romantic suspense writer, so people are shocked when the heat I love #GoT. And though I don't watch much TV, I loved Breaking Bad. It was like a train wreck, though, I couldn't "not" look. And I moved from sun shiny Florida to Pittsburgh, PA because I literally couldn't stand the heat. 😂

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  13. Great post, Terry! The POV thing is something I taught myself to be quite strict with, especially having quite a few characters, so I very rarely jump between POVs in any scene unless it's obvious it's needed. I was told years ago not to do it and then suddenly authors (published ones) are doing it all over the place, and I'm thinking, 'hang on, I'm sure this is a no-no!'. Then I suppose if it makes sense it's fine, but sometimes it just doesn't!

    As for keeping a book alive in your writing, hear, hear to everything you've said. I once tried to read a novel by a solicitor about...yes, solicitors, with a main story line about a contentious legal issue, and most of the novel was them writing letters to each other, in legal-speak, about said contentious issue. And that was pretty much it. Someone nearly hit someone at one point. I think....

    Anyway, when are you going to finish this book about Princess Aurora? It sounds awesome! ;-)

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    1. Right - for a start off, before you get a bit 'oo-er' about 'published' authors, read Alison Williams' article about small publishers!!! ie, the 'editors' employed by them often know less about writing than my parrot (I don't have one, but you get what I mean). I have never seen it in a trad pub book - but yes, there is a style introduced in creative writing courses that bangs on about the 'omniscient narrator' - I read an article about it the other day, and I thought, eh? This is 'head hopping', and it DOESN'T WORK. I, too, have read books published by small publishers that include it. I abandon them immediately, as I do any with it in, because it makes a book unreadable and is the last word in amateur, I think!

      The person who wrote the book about the solicitors must have been a joy to live with....!!

      As for Princess Aurora - I suspect Joe and his taxidermy might be the most interesting character - that Norman Bates thing??!!

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  14. Thanks, Terry. The one who head-hops a lot is Alexander McCall Smith in his Ladies Detective Agency books. I suppose they're so simple to read he can get away with it!

    And as for Joe, sounds like you're on to something there! ;-)

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    1. I've never felt tempted to read books about lady detective agencies, so happily I am spared that!!!!!!!!

      In my book (no pun intended), any editor who doesn't say 'oy! Head hopping! Fix it!" isn't worth their salt - and writers should know better, too. ;)

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  15. I loathe head-hopping! I don't mind different POVs; I just don't want them mixed up. Of course... We can't always blame the editors, right? How many times have you told an author she shouldn't do something, or she should change it, and she says, 'That's how I write'?

    I have a friend who head-hops... Sometimes two or three POVs in one paragraph. I've begged her to change it, and she refuses.

    Then again, I was shocked when I read a book by Sparks, and he did it. Out of nowhere, he hopped into the head of a character who had three lines in the entire book. And for no reason. He could have "showed" the reader what his employee was thinking by her actions.

    Absolutely threw me. I've seen it a few times in his books. But I was really shocked when I went back to my old pile of Sidney Sheldon books. I guess it used to be the norm, and I don't ever remember it bothering me. But now, I can't stand it. It's too confusing.

    We sure agree on a lot of pet peeves. Then again, maybe that's because I'm like you... I read a lot! I can write a few books a year, but I read a few books a week. I guess that qualifies me more of a reader than a writer. ��

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    1. Carmen, we seem to think alike, indeed! As for writers who head hop because 'that's they way they write', I guess they'll perhaps think about it when people read their books and abandon, never to buy another... it's just amateur, confusing, and shows that you don't know how to structure a novel.

      Re Sidney Sheldon, I never noticed it at the time, either - I used to read him in the 80s!) - but, like TV, standards get higher, don't they? If we watched the TV shows now that we thought were great 30 years ago, we'd think them badly acted and full of cliches. I think I remember even at the time, knowing that Sidney S. was very 'pulp fiction', and almost like reading a comic - fun to read even though you could see all its flaws!!!!

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    2. Exactly! We have to grow. One of the reasons I read these types of posts. :)

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    3. Me too. You never know which idea/comment/bit of info will sink in and be helpful. Thanks for the most interesting conversation, Carmen! x

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  16. Favorite on this great "must" list ... "Head hopping. Just don't." Thank you! I see popular authors do this all the time and as another style item says "have a reason to change pov" -- there's never a reason to head hop.

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    1. I couldn't agree more, Cindy! I was challenged on Twitter today about it; someone said that it's okay if you're writing in 'third person omniscient'. I wanted to say 'yeah... that's head hopping'. I think 'third person omniscient' is just an excuse for it, to be honest. Something they teach 'em on creative writing courses, and give it a name so it sounds okay. It NEVER works, in my book. It's just lazy writing. No, not everyone will agree, but I can only write what I think, can't I?!

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    2. Head hopping - or -third person omniscient, whatever anyone wants to call it, doesn't work if the reader has to dart from one character's thought/actions to another's within very short spaces of time. It's annoying and takes away that feeling of living in that world as you read. It only works if all the main characters are given equal amounts of time and space within the book and it's consistent throughout the book. It can work better if each character is portrayed in different chapters by the omniscient narrator. But there again, if this is the format of the novel then I like first person point of view from each character in each chapter. And, in your books, Terry, this works beautifully

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    3. Judith, thank you for that insight! I wasn;t belittling the work that you do, honestly, I was just being flippant, as I often am, so sorry if I offended you!

      Thank you for making me understand it better - I'm glad that I put in the article about it working if you're understanding what you're doing... but I think the majority of people just who head hop haven't got a clue, I don't think; that's my experience, anyway, and too many published books are 'all over the place' in this way.

      I've just realised that I'm being an omniscient narrator in my current WIP, as 1st person wouldn't have worked; I often do a mixture of the two, like in The House of York. I just do what I feel works right, I don't know all the names for it!!!

      For me, any change of POV without proper pauses between the sections (chapter breaks, rows of asterisks or gaps between paragraphs) comes over as head hopping, and reads as though the author doesn't know what they're doing. It's just personal taste, isn't it? Generally, I like 1st person best, too.

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    4. Oh, I'm not in the least bit offended, Terry. I love your honesty! And you were perfectly correct in what you said. It actually drives me mad if I'm reading a good story that is badly written (hmm, does that make sense?) Perhaps I should have said 'reading a good idea for a book in the hands of someone who has just rushed out to get published without that innate sense of what works.' And 'head hopping' - great phrase that says it all, by the way, is a sure way to bring the reader out of that suspension of disbelief with a whoa moment of 'who, what! Who's talking/ thinking now'. Not knowing all the 'posh' phrases doesn't matter - for me someone can either write well enough to grip the reader or not. Except for your last two sentences you're spot on. But it's not personal taste - it's bad writing. And, whether it's Indie or traditionally published it needs to stop!! Says teacher, waving the cane around.

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    5. Ha ha, thanks for that! I was so worried that I'd offended you! I meant that 3rd person omnisblah blah was personal taste... but yes, aside from that I agree with all you say. And some people are just... not very good writers. I've read a fair few recently (for Rosie and for a histfic award panel) that are terrific ideas, just badly told.

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  17. I did much the same this summer... Didn't read as many as you mind, but still enjoyed the break from writing :) #ArchiveDay

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    1. It's good to do, isn't it? Gets loads knocked off the to read list, and reviews written, which is always a good thing, but also it allows you to stand back and contemplate your own writing versus what you read! Thanks for commenting, Carol :)

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  18. Great tips there Terry! I have just got back into reading, and have actually just been picking a book from my kindle and reading it. I am getting to read genres I would never normally choose, and am picking them by author alone. All good so far, as if I am not hooked in a few pages, I just go onto the next one. I also don't ever review a book one or two stars. If it's that bad I don't read it and if I don't read it how can I review it? One star reviews puzzle me, although 'did not finish' is useful because it says I didn't get on with it but you might... Oh yes in my creative writing courses 'show don't tell' was taught heavily, so it's no wonder it is sometimes over used. I probably have somewhere or another. However multiple POV is something I used in my novella and I think I cracked it. I agree it can be very confusing. Here's to more reading :-)

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    1. On occasion, Amanda, I've finished a really bad book in appalled fascination! I think it's fair to review a book negatively if you've read half of it and it seriously isn't getting any better, though.

      I actually think 'show don't tell' can go a bit overboard at times; recently I've read Jack Kerouac's first novel and there's TONS of it , but the book is still fabulous. You find it in lots of books by well known authors, but if it's done well, you don't notice it. I've been marked down by writer-reviewers for 'telling not showing' by having a character relating an incident to another character instead of actually showing the scene; ludicrous!!! Sometimes it's good to chuck away the check list and just think, did I enjoy this book or didn't I?! Thanks for commenting x

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