How to write a fiction masterpiece… in theory 2

Last time I reviewed a couple of advice points in a renowned site on How to do things and I plan tho continue with the rest. As you have seen, it is not as simple as they propose. Yet it is THAT simple. The thing is to recognize the problems of writing and being willing to solve them or enjoying solving them, more than the techniques. The techniques, you acquire them if you want to solve something. But are useless of you don’t want to solve it.

4. START WRITING:

In a video with more advice on how to write by Cesar Mallorquín (I haven’t had the pleasure of reading his work and the video is in Spanish but I’m telling you what he says anyways…); he advices to have the garbage bin handy.

And this is relevant given the fact the famous site mentions to write on paper with pencil. Why? To eliminate the difficulty of feeling stuck on screen. A paper can easily be thrown away (remember to use it both sides, being wasteful has nothing to do with writer block) and it can be easier to ignore what you wrote before and continue by doodling or writing anything else.
For some unknown reason (maybe the feeling that it is definitive), it is more complicated to DELETE what’s on screen than balling the paper and… Throw it away.

This advice point should say: WRITE, WRITE, WRITE (something I haven’t been doing). AND FINISH WHAT YOU START. Bad or good, it will have to go throughout the process of edition (erase a lot, change POV ). If you’re like me, you’re bad at finishing stuff… For me, it was really useful to take a course on making clothes on Saturdays. And how the heck is that related to writing? Simple, it is not.

Spending 2 months fighting a machine I didn’t have idea how to use, in a regular schedule and every Saturday; made me realize that, quitting feelings included, you end up with a child’s pajama set! Ok. That you can finish a project. Any project. Maybe in more time than the expected. Still, a project done!

5. FACE YOUR WRITING IN SMALL PIECES:

This website is wise. We can’t throw ourselves to be «the greatest writer of all times» or «to write the great novel» because we’re going to end up failing. In consequence, we should start the same way the anonymous author does. REPEAT AFTER ME: «Hi, my name is Doe/Joe Smith and I am a writer«. A page at a time, right?

6. READ DIALOGUES ALOUD:

The website says nothing about audio books and yet… Tentatively, said one author —whose name I don’t remember but if you know anything about, I’ll gladly receive any lead and give the proper credit[1]— «Don’t use the text left on the screen by the cat’s ass, no matter how cool it sounds. Audio books do exist«… Another media to make our talents public!

As it is, the website mentions interjections and silences of real life that become bothersome in a novel’s dialogue but passes by the need of review.

It is awfully tiring to read aloud, long and poorly punctuated sentences that don’t flow at all. Plus the difficulty of changing voices, accents (most authors don’t but you might feel a bit of seiyuu) and to top it, get perfectly stuttering and stop and go silences. Think your throat will pay the price of you become successful![2]

It also prevents you or helps you (your choice) from/to choose overwrought words. Some readers prefer a simple speech and some others, pages plagued of words that need a dictionary. Reading Gerry [Durrell] you find every now and then unknown words. Contrasting with Danielle Steel… In such case, you better not let go of the dictionary.
Maybe and this is my nosy opinion because I’m great [farting sound], it is unavoidable depending on the context.

The noble enchanted prince [Oxford degree] snorts a «What’s ap dude»… And excuse my double use of question marks…. ¿Who the beep wrote this? Is he a prince Oxford educated or is he an American guy?

Now, returning to the website advice… It asks you not to be so obvious by telling: ”I’m not happy in this marriage». Instead, it recommends showing an uneven, unconnected and unequal dialogue that will prove how the marriage is a proven disfunctionality. Asimov would have said something like: They were happy. She told him things and he didn’t bother listening to.

Author’s originality strikes back! Just be kind. Information shouldn’t be repeated every other page unless you’re writing a legal contract in which you need to prevent loops. Readers can remember on their own. The white queen id one of those books I’m not finishing. It has at least three times, yes three times, the same thing repeated. Either as explanation, dialogue and then the same… And it is not regressive iteration. It is pure and simple repetition. Don’t do that.

For today, that’s more than enough. You need to go and write and make mistakes and come back and check on more advice on how to write fiction. Or not. Maybe you just need a course and not this nonsense of blog. But if you needed it and liked it…. Give me a like, subscribe and comment! Pasto kalo.

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[1] He was invited to explain what he had learnt writing his book in Terrible minds, Chuck Wendig’s blog. Now, there are so many of them I can’t really remember his name or review them all.

[2] Think in possible podcasts, radio émissions and audio books. Not that I have ever been published. I know because I read aloud things for my own YouTube channel in Spanish and Gerry Durrell leaves me breathless sometimes. Ah, interested? Here’s the link. So far I’ve uploaded the three whole books of the Corfu Trilogy, Konrad or the child who came out a tin;  A fishing boat without fisher, Me Jane searches Tarzan and Green fried tomatoes is still being recorded. If you’re not… let the Earth swallow you… Kidding. No problem.