While every genre has specific requirements, what every good story needs can be summarised as follows. (A lot of this can apply to non-fiction too).

1. Memorable characters with distinctive voices. For non-fiction, this equates to a memorable narrative style and voice. Think of documentaries you have loved. What made them stand out? A lot of that will be down to the narrative voice.
2. A plot that keeps the reader enthralled and has plenty of ups and downs. For non-fiction, it is a case of setting out what you want to share with the reader in an entertaining and informative way. No dull list of facts etc. You want to engage with your reader and draw them into the world you're trying to show them.
3. To meet the needs of the reader whether it is to entertain them with a story or show them something they hadn't known with non-fiction. You really do need to know your audience.
4. A powerful ending that delivers on a promising start.
5. No sagging middles!
6. A good, memorable title which hooks the reader.
7. To be a good advert for the other writing you do!
   

Image Credit:  The fantasic Pixabay.

I had a wonderful week at the Swanwick Writers' Summer School and now it is back down to earth once more. I share a little of what it is like at Swanwick on my Chandler's Ford Today post this week. I do think you need at least a week to get over a holiday, wonderful writing school or what have you.

How do your characters react when they have to come back to reality after their adventures? Most of the time we don't find out of course because the story stops when the adventure does. One thing I love about The Lord of the Rings is it does show that things are never the same again, particularly for Frodo, when he finally returns to Middle Earth. I won't say more than that but I thought this part of the story is realistically done. Frodo would be affected by all that he has gone through.

All stories should show that your characters (especially your main one) have changed in some way, otherwise there is no story. Changes can be positive or negative. Now I must admit I generally prefer positive changes but there is a place for the opposite. What would work best for your character and story?


Image Credit:  All images taken by Allison Symes, except the one of me reading at the Swanwick Prose Open Mic Night. A huge thank you to Penny Blackburn for those. Captions on the CFT post.

You do feel as if you enter another world when you go to Swanwick Writers' Summer School. For a week, I do! Coming out of that world again can be a wrench too.

Image Credit:  Photos of Swanwick taken by me with the exception of my reading at the Open Prose Mic Night. Many thanks to Penny Blackburn for that.

But going home with ideas to work on will take me back into the fantastic world of the imagination in no time. So that's all right then!😀 The really nice thing about this?

It applies whether you write flash or other fiction and non-fiction.

When you want to escape this world for a bit, write!

I start a two-part series on Chandler's Ford Today this week on Making Space and next week's part will share some thoughts on this from a writing perspective. Meanwhile, where does making space come into your creation of characters?

I think the best way to answer that is to list what I think a truly great character needs to have. Also, it really does pay to take time out (make space) to think about your characters in advance and plan them out. It doesn't mean you have to plan everything but you do need to know about your people in enough detail to be able to write about and for them with utter conviction. You need to decide what you need to know first!

I am convinced that when a writer writes with conviction something of that does show through in your writing and readers subconciously pick up on that. I also think they pick up when a character really doesn't work and I know, for me, when that has happened, it is nearly always due to my not taking the time to flesh my character out properly in the first place.

So a truly great character should:-

1. Be Memorable (and that usually means having distinctive traits a reader will love to love or love to hate. Both work but not usually in the same character!).
   
2. Be someone a reader would want to identify with or be happy they're nothing like them!
   
3. Be put in situations a reader has to find out whether the character resolves or not (and how.  Failure to resolve something can ironically be a resolution of sorts. For example, a character wants to achieve a goal, they find they can't do it, but they do achieve something positive they had not done before despite the overall "failure". Readers will pick up on something being achieved, a positive point of change for the character, and everyone accepts not all endings are happy ones necessarily. Endings do have to be appropriate).
   

Image Credit:  The images of London from the Sky Gardens were taken by me. The others images are from Pixabay. Captions on the CFT site.

It happens. You go through phases where writing is either difficult or simply isn't working out as you'd hoped. Lots of submissions. Lots of rejections. Few acceptances. Do you wonder if you should keep going? Some tips I've found useful to keep me going during difficult times include:-

1.  Read More. Feed your own imagination. Remind yourself of why you love stories and why you wanted to write any.

2. Remove the Pressure.  Deliberately write just for your own pleasure. Make up complete nonsense. Have fun. (Later, if you can do anything with the writing, even if it is just the odd line or two makes it into a story, say, then fab. Even if not, you're taking time out to play with words and again remind yourself why you wanted to write).

3.  Look at Where You've Come From Writing Wise.  How much have you written over the years? Can you list publication credits (online and in print)? If not at that stage, have you had shortlistings? Are you simply submitting more stories for competitions than ever before? Remember  you define what success in writing is. Yes, publication is the obvious goal but it isn't the only one. Saying you'll write 3 or 4 stories and then try and get them published later is a fine goal too.  Look at what you've learned as you have written more. Have you learned how to improve your editing skills? Have you picked up tips on the way that are helping you write better now (I would be surprised if you hadn't)? All of these are good and worthy things.

4.  Find supportive writing buddies via online groups or in creative writing classes. We all need to be reminded we're not alone. Others do understand our compulsion to write. Others understand the frustrations of trying to get published. You need that support. It can make all the difference during low times, creatively speaking.