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Hey guys! So let's talk about writing fiction. There's been a debate for years regarding
whether or not there is a formula to writing fiction. Most people vehemently say no, there
is no formula, every story is different. At the risk of singling myself out, I tend to disagree.
I think there is a vague, generalized formula that you see in most pieces of fiction. Certainly not
all, but usually this is how it goes. Early on in the story, the writer introduces the protagonist,
and then gives them a big problem to solve, or a goal to reach. This could be finding love,
or solving a mystery, or battling killer aliens. The remainder of the story will surround this
person's attempts to navigate the problem. They will eventually hit some kind of high point,
a moment when they feel invincible, or hopeful, or maybe a little too confident. And that moment
will almost immediately be followed by a breaking point. Think rock bottom for your protagonist,
they'll be forced to decide whether they want to succumb to the shittiness of their situation or
persevere. Since this is fiction, they'll probably choose to persevere. Then we hit the climax, which
is where after an enormous amount of struggle, and probably a near fail, the protagonist will either
achieve their goal or solve their problem. More or less depending on if there's gonna be a sequel.
And then you conclude the story, and tie up any lingering subplots. That is the very basic formula
for most pieces of fiction. You might be thinking, finally a formula, this will make everything
easy. Trust me, it won't. Just because you know the general storytelling formula doesn't mean
you're destined for success. There are plenty of stories out there that follow this formula to a T,
and still suck major balls. There may be a formula for telling a story, but there is no formula for
making a story awesome. But there are things you can do to help stack the odds in your favor. So
I'm going to tell you ten tips for writing great fiction, in my humble opinion. Following these
tips will not guarantee success. But I personally believe that these tips are key in turning a basic
manuscript into something really memorable. Number One (1): Know how your story ends before you begin
writing it. The whole point of a plot is to get your characters from point A to point B,
and if you don't know where point B is, how the hell are you gonna get them there? You know, when
you're reading a book or watching a movie, and the characters finally solved their big problem,
and it's something they could have done at the very beginning. That's what happens when
you don't plan your ending ahead of time. The climax ends up being totally underwhelming.
Even if the characters don't know how they're going to solve the problem, you should know.
You're the omnipotent narrator, you should know everything. Knowing the ending from the
very beginning will help you make calculated decisions in your writing to help move the
plot along. Number Two (2): Never write a perfect character. It reads as artificial and amateurish,
because people aren't perfect in real life. And if you're trying to make a character likable,
perfection is pretty much the worst way to do it. No one likes perfect people, because no one
can relate to them. Oh, look at that girl with her perfect boobs, and her perfect job, in a perfect
life. Fuck her! Characters are likable because they're relatable. So stop trying to make them
your definition of perfect, and instead focus on making them real. Number Three (3): People like
underdogs. The character doesn't have to be the most pathetic weakling in the history of failures
or whatever, but they should struggle. People admire a character more for working their ass off,
than for their successes. So your character needs to try really, really hard to solve their problem,
or achieve their goal. And when you think they've struggled enough, have them struggle a little bit
more. Number Four (4): Write what you find interesting, not what you enjoy writing. No
one cares if your book was fun to write. No one cares about you, period. Sorry. They just care
if your book was fun to read. So write the stories you wanna read, not the stories you wanna write.
Number Five (5) Find your protagonist's comfort zone, and then force them out of it. If your
protagonist is rich, bankrupt them. If they're strong, break their legs. That sounded creepy.
Take your protagonist's weakness, and rub their nose in it. Force them to address their faults
and grow as a person. This will provide plenty of struggle for your character and also help
them with their inevitable evolution. Because the person your protagonist was at the beginning
of the book, should not be the same as the person they are at the end. Number Six (6): There should
be no happy accidents. Never use coincidence or serendipity to get your character out of a tough
situation. “Oh no, I'm trapped in a dungeon. Good thing I have the skeleton key handy.” You
can however use coincidences to make life harder for your character. “Crap. I'm stranded on the
side of the road, and how convenient that the only house for miles is haunted!” When all else fails,
shit on your protagonist. It makes for a good read. Number Seven (7): Simplify. The moment
you're about to implement a new character or location, ask yourself: can I use any
of my existing characters in the scene? Is there a place they've already been that I can recycle? The
simpler you make things, the easier it'll be for your reader to follow the story. If you have two
characters who are coming across really similarly, combine them. And if a character is just appearing
in a scene to answer a question, or provide a quick plot point, you might as well use someone
you already introduced. That way you can avoid creating a character just for them to never be
seen again. Number Eight (8): Disguise cliches as non cliches. People will tell you to avoid cliches
because they're cliche. Obviously. However, if you take a look at a lot of popular novels and movies,
I'm sure you'll find several trite elements in the mix. Cliches are overused for a reason, they
sell. But the fact is they're still over done, which means you're gonna have to wrap them up in
a brand new package. If you've got an overused theme in your novel, find a way to present it
in a fresh new manner. Take something that's been done before, and then make it your own.
Number Nine (9): Ask yourself what you would do in your character’s situation. Write what you know.
It's easy for one, and it comes across way more convincing to the reader. If your protagonist is
facing an obstacle, think about what you would say or do in this situation. This will make your work
feel honest, because it is honest. And honesty is important, especially when you're putting
your characters in crazy unbelievable situations. A sincere reaction to some fantastical shenanigans
will make the situation feel real. Say your characters coming face to face with a murderous
alien. It may feel cooler to write in some badass catchphrase: you're messing with the wrong lady
alien, what! But the fact is, if it were me, and I was staring down an alien, I probably just cuss
really loudly. (Bleeped out swearing) Finally, Number Ten (10 ): Know why your story is important
to you. Why must you tell the story? It doesn't have to be spelled out on every page, or any page,
but knowing the meaning behind your story and the value it holds will benefit you in many ways. One,
it'll help you figure out the plot, duh. Two, you'll have a greater motivation to finish it,
to get it published, to market it. Because you believe in whatever message you're trying to
convey. And if your story literally has no point, then I don't know what to tell you. I mean even
Harry Potter, a book about child wizards, dealt with themes like discrimination, abuse,
friendships. So figure out what it is you wanna say. Now when you take a look at these ten tips,
most of them boil down to one bottom line. You gotta make the reader care. They need
to care about the plot, they need to care about the struggle, but most importantly they need to
care about the characters. If they don't care about the characters, then none of it matters.
Your protagonist could die and…whatever. No one remembers a story they don't care about. So
develop your characters, make them relatable, make them vulnerable, make them struggle. And you'll be
that much closer to creating a memorable story. So that's it for today. Subscribe to my channel.
I post new videos on Wednesdays. And if you have any questions or if there’s something you'd like
me to talk about in my next video, you can leave me a comment or tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye!