The Art of Writing Fiction - An Endless journey

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“Actions speak louder than words.”

is the saying generally used to convey that people notice the impact of actions promptly when compared to the words.

But in a world of writing, especially fiction without graphics usage, you have only words to work with.

As many established authors say,

“Show, don't tell.”

Again you have only words to work with. Then how can you craft a beautiful rhythm of romance or a breathtaking edge-of-the-seat thriller with only words, you may ask?

Again, the answer is, yes, you have guessed it correctly, the words. But these are not just plain words, these are the gateways you provide to the readers to experience the world: the way you see, the way you feel, and the way you truly, enjoy being in.

A form of art that is in usage for centuries has made us laugh and cry, thrilled and anxious. How is it possible for just words to create a large scale impact on the reader?

The answer doesn't lie in the words themselves. It lies in the spirit you weaved around them.

For the words to fully encapsulate the spirit, there is no rule as such to use a complicated metamorphic language; a simple language would suffice.

Now you may wonder what is this spirit I am talking about? It's your passion and determination to tell a story that you love to read before anyone else.

Yes. Always write a story for yourself first. It's because if you can't make yourself read it, then no one else would.

Start writing. Finish as much as you can. Now read your manuscript not as a critic but as a book lover. Indulge in it. Revel in the flow of your story. Feel love, show hatred towards your characters. Now introspect yourself. Fix the story if you don't feel right about some things. At the end of the day, it should be you who appreciate your work and adapt changes if needed.

Now, are you feeling good about your story? If yes, then be ready to take the role of the critic. Now be as critical as possible. Detach from the fact that it's your story. Think of it as someone else's work. Is it easy to read? What part you feel is difficult to understand? Fix the problems accordingly.

These are the two tips I followed for myself. If the first makes you attached and helps to improve the story, the second allows you to fix the problems it may have grammatically or logically.

This doesn't guarantee you a finished product. But it's a start nevertheless. Repeat those until you are satisfied with your work. As said earlier, it is your story, a brainchild of your passion.

The writing in itself is a destination to reach out. Publishing or self-publishing is another stop in your journey to set foot on. Let's cover that too in the future!

Before you go, to start/restart your journey, do give my released novella a try. The preview is attached below. Let's reach as many destinations as possible.

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First Published in TheAssortedHyderabadi