Apprentice yourself to your favourite author
In the old days, apprentice painters used to copy the Old Masters' painting style. These apprentices were in their master's studio to study the way he painted. As writers, we can learn a lot from doing the literary equivalent. Apprentice yourself to your favourite author for a while and study how he/she constructs their masterpieces. Pick the story or the novel apart.
What kind of title does your master use? Short and snappy? Long and involved? Truly unique? If you're self-publishing, look at the cover design and blurb for the story. Is there a particular style of illustration that 'brands' the story? How about the blurb? Does it hook the reader in and leave them on a cliffhanger, or asking a question the reader wants answered?
How did the story open? With a fast-paced action scene, or some slower scene-setting? Where was the main character's problem or challenge introduced? On the first page, or later in the text?
Why do you like your master's main character? What makes them sympathetic, or empathetic? What names do they have? Whose viewpoints does your master tell the story through? Past or present tense? Is the tone intimate, formal, jokey, serious? What's the basic plot?
How much setting is there? Is it described in great deal, or just sketched in? How much dialogue does your master use? Does he/she create characters with quirky voices/dialects? How are you hooked into the story emotionally?
Does the ending satisfy you, and why? How does your master resolve your main character's problem or challenge? And are all the loose ends tied up satisfactorily?
There's a lot we can learn from study of our particular masters. So next time you've finished reading one of their stories go back and pick it apart. Study it. Learn from the masters.
What kind of title does your master use? Short and snappy? Long and involved? Truly unique? If you're self-publishing, look at the cover design and blurb for the story. Is there a particular style of illustration that 'brands' the story? How about the blurb? Does it hook the reader in and leave them on a cliffhanger, or asking a question the reader wants answered?
How did the story open? With a fast-paced action scene, or some slower scene-setting? Where was the main character's problem or challenge introduced? On the first page, or later in the text?
Why do you like your master's main character? What makes them sympathetic, or empathetic? What names do they have? Whose viewpoints does your master tell the story through? Past or present tense? Is the tone intimate, formal, jokey, serious? What's the basic plot?
How much setting is there? Is it described in great deal, or just sketched in? How much dialogue does your master use? Does he/she create characters with quirky voices/dialects? How are you hooked into the story emotionally?
Does the ending satisfy you, and why? How does your master resolve your main character's problem or challenge? And are all the loose ends tied up satisfactorily?
There's a lot we can learn from study of our particular masters. So next time you've finished reading one of their stories go back and pick it apart. Study it. Learn from the masters.
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