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Birdie

The Creative Habit of Writing Fiction

Common advice woven throughout how-to literature on writing encourages writers to write what they know. When writing fiction, how does this apply? How can writers "know" lands and characters that exist only in the imagination?

Who we are and what we know reflects in what we write. Our background leaves behind a creative fingerprint in style and voice that mirrors fragments of what we know from life's experience. For example, Teel James Glenn, author of Tales of a Warrior Priest (a fantasy novel) and Knight Errant (mystery novel) portrays interesting, unique characters in both genres. A common element in both story lines: well-written fight scenes. His characters, although set in different genres, move with fluidity and clarity making the scenes real and easy to follow.

When asked about how writing what you know applies to writing fiction, Glenn said, "It is the reason I wrote the Knight Errant mystery novel. I know horses, Ren Faires, film-making, performing, fighting in various forms, and so those elements find their way into my work frequently. In fact, most of what I write, I do because the subject is ever-present in my life. I have zero problem imagining a circumstance because in some way I have lived it."

Glenn's experience teaching martial arts, bodyguard technique and stage combat (European and Japanese) for twenty-five years skims the surface of knowledge on this topic. This one area of interest branches out to touch others. He studied with Errol Flynn's last stunt double as well as the head of the Seoul Military Academy among other great gentlemen. He's been a bouncer, bodyguard and stuntman, went to college as a book illustrator and worked as an actor the whole time. He's been in real knife fights, had people attempt to pull guns on him, jousted at a couple of Ren Faires and been set on fire for a number of films. Learning these facts about the author, it's easy to see why well-written fights scenes find their way into his books. He's writing what he knows.

Write – Make it a Habit
What's the difference between people who want to write fiction and those who do? The first step—you guessed it—write! Develop the habit of writing. It's a creative endeavor, and not something one necessarily feels like doing every day. When your day job zaps your energy level and household chores clamor for attention, somewhere in the minutes that remain, writers squeeze creative time into their schedule.

Some days five written pages might only produce one paragraph worth keeping. Other days, all five pages send the muse skyrocketing to writing heaven when they perch upon the creative edge located in the productive zone. Words, images and concepts flood the creative process. If only doors could be locked and time frozen just long enough to write, and write....

Has a great idea for a book rollicked through your mind for months or even years? Don't let it go to waste. Make a plan. Set a realistic goal to write every week. Writing three or four days each week lays a foundation to form the habit. Once this habit is established, it grows to consume more time. Remember to be flexible. If you strictly expect to write a certain amount of words, during the same amount of time each day, discouragement will set in when expectations cannot be met.

Voice and Style
Voice and style come from within. It's part of what you know, experience and enjoy. Don't try to copy favorite authors in style and voice, but learn from them. Ask yourself why you take pleasure in reading their work. If you've fallen in love with their characters, even the villainous character readers love to hate, work to develop interesting characters of your own. The mistake many writers make is to jump on to the proverbial band wagon while a theme or genre is hot and write stories very similar.

Writing a novel takes months or longer. The submission process takes more time. Putting together a book proposal and effective cover or query letter sometimes takes as much work as writing the manuscript. By the time an editor or publisher holds your manuscript in their hands will the market be flooded with similar story lines based on a current hot trend? Will your characters stand out or blend into the sea of other hopefuls with nothing to distinguish them or make a memory? What makes your idea different?

Reading is an important aspect of writing. Reading fiction feeds the imagination. It can work as a springboard to propel new creative ideas into the arena of possibilities. Allow your unique voice and style to penetrate the barrier of what has been to move on to something new.

Where to Start
Write. Get your ideas from your mind to the computer or notebook. Don't worry about fixing things as you write. Head toward the conclusion. Add elements of conflict and tension. Worry about fine tuning later. Changing or defining a character's appearance can be dealt with once the story is to the point that it makes a difference.

Set aside time to write. Develop a habit. Keeping a journal is one way to help establish a pattern of writing. Write what you know and realize the freedom to create in your own voice and style.


About the Author
Author and freelance writer, Donna Sundblad, resides in Georgia with her husband, Rick. Together, they are working on a budgeting book that will be out in electronic format by early 2007. Donna serves as the Fantasy Topic Editor at Inspired Author, and her books, Pumping Your Muse and Windwalker are available in paper or ebook formats at epress-online.com. Check her website for more information at www.theinkslinger.net.