Don ’ t force a story ; let it happen . This may be the biggest thing I learned after completing The Bell Trilogy . Some recommend writers develop a detailed outline of their novel first . On the opposite end of the spectrum , others advise against detailed outlines and character profiles before writing a novel . I have found I am somewhere in the middle of the extremes . We are each different . We each must find our comfort zone — by definition , what best helps us create our masterpiece .
Before I write a novel I have a skeleton of a concept . I know beginning , middle , and end . I have found it most helpful to write a ten-page synopsis before I start the book . For me , writing this synopsis fast allows my thoughts to flow best . It taps into subliminal areas where I believe my best creative processes reside . Once I have my rapid synopsis completed , I set up a chapter grid on EXCEL with seven columns : chapter number , word count , location of event , timing of event , summary of event , cliffhanger or resolution , and comments . On another EXCEL grid I capture my characters with three columns : name , age , and role . I do not need more because I know my characters . They are compilations of people in and around my life . For me , character profiles can be extremely complex and time consuming to create . If your characters are people you know ( friends , families , enemies , actors , etc ,.) you can manage the plethora of details in your head as opposed to a complex computer file you must update and reference . For me , such a process would take away from my focus on the story and purpose of the writing .
Let your novel define everything . I have discovered learning and writing tools are important , but they should not run your life . Once I start writing the novel is king . Everything else can change — the rules , the outlines , the synopsis , and the characters . My objective is to tell a story people want to read . When they close the book , I want them to have a benefit . I want them to walk away knowing something they did not know . I want them to think about something they may not have thought about before . I want them to feel the time they invested in my novel was entertaining , meaningful , and worthwhile . My goal as a writer is not to duplicate other authors . My goal is to be me . Rules matter , but they do not define the trailblazers or originals .
Let your characters take over as soon as possible . The reason my novels can redefine every rule and writing tool is because my characters take over and write a better book than I can . I am still trying to understand how it happens . I reach a certain point in a story when I seem to move from creation to holding on . It is the pivotal point when I discover my characters are moving the story forward in ways I had not considered . It is a point when my characters solve problems on their own . They decide who lives and dies . In The Bell Trilogy , the antagonist in book one becomes
the protagonist in book three for logical reasons I did not grasp until book two . When my writing is taken-over by my characters , the story comes alive . For me , this is the most significant discovery I have made as a writer with six published novels .
How do you measure success as a writer ? Does the number of books you have published define success ? Is it the number of books sold ? Is it defined by your book reviews , awards , endorsements , and ranking on Amazon ? Or is it your readers who tell you they could not put your book down and told a friend ? For me , it is clear there is no right or wrong way to measure writing success . Clearly if writing is your only source of income , the volume of sales is a key measure of success . For writers not dependent on the book sales income , the reader experience may be their key measure . Granted we all want our novels read by a growing audience . However , to set that as your only measure of success in a world with a million new titles released each year could set you up for failure as a new writer . We must give the world time to find us . We must market our books on social media and our website . In addition , we must strive to build a mailing list of readers . Regardless of your measure of success , I recommend you use paid advertising into your target markets . All of us want to be read .
So you think you can write ? These six words have followed me from day one . They move like a cluster of ghosts through my head each time I come upon another literary challenge . Because I do not sell as many books as Stephen King or John Grisham , and because there are a million new titles flooding the market each year , I sometimes find myself in the doldrums wondering why I am investing so much time in writing anything . Each novel is so important to me , but each has been seen by only a sliver of the world . For me , writing novels caps a long , successful career . I am able to draw upon my experiences as a forensic investigator and biotechnology entrepreneur . I am able to draw upon a life experience that has taken me around the world and exposed me to enough tantalizing characters to write a hundred novels . As I look forward to my sixth novel release this summer — an international forensic thriller , TERMINAL BREACH — there is one thing I know . I can write . If you read this article , you can too . n
Steve Bradshaw is a forensic investigator , biomedical founder-president / CEO , entrepreneur , radio talk show host , and was the youngest field agent for the Medical Examiner ’ s Office in Texas history investigating 3,000 unexplained deaths and 300 homicides . www . stevebradshawauthor . com
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08-09 _ Steve Bradshaw _ So You Think You Can Write . indd 9 17 / 08 / 18 2:21 PM