How to Develop a Good Story 01

CHARACTER NAMING

Take care in naming your characters; often a unique name helps a reader to remember the character. Try not to tag them: Rachel and Raquel, or James and Jimmy; such similar names can make it difficult for readers to mentally differentiate them when the two characters interact; even if you have well defined them. Get to know them -- intimately as though they are at least your well-known cousins if not closer! Stew over them a bit -- memorize their warts, their petulant or optimistic moods, their idiosyncrasies, and then tackle the next writing element -- the plot.

K.M. Weiland, a published writer, offers her free 40 pages plus, eBook on developing characters. It's called 'crafting unforgettable characters.' It is what I have come to call a 'golden nugget' of useful information; something to store away and make use of in future writings. You can Google her name and find the eBook or check at the end of this missive for her website. It is a real treasure trove of information containing character development worksheets she generously created and allows you to download. It would help new writers, and experienced ones as well, to make their characters believable -- down to what they were thinking as they stepped in front of a bus! [That bus thing is not actually in her eBook; I just added it here to entertain you for a moment!]

SETTING DEVELOPMENT

As to the setting, for example, if you are writing a story set in Atlanta and have not been there; just Google it -- find some noteworthy streets, or a few famous places, notable buildings, or restaurants, and slip them into your story as the characters met there; or drive by them on the way to a major event in the story. I slipped in a famous hotel and a best restaurant that was dimly lit, had a dress code, and didn't allow cowboy hats. I read that in a review of the restaurant. [I Googled famous Atlanta hotels and best restaurants in Atlanta; looked on a map to see if they were near each other; before I put them into the storyline] I wrote those names and descriptions into my storyline. The places appear within my characters' dialog lines!

The dim lighting information caused my scene to change from its original form and worked to better the story.

Nearby seated guests couldn't readily describe the gunshots scene; too dark, they told the police detectives, to see how it happened. It added realism for the readers on how the scene played out for the diners that evening.

That's permitted in story writing by the way, to mention the landmarks' names or that characters meet at those locations -- just don't claim it is a run-down seedy joint and disparage the place if it's not that way -- just do that to your characters, if they deserve such treatment!

This is a partial excerpt of that golden nugget of intel gathering via google in my Noir styled story, 'Life is Marked In Milestones.' The storyline picks up with Rachel's conversation, told with that noir sparse nature of writing and speaking:

"You are coming, right?"

"Yes, I promised, remember. I always keep my promises."

I thought about Daddy's answer. It was true -- always. That was one thing he was good at. Well two things -- he could fuck really well also.

"Okay, when?"

"Noon, Saturday. I'll see you about 1:00 by the time I get out of the airport. What would David like to do?"

"He wants to go riding. He's never been on a horse. I booked some time for us at a riding stable. Dinner afterward at The Capital Grille. It's off of ..."

"I know the place, ..." He cut in, seeming to be in a hurry.

'Of course, you would know the place. You know all the good places!' I thought.

"... dark lighting, but great food. Be sure to bring a change of clothes for you and David. It has a dress code. No cowboy hats allowed."

See what research gets you? Hard to imagine I could have made up the dress code and cowboy hats or even have thought to include that tidbit to create a touch of realism in the story line. Was it déjà vu that David's mother booked a horse riding experience and I found the restaurant had a dress code and no cowboy hats allowed? [Guess, you might be thinking that David would be wearing a cowboy hat, right? Of course, he would, after I did the research!]

Electricblue66, another Literotica Guru speaking about settings on the forum, offers another golden nugget, "I've always been of the view that if you anchor a story with a grain of truth, however small, readers will spot it (consciously or subconsciously) and suspend a thousand yards of disbelief. The corollary is also true."

My interpretation of his remark is, that adding a landmark to your story -- doesn't mean all of what you speak about it must be 100% accurate. Just enough to evoke a belief in the reader that it's a real element that adds plausibility to your storyline.

M.K. Weiland says, "Beginnings are all about character. If the reader doesn't find your character interesting, why should he stick around to follow this same boring character through the next 300 pages, no matter how brilliant your final plot twist may be? Readers aren't going to waste their time on characters that aren't brimming with life--and neither should we as writers."

Ms. Weiland does address setting the hook as well in a storyline as she writes, "It's no wonder, of course, that beginnings are difficult when you consider their weight in the overall story. Beginnings must accomplish all the following:

• Give the readers a reason to care about what happens to the characters.

• Plant an irresistible hook.

• Introduce overall tone (satiric, dramatic, etc.).

• Introduce setting (time and place), conflict, and possibly theme."

"In short, the beginning of every story is rather like a résumé. You flaunt your talents and hope the reader finds what he's looking for. Otherwise, you're never going to make it off the bookstore shelf."

Or as I noted earlier, your potential reader may scan a couple of paragraphs looking for something interesting to catch her/his eye. And if, as a writer, you do not provide some interesting eye candy, he or she will scroll through thousands of other Literotica stories looking for an appetizing hook to while away the hours. Leaving your story sitting on the Literotica's alphabetical list instead of in the vaulted red HOT category, or even better in the most read category; or even better still, in the Editor's pick category!

THE MIDDLE -- ALSO KNOWN AS THE PLOT

Where the Characters and Storyline Unfolds

Here, your outline contains notes of the character engagements with one another and the reasons they are involved with one another. It answers the traditional newspaper interrogatives: Who, When, Where, What, How, and the all-important Why - did this happen!

This section is where your credibility and believability as a writer shine. At this point, your life, as a writer is at stake -- [sorry a bit overly dramatic maybe -- but it is important!]

Readers are expecting your story to be at least in the realm of plausibility (except for sci/fi). They expect it to unfold with some sense of consistency, progression, or have clearly structured flashback or flash forward scenes that are readily apparent. You are building your characters, taking your readers down your guided tour of what happens to them. Explaining why it happens; and the consequences of their actions or lack of actions. You are invoking the reader's emotional concern for those individuals and their situations. You want them to be so real and vivid that readers are identifying with them. 'Rooting for the good -- hissing for the not so good' if that's applicable to the storyline.

K.M. Weiland adds in her article 'crafting unforgettable characters,' "From the very first page, we have to give the readers a character they can't get out of their heads ... [and] is giving the reader a reason to care about the characters."

This is the story writing area where readers soak up the individualities, their temperaments, and frailties. It engages your characters with one another as your plot unfolds. Readers are drawn to those emotional moments where decisions must be made and the consequences drive the thoughts, as well as the next course of actions that carry the theme toward resolution.

To get to that level you must have done your due diligence in creating your characters' personalities, attributes, attitudes, and make them truly believable. That is a paramount cornerstone to nail down in your storyline.

[Not, hopefully, in one paragraph where, I have noted in some Literotica stories, they are introduced as, 'My cousin John, is a 7' tall linebacker, 292 lbs., size 56 jacket and narrow at the hips with a 12" deep purple headed, throbbing wang ... that I fell in love with.']

This is where John's character must be built up a brush stroke at a time as he interacts with others. For instance, mentioning hair color as the character exits a door into the sunlight. Or describing a lady's delicate fingers meticulously done with frost tipped fingernails as she picks up a glass of wine; that sort of buildup. Even a posterior description or clothing visual presentation as someone turns and walks away, creates a wonderful observation point to script that alluring scene. Just -- don't lump all the physical attributes in a compressed crackerjack box and let that be the only time and place you engage your readers with your character's description.

For example, this extract from a scene comes when the garage lights are powered on after a monstrous rainstorm downed the electrical power ... just after Danny rescues a lone bike rider. He thought she might be a young girl. Until, finally they see each other in brightly lit circumstances. From this scene we get to know a bit more about Jackie Wilson and her physical features and nationality and learn of Danny's instant attraction.

I could tell by her attitude she knew I was mesmerized by the sight of her. How could a man not be smitten by her beauty? Her tee-shirt was plastered to her skin and her nipples clearly showed. No damn bra hiding those perky pears! Her cutoff shorts did a good job of carving a deep V-shape right at her camel-toe. Damn! She looked just like an Asian American version of Daisy Duke -- just more Asian, you know? She wasn't a bit bashful and smiled again.

It was a damn bright one that said,'I get that look a lot, Danny boy.'

"Twenty-four." She said out of nowhere. I swear she was a damn mind reader! I was thinking it but wasn't going to ask her age.

"Jackie, you look like a drowned rat!"

I chuckled observing the water dripping down those soft Asian American features. As I spoke, she turned reaching into the truck and switched the engine off then killed the headlights. She had the longest straight black hair I'd ever seen. It streamed down over her shoulders to her lower back. It must be holding a gallon of water at this point as it is plastered to her thin tee shirt. Jackie is that wonderful blend of Asian and American features with a perpetual suntanned skin color and dark coco eyes. I felt a smile cross my face. The first I'd had in a very long time. My eyes stayed glued to her ass, until she turned back around.

The character development and physical attributes can easily spread over several scenes. The first story I mentioned, for example, has these attributes for Mr. Wilson and a mystery woman that Danny describes in a light brush stroke of information. His internal dialog also adds to Danny's character development:

I watched that great big oak tree rise off that stool -- caught a glimpse of a badge pinned to his belt just under his leather jacket. Snickered to myself -- hell, I just told my story to Marshall Wyatt Earp! He strolled over to a table where a petite woman with really long, long hair just sat down with her back to me and facing the doorway. She was doing one of those 'read the room moves' with her head. I thought, 'Lucky bastard, you got someone to hug tonight.'

Rachel Kramer Bussel, as a reader, speaks to this character development rather masterfully, saying "I want to get inside the characters head in a memorable way and be swept away by all the physical sensations and emotional reactions they're having in that moment."

As an editor, she wants to know the characters intimately, "But without giving a stale monologue or tedious backstory, I want to know, through their words and actions and thoughts, what's going on for them, especially during erotic scenes."

Adding, as a frequent editorial comment she makes on sexual scenes: "How did it feel?"

There are several sex scenes in my story that might illustrate this question. I believe this one fits Rachel Kramer Bussel's answer as it is from Jackie's inner voice after Danny rescues her. This sex scene follows Jackie's initial need to dominate and ride Danny to overcome the effect of an earlier life-threatening event. The second sex session is mild, sensual, and expressive of what both needed at this point in the story. Listen to her voice telling us about that second session via internal dialog -- not back and forth dialog with Danny.

The second, comforting ride belonged to Danny. I almost turned to jello at that point. He rolled me over onto my back. My breathing was still just under a marathon runner's gasp for air. He wasn't in a hurry. His gentle hands slid beneath my shoulder blades and his fingertips curled up over my clavicles; gripping me. I felt his breath over my eyelids in the darkness -- then he kissed each one lightly. Those lips turned hungry when they found mine and our tongues entwined for a few moments before I surrendered and let him suck my tongue into his mouth. I felt my body melting beneath him. All 103 pounds pressed into the mattress until he lifted himself up onto his elbows.

Thousands of years of instinct flowed through my body. My legs drew upward taking on the butterfly pose. Opening them like welcoming wings. I welcomed his penetration. I know he felt the tension drain. That's when he moved, tenderly, slowly as the rains outside poured down against the windows. He built the lust back up into a flame again; until my hips matched him thrust for thrust. Finally, I heard his groans as he spued forth his own version of rain into me, as sweat dripped from our bodies. We came in subdued silence. Just the huffs of our breathing sounded along with the rampaging storm outside.

We had perfected the ancient euphemism 'Clouds and Rain'- the blending of male and female, sky, and earth, and created rain -- the product of a climax between a couple engaged in sensual intercourse.

Do you believe you could tell how Jackie Wilson felt from her climatic scene at this point in the storyline? Did you note the Asian ethnic link to the euphemism? Did you miss all the 'inserted tab A into tab B' banal sex references you read in Literotica? I hope not! Was this scene captivating?

I think it met Ms. Bussel's test of how the character felt in the moment.

Scribendi's blog article also addresses character development in this manner, "What's going on inside his head? Does he have an inner life? You, as the author, need to express his thoughts, his way of looking at things, his inner conflicts. You can do this through dialogue with another character, or you can simply show the character's thoughts to the reader through his own inner dialogue. When you go into a character's thoughts, you deepen him, and he becomes more real."

The paragraph below is indicative of that inner thought dialogue scenario. Danny is seeping with emotional turmoil -- the kind that builds empathy with readers.

The second day, after Momma was off to see her sister, I was alone in a quiet, empty house. The quietness of it all began to seep into soul. I left the television off. The silence felt so damn good. I needed that feeling it gave me. A feeling of relief seemed to flow through my bones. It felt really good to be alone - even if was only going to be for two weeks. Maybe this blessing would give me some self-analysis time. The library books I'd taken out to read about divorce trauma sat on the bedside table. My eyes started to water as I read. I could see myself on most of the pages. They got wet as I slowly turned and read about myself on each one; roof leak I guess; how else would the moisture get there? Funny, I didn't remember it raining outside.

Readers Want to Identify with Your Characters

Readers identify with characters that come to life. Characters that have emotions, conflict, or flaws the reader can identify with -- not so much if they appear in a storyline as two-dimensional wallpaper stickies. Those types of characters are the ones your readers will have problems keeping track of as they digest the actions. A reader cannot readily associate the names of emotionally detached characters in compressed action scenes and keep them straight in their minds as they engage in the reading process. Particularly when those two-dimensionals having throbbing body parts [Tab A] going in someone else's parts [Tab B]. And the reader finds herself or himself stopped in the middle of an intense sexual session trying to figure out who they are -- and why they are doing that to each other! If a reader, or a writer in review of the plot, must stop to figure that out then -- that's bad writing you just waded through!

CHARACTER AND PLOT DEVELOPMENT COMPLETED

You are Two-thirds of the Way Home!

When you master the creation of character development and have an interesting or unique plot to support them you are two-thirds of the way to a successful storyline development!

Congratulations!

TAKE A BREAK! You deserve it!

This is an important note about making time to take a break. Relax a bit. Step away from your favorite writing tool. By now, writing fatigue has set in and your eyes are blurry from staring at the dark screen feature of your computer screen.

Take a pointer from Emily Wilson, "... consider giving the Pomodoro Technique a try. This popular technique involves focusing for a 25-minute chunk of time before giving yourself a five-minute refresher break. It can be very effective if you have many distractions in your workspace, such as kids, that require frequent attention."

Emily's advice is still good even if you have no distractions. The mind and your eyes need that time away from a health and mental perspective as well. [Please, no children reading over your shoulders - asking, 'Hey, isn't that a bad word?' while you are writing that Literotica masterpiece!]

THE CONCLUSION

Rounding up all the characters and seeing daylight at the end of the tunnel.

This is where many writers have reached the end of the road. Both literally and figuratively. They have run out of thoughts or desire and just put a period at the end of that last word -- calling it finished. It's the point where they can see the daylight at the end of the tunnel and are in a rush to finish. Perhaps going at it for five hours straight and are just anxiously waiting to run that final spell check, that grammar thing again, and log into Literotica to post the masterpiece.

Wait!

Please, Literotica writing aficionado, hold off a moment -- there is more to go!

'You can't beat a dead horse and make it go!' My great-grandpa used to says at the end of long day of plowing.

Just as you are not going to be able to pound out a well-crafted story if you are not at your best or have just chunked together a 10,000-word storyline and said a writer's prayer that it is, hopefully, done.

Besides, your anxious fingers aren't ready, just yet, to hit submit. Remember, I said that before! There are a few things yet to come -- editing for example. But first let's get the Conclusion stage on paper or computer screen.