Help for Beginners

All writers were once beginners.

The biggest problem beginners have is trying to reinvent the wheel. Most writing problems have been solved by techniques developed by professional writers over the centuries. When you're starting out, take advantage of what others have learned.

The second biggest problem is resistance to the techniques. I hear beginners say, "But I want to have three protagonists." Or "My story really gets going on page 30." Or "I just let the stuff flow."

Pianists, painters, ballet dancers, all other artists spend years practicing their craft, but some people think they can write fiction because they have been writing other stuff since they were kids. Wrong. Fiction is a complex art, the craft of which is never fully learned in a lifetime. I worked for 36 years with writers who had publishing contracts and deadlines. My objective is to provide you with practical advice and shortcuts, and get you published.

Use a single protagonist, male or female.

Your protagonist (hero or heroine) must want something, want it badly, and want it now.

The obstacle to getting what the protagonist wants should be a person (one is better than several).

The obstacles presented by the antagonist (villain) should get worse or bigger as the novel progresses.

The suspense of your story needs to start in the first three pages, preferably on page one.

These aren't formulas. They constitute the condensed experience of hundreds of writers ranging from those writing category books for the masses to the best classics that survive through generations.

Start your work with characterization, not plot. The plotniks who sprinkle their plots with characters produce hackwork.

More Tips for Beginners

Can you start with a theme? Yes, if you figure out what kind of character, in his or her actions, would be involved in a story with your theme. Starting with a character is easier.

Make your leading character more interesting than most of the people you know in life. Give your character an important and urgent objective. Then thwart him or her.

You can have an award-winning editor, writer, and teacher at your side as you write, teaching you all the craft you need to know. WritePro is now being used by over 100,000 writers successfully. Why not you, too?