Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules by Steven James

Author:Steven James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2014-05-08T04:00:00+00:00

KEEP UP YOUR END OF THE DEAL

Think of your story as a contract with your readers, an agreement that you’re going to entertain them, surprise them, satisfy them, and not waste their time.

During the first part of your story, you’ll show them the threads that will make up the narrative, and then you’ll draw them taut and tie them off at the end.

The more promises you break, the less readers will trust you. And often, when readers put a book down before reaching the end, that’s exactly why—they’ve stopped trusting that the author is going to fulfill the promises he’s made.

So how do you fail to fulfill this contract? How do you break promises to your readers?

Indicate (by the context, description, or number of words) that something will be important, and then fail to make it significant.

Develop conflict, and then don’t resolve it in a satisfactory way.

Have your characters act in unbelievable ways.

Build up a character toward an internal transformation (putty person), and end without letting him have one (staying a pebble person instead).

Resolve too much tension too early.

Introduce a character, make readers care about her, and then drop her from the story.

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