by Heather Hein —
Oh, my little votarists, how I’ve missed you! It’s me again, your favorite word witch, with a bonus blog. In my previous installment, I left you with a little “lump of potential” steaming away in your hands. Now it’s time to throw it in the cauldron and see what cooks up!
I know some of you out there call yourselves “pantsers,” meaning you write by the seat of your pants, throwing the recipe book into the prevailing winds with a cackle of abandon. I, however, don’t trust myself not to make a mess of things, so I rely on a guide. A recipe, a spell book, direction of some kind. (At least, to start with.) Otherwise, I’m liable to warp my original ideas into a warty toad instead of the handsome prince I had hoped for.
Here’s where story structure comes into play! Dozens of word wizards have magic spells and incantations you can use to perfect your brew, but I believe there’s no one way to plan your next potion. I consider myself a “buffet-ist”—I take what I like and leave the rest. I have certain preferred flavors and ingredients, and I like to put together my own concoction, but I still need an outline. Admittedly, my trial-and-error methods have resulted in an occasional bitter brew.
What’s a sorceress to do? Read and compare! Modify your recipe using experience and learn from your less savory attempts. Stand on the shoulders of famous wordcasters who’ve proven to have mastered the craft. Just be sure to throw in your own eye-of-newt, wing-of-lacewing-fly. You’re not baking Aunt June’s banana bread here! Your readers want variety, and they want to hear your original voice.
Life is full of flavor, but you’ve got to use your skills and imagination to set yourself apart. Just like Harry crushing the Sopophorous Bean instead of cutting it as directed, your brew will be unique to you! If something leaves a bad aftertaste, toss it out and try again. Use what works best.
Aristotle was the first great philosopher of story writing. He hypothesized the most basic potion of all: beginning, middle, and end. If that sounds too simple, you’d be surprised at how many stories flop because they ignored Aristotle’s original three-act concept of story beats. All other structure ideas grew from there.
As for myself, I rely heavily on a detailed outline for novel writing, which I mashed together after sampling all kinds of spells. Each sorcerer has their own skillset, developed over time with patience, practice, and (probably, if you’re like me) a lot of errors.
So, why not try using story structure to plan out your next great work? It’s far less likely to blow up in your face. Check out some of the master spellcasters below and see what you like best. And never let someone tell you there’s only one way. Remember, you’re the writer and can always toss them in for a little added zing.
Have a favorite? Let us know!
- Save the Cat Writes a Novel—Jessica Brody
- The Story Grid—Sean Coyne
- Anatomy of a Story—John Truby
- The Writer’s Compass—Mary Ellen Dodd
- The Writer’s Journey—Christopher Vogler
- The Plot Whisperer—Martha Alderson
HWA Colorado 