Basic rules for writing a novel: 1
April 11th 2010 00:36
Anyone can write a novel, and many dream of doing so for reasons other than profit and critical acclaim. For many it is like running a marathon — something to be done for the satisfaction; because it is there.
To write a great novel takes a synthesis of genes and neurones probably determined by distant forebears. It helps if you are a direct descendent of Scheherazade.
A competent novel, however, can be written with no more than a knowledge of grammar and an understanding of some basic rules of writing. This is the first of a series of posts looking at those basic writing rules.
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There are two rules of novel writing which are apparently contradictory. The first, which we shall discuss in a later post, is the importance of not using the same word repetitively. The second is the importance of always using the verb "said" after speech.
As Elmore Leonard said in his 10 Rules for Writing Fiction, "Never use a verb other than 'said' to carry dialogue. Dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in."
Consider the following: "I ache everywhere. Even my eyeballs ache," he said. Compare it to this: "I ache everywhere. Even my eyeballs ache," he grumbled.
Substituting "grumbled" for "said" is over-writing. It is telling the reader what he or she already knows. Leonard points out "gasped", "cautioned" and "lied" as equally intrusive.
Anything within quotation marks in a novel should be thought of as dialogue — a conversation between the character and the reader. When the story is compelling, there is a bond, a spell, between your characters and your reader. Using "said" at the end of dialogue takes the reader gently to the next paragraph. Using any other verb is likely to break the spell.
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