Questions

There are some simple rules to remember when writing form a character’s viewpoint, yet many forget them. Here’s a rundown of some to remember . . .

No matter what language you speak, regional accents and dialect always give away your origin - unless of course you have had voice coaching. In the UK accent differences can be very subtle - for example, I can tell if someone is from my home town or a town just ten miles away. You can probably do this too.

When ‘building’ a character for your story, their ‘voice’ is very important - and not just accent or local patois. Listen to your friends. Let’s say for the sake of convenience you all grew up in the same part of town. You therefore all have the same accent and probably use much the same slang words and idiom. So what sets you apart?

It’s the way you talk. Some people talk rapidly, some are slow and thoughtful. Some have little speech mannerisms that mark them out. All these things add up to them being an individual, a real, live, talking person. Using your character’s ‘voice’ is therefore a powerful tool that helps your reader to identify with that character and so makes them much more real.

Let’s take an example. Three people are sat watching TV - grandmother, mother and daughter. They’re watching a movie. Suppose it’s ‘Pulp Fiction’. Now how do you think they would speak if asked to describe that movie? Maybe the grandmother would be scandalised by the sex and violence. Maybe the mother would be uncomfortable about her daughter seeing it. Perhaps the daughter just loves it.

So they all have different attitudes to the movie - but how do you think they would summarise it? Let’s see how this sounds.

Grandmother: I thought it a good movie but really, is all that bad language and shooting necessary?

Mother: Yes it was a good film but I thought it was rather violent and I was concerned about my daughter seeing it.

Daughter: I really enjoyed the movie - it was very thrilling and full of action.

Garbage, isn’t it? It all sounds the same - as if one person was saying all three lines. Maybe this is better:

Grandmother: I thought it a good movie but really, is all that bad language and shooting necessary?

Mother: I kind of liked it but, you know, I was a bit worried about my daughter being exposed to all that bloodshed and goings-on.

Daughter: A really cool movie - it was just so laid-back yet full of go at the same time, you know?

Now I’m not pretending that they would really speak like that - it’s just an illustration of ‘voice’. In this instance I kept the way the grandmother might speak as that was they style I used for all three in the first run-through. Have a bit of fun - rewrite it as if the daughter was the ‘voice’ for all three - it comes out just as bad as my first attempt did!

This extends into all your writing. In a previous article I mentioned our all-action hero, Jake Bullet, as he enters a bar where a gunman is waiting for him. Here in a few lines is the same scene from Jake’s viewpoint and that of his adversary.

As he turned and saw the guy heave a pistol our from beneath his coat, Jake exploded into action, leaping the length of the bar and crashing a fist into the gunman’s chin. Stood over the guy Jake turned to Henry. ‘That’s one thing he won’t try again. If he gets up I’m gonna bust his face.’

Pulling the pistol from under his jacket, Sam thought what a posing daisy this famous slick cop looked in his fancy suit. He was going to be easy. Then he froze as his mark jumped toward him. He just had time to think what a bum story his boss had given him about this creep cop before he saw stars and hit the floor. Bummer.

Again, it’s not a finished piece! It just gives an idea of how using a slightly different ‘delivery’ can help to identify the character. A point to note also is that the character’s ‘voice’ goes beyond dialogue. Sam’s way of thinking and some of his character comes out in the way he is described as seeing the scene. This is another aspect of viewpoint writing and ‘voice’ - describing the action as would the character - not you. Keep to this as your scene unfolds - remember, it’s your character who is doing the seeing and talking!


- Steve Dempster

There’s nothing like a great opening to a story to get your readers hooked. Here are some suggestions that will almost guarantee that your readers will keep reading.

Your story should start with some significant event or turning point and present the main character with a problem they have to solve. It should interrupt the hero’s life and send him off in a new and exciting direction. It should excite the readers’ interest and hook them into wanting to read more.

If you can include a sentence or phrase that poses the problem, or the hint of a mystery or some sense of intrigue, then the reader will eagerly devour your prose to find the answer. If there’s one thing readers like it’s a good puzzle, and better still they like to engage with the author and try to work out what’s going to happen next. So hint at some difficulty or coming conflict which will engage the reader’s mind and get them thinking.

For instance: ‘Elaine opened the letter she had been dreading and read, “Dear Ms Corquadale, We have conditionally accepted you application as Head of Science at Tollesbury School for Girls, but we have further questions to put to you regarding your late mother’s will and the unusual bequest she has made to the school.”‘

Your opening should quite clearly tell the reader what kind of story it is. Is it a romance? An adventure? A horror story? Humourous? Whatever it is make this obvious from the start.

If you are introducing more than one character as you open your story make it clear who your main character is. From then on unfold events from his or her viewpoint. Don’t make the mistake of bringing in too many characters too soon. Let the reader become acquainted with them gradually or they may become confused. It’s a bit like being introduced to strangers at a party; you need time to remember their names.

“But how will the poor reader understand what has gone on before and how my hero got to the opening hiatus?” I hear you asking. Well, for starters it’s a bit early in the morning to start using words like ‘hiatus’ but I know what you mean. The thing is you can use the ‘flashback’ device that will neatly answer this problem.

You know what that is, I’m sure, but for any writers new to the craft I’ll explain. After zapping the reader with your exciting opening there should soon come a time when the pace slows down a bit. At this point you can introduce a flashback to fill in some background.

For instance: ‘Gerald sat down breathlessly on the grass behind a thick hedge well away from the farmer’s shotgun. If only he had realised, he thought to himself, that his decision to leave sleepy Swancote-by-the-Sea and embark on the life of a photo-journalist could have landed him into so much hot water, things might have been different.’ This gives an anchor to his past, and more can be filled in later if needed. There are other devices but space does not permit.

Another opening gambit is dialogue. Start with someone saying something. Not necessarily the hero, but make what they say pertinent to the story’s theme with that all important hook to engage the reader. Such as, “Mr Bullstrode, if you don’t come out of your bedroom immediately I shall call the police!”

Hopefully the above ideas will have given you the inspiration to get cracking and create some great openings to your stories.


- Mervyn Love

Of the many different writing styles, viewpoint writing is probably the one that works best for aspiring writers - but what is it?

Viewpoint writing is used extensively in modern novels, especially ones that contain fast-paced action. As its name suggests, it’s written from the active character’s viewpoint, telling the reader what the character sees, how they feel, what they know, and so on. We’ll look here at seeing through your character’s eyes.

Maybe you think this is easy. Well, it is - up to a point. It’s surprising, though, just how many writers unconsciously lose control of what they are writing and wander off into other writing forms. In viewpoint writing it is essential that you, the author, are ‘not present’ in the scene you are describing. What does that mean? Put simply, you must never, ever use phrases like ‘little did he know that later…’ or ‘he had no way of knowing that the killer was just next door’. Why?

By writing intrusive sentences like the ones above, the illusion of experiencing the story through the character’s eyes - as it happens - is shattered. You’re reminding the reader that you, the author, know exactly what’s going to happen and that this is, after all, just as story. When readers pick up a work of fiction, even though they know full well that it is just that - make-believe - they enter into what’s called a ’state of suspended disbelief’. Now this isn’t some weird mental condition. It just means that, while reading your book or short story, they’re quite happy to accept that Captain Jake ’shoot-’em-on-sight’ Bullet of the 6th. Precinct is indeed a real person. Why else do people happily read fantasy fiction? They know it’s not real but are willing to forget that in order to enjoy the story. The last thing they want is to be reminded that it’s not real - hence viewpoint writing.

Let’s run with Jake Bullet. He’s just about to enter a bar where he goes on a regular basis. What he doesn’t know is that there’s a gunman waiting for him. How can this be written? Well, for a start you don’t describe the bar. Jake knows it well and he would only really pick up on something different. So this is wrong -

‘Jake walked into the bar and took a seat at one of the barstools. He looked at Henry, the barman, who was a big guy and looked as if he’d been in a few brawls. The mirror behind Henry revealed the other drinkers who sat at the tables Jake knew so well. Looking up and down the length of the bar Jake thought how polished it was, as usual. Then he saw the man standing at the end. Little did Jake know that this man was one of Big Mike’s torpedoes, sent to shoot him.’

What’s wrong with it? Well, Jake goes in the bar every day. He wouldn’t notice, on a conscious level, Henry’s appearance, the tables or the polished bar. He’d just see the man, who is a stranger and have no idea who he was. Compare it to -

‘Jake walked into Henry’s and sat down on one of the barstools. ‘Give me a beer, Henry.’ He tossed a bill to the barman. Glancing up the bar has saw a heavyset guy watching him. He saw the guy suddenly pull out a gun from inside his jacket.’

Jake only sees what he sees and only knows what he knows. All he knows in this scene is that a stranger sat at the end of the bar has suddenly pulled out a gun. What happens next is up to you!

It would have been fair for Jake to look around and describe what he saw if he had never been in that bar before. As it is, it’s his favourite bar, a place he knows well, so there’s no need - from his viewpoint - to describe it. Maybe the previous scene was written from the gunman’s viewpoint. In that case, you could have ‘introduced’ Henry’s bar to the reader through the gunman’s eyes - it would be new to him and you can bet he would be looking around pretty carefully.

By writing these two scenes you would have accomplished the introduction of the bar, the entrance of the gunman and, in the next scene, Jake’s entrance, setting the stage for what is to follow - but the really important thing is that your reader will be immersed in the action without your intrusion.


- Steve Dempster

Why is viewpoint so important in telling your story? Surely it’s obvious that the story is presented from the point of view of the main character - the hero or heroine? That may be so, but consider making these simple changes to the viewpoint to add spice, uniqueness and excitement to your story.

The Sidekick.

Making a sidekick or partner the teller of the tale is the most obvious way to deviate from the main character’s viewpoint. A great example of this is the wonderful Dr Watson recounting the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

What makes these stories so engrossing is that there is a real sense of immediacy, of being there with Watson and watching the great detective do his stuff. We feel what Watson feels, and whilst we may not agree with his judgements or his sometimes hot-headed responses to situations, we become more engaged in the unfolding events than if the tale were told through the voice of a faceless author.

By using Dr Watson’s viewpoint to tell the story Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is able to give his readers a first person account of what is happening both when Watson is with Holmes and when he is sitting at home in 221b Baker Street fuming and impatient awaiting the return of his hero.

Use this ploy to add that extra dimension and depth to your story.

Man’s Best Friend

Using a dog, a cat or, in the case of Walt Disney, a whole menagerie of birds and animals to tell the story is the preferred viewpoint of a host of authors over the years.

This viewpoint is probably best suited to a short story format, with one or two notable exceptions such as George Orwell’s Animal Farm. In this instance, although much of the action and dialogue is humourous, the theme is a serious one.

The animal viewpoint story really lends itself to humour by its very nature. A modern example would be Gaspode the mangy and malodorous dog from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels. In this case we get inside Gaspode’s head every now and then rather than all the way through the novel. But what we do get are extra dimensions to the story. For instance Gaspode’s sense of smell, along with his other doggy peculiarities, gives the reader useful information to help unfold the plot.

Use an animal for your viewpoint, give him character and a mind of his own and you could be onto a winner.

A House With A View

A little more unusual, but a story told from the point of view of a house, garden shed, railway station cafeteria or some other building, can also be put to good imaginative use. Use it in both short stories and novels. The former to recount a humourous incident, a tragic scene, a lovers tryst, whilst the latter could tell the story of several generations of a family that lived there.

Give the house or building a character, and an opinion on everything, and you have the makings of a great story.


- Mervyn Love

Down with writer’s block? Here are 7 transitions to help you overcome the vicious mental block:

1. “A good example would be”. Give examples on the point you’ve just stated. It not only helps your readers understand better, it also gives them a good idea on how they can apply what you’ve just said into their business, lives or studies.

2. “Above all”. Add another point to your article.

3. “Admittedly”. Leak a secret or two. This approach catches the attention of your reader because it suggests you’re giving away valuable information. Who else doesn’t like to know a little more secret?

4. “Don’t get me wrong”. Provide an alternative viewpoint. An good example would be, “Article writing is simple and easy but don’t get me wrong. There’s no shortcut to writing a good article except through constant improvisation on your writing style and a good track record of experience.”

5. “To get back to the point”. This transition works best when you’ve deviated from your subject topic by a little. It brings the attention of your readers back to your main topic. Most useful when you’re not willing to take out a few points you’ve just written that does not fit into your article a hundred percent.

6. “In summary”. Summarize what you’ve just said. It makes what you’ve just said much easier to understand. Call for your reader to take certain actions, say, to try out a tip or two from the 7 tips you’ve just shared with them.

7. “This is why”. Give reasons why a fact is such. Works best when used to explain statistics. “The thing people regret the most in life in their deathbed is not taking enough risks in their lives. And this is why you should just test out this approach to experience the level of success you deserve.”


- Dominic Tay