13/June/2016

Often times, we see writers fussing about coming up with that next chapter. Spending hours in front of the computer screen, looking at either a blank page or wondering of another way to present that well thought of chapter could be frustrating and even after another tweak, we still don't feel satisfied.

On today's #GetInspired session, we'd be discussing how to write brilliant descriptions without the headache- or the offensive description.

I know most writers prefer to write off the top of the head, others prefer to plan it out. All the same, some sort of plotting to some extent is involved. You need to know what will drive the story forward, what settings you will throw into the mix, what conflict your characters will face, and where the chapter will end.

Visualize the events.

Personally speaking, I can't do long chapters. Let's take the average word count per chapter (on Wattpad) to be on the range of 1,500-2,000. You'll need to break this into a number of key points to keep you on track. On a separate page, caption the essence of the chapter. For example: Penny becomes obsessively worried over a stranger she'd met earlier and later on is attacked by a pack of beasts which leave her close to dead, but for this stranger's help. (Shadow Wolf[Vol. I] by CCGillings --Chapter: Purest Heart-1|ii)

Separate drama from action

Next you'll need to write down the sequence of events - focusing only the parts where 'something happens' in one clear and simple sentence - make sure it has an action word. It could look like this:

1. Penny worries over Lochlan's well-being after the previous day's event.

2. Penny lets the thought rest over the course of the day's slush of work.

3. She gets attacked while going home.

4. Strange-guy Lochlan appears.

5. He gets... blah blah blah

(You'd have to read the story to find out the rest.)

Put a time limit on your planning so that you're not tempted to populate it with unnecessary detail. Always end the scene on a high note or twist if you can. You want the reader to think, 'What happens next?'

Hit that word count goal.

Now, considering you're aiming for a 1,500-2,000 word update and you have about 10 key points, you'll have to tease out each plot point and write about 150-200 words on each and ding! There you have your next update. You can play around with character development, dialogue, etc., knowing your 'story spine' is in place.

Figuring out when a detail is important and when it is distracting could be boggling. These three steps will help you.

Consider the purpose of the scene. What does the character in view want to do? What creates the tension? What do we learn? Remove all the descriptions that don't help with this.

Reconsider adverbs and adjectives. First identify all the adverbs and adjectives and decide which are redundant.

Write kick-ass sentences. The use of strong nouns and verbs help strengthen sentences. This results in fewer adverbs and adjectives.

Only leave in the descriptions that help you show the story and make sure that those descriptions work hard. Specific details and illuminating descriptions are integral to a good story. Use them wisely. Kill your darlings, but make sure they deserve to die.

~*~

What do you consider the average word count for your updates?

How often do you update and what's often the hardest part of fixing that next chapter?