Originally published by Writers in the Storm blog on 7th February 2024.

Author: Sandy Vaile 


Have you ever wondered why pulling all the pieces of a novel together feels like such hard work? Me too.

Each author has a different process, but if you love feeling immersed in the lives and emotional dramas of fictional characters, then shifting your focus from external plot to internal state, could be the perfect way to allow your plot to be revealed organically.

While writing my third novel, I had a revelation that changed my approach to scene planning forever.

​Harnessing motivated characters helped me connect internal and external plot threads. 

For a long time, I wondered why story structure was so difficult. I felt like I’d learnt the various storytelling techniques, but pulling them all together on the changing landscape of plot and character development was a different matter.

I started to doubt myself.

Was I the only one struggling to overlay their ideas onto beats and turning points? Everything I’d learnt about three acts, hero’s journeys and beats was still relevant, but there was some sort of disconnect when it came to pulling all the threads of a story into a cohesive and compelling plot.

Then it struck me!

​If I shifted my approach from what external events needed to happen, to why the main character was there, suddenly all the pieces of the plot clicked together like DNA nucleotides, forming the unique genetic sequence for this story. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
Originally published by Writers in the Storm blog on 1st November 2023


As writers, we’re painfully aware that not every story idea that sparkles in our mind turns into a gem on paper. With the intense competition of four million book releases each year, it’s crucial to ensure the idea behind a book is compelling and marketable. If only there was a simple way to test ideas and be sure they are worth spending time on.

Well, there is!

​Whether you’re a meticulous planner or prefer to discover details as you go, refining that initial idea into a solid concept can save considerable stress and wasted time, because it provides a strong foundation for the writing process.

​Getting clear on a few key elements will give you an anchor to tether every part of the plot and transform it into a cohesive narrative. 

Author: Sandy Vaile 

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Have you ever been bamboozled when it comes to formatting non-verbal communications in a fictional story?

Things like text messages, social media posts, chat room conversations and emails can be tricky to incorporate seamlessly into a manuscript; yet they are so much a part of our everyday lives that leaving them out can make a story feel less authentic.

Today’s readers are accustomed to consuming a mixture of text and graphics on their screens, and eBooks offer the flexibility to include color, visuals and even interactive elements.

Let me walk you through how to format each type of non-verbal communication and take the stress out of incorporating these elements effectively into your stories. 

What to Keep in Mind

Non-verbal messages require a different approach than traditional narration. Unlike prose, these communications often occur in short bursts of abbreviated text rather than complete sentences, with little regard for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

​Understanding the difference will help you make them feel like a natural part of the story.

There are a few challenges to be aware of when considering including non-verbal communications in a story.

Author: Sandy Vaile 
First published on the Writers in the Storm blog 03/05/23


​Dialogue is a powerful tool in fiction because it enables readers to get to know characters without the author telling them how to feel or information dumping what they need to know.

But how do you make dialogue believable and capable of communicating vital information succinctly, while captivating readers?

Speech predates written language by tens of thousands of years and is ingrained in our daily lives. It’s the basis of storytelling, so it makes sense to use it to it’s full advantage to develop characters, advance the plot, increase pace and create tension.

The last thing we want is for dialogue to ramble unnecessarily, be overly stilted or sound forced, leading readers to skim over it and not connect deeply with our characters.

Let’s explore what dialogue is, what makes it impactful, and how to write it concisely and authentically.  

 
I absolutely love dialogue because …

• It breaks long passages of narrative with dynamic information (showing).
• It enables readers to get to know characters on a personal level.
• It offers an opportunity to imply subtext through associated actions and tone.

​But it’s not always easy to write succinct speech that rings true, i.e. is relevant to what’s going on in the story, suits the character, and doesn’t feel like it’s forced. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
Previously published on the Writers in the Storm blog on 3rd August 2023.


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Dialogue in fiction stories is a reliable way of bringing characters to life and immersing readers in their lives, but for it to be effective, it needs to be understood.

As Michel de Montaigne said in his essay, On the Art of Conversation,

Dialogue doesn’t include private thoughts, dreams or narration. 

It’s important that readers can easily determine who is speaking, so they can follow the conversation and don’t get the wrong impression of what’s going on in the story.

Ambiguity can lead to misinterpretation, but this can be prevented by:

• Separating the speech and actions of each character into different paragraphs.
• Not going too long without a dialogue tag to establish who is speaking.