By DiAnn Mills, author
of Fatal Strike
The power of a thrilling
story has entertained readers for hundreds of years. If we venture to say
thousands of years, we envision people gathered around a crackling fire
listening and imagining themselves as heroes.
The novel is crucial to
a culture’s survival. For through story, history is kept alive. Those in
the
present learn from the
past and forge ahead into the future. Dreams and tales of wonder propel us to
achieve the extraordinary.
So, what does a
storyteller need today? The following are three valuable novel writing tips.
A true hero takes risks.
Heroes are launched into
action with a goal or a problem to solve. The call is inevitable. They plan how
to achieve success and realize challenges and struggles are detours, and not
roadblocks. Doubts are prevalent, and weaknesses must be strengthened, but the
prize is worth any sacrifice.
Choices play a critical
role in moving forward. Sometimes three steps ahead mean four steps back. Staying
strong is mandatory because defeat is not in the equation.
Combining the goal with
choices involves taking risks. Not foolish ones but an exposure to danger.
Heroes accept unpredictability, uncertainty, hazard conditions, and a gamble on
losing a life or something of extreme value is part of the process.
For some heroes, taking
risks is etched in their DNA.
For other heroes, taking
risks is accepted because the goal means more than life itself.
For all heroes, courage
is a matter of the heart.
Characters must face the
consequences for their actions.
Our parents and
caregivers instilled that we must face the consequences for our actions. No one
receives a pass on this one.
Positive actions, good
deeds, and sincere motivation are desirable to real people, but in a story,
readers tend to gag at Mr. or Ms. Perfect. Not only are the goody characters
boring and predictable, but they also have no reason to cast aside bad habits
and misbehave.
A dimpled grin may lead
characters to believe they got away with inappropriate behavior, but sooner or
later the past catches up with them. Charming and manipulative characters are
three-dimensional, and readers love them.
People are muddy.
Clear, pure water is our
preference. But without safeguards, stuff happens. Dirt, sand, and debris
invade the water, changing the looks and composition. The water is not
appealing, and we search for ways to make it pure again.
Characters/people become
muddy because of what they have allowed to enter their lives. Bad habits and
selfish tendencies do not necessarily happen overnight but are instead a
product of poor decisions.
News flash. We are all
muddy. We have psychological baggage, life experiences, and constant battles
that make or break us. If we learn from life’s conflicts, then we change and
grow into better people. If we choose bitterness and revenge, we become
antagonists.
Readers demand messy
complications in their stories. Will the character survive or fail? How far
will your character venture to take risks, accept the consequences, and realize
they are wallowing in mud?
_____________________________________________________________
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers
should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable
plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every
breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create
a thrilling adventure? Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller
lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du
Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. DiAnn is a
founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced
Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime,
and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of The Blue Ridge
Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Conference, and
the Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson
where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She
speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn
has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid
reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in
the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect
with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, or any of the social media platforms listed
at diannmills.com
