Write the Perfect Read

Make Readers Happy While Propelling Them to the Last Page

Kristin N. Spencer, Maria Mountokalaki

• Publisher: Literary Symmetry
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781951040062
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Authorship
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

Do you want to write fiction, but don't understand how to begin the process? Are you intimidated by 'real writers' who already have books on the market?

No matter what experience you have (or lack), Write the Perfect Read will take you through each step of story creation and break it down into easy-to-understand instructions with fun examples from both the book and the film industries.

Are you ready to take the next step in your career and write a novel? This comprehensive, succinct guide to writing fiction will teach you to employ the two triangles of writing in less than two hours.

In this book you will learn:

-How to create a compelling and relatable character

-The foolproof formula for plot

-Never to underestimate the power of setting

-What writers are made of and how they can improve their skills and methods

-How to fully engage the reader based on brain science, product expectations, and emotional connection

-How to navigate through the intimidating world of book services (developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading, and formatting)

-The options you have for publishing, and the pros and cons of each type

It's time to write the book that's been in your heart. Download a sample or purchase your copy now and get writing.

Chapter 1: The Two Triangles of Writing

What is the first step anyone must take in order to succeed at any endeavor? It might seem like a loaded question, but the answer is annoyingly simple. The first step to success in any industry is always to begin the quest to gain understanding. This approach has been snubbed by creatives all over the globe since the beginning of creation, and writers are no different. There is a group of writers that would have you believe that in order to write a great novel, all you have to do is sit down and let the words flow. But that idealistic approach to writing often leaves new writers (and sometimes even experienced ones) frustrated and ready to hurl their trusty pen (or even laptop) across the room.

People who observe the art world often think, “Well, you either have it or you don’t,” and while it is true that some people possess more natural talent for specific tasks than others, any skill can be learned if you have enough time. The same is true about drawing, sculpting, film-making, and certainly writing. Just think of the artist slaving away over their canvas for days, weeks, or months. One doesn’t just wake up one day and say, “I’m a painter.” Even the most amazing painters of our time practice and struggle to learn to properly use their medium. In the case of the writer, their medium is made of vocabulary, grammar, and style. And in the case of their inspiration, it always comes down to one thing: the story.

But what makes a story good or bad or dull or interesting? We all know about concepts like plot, character arcs, and setting, but how do you use these structures to get the reader from the first paragraph of your story to the last page? The answer to this question is far from simple, and the quest to gain understanding is full of distractions and misinformation. That is why you need an experienced guide on your quest (or in this case two guides). This book has been lovingly written to help you, the person who must be a writer (or wants to become one based on the fact that you are reading this book). Though the idea of understanding all the different parts of what makes a story great may seem intimidating, every big machine can be broken down into its tiniest pieces, and that is what we plan to do for you. Once you understand how each piece works, you will be able to construct your own immense story-building machine.

The three main parts of any storytelling endeavor are comprised of character, plot, and setting while the main process involves three different types of people: the writer, the reader, and the book services professional. Because it is simpler to deal with these six topics according to how they are related to each other, we will group them into two different triangles. Together, these two triangles comprise the six pillars of writing.

But I'm Already A Writer

Well then, you are off to a great start. But do you understand all of the pieces in your story-building machine? Do you know what the tiniest pieces do? If you want to better understand what makes a character relatable or how the magic of a properly employed setting can cause your plot to race forward, keep reading. There is something new in this book for everyone.

Or maybe you’ve been writing for years and you’re on the verge of quitting. Don’t do it! There may be a few parts of your story-building machine that are broken and just need replacing. That doesn’t mean you should quit. Look at this book as a second chance to learn to give your stories that something they’ve been missing. Once you understand how all of the parts fit together, you will be able to channel your passion for writing like never before.

Who Are You?

The pulsing strings of the guitar thump through the recesses of my mind whenever I hear the phrase “Who are you?” Though this melody-evoking utterance is the title of a well-known song, it is also a valid question. Well, there are two of us, so it would probably be best to do one introduction at a time.

Kristin N. Spencer

Hello there, my name is Kristin and I have been in love with books for as long as I can remember. I grew up in sunny (and smoggy) Los Angeles, California. My parents say that as a two- and three-year-old I asked them to read to me constantly. It didn’t surprise them when I started to read at four, or when I would spend hours playing the neighborhood librarian in our front yard with piles and piles of colorful books with their worn corners, begging all of the neighborhood children to check out a copy to enjoy. I don’t think they ever thought I would make a career out of it, though, even when I announced I had changed my college major for the third time to Comparative World Literature.

Now I spend my days writing my own books while simultaneously working as a developmental editor for my own editing firm, Literary Symmetry. I also run the fabulous Academy of Storytelling, where I teach authors how to understand every intricacy of storytelling (this book is but a taste of all the amazing methods you can learn and employ).

I am also a self-proclaimed geek extraordinaire, a mother to three actual children and two furbabies, the wife of Travis, and a cosplayer. My favorite genres are science fiction and space fantasy while my favorite book has recently changed from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen to Star Wars Lost Stars by Claudia Gray (yes it’s that good). But enough about me.

Maria Mountokalaki

Hey everyone, I am Maria, and I was born and raised in the beautiful country of Greece. Ever since I started learning English, way before I began to pursue my career in teaching English to speakers of other languages and then translation, I tried to surround myself with the language. TV shows and movies were my gateway. When I grew up a bit and could afford them, books became my passion. Like a kid in a candy store, I had no idea what genres I’d enjoy or what authors were the best ones. So, I started sampling. My tastes varied from time to time, depending on my current state and interests. Even though this often prevented me from delving deep into a particular genre, it at least made me a book omnivore. At the time of writing this book, my tastes have shifted from fiction to nonfiction, mostly memoirs and books on productivity. I call myself an avid reader, a title I have hung on to even after a three-year reading slump I suffered a little while ago. In fact, I advocate reading so much, that my Master’s dissertation was on ways to promote reading for pleasure through educational technologies. Despite my disparate reading tastes, however, as a translator I have and always will prefer to translate fiction.

It is exactly this translating experience that makes me a good copyeditor. After years of handling authors’ manuscripts, I have trained my eye to see details that regular readers do not. Shifts in tone, register or cohesion are things I notice in a text because in order to translate I have to read more slowly and carefully than most people. I also have been sort of ruined for relaxed reading because I sometimes find myself wondering how I would translate a specific passage. The positive side effect of this process, however, is that it gives me time to see how different authors develop their stories and what makes some books pleasurable and others just plain awful.

Another thing that defines me as a person is that I’m a proper-linguistic-expression enthusiast or, as some people affectionately call me, a grammar stickler. Like a super hero, I spent years learning to harness this power and use it only for good. I think I have now reached the point when I unleash it only when I’m asked to. If you ever need rescuing, you will find me through Kristin Spencer’s editing co-op, Literary Symmetry. Outside of work, people can usually find me watching YouTube videos on productivity and stressing about time management. I also have the best dog in the world. She doesn’t know she could do much better, so please don’t tell her.

For the purposes of this book, we will mostly write as a collective. However, when needed, we will use I, because this book would probably be pretty boring without a few personal stories. It’s up to you to determine who the I is. Think of it as a fun sort of guessing game.

How To Avoid Wasting Your Potential

Every November, writers from around the world gather at their computers in an attempt to write 50,000 words in one month. From the first-time writer to the experienced sage of words and wisdom, everyone starts out with the dreaded blank page. Their collective goal: to wrestle the first draft of a novel into existence. Every year, people choose one of two camps to join. On one side, planners work meticulously on their outline in September and October. The other side contains those who prefer to write by the seats of their pants, waiting to see what the story will reveal to them as the words come flowing from their mind, through their fingers, and onto the screen (or page). Within forums and on the web we are all encouraged to reserve our judgment. Planning isn’t necessarily better than pantsing, right?

Pantsers seem like they’re in it for the fun, so we encourage them along. But what I want to know is, is pantsing really all that fun? And at the same time we must examine the argument that espouses that planned writing zaps creativity. Who is right? Is it that every person has to figure out what works for them, or is there a clear winner when it comes to productivity? For that, I think we need to rewind to 2015, my first attempt at writing a novel in 30 days.

I had finally remembered to put the writing time on my calendar after missing it for two years in a row. My efforts were bound to have some return—I knew I would learn something from the experience even if I failed to produce an entire novel. After a few hours perusing through advice on how to tackle this monumental event, I decided that I was a planner. The few scribbled ideas in a notebook were transformed as I added detail after detail into a carefully organized document that would serve as the skeleton for the body of my story. But then it went beyond that. I started to pay attention to the muscles, tendons, and even epidermis. No character or subplot was left unturned. My outline was approximately 7 pages long. This isn’t too long for a 60k book, is it? The passing thought slid out of my mind as November 1st approached. Every day for thirty days I wrote. And then I realized that after countless days where I started off feeling stuck, my manuscript had ballooned to 99,000 words. But what had happened?

Could it be that planning isn’t all that it’s made out to be? A few books later, I realized that if I over-planned, there wasn’t freedom to see where the book wanted to take me. The way my outlines were constructed changed back to skeletons, and the muscles, tendons, and epidermis revealed themselves as I was writing. But what about pantsing? Could that technique work even better for me?

On a cold and rainy day in Athens, Greece the wind rocked the fabric awning back and forth as I sat down to ponder more about pantsing. The strong scent of wet concrete mixed with the washing away of all the dirt and oil filled my nostrils with its familiarity. The way I saw it, I couldn’t even begin to start to write a book without a plan. How would I know when I hit 25% so I could unveil the inciting incident? How would I know how to develop the character arc to achieve a satisfying ending? Would I know by instinct how to deal with those things without planning to? Some writers do, but after a lot of sitting and thinking, walking and thinking, and washing dishes and thinking, I decided that I wasn’t that talented. I also remember thinking, And that’s okay. After that day, I decided to take a permanent position people will no doubt criticize me for: that planning is what a majority of writers need to do if they want to finish a project that doesn’t need to be completely rewritten. It’s an effort in attaining a quality end product.

Moving forward in this book, I am going to assume that you, my wonderful writer friend, will be planning. Because if you’re pantsing, I don’t know how I can help you before you start writing. As a developmental editor, I can certainly help you after you’ve written if you’ve decided to only and forever be a pantser, but for the purposes of this book I want to ask you to try (at least once) to plan.

But What If I Don't?

You might be wondering, “What if I don’t what?” That’s a valid question. Think about what will happen if you don’t gain the education you need in order to avoid the pitfalls associated with writing a fictional novel. It’s important for you to understand that without the right tools at your disposal, you could get caught in a perpetual cycle of uninformed choices that will result in your own discouragement and loss of drive in a realm where you once had nothing but passion. Writer burnout is real, and happens even when experienced writers are utilizing all of their knowledge and understanding. Imagine how common it is for new writers that don’t yet grasp all the complexities of their chosen medium. It is our hope that by reading this book, you will avoid the burnout that comes from trying and trying to use the same amateur methods and expecting professional results. Don’t we all wish that there were shortcuts in life?

There are no shortcuts when it comes to writing. However, there are proven methods and time-tested traditions that work. For example, if you’re nervous about using a formula for plotting because you feel like it will take all of your creative approaches away, don’t worry. Within each system found in this book, there is a ton of room for new ideas and improvisation. Too many people think that if they just keep writing books, they will eventually understand how to write something that will resonate with people, but that isn’t true. Education is the cornerstone of a compelling story. Don’t trudge through these unknown waters alone.

Get Your Free Worksheets

Before we get into all of the fun details that comprise the magical world of fiction writing, we wanted to give you a free set of printable worksheets that match the different questions we go over later in regard to character, setting, and plot. As a bonus, you’ll also be signed up for our helpful emails. We promise not to spam you. Head on over to https://literarysymmetry.com/wtpr-f/ to download your free worksheets. Now, let’s learn how to write fiction, shall we?

Chapter 2: The First Triangle: Character, Plot, Setting

After establishing what the six pillars of writing are, let’s take a closer look at the first three: the concepts of character, plot, and setting form the internal triangle, the soul of your whole project. No matter how well you handle the second triangle, if your first triangle is not stable, your whole structure will come tumbling down. First you build and furnish a house, and then you have people over. You can’t do it the other way around.

When writing nonfiction, the main purpose of a writer is to inform. In the case of fiction, your goal is to entertain. You can still inform your readers, and nonfiction writers can still entertain theirs, but the main goal, the reason why you choose to sit at your desk and write away—sometimes missing out on some activities that your non-writer friends might be doing—is to provide people with something that will entertain them. While I don’t necessarily mean you should make your audience laugh, it is your job to give them an escape. Stephen King described books as uncommon alchemy you can carry around in your pocket. Who can argue with that? Just think about it. A man writes a description of a place, person, or a creature, and people he has never met can “see” that place, person, or creature years after he wrote it. It’s a more complex version of the mind game “try not to think of a pink elephant.” In order for you to write compelling fiction, you must think as a reader first. If there is a certain point in your book that you find boring, be sure that this is what your reader will most likely skip. A safe bet is to always write what you would like to read. Trust me, you cannot go wrong there. Here’s where things get a bit more demanding, though. A successful novel needs to follow certain rules in order to function. This may sound slightly off-putting and counter-creative, but it is true that almost all the novels you have loved followed some steps that made them special to you. This is what the first triangle will help you accomplish.

The Character, Getting Past the First Date

I love examples, so I’m going to use one to explain how strongly I feel about the importance of having a good command of the first three pillars of writing. Let’s say you’re on a first date with so...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Chapter 1: The Two Triangles of Writing
• Chapter 2: The First Triangle: Character, Plot, Setting
• Chapter 3: The Second Triangle: The Writer, The Reader, and The Book Services Provider
• Chapter 4: Character is Queen (or King)
• Chapter 5: Set It Up
• Chapter 6: Plot it Out
• Chapter 7: The Writer: An Elusive Creature
• Chapter 8: The Reader: Your Main Squeeze
• Chapter 9: Book Services: The Help You Need But Might Not Want
• Chapter 10: Bonus: Tropes and Targets
• Chapter 11: Now What?
• Chapter 12: The End
• References
• Acknowledgements
• About the Authors
• Story Filters
• Notes