Readers Must Comprehend

I decided to start making at least one additional post each month and depending on the level of interest, I will continue. In the extra post, I plan to inform you as to what I have found out regarding my own writing adventure.

Thinking back to the start of my writing career and reading some of that story, I was appalled at what was written. Science fiction was written but nothing was explained. There is much explaining that needs to happen when writing a story.

In order for the reader to connect with the characters and feel the losses and triumphs, explanations need to happen. The atmosphere needs set. I'm not talking about the temperature or geographical aspects which are important, but whatever makes the story special needs to be brought to the forefront. It's also imperative that the scene is set so the reader, who is first introduced to your landscape and ideas, can comprehend them. Just because you can understand the ideas does not mean the words written transfers your thoughts as a writer to the mind of the reader.

I have also determined that, as a writer, you need to immerse yourself in the genre you intend to write and read many books in that genre. In the case of the above example, it was science fiction. I do read science fiction but there's not a burning desire for more so that is not a genre I should write at this point in my writing career.

When I started my current book, the intent was to write younger characters and the novel would be a fantasy. I decided that idea would be best for a children's book, perhaps ten- or twelve-year-olds. I'm not scrapping the idea, but I did put it in the back of my mind for later regurgitation.

My current WIP (Work in Progress) is going to be a modern-day suspense/thriller. I didn't choose that genre at the beginning, rather I started writing and that's the genre it will fit best. I haven't determined what subgenres it will fit. I am also finding that if I write what comes to mind when it comes to mind, the ideas will keep flowing.

As I write, I find myself researching more than anticipated. I decided to do some extra investigating. I got some books by well-known authors and some by lesser-known authors. Upon comparison, it was found that the books I enjoyed the most left no room, in my mind, for questions. This study has changed my mindset, I am now asking questions such as "What would this do if?" Or "Would that happen if?"

A good story will draw the reader in and hold their interest. If they read something they know can't happen then you have lost that reader. So, what I'm saying, rather stressing based on my own adventure in creating a story, research is key to any successful novel.

My advice in this post would be to have knowledge in what you write. You don't need to work in a particular industry to involve it in your book, but you'll need to research. I'm not saying to spend a couple hours on the internet, you need to talk to someone who knows that particular aspect of your book or spend days or weeks researching that issue. I've even heard of authors spending months doing research for their novel.