K. L. Bone

One of the most important requirements of writing well is putting forth the necessary effort to make scenes as realistic as possible.  One of the most common advice given to new writers is simple: ‘write what you know.’  It is advice that I agree with wholeheartedly, but would also add an addendum to the statement: ‘Write what you know, and learn what you don’t.’

First, description.  Detailed description of scenes can prove a vital element towards bringing a scene to life.  If you want to write a scene with your characters becoming lost in the woods, perhaps consider taking a walk in the forest.  Note the sounds you hear, the smells in the air, the way sunlight and shadows filter through the trees.  The same goes for a scene on the beach.  Walk along the waves, taste the salty air, feel the texture of the sand between your fingers.

If you don’t have the opportunity to go to these places yourself, read the works of those who have.  Extensive reading often proves to be a writer’s best resource.  Read descriptions of the places you plan to write about.  If you are writing about a real location, research its history, its layout, any other aspect which you may deem interesting or helpful within the research process.  If your location is fictional, consider finding ways to familiarize yourself with the land you are creating. One way of doing this is to consider writing side stories that deal with your world’s past or present.

One of my favourite memories as a young writer was attempting to compose a scene set in an old country bar before I was old enough to legally enter one.  Growing up in a small town, we like many similar locations, had a small saloon-style bar near the centre of town.  Expressing great difficulty in attempting to write something I had never experienced, the owner offered to open the large double doors, allowing me to observe a night at the bar.  Only after this was I able to write the scene with any sense of believability.

This is a method I used while composing my upcoming series, Rise of the Temple Gods.  The novel actually began as a short story which took place a generation after what would become the primary plot.  The main purpose of the piece became world-building.  Within it, I developed the fantasy land which my later characters would come to inhabit.  I discovered that the sky was violet, there were multiple suns in the sky, the trees came in multiple neon colours such as pink, blue, and orange.  Later, I would compose another short story, investigating my character’s childhood; learning about their upbringing, their values and their experiences.  This helped to shape the young adults who would come to dominate my forthcoming novels.

When I first began the novel, Heir to Kale, I had crafted a world in which one of the most important elements was combat; both hand to hand and swordplay.  When I first proposed this idea to my mentor, her first response was “Sounds Great!  Now, what do you know about swordplay?”  My answer: “Not much.”

This being the case, I spent the better part of the next year and a half conducting research.  This included not only reading books, both fiction and non, which featured scenes which used swordplay and martial arts, but also interviews with dojo masters, attending classes for beginners, and observing courses of students far more advanced.  Students and Masters alike graciously took the time out of their busy schedules to answers my questions.  Then, once I began writing, I found even more kindness when some of these men and women agreed to read the scenes I was writing, breaking down what worked and what did not, and explaining the reasons why in great detail.

Now as one can probably guess, this is not a quick process.  It is slow and time-consuming and different authors will approach it with various levels of both time and dedication.  However,  most find that in the end, such measures are well worth the work involved and are a vital part of the process needed to create a believable, rich tale.

I have written a lot over the past few months about the difficulties of writing, the research involved, and the endless dedication required in order to complete a long (and often complicated) piece of writing.  In light of this, I also find it equally important to talk about the more fun side of writing.  There are many enjoyable aspects of the writing process, however for me, I must say that one of my favourites, is discovering the plot of the story which often develops in unforeseen ways.

The first real attempt at writing creatively that I can recall was a short story written in the ninth grade.  Set in the same world which would later evolve to become the foundation for my first novel, The Indoctrination, the story was written for class and then placed in a state-wide writing competition.  Since that time, there has rarely been a point in my life where I have not had a pen in my pocket and a notebook nearby.  Writing for me is a mix of many elements.  It is a conductive way to channel my thoughts, emotions, and dreams onto the page.  My characters often take me on journeys that I never imagined, showing me worlds and places that I could never have explored on my own.

There are many different methods to writing.  Some authors, for example, George R.R. Martin, will plot their work from beginning to end long before actually writing a single paragraph.  They will often create character bios, draw maps and charts, or outline the course of the work before they begin.   Others take a more developmental route, beginning a tale with limited knowledge of its evolution or eventual end.

My personal style of writing favours the second method.  Stories often evolve organically, and sometimes even those who work so hard to pre-plan their stories find the plot going in a different direction than was originally planned.  Stories take twists and turns as characters reveal their thoughts a piece at a time.  They make unexpected choices, change their minds half-way through a tale, and on occasion, even come across new characters which I never intended to create.

The surprises that I find along the paths my characters walk are one of my favourite aspects of writing.  To write a scene with baited breath, unsure of how it will end, is, at least for me, one of the most magical and thrilling aspects of being a writer.

One of the questions I am frequently asked is how I can stand to harm the characters that I so lovingly created.  This answer is: not without difficulty.

Harming a character can, and often is, as emotionally draining upon the author as it is physically upon the character.  Harming characters forces me to take these creations which I have poured my time, work and soul into creating and consciously choose to put them through a form of hell.  These characters in question are my friends, my confidants – the ones who have shared with me their deepest secrets, as I have shared my own.

Now don’t misunderstand me.  I do harm my characters.  The dark nature of the worlds I create requires it.  From parasitic aliens slowly removing the very essence of humanity from those they conquer, to the ancient torture chambers of my upcoming fantasy novel, Black Rose, characters are pushed to their physical, emotional, and mental limits.  Yet within these aspects often lie the heart of the story.  The character’s struggle to overcome the obstacles which are laid before them and the suffering they endure throughout their journeys make them more real, human and relatable to the reader.  It also becomes a point of suspense, helping to place readers on the edge of their seats as they wonder which of their characters will survive – and which ones will not.

“Do not be afraid to harm your characters” was one of the first and most fundamental elements that I was ever taught by my long-time mentor.  It is also one of the elements of writing that I am still, almost a decade later, struggling to learn.  In order to write dark, tragic scenes well, it forces the author to tear apart the same characters which they have spent so much time bringing to life.  In my personal experience, these scenes have left me sad, upset, and angry.  They can also leave me exhausted and emotionally drained, as though I had been forced to physically accompany the characters on their journey.

Now, I am not stating that this experience is typical of every author.  In fact, there is a wide variance of methods, experiences, and tricks to writing such scenes. To help demonstrate just how varied these methods are, I will include a link to a list of ‘rules of writing’ recently published by The Guardian.  Some of which I agree with, some of which I do not.

The list can be found here:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one