Guest Blogger: Scott Morro
When it comes to the keys to great storytelling, I practice what I preach. Actually, I practice what I teach.
My students know that in addition to teaching them the finer points of English and writing, I’m a full-time, young adult author. They also know that what I’m teaching them in class is exactly the same process I use when I sit to write.
To me there are 5 Keys to great Storytelling:
Start with a PURPOSE - When I sit to write, my first thought is always: What question do I want to be answered? Why is this particular thing happening? Once I have a theme in mind, I think about the audience I’m writing for, which is typically young adults, though that demographic ranges younger and older depending on the topics I tackle in the story. Coinciding with purpose, I tend to blend humor and heartache. Keeping that projected audience entertained, biting their nails and on an emotional roller-coaster is the job of a good writer. Understanding your audience is important too. Why did they choose you? This book? Being relatable, being able to connect with that audience ensures they’ll be back for more.
Get them HOOKED - I had a lit professor in college who told me that he gives every book he reads 50 pages. If the author hasn’t grabbed him by then, he’d set the book aside and start another, with the idea that maybe he’d go back and give that previous story another try. My students know how important openings are, how vital hooks become to their writing. It’s tattooed on their brains. If your readers aren’t grabbed right away, like my college professor all those years ago, they’re going to be turned off. Disinterested. And you may not get them back again. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Build the SKELETON - In showing students how to write, I use the SKELETON method. By that, I mean, that you start with the bare bones. The bare bones of a story or a novel are the outline, the brainstorm ideas you have. From there, we add muscle, tendons, ligaments, and skin - the paragraphs which detail the events, the characters, the plots, and the settings of the story. Next, we add hair, features, details, and accessories - this is especially important - it’s the vivid verbs, the figurative language, the dialogue that moves the plot along and shows the characters evolving, changing. It’s here where inner thoughts are bared for the reader and where connections are made. As a novelist, I employ this same strategy. A draft is just that, a draft, a working document, where things are added and subtracted, changed and tweaked, polished or eliminated depending on the editing process. Building the skeleton provides a structure to work with. Sometimes that structure needs to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. Other times, that solid base is the foundation for the next publication. Each time is different, but the process begins the same way.
Tell the STORY - In your head and in your heart you KNOW the story you want to tell, so tell it. Let loose. Be creative. Have fun! Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, and punctuation...Yet. Those things get fixed during rewrites and the editing process before you send the work onto your agent or publisher. So many times, writers (novice and veteran) spend more of their time worrying and not enough time writing. It’s ok to make mistakes. It’s ok to walk away from the laptop or notepad. It’s ok to feel frustrated. That’s normal. Welcome to the club! But, first and foremost, tell the story. Speak it aloud to yourself or to someone you trust and record what you’ve said. Use the talk to text function on a device. Whatever you need to get your ideas out, do it. Telling the story should be a primary focus. You can add the details to the skeleton later.
Trust YOURSELF - Being a writer is a solitary activity with tangential assistance. What do I mean by that? I mean that you are the sole pilot of the writing ship. Others can be sounding boards, first readers, first editors. They can offer advice and suggestions, but, ultimately, the decisions and the direction your story goes is up to you. You have to trust your gut, trust the little voice inside your head that made you sit down to write in the first place. Agents, editors, art directors, illustrators - - - they all play invaluable roles in getting your work out to your audience - - but the concepts, the themes, the words, come from YOU. And you need to trust your instincts. If you don’t believe in yourself, in your work, how can you expect anyone else to?
Being a writer is a unique and introspective career. No two writers are exactly the same, nor do they use the same writing process, though there are definitely similarities.
We’re certainly affected by the works we read and the lives we encounter. All of those experiences shape our styles, mold our voices, but there is honestly no one right way to do things. You need to figure out what works best for you and run with it. It’s ok to tweak those styles and experiences to fit your mood and fit the type of project you’re working on. Ultimately, the keys to success for one writer may not start the vehicle you’re navigating and that’s ok. Pick and choose the facets that best fit you and enjoy the ride.
More about the Guest Blogger Scott Morro:
Scott Morro is the author of Last Ups, The Cross Over, Danni’s Gift, What’s Brewing In Boston, Fortunate, The Washington Pursuit, its sequel, The Albrecht Society, and the upcoming No Place Like Home. History, humor, and the struggles of growing up lie at the heart of every Scott Morro novel. Born and raised in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Scott Morro graduated from Moravian College, where he met his wife, Lisa, after pushing her car out of the snow. He is an elementary school English teacher with more than 30 years of experience. He is a baseball fanatic, passionately rooting for the New York Yankees since he was 5 years old. When he’s not teaching, reading, or writing, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and their sons, Connor and Ryan, going to concerts and listening to music. He is currently at work on his next young adult novel. For more information about Scott Morro and his work, visit his website at http://scottmorro.com