Monday, February 10, 2014

What Makes A Story Worth Writing? by Daevone Molyneux


If you're a reader like me, you can't help but wonder how, exactly, your favorite authors figure out which story is the one to write.  How do they pick a story out of all the possibilities and sit down to write it?

Well, fear not!  We have somewhere here today to shed some light on this question!  The wonderful Daevone Molyneux, writer extraordinaire, has graciously accepted my invitation to visit the blog today and share his thoughts!  Daevone is a reader as well as a writer, like myself, and has been jotting down stories for as long as he can remember!  He loves all things monstrous and magical and he writes some seriously amazing stories, some of which you can find at his blog here.  You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter

So, without further ado, here is Daevone!

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What Makes A Story Worth Writing?

As a writer, one is constantly assaulted by little idea bullets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each is a screaming child, desperate to be heard, seeking your full attention. With so many possibilities, how does one know which ideas are worth exploring and which aren't? Well each writer is different, and since I'm not a NSA spy, I have no idea what other writers think about this topic. But I can most certainly tell you what I look for, so here's how I know a story is worth telling.

Is The Story Interesting? - This might seem like a weird question with an obvious answer, but you'd be surprised at how many bogus ideas writers have to bulldoze their way through. An immense amount of time goes into writing a novel, so we have to make sure the story can hold our attention, before it can hold a reader's. That same euphoric rush that comes when we read is exactly what I look for. A story feels right when I know it will take me somewhere I've never been before. Fiction is supposed to make us feel and wonder about worlds we can't physically visit, so an idea that opens new doors will always be a joy to write, and hopefully to read.

Is The Story Interesting To Anyone Else? - Raise your hand if you would like to read a boring book... *crickets* By the way, if you say that you want to read a boring book, then you're a liar liar pants on fire. Everybody wants to read something that enchants and changes the way they view the world. I like to view a story from a neutral standpoint and ask myself if anybody else would read it. There's really no sure-fire way of knowing if anyone else would be interested, so I trust my gut. If the answer is no, then the idea is sent to frolic in my mind for personal enjoyment. If it's a yes, then I write it.

Emotion - A story has to be a part of us. Ideas should make us more excited than a toddler on Christmas morning. You know how little kids turn into ravenous bloodthirsty monsters the moment they step inside a toy store? Well, that's the exact same feeling I look for when acting on an idea. I have to feel like the concept is more amazing than a laser gun *pyoo-pyoo*. All in all, fiction should make us feel. Without emotion then what's the point of writing? You would just have a soulless Frankenstein created behind closed doors in the middle of nowhere. If a story idea can make me laugh like a drugged hyena or drench my paper in a downpour of tears, then I know it must be written.

Why Is This Idea Important? - I'm the kind of person who looks for a deep-rooted meaning in everything - songs, body language, emotions, my morning bowl of cereal... *coughs* Ahem, disregard that last one. Anyway, a story should have a message other than purely entertainment purposes. Each story should be about something other than just fiction. I simply ask myself why do I want to write this story? What makes it more important the other gazillions of ideas banging on my door?

Once the criteria is met, ask one last question: How real is this thing? Stories shouldn't feel like a manufactured science project. They are portals to new worlds above and beyond our comprehension, just waiting to be discovered. The last thing we need is a boring run of the mill concept, right? Right. After that question is answered, the writing commences. New worlds are created and new people exist with unique situations. Everybody has a different opinion, but that is what I feel makes a story worth writing.
I hope I was able to shed a little light on the writing process. Thank you Ashtyn for allowing me to invade your blog with my army of nonsensical chicken scratch. And thanks to you dear reader for well, you know - reading. *spreads wings and flies off into the sunset*

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That was awesome!  Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!  I completely agree with all of your points, especially the first one: if you can't stay interested, there's no way your reader will, either.  

So, what do you think makes a story worth writing?  Have you ever wondered about this? 

 Leave your thoughts in the comments below and don't forget to head over to Daevone's blog!


 
 

1 comment:

  1. Great article, thanks for sharing.
    I agree that emotion is one of the key ingredients, if you can write an emotion strong enough to pass onto the reader then you have succeeded as a writer in my eyes!

    ReplyDelete

 
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