Creative Writing Tutorials – Plotting Ideas

When it comes to online content and branding, there’s a tendency, these days, to specialise; to think in terms of niche blogs. But I’d like to encourage you – if you’re an aspiring author – to think of EVERYTHING as related to creative writing. Don’t turn away from what may be great online content just because it doesn’t appear to fit the focus of your attention.
THE BEST GROWING MEDIUM FOR YOUR BUDDING NOVEL
When I began blogging I took a broad, eclectic view because I hope that this type of blog personality will feed the creative juices in my readers. Let me explain:
When the effects of illiteracy fired my passions – because I can’t imagine how isolating it must feel to be unable to read – I wrote about it in my blog. But in writing about it I hope that those of you who are aspiring authors, and may be reading my article, will find that this sows seeds for the plot of your next book! For instance, let’s suppose that one character, a young woman, has hidden her inability to read from the rest of the world. Suddenly, the fate of another character, a man, is in her hands. As the safety and success of both characters depends entirely upon whether she can read the ransom note correctly, you have the basis of a good plot outline.
Another topic that I felt strongly about and wrote of in my blog, was how it feels to be dealing with the death of a loved one (something I know from my own experience). This, too, can be used by those involved in writing and publishing a book, as a means of bringing emotional credibility to a character who’s suffered loss. It may be a death; the loss of a job; a relationship; a precious possession. You can create conflict in your plotting ideas by making those around this character completely lacking in understanding when it comes to supporting him.
One of my articles is a study of the effects of birth order in a family. Patterns of ideas and behaviour intrigue me, but you, as an aspiring author, may take this idea and turn it around. Make the plot of your book revolve around a character who has been brought up as the eldest child in the family, but who discovers, as a young adult, that actually he’s not the firstborn. Imagine what it would mean to him when he learns that he has no claim on the estate of his dead father; that Dad ‘married’ his mother bigamously; and that the rightful heir is the daughter of Dad’s earlier, legitimate marriage.
BUDS TO BLOOM INTO PLOTTING IDEAS
Can you see how all these subjects may be thought of as pertinent to the world of writing? They are budding ideas. And reading widely is the best growing medium when it comes to bringing buds to bloom; developing plot ideas for a story; creating conflict in a novel; credibility in your characters. Everything, but everything, should excite a novelist. Well, almost everything!
CREATIVE WRITING TUTORIALS ARE ALL AROUND YOU!
Don’t wait until you need to carry out research for your storylines. Of course accurate research is crucial. But so is experience. Soak up all that this world has to offer. Take in everything with a writer’s eye. Store those observations and experiences like over-wintering bulbs, allowing them to mature in a fertiliser made up of your personality and values, and as you write, you’ll find yourself planting kernels of truth, nuggets of knowledge, seeds of wisdom you didn’t even know you’d ingested. The experiences will be all the better for having had time to ripen.
For instance, some years ago I was standing with another author – one of the tutors at a Writers’ Conference – watching a house-fire on the far hillside. There was a part of me – I like to think the greater part – that felt compassion for those involved. And another part – voyeuristic and analytical – which made me feel vaguely ashamed.
My companion and I stood watching in silence. Then he turned towards me and, before I could say what was in my mind, he said, “I know it sounds terrible, but I’m wondering how I can use this in a book.” With a great sense of relief, I was able to admit that I had been doing exactly the same!
The point is that, as a writer, no experience is simply an event; nor are you merely an observer. Some part of a writer’s brain notes the detail and stores them away for future use. Which is why I hope that when a non-writing topic is flagged up on your RSS feeder – or whatever means you use to access the content of my blog – you’ll view it as a source of plotting ideas for your future novel. As I said earlier, when you’re writing and publishing a book, everything, but everything, should be considered as the best growing medium for your next flowering burst of creativity.