Things I try to remember when writing.

Good morning!

As the title of this piece says, today's post is about the things I try to remember when I'm working on a novel, novella, novelette or short story. (I don't normally write short stories or novelettes, but it has been known to happen.)

Actually, there are three things I keep in mind when writing. Clarity, context and continuity. If a sentence, paragraph or even an entire sequence of events is not clearly written, I re-work it until I have it the way I want it. If it is unrecoverable, I cut it and start over. And you have to keep the action, dialogue and character development in context. I mean, really. What does it say about you as a writer if you pause a bit of action to delve into a memory flashback of one of the characters? That also goes to the continuity aspect.

I suppose I could go into more detail with these things, but for some reason, I just don't feel the need. These are all things that anyone should have learned about the time they told their first lie as a child. And creative writing is just that; telling lies. Imagine a small child who goes into a long, involved story about something that didn't happen. I can vaguely remember doing that as a toddler and definitely remember the times my children exercised their creativity, beginning at age two or so.

This blog isn't intended as a learning tool for prospective writers, but rather, to give insight into my own writing process. Not that anyone is especially interested in that. It's just my way of reaching out to people in an attempt to be understood. Isn't that what most blogs are? What a rare conceit I and others must have to want other people to understand us, and to use a blog as a forum for just that.

In closing, remember those three things. Clarity, context and continuity. Use them not just when you self-edit, but when you are composing.

Thank you,
Derek A. Murphy
Author of Gulf of the Plains, A Quart of Djinn and others.
Available on Kindle