Today I’d like to welcome Steven James, the author of the
award-winning book STORY TRUMPS STRUCTURE. He is also the author of the
thriller EVERY CROOKED PATH. I asked him 5 questions about writing organically,
how to build tension, and more. Welcome, Steven!
Get it on AMAZON
1. Why should writers
worry more about story and less about structure?
Often, structure gets in
the way of excellence. As soon as you sit down to write three or four acts, or
whatever it might be, you’re using an easily-identified paradigm and could end
up with a cookie-cutter story. Instead, focus on pursuit, desire, believability,
escalation, and so on. All of the narrative forces that help shape a story,
regardless of its length or structure.
2. For writers who
struggle to write organically, without an outline, what piece of advice can you
give them?
Ask yourself four
questions, and you will never be without the next moment of your story. First,
what would this character naturally do? Then have him or her do it always.
Allow them to act in character and to act believably. Second, how can I make
things worse? This relates to the narrative force of escalation and allows the
story to continue to build toward a climax. Third, how can I add a twist? Look
for a way to end the scene in a manner that is unexpected an inevitable.
Fourth, what promises have I made that I have not yet kept? Then look for a way
to keep them.
3. What is one writing
rule that you hear all the time that you believe should be broken?
Plot out your story
before you write it. This ends up forcing so many stories into a corner and
into predictable patterns. Allow the story to emerge as you work on it, asking
the questions that I just went through, and the story will have a vibrancy that
you never realized before that it could have.
4. Which elements should
writers focus on to create engaging stories?
Write stories that have
emotional resonance by looking for struggles that your character has that
readers will be able to identify with. Keep everything believable and don’t
confuse your readers. Confusion will end up trumping any other reader response.
For example, if you want them to be in suspense but they’re confused, they
won’t be in suspense. If you’re trying to build romantic tension and they’re
confused by what’s going on, they won’t be engaged.
5. What is one thing a writer can do to build tension in a
story?
Allow readers to be aware of danger that the character
within the story is not aware of. For instance, readers know that there’s a
bomb in the car that will ignite when a key is placed in the ignition. Then,
readers will worry as the character approaches the car, unlocks it, and
positions himself in the driver’s seat. No matter what genre you write in,
building tension and suspense will help with reader engagement.
BIO:
Steven James is a national bestselling novelist whose
award-winning, pulse-pounding thrillers continue to gain wide critical acclaim
and a growing fan base.
Suspense Magazine, who named Steven’s book THE BISHOP their Book of the Year, says that he “sets the new standard in suspense writing.” Publishers Weekly calls him a “master storyteller at the peak of his game.” And RT Book Reviews promises, “the nail-biting suspense will rivet you.”
Equipped with a unique Master’s Degree in Storytelling, Steven has taught writing and storytelling on four continents over the past two decades, speaking more than two thousand times at events spanning the globe. In his podcast “The Story Blender,” he interviews leading storytellers in film, print, and web. Listen now to any of the dozens of archived podcasts for free by visiting his website www.thestoryblender.com.
Steven’s groundbreaking book on the art of fiction writing, STORY TRUMPS STRUCTURE, won a Storytelling World award. Widely-recognized for his story crafting expertise, he has twice served as a Master CraftFest instructor at ThrillerFest, North America’s premier training event for suspense writers.
Suspense Magazine, who named Steven’s book THE BISHOP their Book of the Year, says that he “sets the new standard in suspense writing.” Publishers Weekly calls him a “master storyteller at the peak of his game.” And RT Book Reviews promises, “the nail-biting suspense will rivet you.”
Equipped with a unique Master’s Degree in Storytelling, Steven has taught writing and storytelling on four continents over the past two decades, speaking more than two thousand times at events spanning the globe. In his podcast “The Story Blender,” he interviews leading storytellers in film, print, and web. Listen now to any of the dozens of archived podcasts for free by visiting his website www.thestoryblender.com.
Steven’s groundbreaking book on the art of fiction writing, STORY TRUMPS STRUCTURE, won a Storytelling World award. Widely-recognized for his story crafting expertise, he has twice served as a Master CraftFest instructor at ThrillerFest, North America’s premier training event for suspense writers.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions,
Steven. We are thrilled to have you as a guest. :)
QUESTION: Do you write with or without an outline?
