I was volunteering in my daughter’s classroom on Friday for a Thanksgiving party for 4th grade.
While I was in there (supposedly setting out snack supplies so the kids could make their own teepees out of ice cream cones, chocolate, and hard candy), I couldn’t help but look at all the writing-related posters on the wall.
Fourth grade is a big writing year in elementary school. There were posters covering punctuation mechanics, grammar rules, commonly misspelled words, etc.
There was one poster though, that was a little more interesting to me. “Is your story idea a watermelon or a seed?”
Kids, naturally, sometimes come up with big ideas for stories—that don’t really work for a short writing assignment. “My Summer Vacation” instead of “The Worst Amusement Park Visit Ever!” The teacher’s point was that they needed to narrow their focus to get a better story.
But novelists are working with more pages to fill. We can afford a bigger picture.
Sometimes, though, that big picture doesn’t always work. I’ve definitely read books where I felt lost in the imaginary world the author had created. What was the primary plot? What character am I supposed to care about…and who is the protagonist? These books felt unfocused and rambling. What was the point? Was it a murder mystery or a family saga or lit fic with an agenda? What was the seed?
With genre fiction, the seed is pretty easy to find. The underlying thread of my books is a murder. And I don’t need to get too far away from it or else I’m off-target.
I’ve definitely edited down books before to get to the seed. Maybe there’s a subplot that’s fun, but doesn’t really tie in enough with the main story—maybe it’s an idea that needs its own book instead of being squeezed into a subplot. Or maybe there’s a secondary character that’s stealing the show and needs his own book.
Have you read books that don’t have a sharp enough focus? How do you winnow your plot down to the seed when you write?
Elizabeth – I think it may be easier for genre fiction writers to keep their focus on the seed – the main plot. When I write, I ask myself what each thing I write has to do with the main plot and characters. That makes it easier to stay focused.
That said, though, I have read novels (I like historical fiction like Edward Rutherfurd and James Michener) where there’s a lot less “seed,” but I love those “larger than life” historical novels, too. I think it takes a different kind of writing to make them good…
What I get from this is to stay focused…something I struggle with. When I get off track, I hear my daughter say, “Stay focused mom, stay focused.” However, my advice is not to stay so focused and defined that you miss out on a change in plans that could take your story in a new and wonderful direction.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family and characters. We musn’t leave them out.
T
For crime novels and thirllers and stuff like that, the plot need to be well defined and focused. But I have also read fabulous books focused on theme, without any clear plot, for instance If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino, and Wittgensteins Nephew by Thomas Bernhard >:)
Cold As Heaven
I agree with you, Elizabeth, it’s far easier to write genre fiction because you know what your seed is! Although I try to have one or two subplots, if they take too much away from the main thread of the story all they do is confuse both me and the reader!
I think Deb Dixon’s GMC (Goal, Motivation & Conflict) approach keeps the focus. What does the character want? Why? What’s keeping him from getting it?
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
The antagonists need clear plans as to what they are to do, like building or destroying a particular cause or movement. I hate reading books when the villains are bad but do not have clearly defined objectives.
Oh, and I have an award for you on my blog today!
Love that analogy! It’s a really good way to ensure our stories stay on track! :)
There are seeds? *snort* Yeah… this dilemma is sort of why I’ve decided writing faster for the first draft works a lot better, or I end up with a huge honkin’ seedless watermelon (you know… how they HAVE seeds, but they are so small you can’t hardly see them…) *cough* I still need a little work on this front in my suspense stuff. Mystery is definitely easier…
I’d think that summing up one’s plot in 1-2 sentences would provide the seed and the basic core of the story.
And yes, I’ve read books that meandered all over!
I’ve definitely read books that lacked focus and I find I don’t go back to those authors. I love to write my one sentence log line before starting my manuscript because it helps me hone in on the heart of the story.
Unfortunately I’ve read too many books where I get to the end and wonder what the point was. I find it frustrating.
As a verse novelist (not a mystery writer), I also find it essential to plant that key plot “seed” which motivates my mc’s subsequent actions early in the novel so that readers have a strong story thread to hold onto. Then, I feel more comfortable exploring a variety of metaphors and verse forms without making them feel like digressions. Thanks, btw, for dropping by my blog. Happy to have discovered yours and look forward to following along.
I don’t mind a story that wanders a bit as long as it gets somewhere. Not so crazy about a ride with no destination.
I’m with Cold on the crime and thriller novels. But in sci-fi I can take lots of “other-worldy” watermelon, lol. Plot (seed) still has to be there strong, though.
Excellent analogy here!