Do you pursue your stories, or wait until they come to you?
Some writers hunt down stories; others lie in wait...
This week, my storytelling life is on hold for two big things. The first is I’m awaiting feedback from beta readers on my novel. After a year of writing, revisions and edits, I shared it with other people. Technically, this is the second version of this story, but is so wholly different it’s basically a new story. So I expect some confusion on the readers’ part.
I almost wish I didn’t get the feedback for another week because of the second big thing.
The second big thing is that I’m participating in a Moth GrandSLAM in Ann Arbor. The Moth, if you’re not familiar, is true stories told live. This past week, I’ve been rehearsing and sweating the details. I’m generally fine in front of an audience but this may be my only chance to tell this story and I want it to go well.
I’m writing this newsletter a week early to give me time to worry about other things.
The Story Story
I was blessed this month with a story-story from novelist Erin Bartels. To save time, I’m referring you to her Bookbub.com entry to see her five current novels listed.
With bona fides like that, you may wonder how she goes about getting the ideas for her stories. Here is how she describes it:
From Erin
When I write, I am not thinking about genre, publisher, or reader expectations. I am not following a formula or a particular story structure or a beat sheet. I am not choosing tropes to include or even what theme or message I might want to get across. I don’t plot. I don’t really even brainstorm. In short, I don’t pursue the story, like a wolf pack might track and run down a moose. I like to wait for my stories to come to me—like a spider.
A spider builds a web in an area that bugs are known to frequent and waits for prey to get caught in it. It’s passive hunting. But it’s still hunting. Writers should build our webs where ideas are known to frequent. For me, that means I need down time in my schedule. I need opportunities to eavesdrop on people, time to read, music to listen to, relationships to tend. Because that’s where the ideas are.
My web is made of notebooks, which I nearly always have on me. If I am found without my notebook, I capture ideas on my hands, sometimes my arms. I sit in the middle of my web, waiting for some small vibration that tells me, “This is something; this is worth noticing.” Eventually, some of the ideas in my web stick to other ideas and a little cluster becomes the catalyst for a story.
I start, typically, just thinking about a character or two and a scenario. Eventually a first sentence or first scene comes to me. Then I start to write. I plunge in my fangs and suck each idea dry as I incorporate it into my story. I don’t write every day. I don’t write at a set time or in a set place. I write when my time allows and the next part of the story reveals itself. In the meantime, I keep spinning new webs, keep collecting ideas. Slowly, the plot develops, the characters deepen, and I discover what it is I have to say.
I guess that’s a process? It doesn’t always look the same. It never follows the same timeline. There are starts and stops, times I am lean and hungry and times I am fat and full. Eventually, it’s done. And because it came about organically, it reads as real. Which is always my second goal. I want my stories to feel honest and authentic, never forced or manufactured. I want to depict complex, three-dimensional characters who have meaningful experiences that cause readers to feel real feelings.
My first goal is to enjoy myself in the process. And truly, when have you ever seen a spider that didn’t look like it was enjoying itself?
Going Forward
If you have a story-story to share, send it my way. Just a couple hundred words on how you turned the spark of an idea into something you could write as a first draft.
Much thanks to Erin Bartels for her story-story.
Thanks for your time. Now get back to your desk and type faster.
All the best,
Mickey