How to Write a Captivating Story

Storytelling has a long tradition. Humans devour stories every day and even more so today with all the different ways we can read and find stories. The Internet has given us a myriad of ways we can seek out to hear or read stories.

So, with all this clutter, how do readers find your story? First, you have to write one and I'm here to help you learn how to write a captivating story.

Writing is a solitary pursuit and one that requires discipline to sit down and write to achieve you goal of a published story. It combines creative skills with the correct use of grammar, style, technique and strategies. To create a compelling story that keeps your reader interested and keep turning the page, here are a few tips to help you start.

Advice on How to Write a Captivating Story

Creating a captivating story starts with a strong foundation. The idea is only the beginning of your story - you will need characters, find a setting, what is involved in the plot, the use of dialogue that sounds natural, and the use of 'Show, Don't Tell'.

Write characters who feel real to the reader, don't make them too polished. Show their faults, who are they and why are they the way they are? Also, your characters should fit in the world you are building - talk about the sounds, smells and lifestyle choices your characters may make. Allow some twist and turns here to help engage your reader further into your story. Use dialogue that suits the characters, eg. if you are writing for young readers, use some common terms they relate to, or don't use big words. No ten year old knows the meaning of words like - insouciant, kerfuffle, or rambunctious. Unless you're going to explain what these unfamiliar words mean, use simpler words.

Let's talk about 'Show Don't Tell', this is something that stumped me when I first began writing my novels. It basically means to use descriptive words showing actions, thoughts, sensory details, and emotions (like fear). In all storytelling there is some telling involved, but showing the reader keeps them more engaged.

Another tip is to 'Write what you know'. I worked in television many years ago, so when it came to writing my contemporary novel, Fame & Other Disasters, I used my knowledge of the television industry to help me write the story. Research will only take you so far when writing a story, knowing some of the subject matter does help.

The cover for my audiobook version of Fame & Other Disasters. A popular story available as print, ebook or this audio version.

Where to Start

I wrote my first story in my late 20s but this story wasn't published until much later. I shelved this manuscript due to other things happening in my life at the time, I didn't pick it up again until my early 50s. I wouldn't recommend waiting this long to finish a story, but it is true that life happens and we deal with things when we can.

Starting a story will feel overwhelming, and it is. But, if you take it one step at a time, the monumental task will be manageable. I am now able to write and publish a book in around a year, not years later.

Let's start with an idea. The story I mentioned started with a question "What if what you know of your life actually isn't the truth?" In 'The Decision They Made', my historical debut, there is a secret kept by two sisters for forty years and when it is discovered, the fallout for the families involved was huge. The trick is how to make this question fill out into approx. 80,000 - 100,000 words.

It is best to have an outline before you start putting down any words, a timeline of what may happen along with characters' names, traits and looks. You may also want to add setting details in this document too. I usually find once I have this outline, I am able to start writing my first draft. Remember, your first draft does not have to be perfect, just write it, you can edit later. Sometimes I can do up to three or four drafts before I let anyone else read my story.

The Decision They Made is my debut novel and has reached No.1 in several Amazon categories. This book is set in Italy, Russia and Australia.

Now It's Time to think about Plotting

Your plot is what happens in your story, this is what creates the narrative, or the series of related events. This is the how and why of what happens and involves any conflicts your characters will need to navigate. A strong plot is essential to a captivating story.

If your plot structure is weak or has 'plot holes', this is something you can fix with editing. Essentially you will need a beginning set up, what happens to cause conflict and the resulting climax. Try to maintain good pacing and tension with each chapter having a dramatic cliffhanger, which may foreshadow what comes next. Conflict can happen at any time, but it is best to start with an initial conflict early in your story, then add more within some subplots, especially in the middle of manuscript. Middle sections of stories can become boring without subplots and mini-conflicts.

Develop Your Style

When I came back to my original manuscript, I wasn't pleased with what I had written. At that time I didn't know about these tips so my story didn't flow and there were plot holes. It needed a complete rewrite, of which there were many drafts.

Don't expect your first attempt at writing a story to be easy, nor polished. There are some things you can do to make further drafts better and mostly it's about how you write. Use sentences that convey a clear meaning of what is happening, this is called using an 'active voice'. Long-winded sentences become a chore to read, use a mix of long and short sentences. For impact, using one or two words as a paragraph then following with a longer paragraph can be powerful, use it for dramatic effect.

An example of this can be:

She waited.

Too long for her liking. She kept checking her phone, waiting for a text or a call. Why was he late? He knew how important this was for her. She paces back and forth, her breath laboured as she worries what may have happened to him. Her evening dress feels heavy on her body, she is not used to wearing dresses, let alone a long one. Where the hell is he?

She turns, takes a long, deep breath and enters the venue.

This is one way to build drama, something readers enjoy.

Something I don't enjoy reading are cliches. Clichés are to be avoided, use them sparingly. They might work in dialogue for say, a character who likes using them, an example is "My actions speak louder than words." Using this in dialogue is almost acceptable, but stay away from them within your main text.

As mentioned before, show emotions, don't just tell your reader how your character is feeling. Describe the physical symptoms and how they are behaving. What are their reactions? Are they trembling? Sweating?

How to Revise and Edit

One way I like to revise what I have written is to read it out loud. This helps me to find any awkward sentences, phrasing and repetitive issues. Once I have done this, I leave the manuscript and take a break of a few days, or less if time allows. Although, there have been times when I don't go back for weeks due to other commitments, but you do what works for you.

Once I am back, I read through the whole manuscript and take note of inconsistencies, whether there are plot holes and do the characters fit together. You may want (or need) to 'kill your darlings?' Sometimes you have to be brutal and delete a character who isn't working with the others. Or this is something else you can use for dramatic effect. This goes for deleting any scenes that don't push the story forward as well.

I take note of typos, spelling errors and too many repeated words, which can be annoying for readers. When this is all done, I may do another draft which will be close to being ready, this is when I send the manuscript to my trusted beta readers or share with my writing groups. It is up to you whether you take on the changes offered by these initial readers, but mostly, I have found them helpful.

From this point, your manuscript will be polished (as much as possible) and ready to be sent to an editor. I would recommend you pay for a professional edit if you want your book to succeed in the cluttered world of published books.

Storytelling is an art and if you have the gift of writing within you, then don't waste it. Use your gift and find your readers, no other writer has your voice. Now you have a starting point with these tips, your story will captivate and engage readers. I wish you good luck in starting to write your captivating story.

Happy reading (and writing)

Maria P Frino