Mentoring, editing, proofreading and publishing work is also rolling in afresh and, although I\u2019m more selective these days about the clients I take on, I really enjoy sharing what I\u2019ve learnt over the years with individuals one-on-one. Since reading English at Birmingham University, I\u2019ve been studying how to write and develop my own style. It\u2019s such a pleasure now to help others do the same.<\/p>\n
A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed for The Mosman Daily about my year-long course, The Year Your Book Gets Written<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n So many writers get halfway through a story then give up because they have no idea where the story\u2019s going, or the story is going awry and they can\u2019t figure out why. They started with a vague idea of what might happen, hoped the rest of the story would become clear as they wrote, but it didn\u2019t. Talking about your story with a friend can help, but unless that friend understands the basics of story structure \u2013 and how it can enable readers to connect with what you want to say \u2013 your story will struggle to be the best it can be.<\/p>\n The first thing a publisher is going to notice is a writer\u2019s manuscript formatting. As the founder and leader of the Northern Beaches Writers\u2019 Group<\/a>, I\u2019ve read over 10,000 words of other people\u2019s stories each month for about eight years. Over that time, my eyes have grown so used to the publishing industry\u2019s basic standard for manuscript formatting that anything failing that basic standard now looks odd \u2013 I struggle to read it! So I wrote a guide for new writers and clients, which you\u2019re welcome to share it around. You can download it here: “Manuscript Formatting by Zena Shapter”<\/a><\/p>\n Many new writers don\u2019t appreciate how to construct the individual chapters of larger stories. My definition of a chapter is a series of scenes linked together with a sense of purpose. A series of scenes without a sense of purpose is not a chapter, it\u2019s simply a series of unconnected scenes. Before you start writing a chapter, therefore, you should ideally know exactly what its purpose is within your book, and what it\u2019s trying to achieve for your main character \/ narrator. With this in mind, both the \u2018transitions\u2019 you use to bridge the scenes within your chapter, and the progression of a character or narrator\u2019s line of thought, should flow with ease. If they don\u2019t, it\u2019s a sign that your chapter has no focus.<\/p>\n Characters and narrators can only relate events to the reader from their own perspectives \u2013 they only know what they can actually see, feel, hear, smell and taste. We cannot head-hop into other people\u2019s minds in real life \u2013 and know for sure what they think or feel \u2013 and likewise characters \/ narrators cannot do this in fictional or non-fictional stories.<\/p>\n In real life, people have goals. They have goals no matter what life experiences come their way. Those goals then change and evolve as new information, disappointments, stresses and achievements effect the opportunities available to them. The same is true in books. Even before the \u2018story\u2019 of a book commences, its characters \/ narrators will want to achieve something in life. New writers often forget this, and forget to foresee how the story to be told will interrelate with those goals.<\/p>\n For me, the best stories involve a character or narrator experiencing change. I believe that\u2019s why we read \u2013 to connect with others and see how those others cope with change so we\u2019re better prepared to cope with challenges in our own lives. But unless a writer first establishes the dreams and hopes of their character \/ narrator at the start of their story, how will readers experience or acknowledge the change they go through and appreciate any challenges they face?<\/p>\n Writers have to work hard to attract and keep their readers, and there are so many ways to do this I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with The Mosman Daily journalist. As I told her, the best thing new writers can do is to take a writing course or make an appointment with a writing mentor. It certainly made all the difference to me when I first started writing! It saves time because you\u2019re learning from writers who have already forged away at the writing rock face for years, and energy because they\u2019ll be able to summarise what you need to know in a nutshell. So if you\u2019ve got a writing project to progress this year, search courses offered at your local writing centre<\/a> or college<\/a>, google mentors nearby<\/a> or those who offer online support<\/a>, then get in touch. If they\u2019re anything like me, I\u2019m sure they\u2019d be only too pleased to hear that you’re interested in learning more.<\/p>\n Save<\/span><\/p>\n Save<\/span><\/p>\n Save<\/span><\/p>\n Save<\/span><\/p>\n Save<\/span><\/p>\n Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" February in Australia means the start of a new school year, and new opportunities to learn. For me it also means new opportunities to teach! Here are some of the courses I\u2019m teaching this term: The Year Your Book Gets Written Creative Writing Essentials Story Structure Introduction to Creative Writing\u2026<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/zenashapter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Mosman-Daily-Zena-Shapter-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\u2026and the journalist asked me about the biggest mistakes new writers make. I had so many to share!<\/p>\nStructure<\/h3>\n
![](\"http:\/\/zenashapter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Structure-Mountain-300x219.jpg\")
For me, structure is one of the biggest reasons a writing project might fail (whether it\u2019s a fictional or non-fictional \u2018story\u2019), but possibly not for the reasons you might think. Yes, there are formulas. And yes, I believe that checking the right formula for your story can throw up plot flaws and character \/ narrator issues you might not have otherwise recognised. But most importantly, having a structure for what you want to say ensures you finish.<\/p>\nFormatting<\/h3>\n
Transitions<\/h3>\n
Point of View<\/h3>\n
Character Arcs<\/h3>\n
So much more!<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/zenashapter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Zena-Shapter-stack-of-books-277x300.jpg\")
There\u2019s of course so much more to writing stories than the above\u2026 Don\u2019t even get me started on realism (why don\u2019t they just call the police!!), motivation (would *you* put your safety on the line for excitement or curiosity alone?), tension (if everything\u2019s going to be okay, why am I reading?), timelines (what *have* they been doing all this time?), sympathy (if they\u2019re going to break the law on purpose, lie to those they love, and be unfair to others, maybe they deserve what happens?), show don\u2019t tell (readers like to decide for themselves!) or Chekhov\u2019s gun<\/a> issues (after so many scenes trying to locate the potion \/ learn how to skateboard \/ rescue the hedgehog surely that\u2019s going to be important in the story\u2019s climax?).<\/p>\n