The Abracadabra Kid

How Sid organizes his notes for writing a novel:

• Names
• Words & Expressions
• Dress
• Foods
• Prices
• Flora
• Fauna
• Incidents
• Characters
• Scenes
• Misc

 

Sid's advice to writers:

1. It's the job of the hero or heroine to solve the story problem. Don't leave it up to a second banana. Sherlock Holmes should solve the crime, not Watson.
2. The main character should be changed by the events of the story
3. If there's a hole in your story, point it out, and the hole will disappear (i.e. confront it head on).
4. Dramatize important scenes, narrate the trivialities
5. Give weather reports. It helps the reality of the scene.
6. The stronger the villain, the stronger the hero or heroine. A wimpy problem delivers a wimpy story.
7. When possible, give important characters an entrance.
8. Write in scenes...and make sure each ends with a curtain line.
9. Imagery is powerful shorthand. It says in 4-5 words what might otherwise take sentences to describe (and do it better).
10. If you're stuck on the plot, look for the second stick
11. Don't make a mossy rock or the frying pan the hero or heroine.
12. Tease out important information to dramatize important scenes.