This is the final blog post in my "Why Good Writing Matters" series. My husband gets credit for the idea on this one. His profession is pretty much the complete opposite of writing, but he always holds great insight in the field nonetheless. One of the many reasons I love him! Now, onto the good stuff...
Have you ever read a book that had a great plot, intriguing characters, and a distinct voice but lacked consistency throughout? If so, did it irritate you and ruin the book for you, or did you view it as no big deal?
This may not be the case for everyone, but stories that lack internal consistency—that is, they have plot holes or material that contradicts some other part of the book—really grate on my nerves. In my brief research mentioned in the introductory post for this series, I found this topic held the most disagreements. Some readers weren't overly bothered by inconsistencies, and others equated them to blasphemy, ruining an otherwise perfectly good book. There was also a spectrum of opinions in between. Where people stood within that spectrum depended on the type of inconsistency and the frequency of it for any given book.
That just goes to show, there’s a lot of gray area with this one. I'm not certain only a few minor inconsistencies are enough to deem an otherwise well-written book garbage. However, there are a few things regarding internal consistency that really do matter. These are the things that your readers will pick up on and remember even after they've finished the book.
Rules of the Universe
Know the physical rules and laws of your universe. Record them. Memorize them. Following the rules of the universe is a tip for writers of any genre, but breaking said rules results in differing consequences depending on the genre. If you bend or break a given rule in a strictly standard fiction, your readers may notice but be a bit forgiving so long as it's infrequent. If you make this mistake in a fantasy novel, watch out. Not only will there be a dip in believability, but your readers will likely become irritated and more critical as they continue flipping pages, making the experience for them much less enjoyable. By sticking to the rules you set, you'll gain even more credibility for your awesome writing skills.
Writing Through the Ages
Historical fiction novels and even standard fiction pieces taking place a few decades ago lend themselves to a minefield of problems: clothing, language, and objects (particularly medicine and media devices) that are downright tedious to get right. In a full-blown fantasy novel, the author can make up materials, clothes, language, and whatever they wish. So long as they stick to the rules for those things, there is no problem. But when fiction is part of reality, consistency in these things isn't just a good idea; it's a necessity. Novels that take place in the early 1700s need to reflect the era being written. The same is true even with a more modern time period like the 1950s. If you try writing a novel that takes place (in the USA) in 1959 and mention someone getting a mumps vaccine, you're in for a bashing from your readers. The bottom line? Do your homework. Writing a novel that takes place in another era can be fascinating. It can also be frustrating as heck. But if you’re dedicated to doing the research required and you respond to critiques from your beta readers, editor(s), and sensitivity readers when needed, you’ll be greatly rewarded. Well-written pieces of these genres are easily some of the best books out there! Get them right, and you'll gain serious respect from your fans.
Character Facts
By far, the most common and widespread issues has to be with character facts. Think date of birth, relations to other characters, physical features, dialect and word choice, personality traits, etc. If you make a mistake in one of these areas, your readers will notice, and you’ll likely get flogged for it. Since this has nothing to do with research (unless you're dealing with a specific mental or physical illness) and everything to do with organization, make a point to catalog every character during the planning and drafting stages when you write a book. Find a method that works for you, whether it be index cards, a spreadsheet, a writing program, or something else. Then use it as a reference point any time you add a new fact, change an existing one, or are unsure what the existing ones are with any of your characters.
Cross-reference your facts constantly. Even when you've checked and rechecked everything ten times over, go back and check again. Have your editor (who should already be looking for them) check too. An inconsistency in this area can best be described as one of those nagging thoughts in the back of your head. When readers come across one of these errors, they make a mental note of it and never forget it. So do yourself and your readers a favor by making sure to keep even the smallest of facts about your characters straight.
This is an area that I personally struggle with the most; I tend to leap first, then go back and try to undo all the knots I've created. I can tell you from experience that this isn't the best approach. All it takes is just a few knots to produce a major unwanted kink in your plot. So set the facts and adhere your story to them, not the other way around.
Internal consistency soothes readers, increases credibility and believability, and is congruent with good writing. Inconsistencies stand out like a sore thumb. Avoid them, and you'll avoid having to endure a painful sore that will blemish your otherwise beautiful masterpiece.
Why Good Writing Matters: Plot Structure
Details in a story are everything. They make a story unique and give it life. But without a proper plot, there is no story. The book becomes meaningless. Plot is one of the first things to consider when deciding to craft a work of fiction.
Everyone knows from early elementary school days the basic structure of a plot. You start with the opening, or exposition, have some rising action, a climax, falling action, then the ending, or denouement. But what they don't teach you in elementary school is that you can tweak that basic structure to your advantage. You can bend the lines and change its shape to capture a reader's attention and suck them in to the story, rather than showing it to them.
It's true the following that basic structure is a good rule of thumb as a guideline. But consider the following: You open a book, and the first few pages go on to describe the main character, his/her age, name, situation, etc. Essentially, a "Here's who I am and why my life story is worth telling," scenario. It may follow the structure of a plot, but it isn't a good opening. Agents don't like it, and neither do readers. Why? It's clichéd and doesn't hold most reader's interest. So what can you do to bend the rules a bit so that your opening is both intriguing but follows the basic guidelines?
1. Tweak the structure.
Use the exciting parts to your advantage. Jump right into the action, and explain the situation as you go. This doesn't mean forgoing the guideline altogether either. A common method to this approach is to start with a fight scene and then go back and explain how the main character arrived at that particular situation. But that isn't the only option you have. You can start the character just about anywhere and in any situation as long as there is some action taking place. This could be as simple as a party, a vacation, school, or what have you. Just make sure that no matter where you start, it has some unique element, something that will hold the reader's attention and make them say, "Hmm. I want to read more." For example, have something go horribly wrong at the location, have someone unexpected show up that causes a commotion, anything out of the ordinary. A unique opening is an interesting opening. You want to avoid the classic clichéd opening and a dramatic introduction completely. Those kinds of beginnings are incredibly overdone.
After you develop a beginning to your story that hooks your readers, continue to follow the standard plot structure. Subplots and extra action along the way are, of course, encouraged. The more you have, the more likely the story is to keep a reader's interest. However, if you develop a rather complex plot, you'll need a way to keep track of it. Consistency is one of the most important things in holding a good plot after all.
2. Use outlines to keep your story straight.
In a previous blog, "Maps are Key," I mentioned using maps and outlines to keep one's story straight. I highly recommend this method, particularly if you're going to have a complex plot. It's generally a good idea to start out with a loose outline of your story. Include the main points of the plot, get a list of main characters together, and perhaps briefly outline what you want to achieve by telling the story. Every good story has a point to it, whether it's a moral statement (usually found in children's books), a good vs. evil battle, or a simple story to convey change in a character (usually reserved for short stories, though not always). If you don't know the reason for telling the story, the reader won't either, and the effectiveness of your writing will suffer.
3. Use details to enhance the plot.
Details really do make a world of difference. You can have a fantastic idea for a book and a captivating plot, but if it isn't written well, the story will be worthless. Sure, you might pick up a few fans here and there that don't really care about how well-written a piece is, but the book will never be what I would consider a good book, a true piece of literature. I realize that may sound rather harsh, and there are certainly those who disagree with me. But if you're going to take the time to do something, like write a book, then why not take the time to do it right?
This poses the question: How does one create a well-written story? Apart from good grammar and a stellar plot, if you examine any good book, you'll see that details play a big part. Without details, there are no hints at what is to come, no twists, turns, or surprises, and certainly no colorful imagery. Use details in your writing to bring your story to life. Make every scene that you write count. Craft the words in such a way that they are appropriate for the scene and the voice of the story. Use variation to make them flow well and heighten the mood you are trying to establish.
Good writing is an art form. The words flow easily and have a wonderful, musical rhythm to them. The words will seem very naturally structured. However, a good author will strategically place, words, scenes, and all other content to form that piece of art. They know how to strike just the right balance using flow of the words and well-placed content.