Creative Writing

67 Pages·2012·2.115 MB·English

by  Judy Lawn

CREATIVE WRITING

Judy Lawn

Jupiter Publishing NZ Ltd

Also by Judy Lawn

Novels

Progressions
Daisies Never Die
Watch Over Me

Short Stories

Children’s Picture Books

The Shrimp Who Wanted to be Pink
Sebastian’s Tail
Jossie’s New Home

I would like to thank my family, friends, fellow writers and past students for
encouraging me to write this book.

The sentences used as examples, my short stories and excerpts from my novels that
appear in this book are entirely works of fiction. The characters and events exist only
in the stories and in my imagination and have no relation whatsoever to any actual
person or incident.

Do you want to write a short story, a children’s picture book, an article or a novel but
don’t know where to begin?
Do you want to know how to make your characters ‘come to life’, your dialogue
sparkle and your settings realistic?
Are you concerned with plot, theme, structure and the editing process?
This book shows the writer how to develop their ideas into completed stories, with an
in-depth analysis of what makes a story work.
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Author Judy Lawn’s book is based on her experiences as a published writer of short
stories, children’s picture books, novels, articles, and journalism; and her years as a
creative writing tutor.

© Copyright 2012 Judy Lawn

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or
otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s
prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published
and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the
subsequent purchaser.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

The moral right of the author has been asserted

This edition published 2015

First published in New Zealand 2012
By Jupiter Publishing NZ Ltd
22B Brandon Road
Manly 0930
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
094243389

Established 2011
www.jupiterpublishingnz.com
www.judylawn.com

ISBN 978-0-473-20624-6 (print)
ISBN 978-0-473-20624-6 (e-pub)
ISBN 978-0-473-22435-6 (kindle)

Cover Design by Gabrielle Schollum
www.pinpointdesign.co.nz

CONTENTS
Chapter One: Beginnings
Chapter Two: A Few Words
Chapter Three: How To Open Your Story
Chapter Four: Characterisation
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Chapter Five: The Short Story
Chapter Six: Putting Together The Short Story
Chapter Seven: A Second Short Story
Chapter Eight: A Character-Driven Story
Chapter Nine: Humour
Chapter Ten: Dialogue
Chapter Eleven: Conflict and Suspense
Chapter Twelve: Children’s Stories and Picture Books
Chapter Thirteen: Putting Together ‘Nothing To Do’
Chapter Fourteen: The Literary Short Story
Chapter Fifteen: Novels
Chapter Sixteen: Prologue and First Chapter of a Novel
Chapter Seventeen: Revisions
Chapter Eighteen: A Storm Scene
Chapter Nineteen: Editing
Chapter Twenty: Non Fiction
Chapter Twenty-One: Journalism
Chapter Twenty-Two: Speeches

Introduction:

My Writing Journey

My writing journey is ongoing. I hope I’m still writing when I’m an old lady.
But to go back to the beginning – nearly thirty years ago – and my first writing
attempts. It didn’t take me long to realise they weren’t exactly enthralling
masterpieces. And I seemed to have forgotten every English lesson I’d ever had!
So, I went back to school to complete what was then called sixth-form certificate
in English. Following this ‘learning curve’ I did three English papers through Massey
University, a journalism course and a creative writing course all by correspondence.
It was while I was working my way through the various writing assignments that
my tutor suggested I submit some of my short stories. At that stage I wasn’t confident
enough to do so; in fact I was terrified at the thought. Other people read my stories?
No way!
About that time I joined a local writers group – and I came to the first cross-roads
in my writing journey. A homework assignment was to write a story about the sea, so
I wrote a fishing yarn. I took my story along to the next meet hopeful others would
like it. Back in those days I was too shy to read my stories out loud, so my tutor read
it out. When she’d finished, one of the other students sniffed, and said, ‘Well, it’s
plagiarism, isn’t it?’
I was devastated. Even though the tutor assured me the story wasn’t plagiarism, I
was really upset and couldn’t get the accusation out of my head.
That night at home – it was winter, and I was sitting in front of the fire with my
story still thinking about what had been said – I very nearly put that story in the fire!
If I’d done so, I would have seen not only my story go up in smoke, but also my
writing dreams. I took another look at the story and thought, ‘I like this story.’
That was the moment I became a writer. I believed in my story.
A few weeks later I was browsing through the magazine section in a book shop
and came across a fishing magazine. On the back page was a fishing yarn. I read the
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story through and thought, ‘mine’s just as good as that!’ So, full of my new bravado I
posted it off. That story, the one I’d nearly put in the fire, became my first published
short story. I framed it.
Years later, when I began teaching creative writing, I told my students about my
experience in the hope they would never allow the ‘things people say’ to put them off
their dream of becoming a writer.
Over the next few years I had several more short stories published; and although it
seemed a long slow process, I kept writing.
In 1998 I came to another major cross-road in my life. My darling husband of
nearly three years died suddenly of leukaemia – and my world shattered.
It was my writing that saved me.
After a few months I felt able to go back and complete a novel I’d begun while he
was still alive. The novel was eventually published by an American e-publishing
company. E-publishing was just beginning, and it was exciting to be part of that era.
My novel, ‘Progressions’ went on to win the 2005 EPIC Award for Best Single
Title/Mainstream.
Two children’s picture books were next, one with Reed Publishing NZ, and the
second with Penguin Group NZ, followed by another novel, and more short stories.
Somewhere along the way I had the idea that I would like to teach creative
writing, to pass on to others all that I’d learned about the writing process.
I began compiling this book…

Chapter one: Beginnings

Where Do I start?
When I first wanted to write that was the question I found myself asking tutors
and other writers. Years later, when I began teaching creative writing, it was the
question my students asked me. Where do I start?
I recall my first writing attempts in embarrassment; all that overwriting, repetition,
and melodramatic plots, which I thought of as wildly exciting. I even began several
novels and remember how delighted I was when I had ‘filled up the pages’ with long
rambling descriptions, that, privately, I was quite proud of. I remember thinking that I
would finish the novel quickly, and then running out of steam on page five, and
becoming despondent and disappointed with my efforts.
You might have begun stories, too, and found, as I did, that the words simply dry
up or you’re not happy with what you’ve written.
It’s all a lot harder than it looks.
Along with ‘where do I start?’ you will have many more questions: Where should
I set my story? How many words does it need to be? How many characters should
there be? What should I call them? How do you write dialogue? What kind of story
should I write? Do I have to include back-story? Help! What’s back-story? I’ve never
heard of it before.
Whatever your questions, all writing begins with an idea; but unless we know how
to translate those ideas into stories our ideas are simply in danger of evaporating.
Saving Our Ideas
From the moment our ideas occur to us we need to save them so we have
something concrete to work with when we begin our writing.
When I first began teaching creative writing I devised an ‘idea’s map’. For
example, say your idea is to write a story about a gardener.
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Ideas Map
Ask Questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Who – young man just finished apprenticeship
What – gardening, planting,

Gardener
Where – Christchurch
When – autumn, spring
Why – to learn about gardening/life from old retainer

You can keep adding to the boxes, building on your ideas.
Some of you may be put off by the ideas map and think, ‘What’s she talking
about? If I have to do that, I’ll never write one word!’
Don’t worry! There are many more ways to get you started.
2) Sentences
Perhaps you’re more of a sentence person? I’m a sentence person.
You might write something like this:
‘Young man goes to Christchurch to learn about gardening – and life – from old
retainer’. (A retainer is an old servant who has worked for the family for years).
At this stage you can write one short sentence – if that’s what saves your idea – or
one long sentence that goes on and on, without punctuation or form. It doesn’t matter
at this stage if runs into half a page or more. You’re writing. And that’s the plan.
So see if writing sentences to capture your ideas works for you.
3) Key Words
Jotting down key words quickly is another great way to save your idea – and it’s
something we can all do.
Key words might be some of these:
Christchurch, young gardener, old retainer, hat, beard, Avon River, willows,
green, gold, autumn, grass, trees, water, shinning, wheelbarrow, sunshine, etc.
Writing down these words, one after the other builds pictures of your characters
and setting. You need to be able to see the setting in your mind, and your characters
moving and working and living in that setting.
By following one or more of these ideas, or a combination of all three, you’ll be
surprised by how far along in the story you actually are.
That’s all very well, I hear you say, but where do you get your ideas from?
Ideas
Ideas can be found everywhere: our world, new worlds, other worlds.
Nature. Many of my stories have nature at their heart; the sea, the beach, the bush.
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Local places, historical locations. I once wrote a short story set in the little town
where I lived. I knew the layout well, different unique landmarks, historical sites, the
shops, seasonal festivals, and the people who lived and worked in the town. I was able
to use many of these details in my story to create atmosphere and authenticity.
Magazines, newspapers, TV, Radio, the internet, social media, conversations –
your own and those overheard.
People we know, people we meet, people we knew.
Start keeping an ideas folder of photographs, interesting articles from
magazines/newspapers, things you heard on your favourite sit-com, thriller or
documentary. ‘People watch’ wherever you are. Sit in a café and eavesdrop.
‘Save’ your ideas as soon as they occur, even if it’s just one or two words or a
short sentence to prompt your memory. It’s no good thinking you’ll remember them
later because you never do.
Songs
If you’re stuck for ideas think of all the songs you know and love. Songs tell a
whole story in a few words, in a few minutes. Songs like, ‘Unforgettable’, ‘In The
Ghetto’, ‘What a Wonderful World’, ‘Yesterday’, ‘The Streets of London’, ‘Walk the
Line,’ ‘Island in the Sun’, ‘My Favourite Things’. There are far too many to mention.
But they all have that one thing in common; they tell a story. These songs are
enduring and reach out to new audiences, decade after decade.
The Five Senses: Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch, Taste. Don’t forget the Sixth Sense.
Try to include smell in your stories. I’ve read whole books where the author
hasn’t made any mention of smell. This can be stated directly; ‘The room smelt of old
gumboots and cigarette smoke’, or revealed more subtly; ‘The swollen tide had left a
tangle of rotting seaweed, sea shells and one lone starfish’.
Can you smell the swollen tide, the rotting seaweed, the sea shells and the
starfish?
Always include smell.
Proverbs
If you’re still stuck for ideas take a look at proverbs.
Most of us quote proverbs and everyday sayings in our day-to-day life. There are
hundreds of proverbs and new ones created everyday. Why not invent your own?

Chapter Two: A Few Words
Before we move on try a short exercise or two, one or two paragraphs in length.
Exercise One
Describe someone’s eyes/face.
This can be someone you know – your partner, child, parent, sibling, a close
friend, or you can describe your hero/heroine’s eyes/face.
Try a different approach other than description of size, shape and colour of the
eyes/face. Imagine your character in a dangerous/difficult/happy situation. What
would their expression be like?
Try not to use clichés or overused phrases: wide-eyed, heart-shaped face, square
chin, aquiline nose, animated expression, etc. It’s all been done to death – to use
another cliché.
Ask questions: Who, what, where, when, why?
Use sentences and key words to get you started.
When I get my students to do this exercise, I always ask them to read out a few
descriptive words from their work that don’t reveal the gender of their character.
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Then, as a class, we try to work this out. I do this for several reasons; it brings my
class together at the beginning of the term, and we explore the question; ‘are words
gender related?’ The other reason I do the exercise is to show how much we can
reveal in a few words.
Example One: ‘…brown eyes soft and shinning…’
Do you think this describes a male or female character? Look at the word ‘soft’.
I’d say this is a female character, wouldn’t you?
I then get the writer to read out the whole of their piece to reveal their character’s
gender. (Sometimes this doesn’t work and we get it wrong, but everyone has a good
laugh and it makes us think about language).
‘She sat in her chair by the window, her brown eyes soft and shinning as she
watched her grandson ride his bike round the yard’.
Example Two: ‘…eyes as brown and dark and slippery as the river…’
Look at the words ‘brown’, and ‘dark’ and ‘slippery’. To me these words used
together describe a male character. What do you think?
‘But it was Charlie’s eyes that held people. As brown and dark and slippery as the
river, they caught at a man when he wasn’t expecting it…’
From my short story ‘The Back Block’ (Takahe Magazine 39).
Try this exercise yourself and examine your words. Are words gender related?
Exercise Two
Describe the room you’re in. Try a different perspective. Move your chair from its
usual place – out of your comfort zone. What would the room look like at night, in the
middle of the day, dusk, or first light? Create atmosphere and colour. Describe the
room in glowing/bleak terms. Be mellow/angry. Create a mood.
Exercise Three
Imagine a family celebration – or recall one of your own. Describe, in detail, the
place, the food, the weather, the conversation, etc. See where this exercise leads by
focusing on one incident only, and try to capture the nuances of that incident; the
subtle sibling rivalry, a relative’s ability to make everyone laugh, a stranger
introduced to the family for the first time, etc.
Exercise Four
Think of a house you visited as a child – or imagine one – and now revisit it as an
adult. See yourself walking up to the front door. What things do you remember about
the house? Who once lived here? Who might live here now? Perhaps you can hear
voices from within? Perhaps there is someone in the garden…?
See where your ‘footsteps’ take you.

Chapter Three: How To Open Your Story

I wrote for many years thinking I had to begin at the beginning and go on until I
came to the end. I still write like that sometimes, but now I have no fear in writing
later scenes or even whole chapters entirely out of sequence.
In today’s world where news is available to a worldwide audience as it happens
there’s no time for long lengthy introductions.
Introduce your main character ASAP, in the first line if possible. State their
problem and create an intriguing situation. The first line is called the ‘hook’.
The first line, paragraph and page are vital, and will catch the eye of a reader – not
to mention an editor, agent or publisher. (You do want to be published, don’t you?)
An Opening:
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‘I was home that afternoon when Mike Hamilton returned to Bendigo.’
Now let’s apply the questions:
Who? The narrator, I. Another character, Mike Hamilton.
What? Was home.
Where? Bendigo.
When? That afternoon.
Why?
The ‘why’ is implied. The ‘why’ is what the story is all about. Why has Mike
Hamilton returned to Bendigo?
This sentence makes a statement, creates intrigue, and introduces the narrator, I,
and another main character.
Study the opening sentences in other books. Does the first sentence capture your
attention? Is it exciting and interesting? Do you want to read on?
The Beginning, Middle and End
Always begin your stories with a change in the protagonist’s life. Something has
happened and now the character must react/change/grow because of this.
The middle shows your character reacting and changing and growing as they
solve problems and come to terms with major changes/complications in their lives.
The end resolves the problems.
Theme
The theme is the subject of your story, it’s what your story is about; jealousy,
love, revenge, treachery, trust, self-discovery, the need for independence. A story
might include several themes.
Sometimes the theme is not quite so easy to define, but the reader will still
recognise, ‘Yes, that’s what happens in life,’ or ‘I know what the writer is talking
about.’
A lot of my stories are what’s known as ‘coming of age’ stories. The character,
not necessarily always young, goes through some major trauma or event in their life,
and changes or ‘grows up’ because of said trauma/event.
Plot
I’ll mention ‘plot’ here, because many new writers get confused between theme
and plot. Plot is what happens in your story, the events or incidents – this happened,
and then that happened, and then something else happened after that.
4) What If?
Some of the best ideas have come from a simple ‘What if?’
What if a boy never grew up? ‘Peter Pan’.
What if dinosaurs came back to life? ‘Jurassic Park’.
What if an alien came to live with an ordinary family? ‘Alf’.
What if a great white shark terrorized the beaches one summer? ‘Jaws’.
What if, to complicate matters, it was the beginning of the holiday season and
everyone was just dying to get into the water? (Sorry, couldn’t help that pun!)
What if an eccentric shark fisherman set out to catch the shark, only to become the
shark’s next victim?
What if the police inspector investigating the shark attacks had a fear of water and
couldn’t even swim?
This is called ‘plot stacking’. One plot idea is stacked on top of another,
complicating the story and always moving the story forward until the end – in this
instance, a nail-biting climax that has thrilled and terrified generations of movie-
goers.
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All events and action in your stories must be there for the purpose of moving the
story forward, or revealing character. It must always tie in with your theme.
For example in ‘Jaws’ the theme might be ‘courage’ or ‘overcoming fear’.
After initially trying to ignore and cover up the shark problem, the police officer
needed to find the courage to confront the shark – and his own fear – to regain his
standing within the community, and even his own self-respect.
The story might also be called a ‘coming of age’ story.
To re-cap:
The beginning of the story introduces the characters, sets the scene and presents
the problem. The middle develops the action – think ‘plot-stacking’. The end resolves
the problem, for better or worse. You don’t always have to write a ‘happy ending’, but
the ending has to satisfy the reader, so they’re left smiling, or shaking their heads
knowingly/sadly.

Language
Many beginner writers think they have to use long complex words and sentences
imagining that it gives their writing strength and superiority. This is not necessary.
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘keep it simple’. Plain simple language is effective.
Bad language is acceptable only if it’s what the character would say. A hardened
criminal is not likely to say, ‘Excuse me, miss, but would you mind moving out of my
way’.
Have your characters behave ‘in character’.

Chapter Four: Characterisation

Characters are what stories are all about. The greatest characters are those who
‘seem’ real. Famous, unforgettable characters include Huckleberry Fin, Scarlet
O’Hara, Tarzan, Cinderella, Lassie. I’m sure you can add many others.
Our aim is to create characters the reader can identify with and care about. If the
characters don’t ‘seem’ real to the reader then the reader is not going to care about
them.
Remember theme. What is the story about?
Always be specific and not general in your description of character. ‘Beautiful
girl’ is general. How beautiful was she? What colour was her hair, eyes, skin? What
was the expression in her eyes? Was she smiling and happy? Or was ‘her mouth
twisted into a cynical smile, which looked out of place on a face where every feature
was far too perfect’. Be specific.
Don’t make your characters perfect. No one likes ‘Miss Goody Two Shoes’. They
wish bad hair days on such people. We all have faults and bad habits, and do and say
things we wish we hadn’t, or act in a manner we later regret – we’re human. Make
sure your characters are well-rounded human beings.
Names
The time I wasted trying to think of the perfect name for my protagonist before I
even began my story makes me sigh now to recall. If only I had written ‘xxx’ where
the name would be and just got on with the story then added the name later when it
occurred to me.
Names are important, but finding the right one often takes time.
Think about the personality of your characters. Are they a larger than life
character? Quiet and shy? Are they the life and soul of the party? An escaped
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criminal on the run from the law? Each character needs a name to suit their
personality.
Don’t have similar sounding names: Karen/Kathy, Simon/Stephen. It’s confusing.
Choose Karen and Elizabeth, and Simon and Gareth instead.
Some writers complete their stories then go back and change the name of a lead
character because they no longer like it or feel it suits their story.
Never introduce a character into your story just to ‘fill up the pages’. Each
character must be there for the purpose of moving the story forward; they must have a
‘part to play’. You might have met an amusing cab driver on one of your travels, or
noticed a man acting strangely at one of the hotels you stayed at and think these
would make great characters in your story. Don’t be tempted – unless, of course, the
story is about these characters.
In a short story it’s best to have only one or two characters in the ‘staring roles’.
Too many characters are crowding and confusing.
Body Language
Body language is communication – everything from ‘full-frontal aggression with
feet planted wide apart, hands on hips, chin thrust forward and eyes glaring, to the
barest twitch of the lip’. Body language is often overlooked by the beginner writer as
they go for the tired and clichéd ‘s/he said angrily, threateningly, amusedly,
delightedly, etc’.
How well do you study people? Can you read their mood/emotions by their body
language? Are their shoulders tight, revealing inner tension? Are they standing
rigidly, or are they slouching? Is this natural or an act? What’s the angle of their head
– tilted inquiringly or are they stiff-necked? Where are their hands – loosely at their
sides or clasped in their laps or thrust into their pockets? Are they shifting from one
foot to the other? What does this signify?
How are they walking? Are they striding out with confidence or taking slow
shuffling steps? Are they kicking the pavement, or tap-tapping one foot?
Can you read their expression? Is their frown real or pretence at anger?
How do you recognise a family member or friend in a crowded room or street?
What body language do you instinctively search for: that special ‘turn of the head’ or
the way they toss their hair, or adjust their glasses or the shoulder strap of their bag.
Don’t forget the way your characters might view inherited family characteristics.
They might have inherited their father’s bumpy nose – much to their annoyance – but
been lucky enough to also inherit his sunny disposition. Or perhaps they’re thrilled to
have inherited their mother’s thick glossy dark hair and dainty feet.
When people live together for a long time, there is often the tendency to adopt
each other’s mannerisms or bad habits, and even begin to look similar.
Body language includes all habits and personality traits: Andrew whistles under
his breath as he works, Sandy bites her nails, Michael never leaves the house without
his skate board, Angela is forever changing the colour of her hair, and so on.
It’s these habits and personality traits that make your characters human and
unique.
Your characters need to stand out from the crowd. No one remembers ‘run-of-
the-mill’ robots or ‘cardboard cut-outs’. Make your characters three-dimensional.

How to Create a Character Profile
Create a character profile for each main character. You might not use all the
information gathered but you’ll know your character well by the time you’ve finished
your profile.
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