Where Creativity Flows

CHALLENGE #8 - STORYLINES

This chapter is a bit more serious than the rest and than the others that will come.

If you're a follower of mine, you probably already read my bio. Go look it up and read it. I'll wait. Seriously, go read it again.

Okay I see you're back. What did you notice. You see my self promo there? Isn't that a bit more unique? You want to know what's that?

Here is it.

Storyline — a succinct sketch of your story that captures its essence — is the key to selling your story to a publisher, and it's critical to your success as a writer. The reason it's such a great selling tool is that when you can explain your story in just a few words, people instantly know whether this story is for them or not. It's important to you because it helps you keep focused as you write and edit your novel.

It should be short, emotive, and instantly arouses curiosity.

TIPS:

✔️ Shoot for 25 words or less. If you can do it in less than 15 words, and it grabs my attention, I'll go give your book votes. I'm not kidding.

✔️ Limit your storyline to just a few characters. One or two is ideal. Three is the maximum.

✔️ Tell only one thread of the story, either the most essential one or the most interesting one.

✔️ Most of the time, don't name the characters. Instead, describe each, aiming for internal inconsistency that promises conflict. A "one-armed trapeze artist" is infinitely more interesting than "Joe." (However, whenever a famous character — such as Houdini or physics pioneer Marie Curie — plays a role in your novel, consider bending this rule and naming him or her in your storyline.)

✔️ When writing the storyline for a historical novel, tell the time period and geographical setting if they add potency to the brew.

✔️ Backload the storyline by putting a surprise or some emotively punchy words at the end of the sentence.

I've been making storylines or two years now, yes. And tell you what, it's a huge step to a writer.

Examples:

The Lord of the Rings,  by J. R. R. Tolkien (fantasy):  "A hobbit learns that destroying his magic ring is the key to saving Middle Earth from the Dark Lord."

The Firm,  by John Grisham (legal thriller):  "A brilliant young lawyer gets a fabulous job at a firm that is a cover for a Mafia money-laundering operation."

Pride and Prejudice,  by Jane Austen (romance):  "A young English woman from a peculiar family is pursued by an arrogant and wealthy young man."

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You should make a storyline of the following stories (you don't need to make one if you don't know what the story is about)

THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by JAY ASHER

HARRY POTTER SERIES by JK ROWLING

THE FIFTH WAVE by RICK YANCEY

DIVERGENT SERIES by VERONICA ROTH

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY by EL JAMES

NOVEMBER 9 by COLEEEN HOOVER

YOUR STORY (include the title)

YOUR FAVORITE NOVEL (include the title and the author's name.)

Try this :) I dare you to return and check the storyline you made every three days, every time you do that, revise it, shorten it – brevity. Let's see how you'll improve.

Good day, everyone.