How to Write a Novel

Chapter Twenty-Three - The Passenger Theory of Storytelling

Have you ever heard of the Passenger Theory of Storytelling? I suspect you haven't because, frankly, I made it up. 

I've hinted at this theory in other chapters, namely How to Overcome Consumption Obstruction and What is Good Writing.

The theory is basically this — when you put a book into the world with the hopes of someone picking it up and reading it, you are essentially asking them to get in your mind and take a journey with you.

For some, they are willing passengers and will gladly follow you where ever you take them. Others, need a little more information. Their time is valuable. They need to know what journeys you've taken in the past, where are you, where are you going to take them, how are you getting there, why should they care, finally, let's go now before I change my mind. And keep in mind, at any point, they can bail from the trip.

To keep them happy passengers, you need to develop your plot in a engaging way, have a clear direction in mind, have a logical structure so they can follow along, and have a little sense of danger, a little urgency if you will to keep them from passing out.

What am I talking about? 

I'm talking about structure. In the Passenger Theory of Storytelling, there are only three stops along the way in any book – the beginning, the middle, and the end.

Respect the readers time and attention span. Don't ramble, don't take them off-roading, don't get stuck in the mud, don't take them on any crazy detours, and definitely don't go backward. Stay on track. 

You need a central theme or plot line that unfolds in a logical manner that they can follow. Having subplots and multiple character arches that intersect is actually an advanced technique. It would be like being a white belt in karate and then wanted to fight in the UFC. Most likely, it's not going to go well for you. So why attempt this in writing if you don't have the skills to pull it off?

I could probably spend another 30 minutes diving deeper into this metaphor, but the last reference to the Passenger Theory I will say is have checkpoints along the way, at least this is what I do. A checkpoint is a recap at certain points throughout the story to remind the reader where they are and where you're taking them. It may be a character saying something like, "It was crazy how we snuck into the museum, stole this painting. Do you really think we can sell it to your friend?" This is a checkpoint statement. It allows the reader to re-calibrate with the story if they are lost. 

I get that you may meander a bit, tell a bit of backstory in a flashback, or whatever. I'm just saying, be mindful not to overdo it. I think sometimes writers tend to meander with their thoughts and take the reader on tangents that aren't relevant to the plot.

Instead, be discipline enough to cut out unnecessary detours. Get on with the story. Take us on a journey, and show us a good time. That's all we ask of you. If you can do that, maybe I'll take another ride with you. Maybe I'll tell a friend. Maybe I'll even give you a good rating.