A Snarky Guide to Master the Essential Elements of Fiction Writing

Characters

Simple first: Characters are the entities in your novel. Notice how I said, "entities" and not "people?" That's because we're still talking about "voice." Even a mobile rock can add personality to a story. 

How?

A few ways. There's the obvious: dialogue. The way we speak tells a lot about us. 

Example: "Hi, ya'll! Can't wait to get this horse bucking."

What can we deduce from this single dialogue? Maybe this person is from the southern states. Maybe this person has a personal relationship with horses. Maybe we're about to explore the first two to three person bull ride in history.

Remember this guide's blurb about cakes? Let's add another layer to show more voice with inner monologue. 

Example: "Hi, ya'll!" Don't sound like a country bumpkin, don't sound like a country bumpkin . . . "Can't wait to get this horse bucking." Nailed it.

How did adding inner thought change the character's depth of voice? Well, we can absolutely deduce this character is from a small, most likely, southern town and is self-conscious about it. Even better, the last line, only two words, tells us our character is either wonderfully sarcastic, or they are personally oblivious. 

Adding two sentences, no "telling" in sight, and look at the layers forming. Four sentences and we have a great base for a deep character, with room to grow!  

But characters use more than inner thought and dialogue to "show" their voice. Let's add one more layer. (Everything comes in three in my world.)

Example: I grip my stomach under the table and pray I won't throw up. I use my other hand to wave the group over. 

"Hi, ya'll!" 

Jamie sneers at my scuffed boots, and I inwardly wince at my footwear choice. They stop at my table, and I do my best impression of a carp as my mind scrambles for something to say. 

Don't sound like a country bumpkin, don't sound like a country bumpkin . . . 

"Can't wait to get this horse bucking." My stomach drops to my ridiculous shoes, and I cringe. Nailed it. 

Body language goes a long way to add extra tension to great dialogue, or adds a wonderful juxtaposition when the body and thoughts don't match up. From this example, there's no doubt this character is nervous, sarcastic, and self-aware. A great voice! Who can't relate to feeling like an outsider at one point or another in life?

And that's the magic of voice. It makes a character relatable or not, and it makes a story more dynamic. For decades, professionals in the industry have shouted "show" don't "tell." But what they meant to say was "use your voice."

But characters also show voice through their decisions in a big way. Sticking close to another great tool with voice is "theme."