A helpful list of resources for all your fictional victorian piracy needs, brought to you by writingandresources!
(The sources on this particular list is mostly relevant to European pirates of the 16th and 17th centuries only, not modern or Asian pirates. Some sources are from the Victorian era (1800’s) but should help put things in perspective. Take with a grain of salt, and keep this in mind even when writing fantasy stories!)
A story or novel is, in essence, a series of scenes strung together with narrative summary adding texture & color. A work of fiction is many scenes, each having a beginning, middle & end. The beginning of each scene is what we’ll address here.
Any story or novel is, in essence, a series of scenes strung together like beads on a wire, with narrative summary adding texture and color between. A work of fiction will comprise many scenes, and each one of these individual scenes must be built with a structure most easily described as having a beginning, middle and end. The beginning of each scene is what we’ll address here.
The word beginning is a bit misleading, since some scenes pick up in the middle of action or continue where others left off, so I prefer the term launch, which more clearly suggests the place where the reader’s attention is engaged anew.
Visually, in a manuscript a new scene is usually signified by the start of a chapter, by a break of four lines (called a soft hiatus) between the last paragraph of one scene and the first paragraph of the next one, or sometimes by a symbol such as an asterisk, to let the reader know that time has passed.
Each new scene still has a responsibility to the idea or plot you started with, and that is to communicate your idea in a way that is vivifying for the reader and that provides an experience, not a lecture. Scene launches, therefore, pave the way for all the robust consequences of the idea or plot to unfurl. Each scene launch is a reintroduction, capturing your reader’s attention all over again. Start each scene by asking yourself two key questions:
Where are my characters in the plot? Where did I leave them and what are they doing now?
What is the most important piece of information that needs to be revealed in this scene?
Only you and the course of your narrative can decide which kinds of launches will work best for each scene, and choosing the right launch often takes some experimentation. Here we’ll cover 10 key techniques for launching scenes in three main ways: with action, narrative summary or setting.
ACTION LAUNCHES The sooner you start the action in a scene, the more momentum it has to carry the reader forward. If you find yourself explaining an action, then you’re not demonstrating the action any longer; you’re floating in a distant star system known as Nebulous Intellectulus—more commonly known as your head—and so is the reader. Keep in mind the key elements of action: time and momentum. It takes time to plan a murder over late-night whispers; to cause an embarrassing scene by drunkenly dropping a jar at the grocery; to blackmail a betraying spouse; or to haul off and kick a wall in anger. These things don’t happen spontaneously, they happen over a period of time. They are sometimes quick, sometimes slow, but once started, they unfold until finished. The key to creating strong momentum is to start an action without explaining anything:
Albert leads them all into the dining room and everyone drifts around the large teak table, studying the busily constructed salads at each place setting—salads, which, with their knobs of cheese, jutting chives and little folios of frisée, resemble small Easter hats.
“Do we wear these or eat them?” asks Jack. In his mouth is a piece of gray chewing gum like a rat’s brain.
Lorrie Moore plunges her reader into the above scene in the story “Beautiful Grade.” Although the action is quiet, there is physical movement and a sense of real time. The lack of explanation for what is happening forces the reader to press on to learn more. The action gives clues to the reader: The characters are led into a room full of wildly decorated salads that one character is uncertain whether he should eat or wear, which gives a sense of the environment—probably chic. We get a feeling for Jack—he’s got a good sense of humor. Clearly something more is going to happen in this environment, and judging from the tone of the paragraph, we can probably expect irony and humor.
Action launches tend to energize the reader’s physical senses. To create an action launch:
1. GET STRAIGHT TO THE ACTION. Don’t drag your feet here. “Jimmy jumped off the cliff” rather than “Jimmy stared at the water, imagining how cold it would feel when he jumped.”
2. HOOK THE READER WITH BIG OR SURPRISING ACTIONS. An outburst, car crash, violent heart attack or public fight at the launch of a scene allows for more possibilities within it.
3. BE SURE THAT THE ACTION IS TRUE TO YOUR CHARACTER. Don’t have a shy character choose to become suddenly uninhibited at the launch of a scene. Do have a bossy character belittle another character in a way that creates conflict.
4. ACT FIRST, THINK LATER. If a character is going to think in your action opening, let the action come first, as in, “Elizabeth slapped the Prince. When his face turned pink, horror filled her. What have I done? she thought.”
NARRATIVE LAUNCHES Writers often try to include narrative summary, such as descriptions of the history of a place or the backstory of characters, right at the launch of a scene, believing that the reader will not be patient enough to allow actions and dialogue to tell the story. In large doses, narrative summaries are to scenes what voice-overs are to movies—distractions and interruptions.
Yet a scene launch is actually one of the easier places to use a judicious amount of narrative summary, so long as you don’t keep the reader captive too long. Take the opening of this scene in Amanda Eyre Ward’s novel How to Be Lost:
The afternoon before, I planned how I would tell her. I would begin with my age and maturity, allude to a new lover, and finish with a bouquet of promises: grandchildren, handwritten letters, boxes from Tiffany sent in time to beat the rush. I sat in my apartment drinking Scotch and planning the words.
The above bit is almost entirely narrative summary, and the only action—drinking Scotch—is described, not demonstrated. There is no real setting, and the only visual cues the reader has are vague and abstract. However, the narrative summary does demonstrate the nature of the character, Caroline—she feels she must butter her mother up, bribe her even, in order to ask for something she needs, which turns out to be a relatively small thing. It reflects Caroline’s tendency to live in her head, and shows us she’s the kind of person who must prepare herself mentally for difficult things—a theme that recurs throughout the book. It’s also useful because Caroline spends a lot of time by herself, cutting herself off from her relationships, and, therefore, it is very true to her personality. In just one short paragraph of narrative summary, the reader learns a lot about Caroline, and Ward gets to action in the next paragraph:
Georgette stretched lazily on the balcony. Below, an ambulance wailed. A man with a shopping cart stood underneath my apartment building, eating chicken wings and whistling.
If the entire scene had continued in narrative summary, it would have had a sedative effect on the reader, and the scene’s momentum would have been lost.
A narrative approach is best used with the following launch strategies:
5. SAVE TIME BY BEGINNING WITH SUMMARY. Sometimes actions will simply take up more time and space in the scene than you would like. A scene beginning needs to move fairly quickly and, on occasion, summary will get the reader there faster.
6. COMMUNICATE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO THE READER BEFORE THE ACTION KICKS IN. Sometimes information needs to be imparted simply in order to set action in motion later in the scene. Opening sentences such as, “My mother was dead before I arrived,” “The war had begun” and, “The storm left half of the city underwater,” could easily lead to action.
7. REVEAL A CHARACTER’S THOUGHTS OR INTENTIONS THAT CANNOT BE SHOWN THROUGH ACTION. Coma victims, elderly characters, small children and other characters sometimes cannot speak or act for physical, mental or emotional reasons; therefore the scene may need to launch with narration to let the reader know what they think and feel.
SETTING LAUNCHES Sometimes setting details—like a jungle on fire, or moonlight sparkling on a lake—are so important to plot or character development that it’s appropriate to include visual setting at the launch of a scene. This is often the case in books set in unusual, exotic or challenging locations such as snowy Himalayan mountains, lush islands or brutal desert climates. If the setting is going to bear dramatically on the characters and the plot, then there is every reason to let it lead into the scene that will follow.
John Fowles’ novel The Magus is set mostly on a Greek island that leaves an indelible imprint on the main character, Nicholas. He becomes involved with an eccentric man whose isolated villa in the Greek countryside becomes the stage upon which the major drama of the novel unfolds. Therefore, it makes sense for him to launch a scene in this manner:
It was a Sunday in late May, blue as a bird’s wing. I climbed up the goat-paths to the island’s ridge-back, from where the green froth of the pine-tops rolled two miles down to the coast. The sea stretched like a silk carpet across to the shadowy wall of mountains on the mainland to the west. … It was an azure world, stupendously pure, and as always when I stood on the central ridge of the island and saw it before me, I forgot most of my troubles.
The reader needs to be able to see in detail the empty Greek countryside in which Nicholas becomes so isolated. It sets the scene for something beautiful and strange to happen, and Fowles does not disappoint. These final three methods can create an effective scenic launch:
8. ENGAGE WITH SPECIFIC VISUAL DETAILS. If your character is deserted on an island, the reader needs to know the lay of the land. Any fruit trees in sight? What color sand? Are there rocks, shelter or wild, roaming beasts?
9. USE SCENERY TO SET THE TONE OF THE SCENE. Say your scene opens in a jungle where your character is going to face danger; you can describe the scenery in language that conveys darkness, fear and mystery.
10. REFLECT A CHARACTER’S FEELINGS THROUGH SETTING. Say you have a sad character walking through a residential neighborhood. The descriptions of the homes can reflect that sadness—houses can be in disrepair, with rotting wood and untended yards. You can use weather in the same way. A bright, powerfully sunny day can reflect a mood of great cheer in a character.
Scene launches happen so quickly and are so soon forgotten that it’s easy to rush through them, figuring it doesn’t really matter how you get it started. Don’t fall prey to that thinking. Take your time with each scene launch. Craft it as carefully and strategically as you would any other aspect of your scene. Remember that a scene launch is an invitation to the reader, beckoning him to come further along with you. Make your invitation as alluring as possible.
(same anon who asked if it was okay to kill characters who died in prequel) In my story the person who is to sacrifice themselves dies a month after the ending of the prequel. Around November, I think. Should I revive him later on?? He’s a part of a group and he’s like the leader. Anyways, should I revive him or no? If so, should I make sure his death doesn’t occur by sacrificing someone else (like a former enemy, but they changed to be better), or reviving him after the battle? Please help me!! -Anonymous.
Reviving a character can be quite risky, specially when the death happens “offscreen” so to speak. The readers will not feel the emotional impact of their loss and later revival, and it will result in a cliché. Personally, I’d say no.
I was wondering if you had any references for writing thief characters. Modern day or pre-industrial would help. Thanks in advance 🙂
If i wanted to write about creatures that were almost similar to the ones in Noragami (phantoms) and in KNK (the Youmu), would i be able to or??? Like the creatures i am writing about have appearances similar to the youmu and phantoms and are able to possess humans to kill them of the sorts.
You could! Certainly, taking them as inspiration would be great. However, coming up with your own terminology and giving them different appearances and powers (if slightly) would be the best choice, given as the two you mentioned already exist in media (and unless it’s fanfiction, it’s best to stay away from copyrighted material).
What are some helpful tips in writing character(s) that are highly intelligent, work in the world of science, or are just really mind-bending? The examples I can think of relating to this are characters like Mr. Fantastic, Q from James Bond, Batman, The Joker, The Riddler, Peter Parker, Tyler from Fight Club, etc.?
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Hi there, I have recently discovered that one of my characters is considerably wittier than myself, I am stumbling over her words. Any advice to write smart and sassy dialogue, which is smarter and sassier than my own?
So, I’ve recently been in the book writing mood, but I have been running into problems. It seems whenever I get a plot set up, another one comes running in and I just cant choose a plot to stick with. Any advice?
Hello! I think I need some help. My problem is I’ve got bunch of plots in mind however, when it comes to writing, I just can’t turn my imagination into words. Sometimes I finish writing but on process of rewriting, I get unsatisfied and delete the whole story. T_T) I don’t know. I think it’s partially because of I’m not a naive English user. Grammars, word choosing, and speaking languages have bothered me a lot. Could you give me some advice? Thank you. – Anonymous
Before starting to write, you should decide whether or not you are truly interested in your idea. There’s no such thing as bad ideas or good ideas (in this instance), only weak ones and strong ones. Strong ideas are the ones you should want to write. When you have different ideas for the same story, it’s best to analyze both and decide which one would ultimately help you tell your story better. When you have different ideas, for different stories, and can’t decide which one to, you should follow the one that interests you more, and stick to it.
For the second asker, I’d recommend to wait before rewriting a story, and consult a beta reader on things such as grammar and word choice when you’re unsure.
How should I go about writing someone with an illness. I’ve done my research, but I’m still worried about portraying the character in a unrealistic way, the illness in an unrealistic way and possibly unintentionally offending readers. Any tips? (the illness is an already-decided cancer btw) -Anonymous
The best thing you can do is to read accounts written by people with the illness you want to write about, and finally, when you’ve done as much research as possible, you simply write. You write the character and remember they are not their illness, no matter what. Not everything about your character should be their illness, and that’s where most writers fail. You should write your character and let your story be critiqued and/or beta read afterwards by someone knowleadgable on the topic.
Hey, so in my story there’s a grown man and a thirteen year-old girl that seem to grow a father/daughter relationship. I don’t want it to be too paced, but not to slow. How do I grow their relationship in a nice pace, and how do I make the relationship grow into a father/daughter relationship?
You should take into consideration both the personality of the man and of the daughter and the reasons for their relationship to grow into a father/daughter type. You should see whether or not the girl would like the idea of a father (where’s her real father, as well? And her mother, for that matter?) and why. Give her agency and a character, just like you should with your male character. There’s not much I could tell you, since it depends on the plot you’ve got and their personalities. Through their story certain plot points can be used to strengthen their bond.
Hello! I’ve browsed your archive, but I’ve got a question anyway. When and how is it okay to reference well-known novels in your story(character, scenes, plot points etc)? I find it important to the concept of the plot, as it’s main characters represent fantasy archetypes in real-life. I don’t want the references to become too much! I’m probably paranoid, but ever since I’ve read Pop Kids by Davey Havok, I’ve been really scared of overdoing references (he constantly mentions brands). Thanks ❤
It is okay to reference a novel if it is on the public domain and it makes sense within the context in which you’re writing your story. Even then, I’d not overdo it.
I love multiple POV stories! I really like when authors explore multiple characters and really give the readers a chance to take in the story from many perspectives.
Multiple POV stories work best when:
You have many plots. The more complex the story, the more information you need to feed the reader for the story to work. Sometimes it’s just not possible to get all that information through a single protagonist. Many protagonists, however, are better suited to learning all that information. Many protagonists – especially if they aren’t working together – are also better at screwing up plans and creating chaos.
The plot is character-based. A character-based plot means the story deals more with internal struggles than external struggles. If your plot is character based, you really want to show the reader what all the major characters are feeling. Again, a single protagonist probably isn’t privy to everyone’s emotions.
Tips:
Your POV characters don’t need equal time. And when I say equal time, I mean in chapter time or wordcount time. Devote time to the most important characters and most important situations. Do as the plot demands, not as the character demands.
Don’t double up scenes. One of my least favorite moments in multiple POV stories is when the author covers an event with one POV character, then goes back to the beginning of the event to cover it again with another character. If you want another character’s perspective, let them remember parts of the event or revisit as little of the even as you possibly can.
Work on voice. You want to keep those characters as distinct as possible. They are different people, after all. I have a voice tag here to get you started.
Divide the POVs. Not with that awful fanfiction.net **KATNISS’ POV** paragraph starter. Divide POVs by chapter or put a little divider thingy in between POVs if you’re switching in the middle of a chapter.
Keep track of information. Your POV characters will not know the same things because they live different lives and will be exposed to different situations. If your POV character suddenly knows something they shouldn’t, you’ll have a plot hole.
Try to avoid one-shot POVs. One-shot POVs are when a character gets one POV chapter, then no others. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it feels strange to hear from a character once and then no other times.
The plots should interact. Even if the POV characters never meet, their plots should have a common element: for example, a common struggle, a common character, or a common theme. This prevents the story from becoming a collection of badly patched short stories.
Rambles & Rabble 