No matter how good the writing is, no matter how gorgeous the sentences are, no matter how exaggerated the plot is, it is only superficial, just like handsome guys and beautiful women. This kind of novel may be attractive at first, but then again, whether it can retain readers depends on the author's real ability.
I think the article is inseparable from human nature. As far as I know, the most popular and popular cartoons today are often those works with average painting level but fascinating stories, especially those works that successfully shape human nature; For those who have reached the level of "master" in painting, many works have been neglected because the storyline can't meet the requirements of readers. For example, Gundam, a successful animation work, mainly describes the essence of war-is it because of strong power that war is brought about, or is it because of the need for peace that power is needed to maintain peace? Whether war is right or wrong has always been a question that everyone is looking for. It describes the war incisively and vividly, and also sets off the multifaceted phenomenon of human nature with war. Therefore, Japan's "Gundam" series animation has always topped the list.
Now let's discuss novel writing skills:
The plot of this novel is very rhythmic. It's like a piano piece. Its melody is light, heavy, urgent and slow. When it is gentle and docile, or when it is passionate, it can only be completed after careful design. Music without melody will sound very comfortable and moving. But if the music is chaotic and discordant, it sounds particularly harsh and uncomfortable, and I don't know what I'm talking about. The melody has cadence, and so does the story structure.
First, the characterization of characters.
1, the elements of character performance are:
First, a unique way of expression
Habitual action
C, joint dialogue
D, ideas
Y, thoughts and desires
F, weaknesses and defects
G, like and dislike the role
2, the use of these elements:
All the above elements can be used as creative tools. These tools must be good at using. You can list these settings columns and then mark the performance section. More important character parts should be repeatedly displayed to deepen readers' impression of the role.
Second, the use and foil of supporting roles.
There is a joke that handsome guys and beautiful women always like to be with people who are uglier or shorter than themselves, because they set off at that time. The same is true of story creation. You need this kind of foil, especially the supporting role. Constantly use supporting roles to set off the protagonist and try their best to shape the protagonist into an idol. So all the supporting roles are set to set off the protagonist.
1. Types of supporting roles:
Positive-guidance, appreciation and help.
Uncertainty-mystery, competition and clowns.
Negative frame type
2, auxiliary type: often inseparable from the protagonist, difficult to share, and has the necessary role of sharing wealth.
Mentor type: an auxiliary role that gives the protagonist correct knowledge and concepts. Worship: The object that the protagonist likes is usually the heroine (male), which has a great influence on the protagonist's mood and is an important role that affects the whole plot change.
Mysterious type: it will have obvious positive or negative influence on the protagonist, and will never name names. Usually, he will be deified.
Competitive: Strength must not be the first advantage of the protagonist, but you will be excited or afraid of the hidden strength of the protagonist, which will not hinder the progress of the protagonist, but will promote the growth of the protagonist and become an opponent who can compete with himself.
Frame-up type: usually to get what the protagonist has, or because he is not pleasing to the eye, he often opposes the protagonist, which is also an indispensable role in the plot.
Clown type: a character who often pulls people back to do stupid things and make fun of them.
3. Each role has its necessary functions. Just like online games, you must constantly create a balance in your plot and then break this balance, so the interaction between characters is also correspondingly important. When the positive force is too strong, it shows that the sense of crisis is insufficient; When the negative force is too strong, it means that the status of the protagonist will collapse. Constantly create climax under such superposition.
Third, the play and setting of the bridge section
1, contrast bridge: in the positioning of the protagonist, arrange another bridge to make an enviable contrast with the setting of the protagonist. In this way, it is easy for readers to have a standard to measure, and it can also highlight the uniqueness of the protagonist.
For example, a desperate black sheep meets a poor but hopeful protagonist. The contrast between the two is great, which can better set off the protagonist and shape his image.
2. Overlapping bridge sections: arrange the layout of the bridge sections to a height in advance, and then stack the protagonist to this height. Naturally, the protagonist can reach the highest position with no effort.
Such as: a legendary swordsman, fencing is quite exquisite, no one is his opponent, some challenge him, three strokes will be beheaded. But strangely, he was defeated by an ordinary middle-aged tramp, and when everyone worshipped him, a boy of seventeen or eighteen appeared. The tramp called him a master.
This example shows that teenagers may be a powerful role, and there may be a lot of imagination behind them. You see, we took advantage of others' strength to push this teenager's ability and status to an extraordinary high point.
3. Trap Bridge: Use the bridge to slowly push the protagonist to a desperate situation, so that readers have been worried about the crisis of the protagonist, and then make a big change, so that the position of the protagonist is reversed, causing a great gap to highlight the protagonist's ability. The principle is to set a bridge that lasts for a long time, so that the transformation process will quickly become a climax and the protagonist's ability will be doubly highlighted.
For example, the protagonist has been in the predicament of being bullied, and it was not until the end that the reader knew. It turns out that the protagonist has always been "smart as a fool", which makes the enemy suddenly at a disadvantage in the later stage.
Fourth, make good use of foreshadowing.
Foreshadowing is a technique in which the author sets relevant bridges or hints in order to express an important story, and then echoes the bridges or hints after the story goes to a certain extent.
The foreshadowing is like a hidden bomb, which makes the plot change more. Its expression may be a picture that only appears once, a casual bridge, or even a dialogue. The burial of foreshadowing should not be separated from the echo of foreshadowing for too long, so that the reader's memory may disappear and the meaning of foreshadowing will be lost; The description of foreshadowing can also be continuous, with a fragment of foreshadowing buried in each paragraph, and finally all of them are combined to extend the time reflected by foreshadowing backwards.
1, foreshadowing is inseparable from the theme. This is an unchangeable principle. There is only one focus of the story, and all factors should be produced by this principle. The content of the foreshadowing cannot be irrelevant to the theme, otherwise it will not only fail to achieve the effect, but also weaken the power of the story.
2. Don't use too much foreshadowing, too many different foreshadowing will confuse readers and lose the meaning of foreshadowing unless there is a coherent foreshadowing and continuous burial; Excessive purchase and bedding will also blur the theme of the story.
3. The design that indicates the power of transformation and the climax is designed beyond the expectations of readers. This design is also a way to transform the plot. The foreshadowing and echo are very important, which also involves the rhythm of the plot. If we can make good use of the foreshadowing and break out at the climax, this is the best expression.
4, remember to bury the foreshadowing, it must be quite clear, otherwise it will become anticlimactic, and it will not be explained clearly in the last hour; There are several reductions ahead, and finally several foreshadowing must echo each other. If our plot is too complicated, it is suggested that we take notes during the scriptwriting process and constantly remind ourselves to avoid omissions after the plot is over.
Fifth, the rhythm of the plot
1, roller coaster principle We say that plain plays may not arouse readers' interest, but all climax plays will also make readers overly nervous and become paralyzed; Assuming that the height of the plot is like an undulating curve, we can analyze a principle that the higher the height of the plot, the more amazing the effect will be, just like a roller coaster in an amusement park. The greater the height difference, the more miserable the screams of passengers and the higher the stimulation process. We can call this principle the roller coaster principle.
2, the beat of the plot, but add rhythm here. If the fluctuation is the y axis in the coordinate, then the part of the x axis can be said to be a beat; The measure in music can be one beat, half beat or eight beats; Rhythm has a relative influence on the ups and downs of people's emotions. Slow rhythm gives people stable emotions, while fast rhythm gives people nervous emotions. This principle also applies to the structure of the plot.
Here, everyone should pay attention to why art is the same principle, and this rhythm can also be reflected in works of art. Calligraphy, color and symbols are all the same principle.
3. Use the combination of speed and speed to control readers' emotions.
First, the slow-paced smooth plot
B, impact the plot at a fast pace
Sixth, keep the reader's appetite.
The common mistake many newcomers make when making up stories is to be straightforward all the way to the end and say whatever they want. Many good ideas are directly performed before they are brewed. There is a lot of excitement mentioned above, aiming at increasing the skills we can perform and brewing the key points we want to express at the best time before the outbreak. To be clear, novels are like a battle of wits between writers and readers. When the story we arranged has been known to readers from the beginning, do readers still want to see it?
1, let readers take the bait.
In fact, the author is the master of the story, and you are God, who can decide the fate of any character in the play. Similarly, you can decide when your best idea will appear. As long as it is the answer that readers want to know most, you can't let them know too early, but every process reveals a little information, which makes readers eager to know, but they can't know, and then they are slowly led by your story.
2. The best time to solve the mystery
Let the reader know the timing of the answer, just like fishing, the time point of the pull rod must be accurate. When the fish is hooked, it is pulled too early, and the fish runs away before the bait enters the fish mouth; It's too late, the bait has been eaten, and the fish will run away. Tell the answer too early, the reader's demand for you has not yet formed, and the effect will be discounted; If you tell the answer too late, readers will lose patience and run away. You must master the relationship between release and release. If you have no confidence, you might as well show it to a few friends and give some suggestions as a reference for your own correction.
Seven, master the theme
The most important principle of a novel should be to grasp the theme. When we are creating, no matter what good ideas we have, we should take not deviating from the theme as the highest principle.
It is not correct to add whatever you think is good, and to assume other ideas without ideas. I have read many novels that deviate from the theme, often because of sudden inspiration, perhaps because there is no good idea and I can't edit it, so I add a lot of irrelevant things, which violates the theme.
1, how to stay on topic?
If it is an inspiration that can add points, welcome, be sure to add it. If there is no possibility of combination, please save this idea, which may be used as the idea of the next work. If you really can't think of an idea, I suggest you go back to the original point and look at your previous settings. As long as all the previous work is done well, we will certainly find the direction from it. You can also look at the completed story and see if you have forgotten to explain or extend it. From the reader's point of view, it is also a way to find the direction in which your work can continue through repeated observation; Otherwise, you should put down your pen, put down your work and do something else to relax yourself, because maybe you have fallen into a corner and can't extricate yourself.
2. The principle of using multi-line architecture
Sometimes we also use a more difficult multi-line structure, which requires more skilled experience. For a long story, multi-line structure becomes necessary, because there are more and more characters, and the story to be explained will not be limited to one story. The main points of attention of multi-line structure are as follows: a. Echo before and after: the main structure of the story is fixed, and there will be branches in the story, but remember that branches must eventually belong to the theme.
B, clear priorities: that is, after the emergence of the branch structure, the theme is gradually replaced by the branch structure, and the branch structure is the main structure. This is the deviation of the theme, and it is also our most cautious taboo. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish the master-slave relationship of the architecture, so as to avoid the final anti-customer.
C, know how to give up love: ambition has also been mentioned, sometimes we have too many ideas, and we can't wait to squeeze them all into one work. In fact, when our plot is quite solid, we should stop gilding the lily, which will make readers paralyzed or difficult to read. Too complicated plots are usually not easily accepted by the public. After all, novels are popular commodities, and the objects we want to satisfy are ordinary readers. So sometimes you need to give up love, keep some good ideas and do some enduring themes.
Eight, create a climax
A plain story is a form of expression. If you can tell a plain but shocking story, then your skill is extraordinary. In fact, the plain technique also hides the climax, but it is well buried and not seen. For newcomers, stories with high tides are much easier to handle than plain stories. We should learn how to create an orgasm first, and then learn how to hide it in the plot when we are experienced.
When reading your works, readers always expect the climax of your creation. Your careful planning and long-term operation are all aimed at profoundly showing the most wonderful part of the plot, touching the hearts of readers and making them laugh and cry for you. But if the performance is not good, this work is actually a failure.
1. Focus on the climax: When the plot goes smoothly, you should concentrate all your attention and create the climax in the plot. It is necessary to concentrate all the skills and break out at the key climax, so that the plot will be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
The so-called skills, such as: the flow of time, rhythm, suspense, creativity, main line, people, scenes, foreshadowing and so on.
2, the more the better: the climax of the plot should not be placed in places unrelated to architecture. In fact, it is equivalent to not deviating from the main line and the theme of all previous business directions, so as to present the effect in a down-to-earth manner.
3. Surprise: In addition, I hope that the expression of climax will not be too formulaic. All the expressions we have seen in the past can be used for reference, but it is best for us to change them with more thoughts. Virtual is real, and virtual is actually virtual. In the process of fighting with readers, try to be unexpected, so that readers will be amazed. In short, it's different if you think too much.
4. Persistent orgasm: Is persistent orgasm taboo? If you want to be different, you have to break away from the framework. Sometimes, the use of taboos is also an extreme measure, which can achieve very good results. If we accumulate enough energy in the early stage to reach the second or even the third climax, then we can use the continuous climax.
But when using continuous orgasm, we must pay attention to the stimulation to readers, which will cause paralysis. So, stop when it is time to stop.
Nine, humanity is the core of the story.
Here, comics are the theme of this truth.
There are many works with superb painting skills, but they are not the most popular works, while some popular works are quite mediocre. The reason is actually very simple. Pictures are only the elements that attract readers' first impression. Just like when we meet a handsome guy in the street, we usually look at him unconsciously and can only say that we like him, but if we really love him, even for a lifetime, then you will also consider his inner nature. If he looks like a Woodenhead, he may be a thorn in your side for a week. Therefore, in addition to attracting readers' first sight, how to make readers not look at your work at all and not get bored is the key to success. Think about how the comics serialized in dozens of volumes have kept readers' hearts unchanged for more than ten years, and they are even more madly sought after.
(Writing here, it suddenly occurred to me that a few years ago, when the comic book "Chess Soul" was very popular, the Go Association in China didn't know its name and forgot its name. All it knows is that he enjoys a high reputation in the field of Go in China, but he plagiarized this work in his new Go novel, which led to his being scolded by a large number of fans of Chess Soul at the signing ceremony in Shanghai. How pathetic! Celebrities in China completely copied Japanese works. As a fan of Chess Soul (including most comic book fans), I can't stand it! As a result, more than 10000 pages were scolded on his website forum, and abusive posts increased by nearly 1000 pages every day.
Think about what kind of charm a cartoon needs when it has so many people to support it. I want to ask, how many novels of China can achieve this effect?
There is also a cartoon of One Piece. I think there is at least one comic that has been serialized for more than 12 years. How many fans are crazy about it? His sales have topped the list of Japanese comics several times. Why? To put it bluntly, it is because it can make people laugh and cry, the characters are distinctive, the story is incredible, and the works are closely described with "humanity". )
The answer is actually very simple, that is, humanity! We should endow the characters in the play with unique personalities and use these powerful characters to fully express human nature. It is the unique charm of drama to control readers' emotions, arouse readers' humanity, and make readers cry wildly when they should cry and laugh wildly when they should laugh.
Therefore, when designing the theme, people also play a very important role. Some good themes have actually been successful before people set them up.
Remember that when choosing materials, we should also presuppose the expression of characters and humanity. What attracts readers' attention in any work is not simple painting skills and gorgeous sentences, but moving stories, and moving stories are often expressed through human nature.
X. Seek common ground while reserving differences.
Many classic themes or successful works are worth learning from. There seems to be very few themes that have not been created in the world. For our creation, we often find many creative themes, which may have been done a long time ago, or similar themes will appear in the market soon, which makes you very sorry. This kind of collision often happens. Imagine, when your work is patiently suspected of plagiarism, will you feel innocent?
How to find your own position in the era when information and creativity are constantly exploding, or find new topics in successful themes? Even classic themes have different forms of expression and new connotations because of the change of time and space and the different growth environment of creators. Therefore, it is not difficult to find a good work direction by finding out the skeleton, spirit and wonderful elements of successful works, adding their own new ideas and repackaging their personal characteristics.
XI。 Creativity of pattern
I don't know if you have seen some film analysis. Everyone says that Zhang Yimou's films are all in a big pattern, and few people can achieve the big pattern like Zhang Yimou.
1, a little creativity: this type of creativity is usually only used in a small detail, which is not suitable for too long extension and belongs to the embellishment in creation.
Point creativity is an independent creative type, which can exist alone or be arbitrarily placed in the required part of the plot.
Just like an interesting conversation or a funny action, such an idea can also be transformed into a character's mantra or habitual action.
In a good script, point creativity exists at any time, because it is like the decoration of a perfect piece of furniture, so that readers can feel the author's intention at any time.
This kind of creativity is inextensible. If it is a long story, you must record this idea and don't put it in the skeleton of the story, because it is very important to screen out the key points in the thinking stage, and it doesn't matter if you have to give up this idea.
2. Key creativity: This creativity is the key to an important bridge or turning point in the plot, which will affect the extension and development of the story and echo the previous foreshadowing. Such an idea may also form a short story. The characteristic of key creativity is that it only produces creativity for a single purpose. Unlike typical creativity, its framework is enough to play a simple and complete story.
Key ideas can be an important part of a paragraph in a long story, and several key ideas are enough to construct a long story.
When thinking, the focus is on unexpected plot changes, aiming at compressing readers' emotions or attracting readers' attention in a short time.
The key idea at the beginning of a long story is even more important, because the reader's previous reactions determine the subsequent life of your work. If you don't attract readers with key ideas at first, the following stories may be in vain.
3. Architectural creativity: that is, the main architectural creativity that can support a long story or unit story. This building is what we call the story skeleton, and the quality of the story skeleton depends on whether the architectural creativity is strong enough.
As for creativity, in addition to capturing sudden inspiration in time, the usual accumulation is also very important. With a certain accumulation, it will be of great help to future creation.
When the above-mentioned creative inspiration is fully assembled, an interesting and touching story can be conceived.
Twelve, creative thinking methods
1. Market analysis: Observing the popular materials in the market at present, if most of the existing materials have been developed, two or more popular materials can be combined to form a new creative theme, which often appears in the creation of idol dramas. Fiction is the same, fantasy stories can be combined with martial arts, urban stories can be combined with fantasy and so on!
First of all, you must pay attention to the popular information, and start collecting relevant information and doing basic homework for the subjects you are interested in. It's best to go to the relevant places to actually experience and interview relevant people, which will make the content of the creation closer to reality. Of course, it would be better if the theme is your personal experience, because many details are more positive.
2. Trend-based thinking: The future world has always been the research direction of scientists. In the past, such imagination could only be dug out of an imaginative head. Fortunately, these predictions about the future can be easily understood in various media now, and they are also very likely to come true. Therefore, in addition to taking the existing environment as the direction of creative thinking, we can also pay more attention to the future trend direction. The farther the future is, the greater the space for imagination.
3. Reverse thinking method: the thinking mode of ordinary people will be based on self-seeking or the experience of predecessors or even the information in books, which will often limit creativity. Shang Ruo's question and answer are on two points of the same circle, and the two points are very close. If you follow the experience, you have to go all the way to get the answer, so if you take another road, maybe the answer is in front of you.
In addition, it is exactly the same as the thinking logic of ordinary people, which is equivalent to no freshness and no irritation. If you go against the normal way of thinking, you may easily find new ideas.
4. Desire satisfaction method: In fact, many creations are to satisfy people's dissatisfaction with the real environment. People will have a lot of desires, but most of them are hard to realize for a lifetime, ranging from wanting to know the answer to tomorrow's exam to wanting to hate my deskmate chubby and stop bullying me: hoping to have a super handsome guy or a beautiful woman as your heterosexual friend, and so on.
What can't be achieved in real life, people hope to satisfy themselves through fantasy.
Thirteen, the last thing to pay attention to
I always feel inadequate and constantly revise it in my creation.
As a creator, you should have the spirit of innovation and change, because readers are constantly growing, and the works on the market will continue to innovate. If you don't have a challenging attitude, your works will be out of date, gradually leaving the market, and you will gradually retreat behind the scenes.
Remember to keep a state of mind, that is, you will always feel inadequate. Only when you are inadequate will you want to make progress and continue to absorb and grow. How high do you think it is to reach the end of the universe? Human beings are always small, and there is no end to learning. And in the creation, don't be complacent, check whether your work has better possibilities at any time, because the work is facing all kinds of critical readers. New writers, in particular, are easily praised by some rhetoric comments, unable to be self-centered and really think that they have written well. No matter whether the comments are good or bad, we should work hard in the direction of continuous innovation, continuous learning and continuous transcendence, which should also be the insistence of the creators.