I saw an article about writing novels, which I thought was good. I recommend it to you:

How to write good novels

In today's era of proliferation of novels, more and more people are writing novels. More and more novels are gradually neglecting creative skills, and there are more and more phenomena such as blind pursuit of pleasure, venting, and frivolity.

No matter how good the writing is, no matter how gorgeous the sentences, and no matter how exaggerated the plot, it’s all just superficial, like a handsome boy or a beautiful woman. This kind of novel may be attractive at first, but then, can you turn that batch of Reader retention depends on the author's true ability.

I think articles are inseparable from human nature. As far as I know, the most popular and popular anime today are often those works with average painting skills but fascinating stories, especially in terms of human nature. Successful works; while those whose painting level has reached the "master" level, there are many works that have been relegated to the sidelines because the story cannot meet the readers' requirements. For example, the relatively successful anime "Gundam" mainly describes the nature of war - is war brought about by strong power, or is power needed to maintain peace because of the need for peace? Whether war is right or wrong has always been a question that everyone is looking for. It describes war vividly and uses war to highlight the multi-faceted phenomena of human nature. Therefore, the anime of Japan’s “Gundam” series has always topped the list.

Now let’s discuss the writing skills of novels:

The plot of the novel has a sense of rhythm. It is like a piano music. Its melody is light, heavy, urgent, and slow. , when the music is slow and docile, or when it is passionate and high, it can only be completed after careful design. A piece of music with a weak melody will sound very comfortable and touching. But if the music is disorganized and disharmonious, it will sound particularly harsh and uncomfortable, and you will not know what it is trying to express. The music has cadences and ups and downs, so the structure of the story is also the same.

1. Characterization of character personality

1. The elements of character expression are:

a. Unique expression

b. Habitual actions

c, commonly used dialogue

d, thoughts

y, thoughts and desires

f, weaknesses and flaws< /p>

g. The character’s likes and dislikes

2. The use of these elements:

The above elements can be used as creative tools, and these tools must be used well. , you can list these setting items, and then mark the performance parts. The more important personality parts should be repeated repeatedly to deepen the reader's impression of the character.

2. The use of supporting roles and foils

There is a joke that handsome boys and beautiful women always like to stay with people who are uglier or shorter than themselves, because they are foils. The same is true for story creation, which also requires this kind of foil, especially the foil of supporting characters. Constantly use supporting characters to foil the protagonist, and try your best to shape your protagonist into an idol. Therefore, all supporting characters are set up to set off the protagonist.

1. Types of supporting roles:

Positive - mentor type, admiring type, assisting type

Uncertain - mysterious type, competitive type, buffoon type

Negative - Framing type

2. Assisting type: A necessary role that often appears inseparable from the protagonist, sharing difficulties and sharing wealth.

Mentor type: a auxiliary character who gives the protagonist correct knowledge and concepts. Admiration type: the protagonist's favorite object is usually the (male) heroine. It has a great influence on the protagonist's state of mind and affects the changes in the entire plot. important role.

Mysterious type: It will have an obvious positive or negative impact on the protagonist. He will never name himself. Usually he will be deified.

Competitive type: The strength will definitely not be the advantage of the protagonist, but you will be excited or afraid of the protagonist's hidden strength. It will not hinder the protagonist's progress, but will promote the protagonist's growth and become enough to compete with yourself. opponent.

Frame-up type: Usually in order to get something owned by the protagonist, or because they dislike the protagonist for different reasons, they often go against the protagonist, and they are also an indispensable role in the plot.

Harlequin type: A character who often pulls people back, does idiotic and ridiculous things, and does it just for the sake of being funny.

3. Each character has its necessary functions. Just like an online game, you must constantly create a balance and then break the balance in your plot, so the interaction between the characters will be corresponding. is important. When the positive force is too strong, it means that the sense of crisis is insufficient; when the negative force is too strong, it means that the protagonist's status is about to collapse. Under such a stack, climaxes are constantly created.

3. The performance and setting of the bridge section

1. The contrast method bridge section: In terms of the protagonist's positioning, arrange another bridge section to be jealous of the protagonist's setting. Contrast and comparison can easily give readers a standard of measurement and highlight the differences between the protagonists.

For example: a desperate prodigal meets a protagonist who is impoverished but full of hope for the future. There is a great contrast between the two, which can set off the protagonist and shape his image.

2. Stacking bridge section: Arrange the layout of the bridge section to a certain height in advance, and then stack the protagonist at this height. Naturally, the protagonist will reach the highest position effortlessly.

For example: A legendary swordsman, whose swordsmanship is quite superb, no one is his opponent, and those who challenge him are killed within three moves. But the strange thing is that when he faced an inconspicuous middle-aged homeless man, he was defeated with one blow. When everyone was worshiping him, a boy of seventeen or eighteen years old appeared, and the homeless man called him his master.

This example shows that the young man may be a more powerful character, and there may be a lot of room for imagination behind it. It seems that we have used the power of other people to pull this young man's ability and status to an extraordinary level. of high points.

3. Trap method: Use the plot to slowly push the protagonist into a desperate situation, so that the readers are always worried about the protagonist's crisis, and then make a big change to reverse the protagonist's position. Create a huge gap to highlight the protagonist's ability. The principle is to set up a continuous low point, so that the transformation process quickly becomes a climax, so that the protagonist's ability is doubled.

For example: The protagonist who was originally in a dilemma of being bullied did not let the readers know until the end that it was the protagonist who had been "wise and foolish" all the time, which made the enemy suddenly at a disadvantage in the later stage.

4. Make good use of foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is when the author sets up relevant plots or hints in order to express an important plot. After the story progresses to a certain level, The method of echoing this segment or prompt.

Foreshadowing is like a hidden bomb. It brings more changes to the plot. It may be expressed in a scene that only appears once, or it may be an inadvertent paragraph, or it may even be a sentence. Dialogue; the laying of foreshadowing should not be separated from the echo of the foreshadowing for too long. In this way, the reader's memory may disappear and the meaning of the foreshadowing is lost; the description of the foreshadowing can also be continuous, and the foreshadowing can be laid in each paragraph. A fragment is finally put together. In this way, the time reflected in the foreshadowing can continue to extend backwards.

1. Foreshadowing cannot be separated from the theme. This is an unchanging principle. There is only one focus of the story. All factors must be generated by this principle. The content of foreshadowing should not be irrelevant to the theme, otherwise it will not only achieve the goal of If it is not effective, it may also weaken the power of the story.

2. Don’t use too much foreshadowing. Too many different foreshadowings will make readers confused about the situation and lose the meaning of foreshadowing, unless it is a coherent foreshadowing and a continuous setting; Excessive foreshadowing can also make the theme of the story unclear.

3. The design that serves as a foreshadowing of the power of transformation and the explosive point of climax is designed to surprise readers. Such a design is also a way of transformation in the plot. The timing of the reveal and response of the foreshadowing is very important, which also involves the rhythm of the plot. If we can make good use of the foreshadowing and explode at the climax, this is the best way to express it.

4. Remember that we must be very clear about the foreshadowing at the end, otherwise it will become anticlimactic, and it will suddenly end without a clear explanation at the end; there are several restorations hidden in the front, but in the end it will be inevitable Several foreshadowings need to echo each other. If our plot is too complicated, it is recommended that we take notes and constantly remind ourselves during the writing process to avoid missing anything after the plot is over.

5. The rhythm of the plot

1. The principle of roller coaster We say that a dull drama may not arouse the interest of readers, but a drama with a climax will also make readers overly nervous. Become paralyzed; assuming that the level of the plot is like an ups and downs curve, we can analyze a principle, that is, the greater the ups and downs of the plot, the more amazing the effect will be achieved, just like a roller coaster in an amusement park, the greater the difference in height. The larger the passage, the more miserable the screams of the passengers will be, and the more exciting the process will be. We can call this principle the roller coaster principle.

2. The rhythm of the plot But what we need to add here is the rhythm. If the ups and downs are the Y-axis on the coordinates, then the part on the X-axis can be said to be the beat; a measure in music can be one beat, one-half beat, or as fast as one-eighth beat; the speed of the rhythm, relative to It affects people's emotional ups and downs. Slow tempo gives people stable emotions, while faster tempo gives people nervous emotions. This principle also applies to the structure of the plot.

Here, everyone should notice why art is said to have the same principle. This rhythm can also be reflected in art works, calligraphy, colors and symbols, etc. It is the same principle.

3. Use the combination of fast and slow to control readers' emotions

a. Pair the plot with a slow pace

b. Pair the plot with a fast pace

6. To whet the reader's appetite

A common mistake that many newcomers make when writing stories is to go all the way to the end and just say whatever they want. Many good ideas have not yet been conceived. Just performed it directly. I have talked about a lot of stimulation above, and the purpose is to increase the techniques we can use to perform, and to brew the key points we want to express until the best time before bursting out.

To put it clearly, a novel is like a battle of wits between a writer and a reader. If the ending of the plot we arrange is already known to the reader at the beginning, will the reader still have the desire to continue reading?

1. Keep readers hooked

In fact, the author is the master of the story. You are God and can decide the fate of any character in the play; similarly, you can also decide your most exciting story. Ideas, when they will appear, as long as it is the answer that readers want to know most, you must not let readers know too early, but each process reveals a little bit of information, making readers anxious to know, but unable to know. Then I will slowly be led by your plot.

2. The best time to reveal the answer

Let readers know the time to answer, just like fishing. The time to pull the rod must be accurate. When the fish takes the bait, too If you pull it too early, the bait will not enter the fish's mouth, and the fish will run away; if you pull it too late, the bait will have been eaten, and the fish will run away. If you tell the answer too early, the reader's needs for you have not yet formed, and the effect will be compromised; if you tell the answer too late, the reader will lose patience and run away. You must master the retraction and retraction. If you are not confident, you might as well ask a few friends to take a look and give you some opinions as a reference for your correction.

7. Master the theme

The most important principle in novels should be to master the theme. When we are creating, no matter how good the idea is, we should keep it as the highest principle without deviating from the theme.

It is incorrect to add whatever you think is good, and to constantly come up with other ideas if you don’t have any ideas. I have seen that many novels deviate from the theme, often because of a sudden inspiration, or because they have no good ideas and cannot continue to edit, so they add a lot of things that are irrelevant to the theme, which violates the theme.

1. How not to go off topic

If it is an inspiration that can add points, it is a dream, and it must be added. If there is no possibility of combining it, then please add this The ideas are stored and may be used as ideas for the next work. If you really can't think of an idea, I suggest you go back to the starting point and look at your previous settings. As long as you have done enough previous work, you will definitely be able to find a direction. You can also look at the completed plot. Is there anything that I forgot to explain, or can be extended? From the perspective of a reader, repeatedly observing your work to find a direction that can be continued is also a method; otherwise, you should put down the pen and leave your work. , do something else to relax yourself, because you may have been in a bull's horns and can't extricate yourself.

2. Principles of using multi-line architecture

Sometimes we also use more difficult multi-line architecture. Such screenwriting techniques require more skilled experience. For long-form plots, , multi-line architecture has also become necessary, because more and more characters appear, and the story to be told is not limited to one story. The key points of multi-line architecture are roughly as follows: a. Echoing before and after: the main structure of the story is fixed Yes, there will be branching plots in the plot, but remember, the branching plots must finally return to the theme, otherwise it will become impossible to end.

b. Clear priorities: after the branch structure appears, the theme is gradually replaced by the branch structure, and the branch structure becomes the main structure. This is the deviation of the theme, and it is also our most careful taboo. Therefore, we must distinguish the master-slave system of the architecture so as not to end up being the master of the system.

C. Know how to give up ideas: As mentioned before about ambition, sometimes we have too many ideas and wish they could all be squeezed into one work. In fact, when our plot is already quite solid, we shouldn't add any more details, as this will paralyze the reader or make it difficult to read. Plots that are too complex are usually not easily accepted by the public. After all, novels are a popular commodity, and the target audience we want to meet is also the general readership. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to give up, retain some good ideas, and make The theme of long flaws.

8. Create a climax

Bland plot is not a form of expression. If you can tell a story that is very plain, but still shakes people's hearts, then your skills will be great. It’s extraordinary; the plain technique actually hides the climax, but it’s just buried well so that it’s not seen. For new creatives, plots with ups and downs of climax will be much easier to handle than bland plots. We must first learn how to Create a climax, and after you gain more experience, you can slowly learn how to hide the climax in the plot.

When readers read your works, they are always looking forward to the climax you create. Your careful planning and long management are to express the most exciting parts of the plot in a profound way. Touch the readers' hearts and make them cry and laugh for you. But if it doesn't perform well, the work will actually be considered a failure.

1. Concentrate all efforts for the climax: When the plot progresses smoothly, we must concentrate all our attention to create the climax of the plot. We should concentrate all our skills at the key climax point. Only when it breaks out can such a plot be deeply rooted in people's hearts.

The so-called skills, such as: flow of time, rhythm, appetite, creativity, main line, characters, scenes, foreshadowing, etc.

2. More is worse than good: the climax of the plot should not be Putting it in an insignificant place in the structure is actually equivalent to not deviating from the main line. It is equivalent to not deviating from the theme of all previous business directions. Only in this way can the effect be presented in a down-to-earth manner.

3. Surprise: In addition, I hope the climax expression method will not be too formulaic. The various expression methods we have seen in the past can be used as a reference, but it is best if we can put more thought into it. To change, the imaginary becomes real, the real becomes imaginary. In the process of fighting wits with readers, try to be unexpected by everyone, so that readers can be amazed. In short, if you think more, you will be different.

4. Continuous orgasm: Is continuous orgasm a taboo? If we want to be different, we must break away from the framework. Sometimes, the use of taboos is also an extraordinary means, which can achieve extraordinary results. If the energy we accumulated in the early stage is enough to reach the second or even third climax, then, we It's not a bad idea to use sustained orgasm.

However, when using continuous climax, you must be aware that the stimulation to the reader will cause paralysis. Therefore, you should stop when it is time to stop, and stop in moderation.

9. Humanity is the heart of the story

Here we use comics as the theme to tell this truth.

There are many works with superb painting skills, but they are not the most popular works, and some popular works have quite mediocre painting skills. The reason is actually simple. The picture is just the element that attracts readers' first impression. Just like when we see a handsome guy on the street, we usually glance at him unconsciously and can only say that we like him. But if you want to truly fall in love with him, even for the rest of your life, then you will consider his inner qualities. If he looks like a wooden person, you may find him an eyesore even if he is next to you for a week. Therefore, in addition to attracting readers at first sight, how to retain readers to read your work completely without feeling bored is the key to success. Think about how those comic masterpieces that have been serialized for dozens of volumes retain their readers’ attention. It has stayed in the hearts of readers for more than ten years, and it is even more popular among readers.

(Writing this, I suddenly remembered that a few years ago, during the period when the comic book "Soul of Chess" was very popular, the Chinese Go Association, I don't know what it was called, I forgot its name, I just know He enjoys a high reputation in the Chinese Go community. In his new Go novel, he plagiarized a lot of the work "Soul of Chess". As a result, he was scolded by a large number of "Soul of Chess" fans during the autograph session in Shanghai. How sad that someone teared up his novel in front of him! Chinese celebrities have plagiarized Japanese works. As a reader who is a fan of "Game of Thrones" (including most comic fans), this is unacceptable. I can’t stand it! As a result, there are more than 10,000 pages of scolding posts on his website forum, and the number of scolding posts is approaching 1,000 pages every day.

Think about it, there are so many people for a comic book. Support, what kind of charm does this require? I want to ask, how many Chinese novels can achieve this effect? ??

There is also a "One Piece" comic, which I have been serializing for at least 12 years. Above, how many comic fans support, support and are crazy about it! His sales volume has topped the list of Japanese comics several times. Why? To put it bluntly, because it can make people laugh and cry. Animation works with distinctive characters and incredible story development, which are described closely with "human nature")

The answer is actually very simple, it is human nature! We must give the characters in the play unique personalities and use these strong characters to fully express human nature. We must be able to control the reader's emotions, arouse the reader's humanity, and make the reader cry wildly when they should cry and laugh wildly when they should laugh. This is the unique charm of drama.

Therefore, when designing a theme, characters also play a very important role. Some good themes have actually been successful before character design.

Remember that when selecting materials, you should also preset the key points of expression of characters and human nature. What attracts readers' attention in any work is not simply the painting skills or gorgeous sentences, but the touching stories, and touching stories are often expressed by human nature.

10. Seeking differences in similarities

Many classic themes or successful works are worthy of reference. There seem to be very few themes that have not been created in the world. For our creations, we often find a lot of creative themes. Someone may have done it a long time ago, or a similar theme will appear on the market soon, which makes you very regretful. This kind of collision situation often happens . Just imagine, when your work is suspected of plagiarism, do you feel innocent?

How do we find our own position in an era of constant explosion of information and creativity, or discover new topics in already successful themes. Even for classic themes, due to the change of time and space, and the differences in the creator's growth environment, there are opportunities for different expressions and new connotations. Therefore, find out the skeleton, spirit and exciting elements of successful works, and add your own new ones. By repackaging your ideas and personal characteristics, it is not difficult to find a good direction for your work.

11. The creativity of the pattern

I don’t know if you have seen some film and television analysis of the movie. Everyone said that Zhang Yimou’s films are all about big patterns and can be like There are only a few people with the same big picture as Zhang Yimou.

1. Point-type creativity: This type of creativity is usually only used for a small detail and is not suitable for too long extension. It is used as an embellishment in creation.

Point-type creativity is an independent creative type. It can exist alone or be arbitrarily inserted into the required parts of the plot.

Similar to an interesting dialogue or a funny action, this kind of creativity can also be transformed into a character's mantra or habitual actions.

In a good script, point-shaped creativity exists at any time, because it is like the decoration of a perfect piece of furniture, allowing readers to appreciate the author's intentions at any time.

Such ideas are not extendable. When we are in the ideation stage, if it is a long story, we must record such ideas without putting them into the story skeleton, because in the ideation stage , it is very important to filter out the key points, and it doesn’t matter if you have to give up such ideas.

2. Key creativity: This type of creativity is the key to an important section or turning point in the plot. It will affect the extension and development of the story and echo the foreshadowing ahead. Such creativity may also be formed. The characteristic of a short story key idea is that it is an idea generated for a single purpose. Unlike typical ideas, its framework is enough to develop into a simple and complete story.

Key ideas can be an important part of a paragraph in a long story. Several key ideas are enough to construct a long story.

The focus of thinking lies in unexpected plot changes, with the purpose of compressing the reader's emotions in a short period of time or attracting the reader's attention.

The key idea at the beginning of a long story is even more important, because the reader’s reaction in the first few chapters determines the subsequent life of your work. If you do not use the key idea at the beginning to attract readers , no matter how exciting the subsequent story is, it may be in vain.

3. Architectural creativity: that is, the main architectural creativity that is enough to support a long story or a unit story. This kind of structure is what we call the story skeleton, and the quality of the story skeleton depends on the structure. Is the type of creativity strong enough?

As for creativity, in addition to catching sudden inspiration in a timely manner, daily accumulation is also very important. Having a certain amount of accumulation will be very helpful for future creations.

When the above-mentioned creative inspirations are fully gathered, interesting and touching storylines can be conceived.

12. Methods for generating creative ideas

1. Market analysis method: Observe the popular materials currently on the market. If most of the existing materials have been developed, you can use two methods The above popular materials are combined into new creative themes. This type of technique often appears in the creation of idol dramas. The same goes for novels, fantasy stories can be combined with martial arts, urban stories can be combined with fantasy, etc.!

First of all, we must first pay attention to popular information, start collecting relevant information and do basic homework for the subject you are interested in. It is best to go to relevant places for actual experience and communicate with relevant people. Interviews with characters will make the creative content closer to reality. Of course, it will be better if the subject matter is your personal experience, because the description of many details is more proactive.

2. Trending ideas: The future world has always been the direction that scientists work hard to study. In the past, such imaginations could only be excavated from imaginative heads. Fortunately, these ideas about the future are now We can easily learn about predictions in various media, and they are very likely to be realized. Therefore, in addition to using the current environment as the direction of creative ideas, we can also pay more attention to future trends. The more distant the future, the greater the scope for imagination.

3. Reverse thinking method: Most people’s thinking mode will rely on their own or previous experience or even information in books as a basis, and this direction often limits creativity, even if the problem and The answer is at two points on the same circle, and the two points are very close. If according to experience, you have to complete a circle to get the answer, then if you go in reverse, the answer may be right in front of you.

In addition, the thinking logic is exactly the same as that of ordinary people, which means there is no freshness and no excitement. If you go against the way ordinary people think, you may easily find new ideas.

4. Desire satisfaction method: In fact, many creations satisfy people’s dissatisfaction with the real environment. People have a lot of desires, but most people find it difficult to achieve these desires in their lives. They can be as small as wishing to know the answer to tomorrow’s exam, or hoping that the annoying chubby boy at my desk would stop bullying me: I wish there was a super handsome guy or beautiful girl to be you. Friends of the opposite sex, etc.

People hope to satisfy themselves through fantasy when they cannot achieve things in real life.

13. The last thing to note

Always feel inadequate and constantly make corrections during creation.

As a creator, you should have the spirit of seeking innovation and change, because readers are constantly growing, and works on the market will continue to be updated. Without a challenging mentality, works will become stale. And gradually you will withdraw from the market, and you will gradually retreat behind the scenes.

Remember to keep a mentality that 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? Can you reach the end of the universe? ? Human beings are always small and learning never ends. And when creating, don't be complacent, always check whether your works have better possibilities, because your works face all kinds of picky readers. Especially for new writers, it is easy to be overwhelmed by some rhetorical comments, and they can't help themselves, and they really think that they have written well. No matter whether the comments we face are good or bad, we must strive in the direction of continuous innovation, continuous learning, and continuous self-transcendence. This should also be the insistence of creators.