Ask the Author: J.A. Belfield
Answered Questions (11)
J.A. Belfield
This is quite a big question to answer, but simplifying, I'd suggest the following:
- if you have the brain of a plotter, try plotting out your novel. By this, I mean create bullet points for everything you need to happen within the story, in a linear fashion, from the beginning right up to the end. If it helps, fill in those needed to begin, and the end bullet points, and then fill in the gaps for the steps the MC(s) needs to take in order to reach that final point. These are helpful, as they can often be altered into pointers for chapter content.
- if writing first person POV, don't be afraid to let the character's personality and 'voice' bleed into the narration as well as their dialogue. This can also be done when writing third person limited to an extent
- try and keep your dialogue (and narration if necessary - see above) as natural to the character/situation/time frame as possible. If set in a modern world, use contractions, use slang (though not to the extant that readers from different regions won't understand them), etc. Just make what they're saying sound 'real'.
- never assume an idea is too extreme, or too 'out there'. It's often not the idea that's outlandish, it's the execution of the idea that ends up being unbelievable
- stay in character. By which I mean, always make sure your character sounds and acts/behaves like your character. If they're prim and proper, for example, and have never left the house without their parents' permission, it's pretty unlikely they'll instigate a mass school breakout that leads to smoking weed. <
And how do I keep mine interesting? I mostly just try to keep each story unique, no replicated story lines, and work hard to ensure each of my characters have a voice and personality that is unique to them. Sometimes just little quirks and characteristics are enough to establish this, but sometimes a lot more thought and construction are required. It's up to you, as the author, to decide the level of character building required to achieve the story the want to tell.
Lastly, don't be afraid to scrap a novel that isn't working/hasn't worked. It isn't a failure and doesn't make you a failure. Just view them as words that have gone toward you learning how you want to write, because it can take a good few novel attempts for an author to find a voice or style that she/he's comfortable or happy with.
Good luck. Let me know how you get on. ☺
- if you have the brain of a plotter, try plotting out your novel. By this, I mean create bullet points for everything you need to happen within the story, in a linear fashion, from the beginning right up to the end. If it helps, fill in those needed to begin, and the end bullet points, and then fill in the gaps for the steps the MC(s) needs to take in order to reach that final point. These are helpful, as they can often be altered into pointers for chapter content.
- if writing first person POV, don't be afraid to let the character's personality and 'voice' bleed into the narration as well as their dialogue. This can also be done when writing third person limited to an extent
- try and keep your dialogue (and narration if necessary - see above) as natural to the character/situation/time frame as possible. If set in a modern world, use contractions, use slang (though not to the extant that readers from different regions won't understand them), etc. Just make what they're saying sound 'real'.
- never assume an idea is too extreme, or too 'out there'. It's often not the idea that's outlandish, it's the execution of the idea that ends up being unbelievable
- stay in character. By which I mean, always make sure your character sounds and acts/behaves like your character. If they're prim and proper, for example, and have never left the house without their parents' permission, it's pretty unlikely they'll instigate a mass school breakout that leads to smoking weed. <
And how do I keep mine interesting? I mostly just try to keep each story unique, no replicated story lines, and work hard to ensure each of my characters have a voice and personality that is unique to them. Sometimes just little quirks and characteristics are enough to establish this, but sometimes a lot more thought and construction are required. It's up to you, as the author, to decide the level of character building required to achieve the story the want to tell.
Lastly, don't be afraid to scrap a novel that isn't working/hasn't worked. It isn't a failure and doesn't make you a failure. Just view them as words that have gone toward you learning how you want to write, because it can take a good few novel attempts for an author to find a voice or style that she/he's comfortable or happy with.
Good luck. Let me know how you get on. ☺
J.A. Belfield
Hi, Reesha, it's Jennifer L. Armentrout you need to answer this question. ♥
J.A. Belfield
I think probably the world building over character development. My characters are a big part of what drives the story forward, and I so I have to remind myself to world build around all of that. Since moving to writing from the guys pov, though, trying to maintain their voice and figure out their thought processes has been a pretty big challenge, too. So it's a combination of the two, although, the more that happens as the series moves forward, and the more supernatural races and outsiders that are introduced, a lot more thought and organisation has to go into delivering the world/s to the reader. I have to remind myself that they don't know all the details inside my head if they're not in the story.
J.A. Belfield
HI Elayne, I've listed the best order for you below.
Darkness & Light (HP 1)
Instinct (HP 0 <
Eternal (HP 0.5 <
Blue Moon (HP 2)
Resonance (HP 2.5 <
Caged (HP 3<
Unnatural (HP 4)<
Hope that helps. Thanks for asking. ☺
Darkness & Light (HP 1)
Instinct (HP 0 <
Eternal (HP 0.5 <
Blue Moon (HP 2)
Resonance (HP 2.5 <
Caged (HP 3<
Unnatural (HP 4)<
Hope that helps. Thanks for asking. ☺
J.A. Belfield
OMG, yes!
Well, until something bigger and better crosses my virtual or real path, anyway. ;)
Well, until something bigger and better crosses my virtual or real path, anyway. ;)
J.A. Belfield
Apart from knowing there are people out in the world interest in what I do and taking time out of their day to read something I've written? Probably getting to stumble down the stairs in the morning, still wearing my PJs with my hair sticking up, and knowing I'm ready for work without having to do a darn thing. ;o)
J.A. Belfield
From a dream. A massive what-if dream that I managed to tone down a little from what was actually in my head. But I couldn't 'hear' my main character clearly enough in my head, which was stalling me from seeing them clearly, so I imagined them sitting in front of a computer and writing an article on the state of affairs in their world and how they felt about it. This article ended up being the opening of the book.
J.A. Belfield
Mostly my dreams give me ideas. Occasionally, I find them in crazy news articles on the Internet. And from people watching. I love to people watch.
Pinterest is a great new way to find inspiration, too, from all the beautiful and creepy and intriguing images folk have posted on there.
Pinterest is a great new way to find inspiration, too, from all the beautiful and creepy and intriguing images folk have posted on there.
J.A. Belfield
A new adult post apocalyptic before I commence writing on Cornered: Holloway Pack 5.
J.A. Belfield
Write. Write more. Never assume every book you write is the right one to 'put out there' because some books are just meant to be learning curves.
And research. I don't just mean do your research for whatever you're writing. I mean research the industry. You want to enter it? Fine, but educate yourself on the what's what, the who's who, and the how it's done. You'll save a lot of time--your own and that of others--if you go in with eyes wide open as opposed to stumbling in the dark.
And research. I don't just mean do your research for whatever you're writing. I mean research the industry. You want to enter it? Fine, but educate yourself on the what's what, the who's who, and the how it's done. You'll save a lot of time--your own and that of others--if you go in with eyes wide open as opposed to stumbling in the dark.
J.A. Belfield
I preoccupy myself with something else because sitting and staring at a Word document with nothing translating from your fingers to your brain is frustrating. If that doesn't work, I tell me stubborn head to get over it, because the section of it that wants to do can be just as un-moving as the section that doesn't.
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