Your story world

I’m going to be Captain Obvious here but my top tip – and pretty much everyone else’s too – is to base your book on something you really know about.  There, I told you it was obvious.  This doesn’t mean that it has to be completely autobiographical but if, for example, you’ve worked as a nurse all your life, then your novel – whatever it is: love story, thriller, murder mystery – is going to be a whole lot more convincing if you make hospital life your story world.  Essentially, you can make your story feel real with absolutely no extra research.  You already know the kinds of events that really happen, the characters, the jargon, the procedures, all the little details that will bring your world alive for the reader because you’ve lived in it.

In case you still need convincing, a few years ago my daughters were completely obsessed with Irish dancing.  We’d spend weekends travelling around the M25 going to various huge festivals.  It was fun, the girls enjoyed it and they ended up winning quite a few trophies in the process (sorry, proud dad moment.  Can’t help it). Long story short, I thought I’d try writing a novel based in the wacky and wonderful world of Irish dancing.  I managed the first 25,000 words but then I reached a huge wall.  I realised that I really didn’t know enough about it all because I’d never done Irish dancing myself and, crucially, never been to the World Championships, where the novel’s climax was meant to take place. So that one hit the buffers and I learned a big lesson.  If you really know the world you’re writing about, you’re much less likely to suffer from the biggest novel-killer of all, writer’s block.  Experts will tell you that the way to beat the block is to immerse yourself in research.  Yes and no.  I don’t think any amount of research would have rescued my attempt.  And if you really know your world, no research needed – just a good story.  But more about the kind of story to tell next time.  Happy writing!