What elements do you include in your stories to
make a story seem and feel more realistic to the reader?
The challenge of every fiction writer or non-fiction writer creating a fictional story, is to craft a fictional story that is believable. This challenge is taken to new levels for writers of realistic fiction. These stories, which are woven around real events that have taken place, can be formed around memoirs, historical moments, and even horror stories if desired. It is just important to remember that realistic fiction doesn’t blend well with other fictional genres. It must stand on its own.
That’s why it’s important to know how to write realistic fiction in a way that can relate to the reader, be realistic, but not include fantasy elements that drive readers away. Here’s how I keep it real for my readers.
#1. Don’t go crazy with your characters. Most people in real-life don’t have crazy names, (though spelling names phonetically is the latest craze.) If a parent wishes his/her child going though life 'spelling his/her name' that's their business. However, i don't give my characters crazy names. Sometimes a guy named Joe, Jacob, or Chris is good enough for realistic fiction.
#2. Give your story a good structure. Realistic fiction needs to involve the characters in a comprehensive way. People like to see what happens to them because realistic fiction puts the reader into the character’s shoes.
#3. Create a good introduction. You want your readers in realistic fiction to begin developing relationships with the characters immediately. This will help to draw them into the story. Let the first couple of pages be the setting where your readers develop a dialogue. Then let the events of your story begin to unfold for your characters. This will lure the reader in so they don’t want to put the book down.
#4. Make sure your settings are realistic as well.
#5. Create conflicts that are part of the character dialogue. Even close friends are going to have conflicts from time to time. In realistic fiction, these conflicts must also have a touch of realism to them.
#6. Build to a solid climax. The most common error that is seen in proposed realistic fiction is that the entire story builds up to a climax at the very end of the story. Remember to have plot-points, dark moments, and mini-resolutions to subplots.
#7. Create a conclusion with a twist. Have you ever worked hard for something only to have something unexpected happen? Sometimes the conclusion of a realistic story is predictable and that’s a wonderful thing. Readers love it when everything works out as it should. For some characters, life might throw them a bit of a twist.
By keeping things real, you create stories that will help readers relate to your characters in a very personal way. There is no better method to create a story that people won’t want to put down until they’ve finished it.
I don't wish to give too much away in my works in progress, or my published stories.
But here's are a few teasers and hints of what is to come in my novels:
Current (Limited Time) Release:
"Paradise Perfume" a short romance story which is part of a box-set,
Last Chance Beach, Summer's End. "Fragrance and love cannot be hidden." My teaser gives hint at the theme.
My blurb tells a bit more: Tempest Javid returns to Last Chance Beach to begin a new life.
Sam is a single dad on vacation with his pre-teem daughter. He's worried his daughter may become too attached to her, but maybe he's the one whose heart is at risk.
"Gumbo Ya Ya" an anthology for women who like Cajun romance, is my next release.
Each story has a 'Cajun main character. And, of course, food is also part of the realistic slant of each story.
Please stop by and see what each of these talented authors have to say about "making a story" real!
Happy Reading!
Connie
Skye Taylor
http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham
http://www.victoriachatham.com
Judith Copek
http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator
http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich
https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/2020/08/22/elementary-my-dear-rhobin/
Beverley Bateman
http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Fiona McGier
http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin L Courtright
http://www.rhobincourtright.com
Last Chance Beach, Summer's End (14-new stories!)
Still 99cents:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CV3GN3R/
Free! Companion to Last Chance Beach:
https://www.amazon.com/Cocktails-Last-Chance-Beach-Reeves-ebook/dp/B08DR4K3YX/
