WHY YOUR STORY SHOULDN’T BE ALL ABOUT YOU

Over the last four days, I told you about common obstacles writers often face and some strategies to overcome them.

Have you noticed a pattern?

These obstacles are not craft related. They’re not about dialogue subtext, or how to outline a novel, or invent a fresh, worthy antagonist.

They’re about mindset.

You can learn craft if you practice and work at it.

But before you can learn craft you must have the correct mindset to get those words flowing on the page.

That brings us to our final obstacle in this 5 obstacle series. (But not the final obstacle!)

Obstacle #5
This story is all about me.

Often, when writers decide to write a novel, or a memoir, the story (and the reason for writing it), is all about them.

Huh?

Isn’t that what writing a book is all about? Don’t you write a novel because you’re passionate about it? Don’t you write a memoir so you can explore something in your life and share it with the world?

Yes.

But…

If it’s only all about you no one else will want to read it.

Ouch.

Yeah, this can hurt a little. But better to face this now, instead of two years into a novel or a memoir.

Many writers write a very autobiographical first novel.

And that’s okay! Sort of. As long as your story includes enough conflict, has high stakes, and resonates emotionally, it’s okay for it to be at least partly based on you.

But if you’re writing your stories filled with you as the protagonist, and your friends, partner, parents, siblings, neighbors along for the ride, when you intended to write fiction, or if you find you’re writing a memoir that’s serving solely as a therapeutic experience for you, caution ahead.

Caution ahead doesn’t mean stopping writing that story. No, keep going! But you will have to revise. (And the truth is, you’ll have to revise regardless!)

Here’s where writing stories that are all about you, and only about you, gets you into trouble. To write publishable stories you must serve your readers. Self-serving stories are not publishable.

I teach writers to first, be passionate about the story they’re writing. And second, make sure it’s serving their reader.

To help guide you away from writing a story that’s only about you, ask yourself this: what about this story will make someone else want to read it?

What about this story will keep your reader up way past midnight turning page after page? What in this story will get a reaction? What in this story will make my reader cry? Laugh? Feel scared? What in this story will make my reader feel something?

Answer those questions before you write another word.

My course Immersed in Story shows you how to develop emotionally resonant stories with conflict, and compelling characters that serve your readers. Check out the course right here.