Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing

Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing V3: The 3 Parts to Master

August 12, 2020 By jeannzhuang Leave a Comment

Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing V3: The 3 Parts to Master because V2 strategy was unclear and when I executed my practice I was confused and unable to focus fully.

The 3 Parts to Master
1. English Language: Get good at the grammar and vocabulary so the writing doesn’t disrupt the reader’s experience.
2. Writing as a Craft: How to express the ideas that will make the reader feel like they are a part of the action
3. Storytelling as a Craft: Keep them in the story world

Incorporating all 3 parts into V3 deliberate practice strategy.

Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing V3 Strategy

#1 DAILY PROGRESS: In every deliberate practice session, there’s Part 1 & Part 2

Part 1: Alternate between (a) & (b), meaning today (a), tomorrow (b), and the next day back to (a) and so on.
(a) English Language Mastery (Begin with The Elements of Style before moving on to Practical English Usage)
(b) Writing & Storytelling Mastery: Attend writing classes by accomplished authors on MasterClass

Part 2
1) Read book chapter by chapter: Apply 1 of 50 writing tools each week
2) Pick out phrases, sentences or paragraphs to emulate

#2 DAILY PROGRESS: END OF EVERY READING SESSION
1) Write paragraphs or a chapter to emulate (not imitate or copy)

#3 END OF EACH BOOK
1) Present story framework using Fabula storytelling cards
1.1 Hero’s journey
1.2 Order of Events

2) Blog my insights and key takeaways from this learning experience

Improvements to Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing Strategy

My approach is simple. Extract vital information from non-fiction books I read regarding deliberate practice, mastery and so on, as well as accomplished authors from their lessons on MasterClass or books, and then design updated versions as I progress with my current deliberate practice.

Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing V2: When V1 Strategy Doesn’t Work Out, Pivot

August 12, 2020 By jeannzhuang Leave a Comment

Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing V2: When V1 Strategy Doesn’t Work Out, Pivot. Simply put, Version 1, or V1: Deliberate Practice Strategy for Fiction Writing – The Write Motive failed. Which also explains why there’s only one post for George Orwell’s 1984.

What’s V2 then?

Deliberate Practice for Fiction Writing V2 Strategy

#1 DAILY PROGRESS
1) Read book chapter by chapter: Apply 1 of 50 writing tools each week
2) Pick out phrases, sentences or paragraphs to emulate

#2 DAILY PROGRESS: END OF EVERY READING SESSION
1) Write paragraphs or a chapter to emulate (not imitate or copy)

#3 END OF EACH BOOK
1) Present story framework using Fabula Storytelling cards
1.1 Hero’s journey
1.2 Order of Events

2) Blog my insights and key takeaways from this learning experience

*Be flexible, switch between this & learning from MasterClass.

1984 George Orwell – Part 1 Chapter 1 [Fiction Writing Deliberate Practice]

June 26, 2020 By jeannzhuang Leave a Comment

1984 by George Orwell for my fiction writing deliberate practice.

Book has 3 parts:

Part 1, 8 chapters
Part 2, 10 chapters
Part 3, 6 chapters

3 parts seem to convey to traditional Aristotelian three-act structure, exposition, climax and resolution.

Setting / Story world

Cold, harsh, gruff story world
Industrial, totalitarian vibe
Dystopia, rundown, bombed, some kind of war aftermath, violent
Feeling of being surveyed—suddenly reminded me of Michel Foucault’s Panopticon

Characters

Big Brother
Winston
Emmanuel Goldstein
O’Brien
A young lady Winston hated

Terms, and terms used repeatedly

Hate Week
Big Brother
Police Patrol
Thought Patrol
Inner Party
Newspeak
Two Minutes Hate

Observations & Insights

The repetition of “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” and emphasis on the telescreen and how Winston would be heard but not seen if he knew where to position himself communicated the idea of being watched. And obviously as the chapter developed, it showed how Winston doesn’t like, in fact, hates the Big Brother.

But the pervasiveness of surveillance and even the consequences is implied during the Two Minutes Hate, where it showed how Winston seems brain-washed to a certain extent because his automatic hate-response and hate-reflexes kick into play. My thought is that it showed me how propaganda programmed the members’ responses, whether they like it or not, they become brain-washed.

Even though the members who are strangers united in their expression of hate to their Enemy of the People, Emmanuel Goldstein who is obviously depicted as despicable traitor who committed treason against the Party and the Big Brother, when the two minutes ended, they remain but, possibly, silent helpless oppressed enemies of the Party.

They are gathered but alone, just like Winston, whose loneliness is apparent. His desolation drove him to begin writing, which was said to be punishable by death or at least forced labor, even though there are no laws.

Two paragraphs really struck me as a writer:

“It was curious that he seemed not merely to have lost the power of expressing himself, but even to have forgotten what it was that he had originally intended to say.”

“All he had to do was to transfer to paper the interminable restless monologue that had been running inside his head, literally for years. At this moment, however, even the monologue had dried up.”

As a character, Winston have been silenced, he lost his voice and is struggling to find it
As a writer, there’s how I feel whenever I tell myself I need to write my novel

Hooks to continue reading

Who is Big Brother?
Who is Winston?
Who is Emmanuel Goldstein?
Why are the three slogans of the Party so damn contradictory? What’s the deeper meaning? Is there a deeper meaning?
- WAR IS PEACE
- FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
- IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Winston started writing “down with big brother” like a automatic rebellious reflex, even though he caught himself and fear overtook because people go missing or vanish at night and then chapter ends with a knock on his door.

Deliberate Practice Hour Tally: 2 hours

Read chapter 1 part 1 while taking notes in my notebook
Wrote this blog post to consolidate my insights

Deliberate Practice Strategy for Fiction Writing – The Write Motive

June 25, 2020 By jeannzhuang Leave a Comment

Back with a deliberate practice strategy for fiction writing after a more than 6-month hiatus from The Write Motive.

From hectic work schedule in the earlier part of 2020 to figuring out how to deliver more value through The Write Motive to the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, I realized, there’s no better way to get good at fiction writing than deliberate practice.

After reading Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love and Deep Work, it was like I was possessed because I went back to read the first book again and again. Kind of deconstructed the book for my own analysis to solidify and reinforce my understanding.

BUT…

I got too carried away.

I spent almost 2 months “soaking” in the ideas and concepts, at first thinking of writing one generic blog post… but soon… my ambition took over, deceiving me into thinking that I could write 3 blog series customized for 3 different areas of interest:

Living a successful, happy & fulfilled life
Online business & marketing
Getting good at storytelling & writing

I started and completed with a 7-part blog series for online business & marketing.

Exhaustion kicked in.

I still owe 1 blog series for The Write Motive, which I was excited to return with it as a bang, but it’s dragging out too long.

So screw it.

Instead of grand plans, I will work with humble pies.

Deliberate Practice Strategy for Fiction Writing

So like I said, instead of grand plans that requires way too much time and effort to sustain as daily deliberate practice, my working strategy is, small bites.

This is the humble deliberate practice strategy for fiction writing currently:

#1 DAILY PROGRESS: 1 HOUR EVERY WEEK DAY

1) Read book

#2 DAILY PROGRESS: END OF EVERY READING SESSION

1) Blog my own insights: could be about the story-world, plot, characters, questions, etc

#3 END OF EACH BOOK

Based on #2 & memory, write another blog post about what I’ve learnt as a writer, from a reader’s perspective; why I like this novel or not.

Conclusion: Why Engage in Deliberate Practice?

The purpose of this deliberate practice strategy is not just to enjoy reading or read as many books related to the genre you’re interesting in writing to be inspired.

But to read with a critical eye, learning from the authors how they create their stories, how they practice their craft.

Learn what excites you, inspires you, and learn from things that don’t—as a reader so that we know how to write for the reader.

Ultimately, we’re learning how to pay attention to the way our favorite books, or books that became our favorites, are put together.

A deliberate practice strategy that trains us to become good at storytelling and writing, a key trait to become a master writer, storyteller, novelist.

Let’s get good at our craft.