The Challenge of Writing Fiction

If, like me, you keep an eye out for the latest ?pet? books, the last few years (that is, all those after ?Marley and Me?) have produced a plethora of non-fiction material.? We?ve had stories of service dogs, hiking dogs, rescue dogs, rescued dogs, the list goes on and on?and many of them have been wonderful.? However, some years ago, I began to wonder if?the formula?of ?discovered a dog, loved a dog, lost a dog? is finally?beginning to?feel a little overdone.? It was?certainly one of the main reasons why I chose to make the difficult transition from non-fiction to fiction.

You see, I could have written another version of ?Tell Me Where it Hurts? (Tell Me Where?It Hurts?2: This time it?s personal! or Tell?Me Where it Hurts 2: In space no one can hear you bark!) but I decided to try something completely different.? There?s a certain sense of liberation when writing fiction.? Many times I?ll have a case I?d love to write about, only?the ending is not what I hoped for, or the pet owner is totally forgetable as a character.? Suddenly, in this new world of fiction,?the happy ending can come true, the pet owner?can be?obnoxious, hilarious, devoted, despicable, seductive, manipulative, generous or miserly.? Suddenly I can bend the story in ways I never thought possible.

That?s the easy part.? In my past three non-fiction books, the plot is already written.? I know how all the characters interact, I just need to find an entertaining way?to tell their story.? In?the world of fiction writing, for the first time, I?had to learn?to get my brain inside the head of a protagonist who?s not me.? I can no longer think, act, speak, Nick Trout.? Not only that, but my actions and the actions of all those with whom I interact, on two legs and on four, have to work, they have to make sense, they have to be believable.? For many aspiring writers this must sound like rookie stuff, fiction 101 and how on earth did this guy ever get a book deal?? Let me answer?by saying that many years ago, I was speaking at a book festival in Florida and I was asked to tell those attending?something surprising about myself.? I shared the fact that I had not had any formal education in English since the age of sixteen.? I?m sure my agent, Jeff Kleinman and my editor, Christine Pride, cringe at my early drafts more?than they do for most of their better schooled clientele, but when I?ve asked if I should attend?some creative writing classes, their knee-jerk response is a resounding ?no?.? They assure me I have a certain style, a?unique voice.? Better to correct my grammar than stifle the way I want to tell a story.

And so, over the next few months, I?ll begin promoting my first novel.? At this point all I?ll say is it was a lot of fun to write.? It was a project many years in the making.? And if I was pitching it to a movie studio, I might shoot for All?Creatures Great and Small meets Twin Peaks!? Or,?maybe, All?Creatures?Great and Small meets Northern Exposure!? On February 12th 2013, maybe you?can be the judge.

Source: http://www.drnicktrout.com/blog/the-challenge-of-writing-fiction/

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