Writers Write and Think Outside the Box: Wall Five

In the last four parts of this series, I have attempted to describe how we can think outside the box. As a writer, I also have to be able to work my thoughts out on paper in a way that shows I am writing outside the box as well. For the past two years I’ve been working on a young adult novel that is currently undergoing a major change, because after separating myself from it I realized that the book’s plot, characters, and settings are boxed into traditional themes. It could pass for many other young adult novels out on the market (if it was even chosen to be published) that I read once and barely think about again.

So how exactly can I get it to a point where it is written outside the box? What can I do to make it become a book that will be treasured?

The Market – The advice of writing mentors to research the current market means more than simply reading a lot of books in the same genre as the one you are interested in writing. At first I simply read a lot of books, mostly award-winning young adult novels, and wrote down brief information about them. The next step involved looking at the young adult market as a whole and determining what areas were lacking and in need of a novel. Finally, I have chosen a handful of books that stand out for me in an exceptional way and I am rereading them a second and third time. Each time I read them I am actually studying them. What makes their plot so successful? How did the author create such a unique voice? How did the author achieve thinking and writing outside the box?

The Foundation – I am currently in this stage in the development of my book. With an understanding of where I would like to take my book, I have begun building the basic framework of it. My notebook is filled with pages of descriptions about the characters, settings, voices, plots, etc; however, what is different this time is that I am trying out new characters, placing them in new settings, and using new plots.

New Characters – This is one of the key parts of my attempt to write outside the box. In the past, my characters have all reflected a lot of who I am or others closely connected to me. Thus, they have been written in a box and live inside the box in my stories. To write outside the box, I have to become an actor in a way, because it is more than stepping into someone else’s shoes as I have described in the earlier parts in this series.

New Settings – My settings generally are painted in places I have lived most of my life in colors that are seen typically in books. I’ve been trying out two new things as I begin working on my book: placing characters in settings that are not the ones I feel most comfortable in and using different types of words to describe them. This has helped me feel new emotions and think more about the interaction between the setting and the character.

New Plots– I have always been more comfortable writing a story’s plot that fairly reflects an experience I had, because this is what I know and my writing should therefore be at its best when writing about it. But thinking and writing outside the box require us to go beyond this idea to a new level of perspective. The biggest component of this transition is imagination. I have to give myself more quality time to think about the plot, both major and minor. It has to happen in my mind with enough time and space that it can move forward in different directions. My past writings demonstrate plots that were shallow and ordinary. Now I am trying to push myself beyond my comfort zone to work towards thinking and writing plots that are original.

The Book – I am getting closer to understanding enough about my characters, settings, and plots that I feel ready to begin creating the outline and writing the book. But I am concerned that I may slip back into a style of writing that in the past lacks originality. What can I do to maintain this new perspective? How can I keep the box open? In the sixth and final part of this series I will try to answer this question.