Writerly Saturday: "Hints About Writing A Story" From Diana Wynne Jones

Diana Wynne Jones with friend & fellow author Neil Gaiman. September 2010

One of the most amazing fantasy & science fiction authors ever is Diana Wynne Jones. She passed away near the beginning of this year (see post here) and I'm not sure what tense to put her in, but saying "is" feels just about right. Because her writing still "IS" so in a way, she is too.      Today I'd like to share an article that she wrote to help aspiring authors. It's simply called "Hints About Writing A Story" and is laid out very concisely and clearly. She begins with this:

"(I started writing when I was married and had children of my own. And I think one of the things I wanted to tell people in my books was how to cope with the world when it goes crazy around you.
It does that even without a war on, of course.)

Everyone is different and that means that everyone is going to need to write a story in a different way. You have to discover how you need to do it. There is no easy way. You can only discover how to by doing it.
These hints are to help you find your own way."

The article is made up of 8 short sections written in her witty and down-to-earth style. The sections in order are: 

• Planning it
• Beginning it
• Places in it
• People in it
• Feelings and Actions
• Finishing it
• Doing it all over again
• Giving it a title

Please click on the link to read the article. It'll take you all of 5 minutes or so and you won't regret it.

"HINTS ABOUT WRITING A STORY" from Diana Wynne Jones

If you'd like to learn more about Diana Wynne Jones, please visit the Official Diana Wynne Jones Fansite
and The Many Worlds of Diana Wynne Jones Site by HarperCollinsPublishers

She really showed us a "House of Many Ways"