Books are Good, Especially for Young Writers

A Writer’s Perspective

This is a list I created for those who not only want to improve their writing or storytelling, but read a few popular books as well.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson is known for her beautifully candid writing style. Speak has been a controversial novel, due to its focus on sexual assault and the horrible repercussions it causes. This novel is magnificent not because of its storytelling, but because of the raw human emotion that can be found in its pages. 

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Like Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, this novel is action-oriented and has a desolate, but witty boy for a protagonist. Kenneth Oppel develops his characters well, and continually keeps up the action without overwhelming the reader. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Like Speak, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is remarkably candid and just as controversial. To simply state it, it’s a story about growing up. But its simple style makes it remarkably real and personal. It seems like a light read, but its explorations into different themes makes it an extremely meaningful book. 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green has a remarkable way of writing. He creates vivid characters that are multi-dimensional and command your sentiment throughout the novel. His plots are simple, unique, and clear-cut. He explores topics that few authors even think about. It's no wonder that The Fault in Our Stars is on it's twenty-third week at #1 on The New York Times YA bestseller list. 

Matched by Allie Condie
Allie Condie does not have the most remarkable writing skills. Her dystopian plot sometimes feels typical, with the classic love triangle and the rebellion against the oppressive government. However, Condie develops strong, whose hidden personalities are revealed slowly, making them seem even more three-dimensional. 

Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl, Kami Garcia
Although the two main characters in this novel are flat and even boring at times, Beautiful Creatures does an excellent job of creating a paranormal book that deviates from the stereotypical vampire trend. 

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
The House of Scorpion is another novel similar in style to Ship Breaker. It's plot, although lengthy, is unique and nicely structured. Its characters and setting are frighteningly real. 

Legend by Marie Lu
Legend earns a spot with The Hunger Games and Divergent. The characters are witty and perfectly flawed, and the romance is sweet but not cloying.

Characters are Like Legos

Characters are like Legos––whether you like it or not. You have to build them, stack them one on top of another, figure them out. I've written a novel, as well as plenty of short stories. I'm a voracious reader, and I enjoy collecting tips about plot and pacing. 

So what is one thing I have a good bit of knowledge about? 
Character building. 

Over the past year, I have picked up two major tips about building meaningful, realistic characters. I have used examples from the novels Legend by Marie Lu and The Help by Kathryn Stockett (yes, I know that they are completely different books, but they both have beautifully sculpted characters). 

1. We're people, we have stories
Before I started writing my novel, I created an outline (as all writers do). I fitted my characters into the outline, and figured out how they would be woven in and out of the plot. I gave each character a back story, and then molded their personality around it. In Kathryn Stockett's The Help, each character is rich and beautiful. They have flaws, but not flaws that endear them to us. They're a mix of good and bad, and that doesn't make us love them. It doesn't make us hate them, either. They're more like normal people who we love at some moments and can't stand at others. Each character has a story, and we are aware that they go on with their own lives outside of the plot. It's the same way that people at school (or work) have different lives when they go home. And we are aware of that, even if we do not focus on it (because that would be *slightly* stalkerish if we did). 

Even though Hilly in The Help is cruel towards her maids and enjoys making other people miserable, she has a kind streak that stands out. When I first read the novel, I realized that she wasn't as evil as I'd made her out to be. 

2. Take it slow
One thing I love about Marie Lu's Legend is that she slowly reveals information about each of the characters, and the characters are slowly revealed information about one another. They don't know each other, and they enjoy figuring each other out. They offend each other, they make up, they figure things out. They share human emotions. And why is it so appealing? It's because we rarely experience "info dumps" about normal people in the real world. We figure things out slowly and steadily. And characters who figure out information slowly and steadily are more like normal human beings. They are more relatable. 

So, what do you think? Did I get everything wrong? Is there something I left out? Are my tips spot on? Leave a comment!