Writing can be seen as mix between a dark art and the pursuit of the unhinged. Sitting down for ages crafting words isn’t always as enjoyable as it could be. But if you approach your writing as a chef creates his signature dish, then this just might help.

I thought it only fair to return to the creative cookbook and find a few more ingredients you could add to your literary larder. If you haven’t seen the previous post of ‘Compelling writing ingredients’ then follow the link.

Remember, a good recipe doesn’t use all the ingredients you have all of the time, and sometimes the subtle flavour is more effective than the one that hits on the first mouthful. But enough of this extended metaphor, let’s get on with the post.

1. Conflict – two or more characters, in disagreement, in any shape or form will draw the reader in! ‘No, it won’t.’ ‘yes, it will, your reader wants some kind of resolution… or the sequel.’
2. Emotion – love, hate, joy and fear, if you can get the reader to engage with these emotions you’ll have them hanging on every word you write. Why do you think love and horror stories are so well read!
3. Progress – a story, should move from A to B, it shouldn’t be static. Even waiting, as in for Godot, is progress; implied progress counts in writing if not in business.
4. Variety of language – the use of passive vocabulary, which consists of words people know the meaning of, or understand in context, but don’t use everyday, is something to keep well stocked. Try eating the dictionary.
5. Use your voice – all great cooks have a signature dish, or a specialty, as a writer you need to find an ingredient that is your own, unique to you. Sounds daunting but it is an ingredient you already have stocked, you simply need to use it.

So out with the utensils and start cooking. You have a story to write.

It takes a little more than pure inspiration to write that killer content. Although the idea is the kernel to any great literary dish, you should always have on hand the following ingredients to lift your words to the writer’s equivalent of haute cuisine.

You may find that taking these ideas with more than a pinch of salt is just what you need.  But you shouldn’t assume that you need all these ingredients all the time, mix and match; experiment.

There are many more ingredients you could use, but these are my top 5:

1. Nearness – The reader can be drawn in with any geographical or experiential situation that they can identify with, try and create the ‘I’ve been there’ factor.
2. Consequence – Try to make the content deal with matters that have an effect; create consequence in what you write.
3. Human interest – Go on you know you want to, go all out for the cute vote, the shaggy dog story at the end of the news keeps you hanging on for the weather report. Alternatively the opposite is also true, a report on the cost to life of any disaster can be a compelling read.
4. Drama – Action and intensity… if you’re writing a story, this can be quite a good hook.
5. Oddity – Pique that mind, interest that soul. Let eyes pour over your words, washing them into the bowl that awaits like open mouth – sometimes being weird works, trust me, I’m an editor.

Remember these are ingredients, it is up to you how you use and mix them, or even add a few more of your own.

And if you want more:

Five more ingredients of compelling writing

It would be of interest if I was able to say that the reason for intermittent posts was due to a wayward muse or some life debilitating issue. But the truth will be told, I have been building, decorating and sorting out some deeper life issues, for the past few weeks and months. That isn’t to say they are all acceptable excuses for neglecting you all, but they are all reasonable.

Having said that, most of the building and decorating has been done to enable me to be in a more creative environment. I’ve been decluttering in as many areas as possible and the poor dustmen have been inundated with black sack after black sack. I’ve also recycled so much that I think the UK goverments target for paper recycling has been met twice over.

So the upshot is, I am back and !maginality will be cruising to its creative best over the next few days. And for all you writers out there, don’t forget that NaNoWriMo begins tomorrow. I’ll once again be attempting to complete, but this time I have done the preparation, to allow the inspiration to flow with a little less perspiration. May your creativity shine forth.