Harvard Thinking: How to Tell a Story

Characters can sometimes take on a life of their own, surprising the author. This can feel like a science experiment, observing how characters spark off each other or react in different situations. Others hear characters' voices, while some focus on understanding the character's core desires and the obstacles they face.

The 'nuclear fusion' analogy suggests that literature is born from literature. When writers are steeped in the works and voices of other authors, their own ideas are likely to 'explode' upon contact, creating new and compelling narratives.

Writers often put a significant part of themselves into their stories, sometimes using fiction as an 'alternative history' or a way to process personal trauma and experiences they couldn't address directly in real life. Even stories set far from the author's lived experience can be deeply autobiographical.

Embracing failure, like a child playing with Lego, can be a joyous and productive part of the writing process. It allows writers to explore the limits of their ability, learn how the story wants to be told, and understand the world through persistent effort rather than fearing imperfection.

A story that is working often has a palpable 'vibrational thing' or a feeling of vitality. While not everyone who reads it may feel the same way, the writer can sense when they are getting close to what they want to express. This sense develops over time with practice.

'Murdering your darlings' refers to the painful but necessary act of cutting beloved passages, sentences, or characters if they do not serve the greater good of the story. While difficult, it becomes easier with experience and the realization that external feedback can improve the work.

Focus on process over product, establish a writing schedule and 'touch your work every day,' don't be afraid to break conventional rules, and go courageously into the work, as it will ultimately reward you.