A 'Shallow' Discussion on Novels

"A Brief Talk on Novels -- On Beginnings
Writing a novel, the first difficulty you encounter is not the construction of the plot, nor the use of language, but the beginning of the novel, the opening. As the saying goes, the beginning is always the hardest. In the first chapter, you determine the writing direction, background, and so on. How to write a good first chapter is crucial.\ Now I (Principle: do not use the word 'brief' in serious moments) will summarize the ways to write the opening first chapter:\ 1. Start by describing the character's surroundings, then move to the character, and then to plot developments that emerge from observations – exemplified by "The Red and the Black," "Oliver Twist"\ 2. Start with descriptions of the character's appearance, family background, etc. – exemplified by "Gone with the Wind," "Les Misérables"\ 3. Start with events occurring around, customs, traditions, etc. – exemplified by "Pride and Prejudice," "Wuthering Heights"\ 4. Start with legends, prophecies, and other primers – exemplified by "Dream of the Red Chamber," "The Deer and the Cauldron"\ 5. Start with dialogue between characters – exemplified by "Love Across Time" by Xi Juan
[Notes]:\ 1. Think through at least half of the structure before starting to write, because we are not geniuses, not Margaret Mitchell, without such foresight. If you start writing without a clear vision, you will find you've left out many elements, and some parts may be hard to continue. (Quick fact: few famous authors start writing without planning)\ 2. Logical thinking is very important; do not assume that the minds of crowds, enemies, etc., are simple, even if such treatment makes plot development smoother. (If you must think that way, then consider whether the story you are making is flawed)\— — — — — —\"A Brief Talk on Novels -- On Plot
Writing a novel is easy, but writing a good novel is not. As a form of literary art, novels have their unique charm and form. To write a good novel, you need to understand the focus of a novel: the importance of plot. A good novel mainly does not depend on your literary style, nor on your imagery. It mainly depends on your plot. Without plot, even the most beautiful writing becomes mere "idle talk."\ So how can you make your plot captivating? Through conflict and twists. How to create conflict and twists is the key to a novel's success or failure!\ Conflict: Drama best embodies conflict. "No conflict, no drama," follows from this. The work that best embodies conflict should be Cao Yu's "Thunderstorm."Twists: They can also be called ups and downs. Simply put, it means having joy and sorrow, rises and falls, and highs and lows. There are always unexpected events waiting for the reader, which makes the reader more concerned about the following plot. A novel that executes twists very well should be Mr. Jin Yong's "The Return of the Condor Heroes," where Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü's several meetings and separations tug at the hearts of all readers.

To write a good novel, having only twists or conflicts is not enough; both must be present. (Quick fact: In novels, the use of twists far exceeds that of conflicts, but there will always be both.) Most modern novels focus on twists with conflicts as secondary, and such novels are countless. However, novels that focus mainly on conflicts are very few.

Writing Notes:
1. If readers can predict the later plot just by reading the earlier chapters, the novel is often not a masterpiece. So, how can you attract readers, surprise them, and avoid clichés? It depends on how you can come up with a story full of ups and downs, how you create suspense, and skillfully set up suspenseful situations.
2. If your novel is flat and uneventful, readers will quickly lose interest.
3. If your novel is written on a whim, it is suggested that you do not rush to publish, because most likely you will not finish it. A novel requires inspiration, not just enthusiasm.

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"A Brief Talk on Novels" -- Conclusion Chapter

The ending of a novel is considered a highlight (though not the final highlight), and it is no less complicated than other parts. Tolstoy said, “The ending is the most difficult part of the problem.” (Quick fact: Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" had its ending revised as many as 20 times.)

The difficulty of the ending lies not only in properly resolving the conflicts developed in the work to make the structure complete and unified, but more importantly, in conveying the author's intentions, attitudes, and so on.

From my personal perspective, endings can be divided into two types:
1. Concrete: It gives the entire story a complete period, leaving relatively little room for the reader's imagination.
2. Ambiguous: The story is not concluded, and it leaves great room for the reader's imagination, even potentially influencing the remaining unfinished plot and the final ending.

Both types of endings have their merits, and one cannot say which is better or worse. It depends on which type is most suitable for the novel!\— — — — — —\A 'Brief' Discussion on Novel Writing -- Comprehensive Techniques
Last time, a friend asked me, 'I want to start with two people in different states of mind.' It seems difficult, but writing it is actually very easy.\ Let's first think about the ways to express a person's state of mind. Focused methods include facial expressions (demeanor), actions, psychology (direct), and if you have confidence in your writing, you can also use language and unique perceptions of things in that state of mind (included in psychology).\ Now that we have so many tools at our disposal, we can pick a few to first express a person's state of mind, then finish with a transition sentence, and use the same tools to achieve a contrasting effect. The opening is easily completed. (But as the saying goes, easier said than done)\ We now understand that although I have categorized them, we can also use them in combination. Two or more can be layered, mixed, and their strengths combined. It must appear in the opening to attract the reader to continue.
As for the ending, it can generally be both vague and specific, giving the reader room for imagination while also allowing them to follow your intended line of thought to the conclusion.\— — — — — —\ Today I had a little outburst, but I definitely won't tell you that I got a raise. Haha~\ Cough, cough... This post is a bit of bragging. I won't go into specifics, just a 'brief' discussion. It shows I somewhat want to soar; without his teaching, I would still be writing blindly, not learning or summarizing.\ Here I make a promise! That is: [7 Forum Short Stories]