Daunting Complexity Required of Fictional Narritives

Question

I have written little fiction throughout my life, but I want to start. However, I am intimidated by the complexity required of quality fictional narritives. One of the elements of fiction, the three act structure, seems like it takes some time to memorize. When I think of writing a whole novel, I imagine that it would be difficult to keep track of all the story's elements. I've only written simple stories in my life, my concern for some time being with prose style.

Have any of you felt intimidated by the complexity of fiction when you first started writing it? Why? And can one still be a writer if they feel this way? If someone feels this way, does it mean that they lack the necessary intelligence to write fiction?

Answer 1

I'll start with an aside, that I'll come back to at the end:

I am intimidated by the complexity required of quality fictional narritives [sic]. One of the elements of fiction, the three-act structure, seems like it takes some time to memorize.

While I personally don't see how the three-act structure takes any time to memorise at all (it is, as the name implies, only three parts: Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution), the fact is that you don't need to memorise it. Just write it down somewhere, or bookmark the Wikipedia page or something, and refer back to it anytime you need to.

Have any of you felt intimidated by the complexity of fiction when you first started writing it?

Not so much the complexity, more the size. It's easy (or at least, I personally find it easy) to come up with a compelling story idea and the basic plot beats: A happens, then B, then C. Coming up with the material needed to link A, B, and C together, and ensuring that it's all meaningful or enjoyable in some way? That's considerably harder. Sometimes I can't think of a way to get from A to B; other times I think of a hundred different ways and get choice paralysis.

The way to combat that, of course, is to just write shorter stories. If writing a novel seems too complex, try writing a novella or a novelette instead. The shorter length gives you less room for the kinds of subplots and large casts that more complex narratives have, and keeps your narrative simple and taut.

Personally, I find a lot of the complexity in my writing arises organically during the writing process, as I find ways to weave in subplots that I wasn't sure how to integrate, or spin off new subplots I hadn't thought of before, or invent new characters (or flesh out existing ones) to fill roles that I hadn't foreseen.

And can one still be a writer if they feel this way?

Of course! You yourself have stated that you've written "simple stories" in the past despite your own struggles, which means you're already a writer. There are plenty of tools and methods out there for helping writers keep track of their narrative and manage its complexity.

If someone feels this way, does it mean that they lack the necessary intelligence to write fiction?

No. Managing complexity isn't a matter of intelligence but skill. Skills can be practiced, and as stated above, there are tools and methods available to help you.

I feel like you're trying to memorise your story's entire narrative structure, and that's why you're struggling. You don't need to do that, just as you don't need to memorise how the three-act structure works. Write it down. Even just scribbling some notes can help you immensely.

Answer 2

I write overly complex novels that are hard to finish, but I also work with well-known screenwriters who have to finish on time so I've picked up these really useful actionable items:

1. Logic. If you keep forgetting a part of your plot, it's because that part doesn't work. If your plot is entirely logical throughout, even inevitable throughout, you will be able to remember it all. Work on the logic of decisions and consequences in your story until every one of them not only makes sense but is vivid and entertaining.

2. Heart. The heart of the story is very simple and emotional. Characters need a thing, and do everything to get it. You should be able to recite the essence of their stories very easily. This is because the ending is so emotional that it's always your North Star guiding you home.

3. Detail. The complexity can be something of an illusion. You can layer it on in stages after the plot is settled. The details are misdirections, or subplots that are local to a particular span of the story and have their own resolution. You can do this fractally, at the level of an act, episode, chapter or page. The trick is not to add a complexity to a scene, and then have the brilliant idea that could change your entire ending for the better. That lack of discipline is how stories get too complicated to hold in mind. Trust the person who wrote the plot you're working to (you) and stick to the plan until you complete the draft.

4. Structure. Don't impose rules you read in a book, or heard in a lecture or a podcast. Many professional writers scorn such things. They follow instincts to write good stories to which other people retrofit structure and story theory afterwards. Clarity is what you need. Be clear about what's happening, to who and why. If you are clear, 3-part structures arise naturally throughout any writing. (Introduction, discussion, conclusion) But if you spend time adding details to your story solely to retrofit structure, you risk adding logic you don't believe in, which increases complexity for you (see #1). Only when you are struggling with clarity should you turn to structure for guidance. e.g. 'setup->conflict->resolution'.

And, brace yourself...

5. Copious notes. Don't. Do not write down your story anywhere. Do not world-build, do not write character essays, do not write outlines and plot arcs. When you write something down you give yourself unlimited space to expand upon it and give your mind permission forget it. (This is demonstrated in psychological experiments). Once you've forgotten it new ideas spring up in its place. Then this puts you in the situation where you discover a great idea in your notes which conflicts with a great idea that's living in your head, and you become tempted to tangle your story even further to accommodate both ideas. Save your notepad for continuity notes AFTER you have written a chapter, e.g. character and place names, back-story details etc.

Answer 3

Writing fiction is a daunting task, no doubt, but a lot of writers (including me) tend to overthink it. Complexity aside, stories are ironically simple things. Sure, plots and worldbuilding can be absurdly complicated, but every story inevitably boils down to a few things. First--what message do you hope to get across? Your story may not focus on a deep or meaningful life lesson, but every story has something to convey. It doesn't have to be complex, it can be as simple as why a character likes a certain thing. A story I'm working on takes place in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic wasteland, but the primary focus of the story is why the main character likes being outside. And sure, there is a set template and base for most stories, but don't feel limited to that. Sometimes, fiction can flow better from your mind to the page when there are no limits to what you want to do. The best advice I can give you is to just write. Just like in sports, you can't expect to win a match without practice. Try doing short writing exercises, and you never know. Maybe you'll surprise yourself! Good luck!