I began to read fictions when I was a child. When I decided to write, I read some novels and try to answer WHAT IS REALLY A FICTION?

1. Duc Anh in a literature panel discussion

2. Presented by Duc Anh Kostroma

3.  DUC ANH
 Manufacturing Date: 28/01/1993 (Aquarius) in Kostroma city, Russia
 Fiction Author, Blogger, Book Marketer
 www.ducanhkostroma.com, mail@ducanh.press
ANGEL OF MIST
(a Sci-fi thriller fiction)
Readers’ choice:
2019 Vietnamese
detective novel of the
Year
More
THE FIREWALL
(a psychological
thriller)
Duc Anh’s First
published novel
More

4.  Without joining a writing class, can I become an author?
 Yes, Ray Bradbury and J.K. Rowling have never studied at any literature
school
 Become novelist? How does it cost?
 One or two notebooks (3 USD), two pens (5 USD), a pencil (0,5 USD), a computer
with word process (eventually an old laptop – 230 USD), a blog (free), a pack of
coffee (5 USD), sticky notes (3 USD). 243.5 USD in total. And time, so much time
(math-error USD)

5. I began to read fictions when I was a child. When I decided to write, I read
some novels and try to answer WHAT IS REALLY A FICTION?
First, Fiction is NOT a list of events.
Second, Fiction is something that happened and went wrong. In other words,
something that broke our status-quo.
Third, Fiction is all about narration. We show something, we hide other things.
Fourth, Fiction is something with structure. And structure is very important.
Finally, Fiction is all about the ideas and the way we re-create the world based
on the real world.

6.  I decide to research
 I decide to research my genre
 I decide to research my genre and my subgenre
 I decide to research my genre and my subgenre and my readers
 I decide to research my genre and my subgenre and my readers and any craft
textbook on my genre.
 I decide to research my genre and my subgenre and my readers and any craft
textbook on my genre and some novel of this genre
 I decide to research my genre and my subgenre and my readers and any craft
textbook on my genre and some novel of this genre and some chair to sit
down.

9.  I read many fictions and I wonder HOW DID THEY BUILD
 List the events of a specific novel. Do a research.
 Failed, failed and failed until I knew so-called FOUR-ACT STRUCTURE and
PLOT DEVICE

11.  Find or wait for IDEA?
 PLAY WHAT-IF GAME
 CREAT COMPELLING CHARACTER
 ENDING TWIST, MID-POINT TWIST
 STORY A and STORY B
 SURFACE STORY AND DEEP-INSIDE STORY
 WRITE THE FINAL SCENE FIRST, MAYBE....

12. SURFACE STORY (WHAT I SHOW
– READERS KNOW)
DEEP-INSIDE STORY (REAL
STORY – WHAT I HIDE)
THIS IS SO-
CALLED PLOT
TWIST
Story A (Main) Story B (subplot)

13.  FOR EXAMPLE
 SURFACE STORY: Jennifer’s child was kidnapped. She suspected John’s
hood did it. Jennifer implied her ex – Donald - helping her.
 DEEP INSIDE STORY: Jennifer’s son had just gone to another city. Donald
knew that, but he told lies to take Jennifer’s money.
 WRITER’s MISSION: Tell the surface story as reliably as possible. Make
Jennifer reputable. Show the dramatic war between Donald and John’s hood.
And Jennifer – because of perplexity - must make some wrong decision.
 IN ADVANCE: WE CAN build Jennifer’s character as an extreme personality.
Okay?

14.  Plot Devices are some narration skills which move the plot forward, force the
readers to follow or pay closer attention.
 CHEKOV’S GUN answers for Why there are always some pointless small
details at the beginning part of a fiction which return and become worthy at
the end?
 FORESHADOWING answers for Why do we feel some details were really
connected to some previous details? Like a clue.
 CLIFF-HANGER: We were hooked by a story event. But writers make
transition to other scene so we must wait for the next chapters.
 RED-HERRINGS: Author makes us think the suspicious John is the
murderer, but it turn out to be his wife.
 So on…

15.  Stop thinking and take a rest.
 Coffee in another city is more delicious than in our current living town. So, GO
TO ANOTHER PLACE, FAR FAR AWAY FROM FAMILY & FRIENDS as we can.
 Live a new life. Do something you haven’t done (but not crazy)
 But if you cannot, spend all of your free time to be alone.
 Look at the world around you, collect small details, one by one.
 Practice and practice. It takes time I know.
 Be myself.

16.  Fill the MASTER PLAN (I will attach this file later)
 Create a story-board
 Start to write a simple outline, and then scene by scene
 Review and re-write

17.  We must get a beta reader.
 Hear advice from actual authors or editors.
 Find a decent publishing house which can run a serious marketing plan.
 Writing a spelling-corrected mail, send it to them. Write a proposal that you
present the prospects of your project.
 How to learn more about these steps? Read on www.writersdigest.com

18.  First, I said to myself: it is very important
 Make use of social media, our relationship with the press.
 Create a landing page for branding.
 Create (or makeup) a blog for practicing and win readers.
 Writers’ meet up event, for example: HERE WE ARE
 Use a book-marketing agency
(Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world ♫ ♫ ♫).

19.  MY READERS AND I
 MY WRITING AND I
 MY EDITOR (OR PARTNER OR BETA-READER) AND I
 MY FAMILY AND I
 MY BLOG AND I
 MY MEDIA AND I
 MY FRIENDS AND I
 MY HATERS AND I
 MY ME AND I

20.  How to turn idea to a plot?
 How to turn real life story to a fiction?
 How to keep myself focus on fiction project?
 How to get in touch with publishing house?
 How to avoid diffident feelings?
 How to get a good partner?
 Writing tools?

21. All of what I’ve said can be useless for you
There is no one who can teach you to become a true author.
You may waste time, even waste money. Your family may complain.
Readers may laugh at you
You must accept the landfall when activating your writing career.

22.  Book reviews, Writing resources, please go to www.ducanh.press
 Contact us: mail@ducanh.press