In order for a reader to get immersed in a novel, the story must flow as seamlessly as possible from beginning to end; chapter to chapter; scene to scene; paragraph to paragraph; sentence to sentence. Before I began writing Olive Branches Don’t Grow On Trees and Discovery of an Eagle, I made a rough outline of each story, which helped me to ensure a general flow of my story. But my outline did not take care of all transitions. In order to a ensure smooth transitional flow, I would often have to create a connection between two different things.
For example, when Silvia and Vince come home from Nina’s Pizzeria, they both go to their rooms and close their doors. Frank hates when his children close doors and hide in their rooms, and he blames this habit on Donna, as he believes that she is from a family of introverts. Silvia does not think that her father’s assumption is accurate or logical, and she believes that her mother is often times gregarious. But Donna can also be very serious, and this is the case when she calls Silvia right after Silvia has retreated to her room. She is very serious because she is concerned with her son, Vince, and this leads into Donna’s proposal to her daughter to assist her in throwing Vince a party for his graduation. Thus, a connection between Silvia closing the door to her room and Donna’s proposal is created, allowing for flow of story, and total reader immersion.
This post is from my blog series, “Tips for Writing Fiction.” Be sure to check out my Greco Family Trilogy books, which include Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees, Discovery of an Eagle, and The Bird that Sang in Color. These books are available from all major online book sellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.
