If you want to write a story, odds are good that you have an idea, some germ of a novel that you've been kicking around for some time. In January, I outlined what the difference is between various genres -- specifically, romance, Chick Lit, or women's fiction. So now, I'd like you to take fifteen minutes (use a timer if possible -- it helps give a sense of urgency and the limit helps) and write down what you think your story is about. This blurb is going to be your premise. This is the heart of your story.

These are premises:

1. "A woman loses her job and her boyfriend in the same day, and decides to run away to join the circus."

2. "A woman discovers her boss has a plan to kill her -- and she enlists the help of her handsome neighbor, a burned-out cop on forced leave of absence, to help her get to the bottom of her problems."

3. "After years of living down taunts and humiliation and facing a twenty-year high school reunion, a group of friends decide to get revenge on their prom queen."

They're short and to the point. I'm sure you'll come up with more in your fifteen minutes. But the bottom line is, you've got an initial character set (one primary character in the first example, two in the second, more than two in the third.) You've got a problem in each example: losing job/boyfriend, discovering murder plot, a much-dreaded high school reunion. You've also got a sense of action: running away to join circus, enlisting neighbor, plotting revenge. Those are the elements of a premise: character, problem, course of action.

These are not premises, (at least, they're not premises for romance, Chick Lit, or women's fiction.)

1. "A man spends five hours trying to light a fire, systematically using every match and remembering other fires in his life and what they symbolized. On the last page, he uses the last match, but does not light the fire."

2. "Love conquers all."

3. "A woman decides she's going to change her whole life."

The first example is actually for a literary fiction book. You can write books like this, and they can be good (even critically acclaimed.) However, that's a different kind of novel altogether -- not commercial fiction as I've outlined it. (Good luck with that, though, if you decide that's more your cup of tea.) The second example is a theme, not a story. You can illustrate that theme through your choices of character, problem, and course of action. The third example is way too vague. Who is this woman? Why does she decide she's going to change? And what's motivating her to do so?

These are the questions you need to answer.

So, maybe you should try the 15 minute approach again, only this time, be sure to answer:

1. Who am I writing about?

2. What is his/her/their problem?

3. What is going to be his/her/their course of action?

And if you're really ahead of the game:

4. What's my theme? (What am I trying to say with this book?)

Don't worry. Odds are good, your premise/characters/goals/etc. are going to change as you continue writing. But you've got to start somewhere!

This tip is a stand-alone, or read it in conjunction with parts 1 & 3: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO WRITE? and CHARACTER STUDY.

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