First let me define what I mean by story development.
Story development is not editing. Story development can occur outside of the frame of delivery. In other words, it does not depend on the form of transmission.
The Book Was Better
When it comes to writing fiction, prose is ultimately nothing more than the form in which the story is transmitted. The same story could be told in countless other forms—film, song, poetry, and oral tradition, to name a few. One story may be better suited to one form of transmission, and yet a different story may be better suited to a different form of transmission. Different forms of transmission come with different strengths and weakness. For example, a novel may better encapsulate a sequence of events than a much shorter and more compact film. Authors often reveal what a character is thinking in fiction, something that may not be suitable in film. On the other hand, a film may be better at documenting action sequences and character behaviors. Suitability is an important factor when deciding how to transmit a story.
Write It Down
The first challenge a writer faces is to come up with a good story. This process may involve no writing at all. Characters and events may emerge from the conscious mind and coalesce into a story, or they may require some brainstorming and a pad of paper. Once the writer feels he has a good story, the next challenge is to put it on the page. At this point, he will be faced with all kinds of self-imposed limitations. How, for instance, do you take a story from your conscious mind and translate it into something other people will understand and enjoy? A character you may understand to possess certain traits may not appeal to your readers. A character that may seem multi-dimensional to you may seem one-dimensional to your readers. An event or scene inside the story may seem moving and powerful to you, but may seem flat to your readers.
I suggest writing the story first. Get out a notebook, a napkin, a handkerchief, a notepad, whatever. Write the story without worrying about the order of your words. It’s possible that every word you write will be changed during a later revision, so don’t obsess over them.
Revise, Revise, Revise!
Revision is about story development, not editing. Leave the editing to the final draft. Editing is a separate process that involves voice and wording. It involves making subtle changes to an existing story.
Perhaps there is an author who writes five golden pages a day and never revises them. However, I believe that most writers rely on revision more than any other process. I have personally revised a story over 20 times and, after scanning it, still found problems.
At the beginning of the process of revision, you may find several glaring problems with the story. You’ve included too many characters, or you are missing an important scene in the middle of the story. However as you progress in your revision process, you will eventually begin making subtle changes. Your focus will change to character identities and personalities, plot devices, and rhythm and pacing. You may feel that you have described a scene inappropriately, or that one of your characters has an inconsistent identity. After resolving the glaring problems, you should begin to see the final version of the story emerging.
Finding Your Voice
Personally, I think style is bullshit. There, I said it. My apologies to historical fantasy writers. I don’t care for forced style. I think that it is unlikely that you will ever truly achieve any existing style. Style arises from errors or peculiarities in voice, not usually from intention. I would recommend leaving forced style out of your story entirely. Instead focus on achieving a readable voice. Avoid difficult or complex wording and run-on sentences. Choose modern words instead of antiquated words. Choose modern spellings rather than Victorian English spellings. In other words, avoid the bullshit.
Is There a Final Draft?
I doubt it. While it is possible to read over a story several times without finding significant problems, it is more likely that you will always find something that can be changed. Proceeding to the final draft is one of the more difficult aspects of story development. You will begin to ask yourself: Is it done? Can this character or that scene still be improved? What am I missing here? Ultimately, there is a point at which you must let go. At that point, you must accept that the story is no longer yours, but that it has become the property of whoever chooses to read it. A reader may interpret your story in a way you never intended. It cannot be prevented. Once you have accepted that your story will join the public consciousness, you may experience both anxiety and relief. What will others think of your story? What will they think of you? It’s better to let these thoughts go than to dwell on them. After all, you’ve just thought of another great story, and you’re about to put it on paper.