Now Novel
The esteemed fantasy and science fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin has often provided great advice for writing a novel. In interviews, public speeches, essays and her writing manual Steering the Craft, Le Guin provides many insights into how to write better and master your prose. Here are 8 of Le Guin’s best tips for writers:
Creating fantasy worlds can be an excellent means for social critique because writers have the opportunity to imagine worlds that are entirely different from our own. This allows highlighting its quirks and issues through contrast and similarity. Here’s why it is important for writers to do so and how you can address issues you care about without resorting to ineffective polemic:
British writer Roald Dahl is one of the most popular and beloved children’s authors in the English language. Writers can study his work to learn how to appeal to young and old and so create fiction for children that lasts.
The ability of Donna Tartt to generate suspense is one of the reasons she has as much popular success as she does critical acclaim. Writers can study her use of this element to see how she deploys it to turn her literary novels into page turners that exemplify the art of suspense.
To be an original writer, it’s important to learn how to avoid clichés. Many of the same themes are explored often in fiction without being reduced to clichés. You can do the same by understanding what the clichés of your genre are, and how to create your own, varied treatment:
Conflict is at the heart of all stories. These are six of the story conflicts possible in your book:
Beginning writers are at the start of an exciting journey, and it may be one that lasts a lifetime. With that in mind, here is some advice for writers at the start of it all that they can return to throughout their writing lives.
This week we’re fortunate to have successful author Warren Adler with us, giving his insights on how a novel ends.
Guest contributor Cari Bennette discusses NaNoWriMo hurdles and the benefits of planning, community, and continuing the process beyond the month of November.
