'Narration' means 'the action or process of telling a story' (OED). There are many choices for how you narrate a story. For example, whose viewpoint is the… Read more
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'Show, don't tell' is something every aspiring author has heard or read at some point. It's true that telling the reader about your characters' acts and emotions… Read more
Ever wanted to groan out loud at how obvious and unoriginal a phrase, plot point or character in a book was? Common clichés in fiction weaken the… Read more
Knowing how to introduce characters so that they stick in readers' minds is a skill. Here are six techniques to create memorable first impressions: Read more
Characterization - how you make a fictional character seem like a real, living, breathing person - is tricky. Besides describing characters physically, you need to convey their motivations,… Read more
Conflict is a key ingredient of an engrossing story. 'Internal conflict' and 'external conflict' are two terms you'll often hear when people discuss character creation. Read definitions… Read more
The central idea of a story is the seed from which the offshoots of plot, character and theme grow. It's the core scenario that sets the action… Read more
We interview literary agent Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group. Mark shares his insights into the process and benefits of finding a literary agent, the factors that… Read more
The Latin term in medias res literally means 'in the midst of things' and describes a story that skips exposition and starts with events already underway. Read further… Read more