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Writing a short story: 8 ways it will help your craft
The short story has a long and rich tradition, spanning everything from the Gothic tales of Poe to contemporary masterpieces. Writing a short story will improve your writing skills, as you can apply many of the techniques you master in the process to longer forms. Telling a complete story i...
November 15th, 2018
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How to write a book fast: 5 simple rules
Learning how to write a book fast is a matter of having a process and tools to streamline the parts of writing a book that take the most time. Whether you're preparing for a write-a-thon like NaNoWriMo or have readers breathing down your neck for your next series installment, here are ways to wr...
October 22nd, 2018
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Writing tense dialogue: 5 ways to add arresting tension
Writing tense dialogue is effective in making characters' conversations interesting. When every exchange is a pleasantry or obvious observation, dialogue doesn't do the work it can to move a story along. Tense dialogue, whether an argument between colleagues, lovers, or hero and villain, adds a ...
September 17th, 2018
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Writing conversations using setting (examples)
Writing conversations that don't involve setting is like writing action scenes that don't involve movement. Great dialogue has more than disembodied voices. It anchors us in a place, in the context that occasions characters' interaction. Read tips for creating realistic dialogue by involving you...
October 8th, 2018
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Dramatic point of view: 5 tips for fly-on-the-wall scenes
'Point of view' is an element of writing that confuses many beginning authors. There are various types, from omniscient to limited third person. Dramatic point of view is one such type. Read a definition of dramatic point of view along with examples and tips to help you use this POV well: Wha...
October 15th, 2018
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Help with writing: 6 tips for getting critiques
There are many options for getting help with writing online. Here are 6 tips to get the maximum benefit from writing critiques: 1. Be brave, bold, and play In an in-person, 'live' writing group, you might feel daunted. Sometimes it's hard to write the bold lines and stories that ma...
February 7th, 2019
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How to plot a series: 8 steps for multi-book arcs
Plotting just one novel is challenging, never mind plotting a multi-book arc. Having structure and a plan helps. Here's how to plot a series in 8 structured steps. Let's first briefly define what a series is. They can be a set of stories broken down in to a few stories, or books, such as the ...
November 22nd, 2018
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How to plot a novel: 7 tips for success
Learning how to plot a novel means first understanding the elements of great plots. Here are 7 tips for plotting a story that will engage readers from the first chapter: First: What do we mean when we talk about 'plot'? Let's look at plot vs. story. The British author E.M. Forster des...
February 18th, 2019
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Writing scene breaks and transitions that develop your story
Scene breaks and transitions allow us to experience different narrative time-frames and situations involving different characters in short succession. Writing good scene breaks and transitions will keep your story moving, even as you switch between settings (places and times) and viewpoints. Her...
December 20th, 2018
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Writing third person limited POV: Tips and examples
Third person limited point of view (or POV) is one of the most common POVs in modern fiction. What is third person limited? How can you use it effectively? Read a Ursula K. Le Guin's definition, plus tips and examples: What is third person limited POV? Third person narration is narration u...
February 11th, 2019
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Showing vs telling: 'Show don't tell' in narration
Show don't tell is one of the most abused pieces of writing advice. Although both showing and telling in narration are important, knowing when to use which (and what makes explicit telling less effective in some cases) helps. Here are tips for balancing general and specific detail in you...
January 17th, 2019
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Scene writing tips: 5 ways to avoid filler
Great scene writing makes each part count towards the whole. This is particularly important when working in shorter forms such as short stories or one-hour TV episodes. Keep your scenes lean using these 5 scene writing tips: 1. Remove scene scaffolding Critics often marvel at the spare or ...
December 3rd, 2018
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