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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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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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How to plan a story in scenes: 5 steps
In novels, screenwriting, and play-writing a scene is a useful structuring device for deciding what happens, where, to whom, and why. There are many ways to outline a story, but planning scene by scene is a useful way to make sure every scene has purpose, intrigue, and the other ingredients of a...
December 10th, 2018
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Round-up: Top 10 writing articles of 2018
As 2018 draws to a close, here are the 10 most popular blog posts from the past year on Now Novel, as well as 10 posts we loved on writing websites we like. Enjoy and happy holidays! 10 best writing articles on Now Novel in 2018 Here are our most-read posts from 2018: 1. Dialog...
December 16th, 2018
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What are loglines? 6 tips to write strong summaries
There are many technical writing terms to learn as you become a writer. A word you might come across from time to time is 'logline'. What are loglines, why is this type of summary helpful, and how can you write better ones? Read these logline definitions, tips and examples: Defining loglines ...
January 14th, 2019
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Developing stories by asking 'What if...?': 5 uses
Developing stories from the foundations of an idea to full novels is challenging. Yet the simple question 'What if?' is a powerful tool. Read 5 examples of ways you can use this versatile question to imagine story developments: 1. Ask 'What if...?' to find your story scenario's scope A 'sc...
February 21st, 2019
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How to Develop a Story: 9 Steps to an Amazing Draft
So you want to be a storyteller, eh? Well, whether you’re an aspiring novelist or a seasoned writer, mastering the basic elements of storytelling is key to capturing your audience’s attention and imagination. In this guide, I’ll show you my favorite method for coming up with ideas and spinning them into a workable story.
January 24th, 2025
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What is motif in literature? Using repetition creatively
The word 'motif' is often used interchangeably with the word 'theme' in writing about stories. What exactly are motifs in stories, and how can you use them effectively? Read a definition followed by tips to use them imaginatively: What is a motif? Motif vs theme Oxford dictionaries define ...
March 11th, 2019
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Using a novel outline template: 5 tips for story prep
You can easily find a novel outline template such as a spreadsheet full of empty fields to fill. Yet columns and rows of blank space are also daunting. Here are 5 tips for an easier outlining process: 1. Choose a flexible story outline template The word 'template' has connotations of sten...
March 18th, 2019
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Writing a scene that engages your reader: 5 tactics
Whether you're writing a novel, a screenplay, graphic novel or other kind of story, writing a scene that engages your reader from start to finish is crucial. Try these 5 tactics to keep scenes engaging: 1. Make your mise-en-scène interesting Mise en scène is a French term from film and ...
May 6th, 2019
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