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Interesting plot ideas: 6 writers' insights
Many authors have shared interesting plot ideas, giving insights on how plot works and why it matters. Here are 6 authors' ideas from essays and interviews about plot, and what they teach us: 1. Find the cause and effect between events Defining plot, E.M. Forster gives us the classic quote...
September 2nd, 2019
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Fix weak style in writing: 9 tasks
Weak style in writing has the power to make a new reader close your book and pick up another instead. Improve style in your fiction with these 9 tasks: 1. Cut out pleonasms What is a 'pleonasm'? Derived from the Ancient Greek word for 'excess', a pleonasm refers to using more words than ne...
September 9th, 2019
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How do you write a story using three-act structure?
There are many different ways to plan and structure a story. 'Three-act structure' is one that some writers swear by and others shun. Learn what three-act structure is, why it's controversial, and how to make it work for you if you use it to plan and write your story: Contents What is thre...
September 16th, 2019
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What makes a good novel plot? 6 insights
What makes a good novel plot? A strong plot has many ingredients. The 5 W's - who, what, why, where and when - change in interesting ways. Tension builds and ebbs. Read insights from 10 of the top-rated books on Goodreads: How we chose examples to explore what makes a good novel plot We to...
September 23rd, 2019
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20 great writing ideas from the Art of Fiction
Interviews with authors give interesting writing ideas, about the craft, process, pleasures and challenges of writing. Read 20 insights about writing gleaned from The Paris Review's 'The Art of Fiction' series: 1. Just make the reader believe Authors are often asked questions about the 'ro...
October 9th, 2019
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How to Create Mood in a Story: 7 Tips to Build Atmosphere
Learn what mood is and how it’s created through helpful exercises and examples from classic and contemporary literature.
April 25th, 2025
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How to write a bestseller: 747 No. 1 novels
Learning how to write a bestseller isn’t as simple as making sure your book ticks a few boxes. Factors influencing sales (such as marketing and readership trends) count. We analysed 747 #1 bestsellers from 1950 to share some insights into the anatomy of bestselling novels: First, a note o...
October 17th, 2019
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10 interesting writing ideas from The Guardian
Interviews with authors are a great source of interesting writing ideas - both ideas about writing and ideas for stories themselves. Talking and thinking about writing is a great way to get new ideas flowing. Read 10 interesting ideas from The Guardian's 'The New Review Q&A' series: 1. Ob...
October 14th, 2019
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How to develop your book idea: 8 exercises
So you've got a book idea. There's a story image or event teasing your imagination. How do you develop a book idea in a germinal state into something detailed, more ready to begin your draft? Read 8 ways to build on a founding story idea: 1. Condense your book idea into a logline This m...
October 21st, 2019
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What are the elements of plot development?
What are the elements of plot development to remember when crafting a story? Read about 7 key elements of plot: 1. The premise (or story scenario) The premise or scenario is the situation or concept on which we build a story. Take a logline for a popular novel, such as John Grisham's The R...
October 28th, 2019
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How do you start a chapter in a novel? 10 examples
How do you start a chapter in a novel to hook your reader and structure your story? These 10 examples reveal ways to make your chapter beginning count: 1. Introduce urgent current or impending action Consider the opening paragraph to the first chapter of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer-winning w...
November 4th, 2019
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The writing process: 10 tips from Writers & Artists
The writing process is something every author finds a way to navigate. Writers & Artists: The Insider Guide to the Media regularly interviews authors about their process. Read tips from 10 established authors' writing routines and approaches: 1. Have a schedule There's truth to the say...
November 11th, 2019
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