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6 story conflicts possible in your book
Conflict is at the heart of all stories. These are six of the story conflicts possible in your book: What are story conflicts? A conflict in a book is a situation or meeting between characters that results in challenge and opposition. Conflict, such as a power struggle betw...
January 5th, 2015
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How to avoid clichés in writing: Story themes
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: First: What ...
January 19th, 2015
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Getting better at writing: Simple ways to improve craft
Writers may sometimes feel overwhelmed by the many aspects of fiction they must attend to when learning to write. Getting better at writing comes with practice, but you can also work on your craft consciously: Consume stories like a writer Sometimes, writers talk about reading as a writer....
February 25th, 2015
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The art of suspense: Donna Tartt
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. Donna Tart...
March 16th, 2015
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How to appeal to young and old: Roald Dahl
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. Roald Dahl's longevity Although Dahl died in 1990, his books re...
March 23rd, 2015
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Types of narration infographic - 6 narrative POVs
Types of narration and POV play a crucial role in your story's overall dramatic effect. What is a narrator? The narrator is the character whose point of view frames the entire story. Here is a handy infographic explaining 6 kinds of narrator. When you're finished reading, try the The No...
June 14th, 2015
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Writing advice: Show, don't tell: or should you?
“Show, don’t tell” is one of the most common pieces of advice given about writing, but should you follow this advice? In fact, sometimes you should tell (and not show). Here are some of the reasons why: What does 'Show, don't tell' mean? First, let’s look at what the phrase means. 'Show, d...
June 15th, 2015
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Lessons in how to write books from film adaptations
Successful adaptations from books into film give insights into how to write books that have cinematic appeal and potential. Read tips gleaned from several successful adaptations: 1. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell David Mitchell's 2004 novel cuts across multiple time periods and character ar...
September 14th, 2015
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Writing dialogue: 7 ways to write better conversations
Writing dialogue presents a unique set of challenges. A single italicized word can change the whole tone and meaning of an exchange, for example. Compare a person telling a questioner 'that's all I can remember' with 'that's all I can remember.' The difference in emphasis alters the meaning of t...
September 10th, 2015
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How to write a series: 8 novice mistakes to avoid
Learning how to write a series presents several pitfalls. Here are 8 mistakes to avoid if you're writing your first book series: 1. Choosing a series concept too thin for multiple books Is your story idea big enough to stretch across multiple books? Would you be able to extend your ch...
June 29th, 2015
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How to write a novel: Story beginnings, middles and ends
Learning how to write a novel involves mastering many skills - description, narration, crafting believable characters and more. Understanding how to writing engaging story beginnings, middles and endings is also key. Here are key tips on writing each of these three important parts of a book...
August 17th, 2015
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The writing process: 7 steps to structure and success
'The writing process' - this is a term you might hear often, but how do you put in place a set of writing approaches that will help you finish your novel? Every writer has a process that works for them, and discovering the time, place, tools and other aspects of writing that work best ...
August 20th, 2015
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