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Better mystery plots: 7 clues to writing mysteries

What are essential components of mystery plots besides suspicion and secrets? What can Arthur Conan Doyle and cult classic TV mystery series teach us about writing better mysteries? Read 7 clues for writing your own engrossing puzzler: How to write and develop mystery plots: Know differen...

April 20th, 2017

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Finding an inspiring story premise: 6 sources

Every bestselling or critically acclaimed book began as a story premise. First came the idea the author wouldn't let go. How do you find a compelling premise, one that gives you enough intrigue, direction and potential development to build a book out of its concentrated creative material? 1: ...

April 18th, 2017

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How to introduce characters: 6 ways to be memorable

Knowing how to introduce characters so that they stick in readers' minds is a skill. Here are six techniques to create memorable first impressions: 6 ways to introduce your characters: Use backstory to reveal relevant character history Introduce a character through another POV Show typica...

March 27th, 2017

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Characterization examples: 5 ways to reveal characters

Characterization (or character development) – how you make a fictional character seem like a real, living, breathing person – is tricky. Besides giving a physical description of characters you need to convey their motivations, goals, personalities, character traits and flaws to make characters t...

March 20th, 2017

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External and internal conflict: Examples and tips

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 of these types of story conflict, then how to use them to develop your story: Internal conflict vs ext...

March 6th, 2017

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Finding a literary agent: Q&A with Mark Gottlieb

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 influence publishers' manuscript choices, and more.  Primary factors in publishers' manuscript choices Q: As an agent ...

February 27th, 2017

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