Jordan K

Contributor

Jordan Kantey is an editor, writer and writing workshop facilitator. He’s been helping authors develop their stories for ten years. He achieved his Honours in English Literature with distinction from the University of Cape Town. He has had poems published in several journals and an anthology. He blogs about writing craft and process at Now Novel and loves to help aspiring authors reach their goals.

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Recent posts

Character background: 7 tips to write better backstory

Learning how to write character background or compelling backstory requires balancing present and past narration. Read 7 tips to write better backstory: 7 character background story ideas: Brainstorm formative events that shape your characters Choose where to tell character backstory ...

August 22nd, 2019

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Finding story ideas romance hasn't exhausted: 7 sources

Seeking original story ideas romance hasn't done to death? Try these 7 approaches to finding romance story inspiration: 1. Search romantic words in Google News News articles are often great sources of inspiration. They may supply character ideas or else the basic contours of a story idea y...

August 19th, 2019

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Story plot ideas: 8 fun ways to find your premise

Finding story plot ideas that grab hold of your imagination is easy if you know where to look. Try these 8 ways to find a strong premise for your story: 1. Keep a journal to mine for plot ideas Often we overhear anecdotes or have surprising experiences that we forget in the rush of daily l...

August 12th, 2019

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How to start a chapter: 25 writers' lessons

Knowing how to start a chapter well is key to keeping your reader engaged. We examined 25 authors' transitions from first to second chapters. These revealed several ways to write strong chapter openings and transitions: 1. Zoom closer into the action Often authors start a chapter by moving...

July 29th, 2019

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How to start a short story: 5 lessons from great writers

If anyone can teach us how to start a short story, it's authors famed for their skill in writing shorter tales. Read 5 examples of effective short story openings and what they teach us: 1. Learn how to start a short story from Faulkner: Create intrigue Neil Gaiman wrote: 'Short stories ...

July 22nd, 2019

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Plot structure examples: Creative plot lessons from stories

Concrete plot structure examples teach us how to structure a story with purpose. Read illustrative examples of well-known stories' plot structure, from children's stories to famous epics and novels: First: What is 'plot structure'? 'Plot structure' refers to the patterns the events of a st...

July 15th, 2019

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