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

Indirect characterization: Revealing characters subtly

Indirect characterization is writing that paints in character detail by showing rather than telling. Rather than only tell readers about characters’ personalities and values, you can reveal them subtly through dialogue, actions and appearances. Read these tips and examples: 1. Use il...

April 10th, 2019

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Setting the scene: 6 ways to introduce place in stories

Setting the scene for a story is important. This is vital whether you are writing a fictional story or a nonfiction book, although the scene will not be fictional then, of course. Giving readers a vivid sense of where and when events take place anchors action and dialogue. When readers are able ...

April 1st, 2019

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Character tropes: 5 tips to avoid stock types

Character tropes (common stock characters) have their place in stories. Satires and spoofs, for example, use types such as the 'cool mom' or 'orphan who must save the world'. Yet character tropes quickly dull a story when characters read as too predictable. To avoid tropes: 1. Know your chara...

March 25th, 2019

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How to overcome writer's block: 14 methods

Writer’s block is frustrating when you have a story you want to tell but can't find the words to tell it. However, feeling stuck needn't be the end. Try the tips below: 1. Set a regular writing time Set a regular time for writing. It doesn’t have to be every day. It can be every other day,...

March 22nd, 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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How to find motivation to write: Value, engage, reward

'Motivation' is a word that comes up time and again when we survey readers and members on writing challenges. There may not be a single, exclusive solution for how to find motivation to write. Yet here are 5 ways to stay fired up and on track: 1. Focus on writing tasks that give intrinsic val...

March 14th, 2019

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