Savannah Cordova

Contributor

Savannah Cordova specializes in content about fiction writing and the editorial process. Her work has appeared in Slate, Kirkus, BookTrib, DIY MFA, and various other outlets focused on writing and publishing. She particularly enjoys analyzing wider publishing trends and trying to predict what will happen next in the industry.

Savannah's short fiction has also been published in the Owl Canyon Press anthology No Bars and a Dead Battery. Her non-publishing interests include cooking, watching rom-coms, and visiting various art museums around London, where she is currently based.

Recent posts

Tone in writing: How do you build a novel's tone?

Tone in writing refers to a complex mix of attributes. The mood, register, attitudes and other values conveyed through details such as word choice, sentence structure and the speaker or narrator's attitude to their subject. Read examples of tone in writing that show what creates tone in a no...

August 31st, 2020

Read post...

Making external conflict compelling: 6 ideas

External conflict is conflict a character faces that is outside themselves, rather than inner struggle. For example, a sibling rivalry, an oppressive society versus its lone challenger, or the conflict between a town battling for survival and a freak weather event. How do you make external confl...

August 24th, 2020

Read post...

Story openings: 10 lessons from hits of the 2000s

How do you write story openings that engage readers from page one? We look at the beginning paragraphs of books Literary Hub listed as defining books of the 2000s. What do they reveal about writing strong beginnings? 10 insights from the openings of the 2000s' defining novels: Share intri...

August 17th, 2020

Read post...

How to write character development: Anil's Ghost

In learning how to write character development, it's helpful to think about how each element of storytelling contributes. What are the basic facts about your character the reader should know, going in? What does dialogue do to develop your character further? Action? Narration? Description? Their...

July 27th, 2020

Read post...

The dinkus: 6 uses for scene breaks

The dinkus - a a typographic symbol between story or essay sections - is a source of confusion to many writers. To use, or not to use? What is a dinkus actually for? Read a definition of the dinkus, plus 6 ideas on creative ways to use them: Scene break markers: When to use a dinkus What ...

July 20th, 2020

Read post...

How to make dialogue in writing carry your story

Dialogue in writing is tricky to master, but good dialogue carries the story. Dialogue may build pace and conflict, add tone and atmosphere, introduce and develop characters and more. Here are 5 tips to make your dialogue serve multiple useful purposes: Making dialogue in writing drive your s...

June 29th, 2020

Read post...