Menu

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

Writing scene breaks and transitions that develop your story

Scene breaks and transitions allow us to experience different narrative time-frames and situations involving different characters in short succession. Writing good scene breaks and transitions will keep your story moving, even as you switch between settings (places and times) and viewpoints. Her...

December 20th, 2018

Read post...

How to plan a story in scenes: 5 steps

In novels, screenwriting, and play-writing a scene is a useful structuring device for deciding what happens, where, to whom, and why. There are many ways to outline a story, but planning scene by scene is a useful way to make sure every scene has purpose, intrigue, and the other ingredients of a...

December 10th, 2018

Read post...

World building: Writing the natural environment

In epic fantasy world building, natural environments provide possible hazards (freezing cold, dangerous volcanoes) and mood or atmosphere. Even in 'realist' fiction set in our own world, environment (such as the details that make a coastal city familiar, for example), is a key part of setting. R...

December 6th, 2018

Read post...

Scene writing tips: 5 ways to avoid filler

Great scene writing makes each part count towards the whole. This is particularly important when working in shorter forms such as short stories or one-hour TV episodes. Keep your scenes lean using these 5 scene writing tips: 1. Remove scene scaffolding Critics often marvel at the spare or ...

December 3rd, 2018

Read post...

How to create tension in a story: 8 simple steps

Understanding how to create tension in a story is key to writing a gripping, 'I'll just read one more page before bed' read. Here are eight steps to ensure your story has effective narrative tension. Watch the brief video below, then read the article: 1: Create a conflict crucial to your char...

November 8th, 2018

Read post...

How to write a book fast: 5 simple rules

Learning how to write a book fast is a matter of having a process and tools to streamline the parts of writing a book that take the most time. Whether you're preparing for a write-a-thon like NaNoWriMo or have readers breathing down your neck for your next series installment, here are ways to wr...

October 22nd, 2018

Read post...