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Editing copy? 8 tips for a word-perfect manuscript
Finishing a draft of your manuscript brings with it a fantastic feeling of accomplishment. Yet great books are made in the writing and editing process. Editing copy for common SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) errors, stylistic gaffes such as tautology, and other flaws will help you strip...
December 17th, 2019
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How to get writing ideas: 7 insights from Goodreads
Where do great writing ideas come from? Ideas arise from many places. Questions about broad societal issues. Visual images that linger in your imagination. Questions such as 'what if...' and 'why is it that...'. Read 7 insights on how to get writing ideas from Goodreads' author interviews: 1...
December 9th, 2019
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9 NaNoWriMo lessons for next year and beyond
Whether or not you participate, there are useful NaNoWriMo lessons and insights to discover each year, in the writing community's discussions, celebrations and lamentations on writing. Read 9 NaNoWriMo insights applicable to all writers: 1. Get a head start on writing while motivated Writi...
December 2nd, 2019
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How to turn a premise into a plot: 7 tactics
Finding a great story premise that excites you and motivates you to write is a great win. Yet finding how to turn a premise into a plot with greater detail is trickier. Try these 7 tactics to build your story idea into an engaging narrative: 1. Use simple writing prompts to ask helpful questi...
November 25th, 2019
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How do you find the plot of a story? Using scenarios
How do you find the plot of a story from a broad situation? Brainstorming scenarios - specifically the best- and worst-case outcomes in a given situation - helps to find plot details. To brainstorm a plan for high and low points in characters' arcs, try these tips: 1. Find the best- and worst...
November 18th, 2019
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Creating the mood of a story: 6 tips for strong atmosphere
How does an author establish mood in a story? The mood of a story develops out of multiple story elements: Setting, description, dialogue, and pacing. Read a definition of mood in literature, then 6 simple tips to craft your own novel's mood and atmosphere better: What is the definition of mo...
November 14th, 2019
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The writing process: 10 tips from Writers & Artists
The writing process is something every author finds a way to navigate. Writers & Artists: The Insider Guide to the Media regularly interviews authors about their process. Read tips from 10 established authors' writing routines and approaches: 1. Have a schedule There's truth to the say...
November 11th, 2019
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How do you start a chapter in a novel? 10 examples
How do you start a chapter in a novel to hook your reader and structure your story? These 10 examples reveal ways to make your chapter beginning count: 1. Introduce urgent current or impending action Consider the opening paragraph to the first chapter of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer-winning w...
November 4th, 2019
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What are the elements of plot development?
What are the elements of plot development to remember when crafting a story? Read about 7 key elements of plot: 1. The premise (or story scenario) The premise or scenario is the situation or concept on which we build a story. Take a logline for a popular novel, such as John Grisham's The R...
October 28th, 2019
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How to develop your book idea: 8 exercises
So you've got a book idea. There's a story image or event teasing your imagination. How do you develop a book idea in a germinal state into something detailed, more ready to begin your draft? Read 8 ways to build on a founding story idea: 1. Condense your book idea into a logline This m...
October 21st, 2019
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How to write a bestseller: 747 No. 1 novels
Learning how to write a bestseller isnβt as simple as making sure your book ticks a few boxes. Factors influencing sales (such as marketing and readership trends) count. We analysed 747 #1 bestsellers from 1950 to share some insights into the anatomy of bestselling novels: First, a note o...
October 17th, 2019
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10 interesting writing ideas from The Guardian
Interviews with authors are a great source of interesting writing ideas - both ideas about writing and ideas for stories themselves. Talking and thinking about writing is a great way to get new ideas flowing. Read 10 interesting ideas from The Guardian's 'The New Review Q&A' series: 1. Ob...
October 14th, 2019
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