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7 reasons writing a book makes you a champion
Many people talk about wanting to write a book "someday." Anyone who has written a novel knows the enormous effort involved. Here are seven reasons to persevere: 1. Achieve a goal that makes others attainable You will accomplish something few people ever will. Writing a book is hard, bu...
October 10th, 2019
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20 great writing ideas from the Art of Fiction
Interviews with authors give interesting writing ideas, about the craft, process, pleasures and challenges of writing. Read 20 insights about writing gleaned from The Paris Review's 'The Art of Fiction' series: 1. Just make the reader believe Authors are often asked questions about the 'ro...
October 9th, 2019
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How do you write character growth? 7 tips
Growth and change are elements that make characters' paths interesting. How do you write character growth into your story? Read seven approaches: How to write character growth: 7 stages Find what characters lack to begin Plan short-term and long-range growth Weave in agents of change High...
September 30th, 2019
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7 dialogue rules for writing fantastic conversations
Dialogue rules aren't set in stone but help us create believable characters who have distinct, memorable voices. The best dialogue gives insights into characters and their motivations. Getting dialogue punctuation right is important, as is keeping dialogue entertaining. Here are 7...
September 26th, 2019
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What makes a good novel plot? 6 insights
What makes a good novel plot? A strong plot has many ingredients. The 5 W's - who, what, why, where and when - change in interesting ways. Tension builds and ebbs. Read insights from 10 of the top-rated books on Goodreads: How we chose examples to explore what makes a good novel plot We to...
September 23rd, 2019
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How do you write a story using three-act structure?
There are many different ways to plan and structure a story. 'Three-act structure' is one that some writers swear by and others shun. Learn what three-act structure is, why it's controversial, and how to make it work for you if you use it to plan and write your story: Contents What is thre...
September 16th, 2019
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Fix weak style in writing: 9 tasks
Weak style in writing has the power to make a new reader close your book and pick up another instead. Improve style in your fiction with these 9 tasks: 1. Cut out pleonasms What is a 'pleonasm'? Derived from the Ancient Greek word for 'excess', a pleonasm refers to using more words than ne...
September 9th, 2019
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Interesting plot ideas: 6 writers' insights
Many authors have shared interesting plot ideas, giving insights on how plot works and why it matters. Here are 6 authors' ideas from essays and interviews about plot, and what they teach us: 1. Find the cause and effect between events Defining plot, E.M. Forster gives us the classic quote...
September 2nd, 2019
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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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