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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 isn’t 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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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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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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