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Developing stories by asking 'What if...?': 5 uses
Developing stories from the foundations of an idea to full novels is challenging. Yet the simple question 'What if?' is a powerful tool. Read 5 examples of ways you can use this versatile question to imagine story developments: 1. Ask 'What if...?' to find your story scenario's scope A 'sc...
February 21st, 2019
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How to plot a novel: 7 tips for success
Learning how to plot a novel means first understanding the elements of great plots. Here are 7 tips for plotting a story that will engage readers from the first chapter: First: What do we mean when we talk about 'plot'? Let's look at plot vs. story. The British author E.M. Forster des...
February 18th, 2019
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Writing third person limited POV: Tips and examples
Third person limited point of view (or POV) is one of the most common POVs in modern fiction. What is third person limited? How can you use it effectively? Read a Ursula K. Le Guin's definition, plus tips and examples: What is third person limited POV? Third person narration is narration u...
February 11th, 2019
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Help with writing: 6 tips for getting critiques
There are many options for getting help with writing online. Here are 6 tips to get the maximum benefit from writing critiques: 1. Be brave, bold, and play In an in-person, 'live' writing group, you might feel daunted. Sometimes it's hard to write the bold lines and stories that ma...
February 7th, 2019
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5 mystery elements for intrigue in any genre
Mystery elements are important in all genres, not only whodunits or suspense/thrillers. Here are 5 mystery elements and how you can use them to fill your stories with intrigue: First, what is mystery? When we talk about mystery as a literary device (rather than as a genre), mystery has mul...
February 4th, 2019
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How to plot a romance novel: 6 tips to sizzle
In a romance novel narrative suspense and tension keep your reader turning pages. Knowing how to plot a romance novel means mastering romantic tension and several other key elements of a beautiful love story (or twisted romance). Try these 6 tips to make your romance gripping: 1. Fin...
January 31st, 2019
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Writing crime novels: Creating riveting human drama
Crime novels are full of surprising turns, hidden motives, human drama and tragedy. They give us the thrill of trying to figure out 'whodunnit'. Or the pathos and interest of seeing how different characters respond to a tragic, intense situation. Here are tips for writing captivating crime novel...
January 28th, 2019
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Showing vs telling: 'Show don't tell' in narration
Show don't tell is one of the most abused pieces of writing advice. Although both showing and telling in narration are important, knowing when to use which (and what makes explicit telling less effective in some cases) helps. Here are tips for balancing general and specific detail in you...
January 17th, 2019
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What are loglines? 6 tips to write strong summaries
There are many technical writing terms to learn as you become a writer. A word you might come across from time to time is 'logline'. What are loglines, why is this type of summary helpful, and how can you write better ones? Read these logline definitions, tips and examples: Defining loglines ...
January 14th, 2019
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Main character writing: 6 ideas for a strong key cast
The main character in a story is one of the most vital aspects. Knowing how to write an engaging main character is a vital skill for authors. Read on for definitions, examples and tips to make primary characters unforgettable: What makes a main character? A main character is a person in a ...
January 10th, 2019
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Story outlining: 7 ways to use Now Novel's dashboard
Whether you're outlining a new story idea or finding ways to connect scenes you've drafted into a structured narrative, use the Now Novel dashboard to finish easier. Use our story outlining tool to: 1. Develop and compare multiple story ideas When it's hard to choose between new ideas, cre...
January 7th, 2019
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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
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