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Round-up: Top 10 writing articles of 2018
As 2018 draws to a close, here are the 10 most popular blog posts from the past year on Now Novel, as well as 10 posts we loved on writing websites we like. Enjoy and happy holidays! 10 best writing articles on Now Novel in 2018 Here are our most-read posts from 2018: 1. Dialog...
December 16th, 2018
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Elements of setting: How to create a vivid world
The elements of setting - time, place, mood, social and cultural context - help to make a novel feel real and alive. This is an essential element of writing that helps anchor your writing within a specific place. Read more about using the ingredients of setting to make your story more vivid...
December 13th, 2018
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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
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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
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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
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Writing tools: Now Novel's Scene and World Builder
When we asked readers to share their number one writing challenges with us, two areas of writing came up repeatedly. The first was plotting and planning. The second was worldbuilding. So we're excited to bring you two additional writing tools, the Scene Builder and World Builder. Here are 8 ways...
November 26th, 2018
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How to plot a series: 8 steps for multi-book arcs
Plotting just one novel is challenging, never mind plotting a multi-book arc. Having structure and a plan helps. Here's how to plot a series in 8 structured steps. Let's first briefly define what a series is. They can be a set of stories broken down in to a few stories, or books, such as the ...
November 22nd, 2018
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How do you describe a place? 6 setting tips
The setting of your story is key to readers being able to imagine 'being there'. How do you describe a place so it is characterful and contributes effectively to your story? What physical descriptions can you provide to create a vivid image in your reader's mind? Try these 6 tips: How to...
November 19th, 2018
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Writing a short story: 8 ways it will help your craft
The short story has a long and rich tradition, spanning everything from the Gothic tales of Poe to contemporary masterpieces. Writing a short story will improve your writing skills, as you can apply many of the techniques you master in the process to longer forms. Telling a complete story i...
November 15th, 2018
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Character arc template: 5 steps to strong character arcs
Writing character profiles and brainstorming main characters' arcs helps establish story direction. A good character arc template includes facts about your characters' goals, high points and low points. Here are 5 steps to building a dynamic character journey With character arcs you also, of ...
November 12th, 2018
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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
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Describing characters' first appearances: 6 tips
Think back to the first time you met someone you now know well. Can you remember what you noticed about them first? Describing characters' first appearances effectively is key to building characters who linger in the mind. Here are 6 tips on how to describe your characters at first introduction:...
November 5th, 2018
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