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7 lessons from books made into movie adaptations

Many authors who have had books made into movie adaptations have become multi-millionaires almost overnight. Why are some books primed for screen adaptation from the start? They share in common strong high concepts, great structure, visual flair and more. Read 7 lessons from books adap...

Writing great characters: 5 lessons from modern novels

If you want readers to fall in love with your novels, writing great characters is crucial. Read 5 lessons modern novels give us in writing vivid characters: Lesson 1: Make characters surprise each other and the reader Great characters often emerge in stages rather than all at once. Allow c...

How to make a plot captivating: 7 strategies

Sometimes you get half way through a story or novel before you realize that your plot is missing something. Maybe it plods and meanders, or there is a sameness of tension and pace. These 7 strategies will help you make a plot more captivating: 1: Vary the intensity of rising and falling actio...

Character archetypes: How to enrich your novel's cast

The best-loved fiction for children, teens and adults shares characters who feel familiar. This is because effective characters often have strong archetypal qualities. They have combinations of fears and goals - character psychology - we've seen before. What are character archetypes, exactl...

Better mystery plots: 7 clues to writing mysteries

What are essential components of mystery plots besides suspicion and secrets? What can Arthur Conan Doyle and cult classic TV mystery series teach us about writing better mysteries? Read 7 clues for writing your own engrossing puzzler: How to write and develop mystery plots: Know differen...

Finding an inspiring story premise: 6 sources

Every bestselling or critically acclaimed book began as a story premise. First came the idea the author wouldn't let go. How do you find a compelling premise, one that gives you enough intrigue, direction and potential development to build a book out of its concentrated creative material? 1: ...

How to create a satisfying story arc: 5 steps

How do you write a novel that has satisfying structure? The story arc or narrative arc of a novel is something you can consciously develop in your outline or as you draft to create cohesive structure. Read 5 steps to make your novel's arcs work: First, a story arc definition The ...

What is an omniscient narrator? Narrative examples and tips

'Narration' means 'the action or process of telling a story' (OED). There are many choices for how you narrate a story. For example, whose viewpoint is the focus? Or is the narrator a detached omniscient narrator, simply recording events like a CCTV camera? Read examples of omniscient narration ...

How to introduce characters: 6 ways to be memorable

Knowing how to introduce characters so that they stick in readers' minds is a skill. Here are six techniques to create memorable first impressions: 6 ways to introduce your characters: Use backstory to reveal relevant character history Introduce a character through another POV Show typica...

Characterization examples: 5 ways to reveal characters

Characterization (or character development) – how you make a fictional character seem like a real, living, breathing person – is tricky. Besides giving a physical description of characters you need to convey their motivations, goals, personalities, character traits and flaws to make characters t...

External and internal conflict: Examples and tips

Conflict is a key ingredient of an engrossing story. 'Internal conflict' and 'external conflict' are two terms you'll often hear when people discuss character creation. Read definitions of these types of story conflict, then how to use them to develop your story: Internal conflict vs ext...

Central idea vs theme: Developing your novel's ideas

The central idea of a story is the seed from which the offshoots of plot, character and theme grow. It's the core scenario that sets the action in motion. The themes of a novel are the general ideas and principles the story explores. When you examine central idea vs theme, both form the fun...

RBE | Illustration — We made a writing app for you | 2024-02

We made a writing app for you

Yes, you! Write. Format. Export for ebook and print. All for free.