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How to create a villain readers won't forget: 6 tips
Learning how to create a villain - the 'bad guy' of your novel - is as important as learning how to create a memorable protagonist. Read 6 tips for writing vivid villains: Make a villain three-dimensional Give your villain's wrongdoing history Show how your villain wasn't always the ba...
October 13th, 2016
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Now Novel's NaNoWriMo Hub: How to be NaNoWriMo Winners
NaNoWriMo winners who reach the 50,000-word mark learn how to prepare, persevere and finish writing a novel under pressure. Use these resources to succeed and join their ranks: NaNoWriMo Preparation The NaNoWriMo rules don’t let you use any pre-written draft material. You have to start afr...
October 11th, 2016
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How to write a romantic book: 5 mistakes to avoid
Learning how to write a romantic book also means learning to avoid common romance writing mistakes. The best romance writers excel at finding romantic story ideas and fleshing them out with memorable character relationships. Here are 5 romance writing mistakes to avoid: 1: Avoid imm...
September 29th, 2016
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Writing discipline: 7 strategies to keep writing your novel
Writing discipline isn't mythical or something you simply either have or don't. Organization, writing structure and a sound plan keep you focused. Here are 7 quick tips and strategies for how to keep writing a book and not give up: 1: Understand where your lack of writing discipline come...
September 26th, 2016
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Novel plot mistakes: 7 don’ts for how to plot a novel
Plot weaknesses can derail a story and leave readers feeling unfulfilled and frustrated. Plot holes, unexplained departures from the established rules of your fictional world and other quirks can ruin a promising book. Here are 7 don’ts for how to plot a novel: 1: Don’t create ...
September 19th, 2016
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Character relationships: 6 tips for crafting real connections
Writing character relationships that make sense requires thinking about how relationships work. How and why do people interact in harmonious or confrontational ways? Here are 6 tips for creating connected characters whose relationships are convincing: 1: Draw inspiration for ch...
September 15th, 2016
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Great grammar tips: 7 reliable resources for writers
Great grammar gives your writing power. The author Joan Didion once said 'Grammar is a piano I play by ear... All I know about grammar is its infinite power. To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters ...
September 12th, 2016
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How to write a great short story: 7 simple steps
There are many reasons to learn how to write a great short story, even if you consider yourself a novelist first. Short stories present many publishing opportunities in journals and magazines. A short story can also be a testing ground where you work out the central themes, conflicts and charact...
September 8th, 2016
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Manuscript editing: How to cut words when your novel's too long
In this guest post by author, blogger and writing teacher Janice Hardy, Janice shares tips for cutting words when your manuscript is too long. Cutting words from your manuscripts doesn't have to be a huge hack and slash deal. You don't have to rip your baby to shreds. In fact, hacking away w...
September 1st, 2016
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How to start a novel in third person: 7 tips
There is no basic formula for how to start a novel in third person. Yet working with third person POV presents specific choices, challenges and advantages. Here are 7 tips for beginning a book in third person: 1: Choose between third person limited, objective and omniscient In a&n...
August 29th, 2016
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Editing novel drafts like a pro: 8 tips
Editing novel drafts requires a specific set of skills. It's wise to use a professional editor if you are serious about getting published. Even so, editing your manuscript well before you share your first draft with an editor will save time by streamlining the book editing process...
August 15th, 2016
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How to write a classic: 7 key elements
Many different factors go into whether a book becomes a classic. Some are classics because they explore significant themes brilliantly. Some become mainstays of language classes because they contain valuable ideas for discussion. Some become classics because they speak to people across...
August 12th, 2016
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