The various approaches authors bring to outlining their novels are vast. But the one thing we all have in common is the desire for an effective, streamlined process that helps us create a solid foundation for our stories—as painlessly as possible. I have long been a proponent of outlining, through my many resources both here […]
Learn How Powerful Character Arcs Create Powerful Stories
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters—but it isn’t grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It’s time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs.
May 26, 2017 by 40 Comments Theme4 Ways to Write Meaningful Comedy
Notoriously, comedy is one of the most difficult forms of writing. This isn’t because it’s so hard to write a gag or a line that’s funny. Life’s a pretty hilarious place, after all. No, it’s difficult because translating goofiness into meaning is vastly more difficult. These days, we tend to think of comedy as fluff—silly people […]
May 22, 2017 by 83 Comments How to Become a Writer5 Misconceptions About Writing That I Used to Believe
Are we modern-day writers lucky or what? We enjoy unprecedented access to the wisdom of all the writers who have gone before us. I’m not kidding. the wealth of excellent information at our fingertips is insane. But you don’t get nothing for nothing, and the something we’re exchanging for all this great advice is a pretty hefty load […]
May 19, 2017 by 51 Comments CharactersHow to Take Advantage of Your 4 Most Important Characters
Your story may or may not have a cast of a thousand, but even if it does, 996 of those characters are going to be primarily background. They provide the context for the four most important characters in a story. Who are these characters? 1. Your protagonist (of course). 2. The antagonist. 3. The reflection. 4. The […]
May 15, 2017 by 85 Comments How to Become a WriterWhen Does Writing Get Easier? The 4 Steps to Mastery
“When does writing get easier?” This is one of the most common questions writers have asked me throughout my career. The bad news is that, all these years, I’ve been giving the wrong answer. The good news is that the right answer is pretty fantastic. In years past, when people asked me this question, I was as […]
May 5, 2017 by 60 Comments NarrativeHow to Write in an Authentic Historical Voice
Let’s say you’re writing a book set in the 14th Century. Naturally, as a diligent and conscientious writer, you want to do your research and write with an authentic historical voice. In fact, you’re so good and so authentic that what you end up with is something like this: Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, ther […]
May 1, 2017 by 40 Comments Most Common Writing MistakesMost Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 59: Overly Complex Plots
Complex plots? Good. Overly complex plots? Not so good. Complex plots are the stuff of literary mastery. They can take a story beyond a single dimension into an intricate exploration of life. Dickens, Mann, Eliot, and so many more literary luminaries show us how to do it right. But do it wrong, and what we […]
April 28, 2017 by 48 Comments DialogueHow to Write (and Not Write) Expository Dialogue
Dialogue is one of the most versatile of all narrative fiction techniques. It allows us to characterize, to create both context and subtext, to entertain via humor, and to share some of the best and punchiest prose rhythms in the entire book. Because it is the only narrative technique that is a “true” form of showing, […]
April 24, 2017 by 55 Comments Description3 Ways to Make Your Writing More Visual
Written fiction is comparatively unique among art forms. Why? Because it isn’t visual. Unlike theater, dance, painting, sculpture, and photography, writing offers no inherent visual images. And yet, as any reader can tell you, reading a good story is a tremendously visual experience. This means you, as the writer, bear an important responsibility to make […]
April 17, 2017 by 58 Comments Plotting Your NovelWhat Does It Mean to Move the Plot?
“Move the plot, move the plot—everything in your story must move your plot!!!” So rail all writing professors. Meanwhile, the writers themselves just want to bang their heads against their keyboards in desperate frustration. “Okay, yes, fine, great—I want to move the plot. But what does that even meeeeaaannnn?!?!?!?!” (Enough interrobangs, for you?) (No?) (Okay, sorry: […]
