Dialogue is one of the hardest-working components in fiction—but only if you take full advantage of it. It’s easy enough to make your characters talk to each other and even relatively easy enough to make what they say interesting to readers. But if interesting is the only burden your dialogue is carrying, it’s not doing […]
Search Results for: voice
September 26, 2010 by 34 Comments Writing LifeThe Best Writing Advice
Because writing is an art form that can largely be learned, and because it is a craft that can always be perfected, most writers commit early on to studying to show themselves approved. We subscribe to magazines, buy books, read blogs, and attend workshops. We’re always on the hunt for that one sparkling bit of […]
September 1, 2010 by 21 Comments NarrativeHow to Write Compelling Narrative
Modern authors are taught the only way to keep readers’ attention is keep the writing action-oriented. You must show not tell, dramatize your scenes, and keep characters doing and talking and in the moment every step of the way. These so-called rules are prevalent for good reason. Readers read because they want to see the […]
July 25, 2010 by 30 Comments Writing InspirationWhap! Pow! Zing!—How Can You Tell if Your Story Has Emotional Resonance?
The magic ingredient in fiction is that special something that socks readers right in the gut and leaves them breathless with joy or sorrow (or maybe wabi-sabi, the Japanese view of beauty in imperfection). We’ve all read books that were perfectly executed, but somehow lacked that magic. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed the word craft […]
April 25, 2010 by 63 Comments Editing Your Novel10 Ways to Write Skinny Sentences
If brevity is the soul of wit, then economy is the energy of prose. Let’s hear it for skinny sentences! Don’t get me wrong: I love complex, twisty, beautiful sentences. As Aleksandar Hemon pointed out in an interview with The Writer magazine: I like to push language toward poetry, to activate the dormant possibilities inherent in it. […]
March 24, 2010 by 69 Comments Narrative2 Must-Know Rules for Using Italics and Exclamation Points for Emphasis
Excitement is certainly something you want to infuse your stories with. Passion and power, danger and delight—they all require exclamatory writing. But something writers often forget is that emphasis (whether it’s in the form of italics or punctuation) should be treated like salt: A little goes a long way. How Not to Use Italics One of my […]
March 7, 2010 by 36 Comments Writing Life15 Authors Share Their Best Writing Advice
When authors whose stories have impacted the world start talking, you better start listening! Enjoy the following collection of the best writing advice from top authors on fifteen important topics. Be instructed, and be inspired! 1. Beginnings Write a section or scene that comes before the place where your piece will begin, to help you become familiar […]
June 15, 2009 by 4 Comments Point of ViewChoosing the Right POV
Narrative point of view (or POV, as it is popularly known in writer parlance) is one of those things that writers often tend to take for granted. We come up with a story idea, sit down to write, and spend maybe all of thirty seconds debating between a first- and third-person POV. But this snap, […]
May 5, 2009 by 27 Comments Editing Your NovelWhy YOUR Opinion of Your Writing Is the One That Matters Most
Sometimes it pays to think of yourself before others. Many of us grew up with the Golden Rule etched into our psyches. And most of us would probably like to think we follow that rule as often as possible. But when it comes to your writing, the Golden Rule isn’t of much use. In fact, […]
March 22, 2009 by 53 Comments Structuring Your NovelWhat You Need to Know About Writing Novels in the Age of Movies
I have a confession. For someone who spends her time writing novels, it’s kind of a deep, dark secret, so brace yourself. I like movies better than books. Shocking, I know. Don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t live without books. I practically breathe books. I gobble more than 100 books a year. Why? Because I love […]
