Following closely on the heels of romance, mystery is one of the most popular fiction genres of all time. At its simplest, the genre is a puzzle for audiences and characters to figure out together. At its most complex, mystery offers a deep-dive into humanity’s most pressing existential questions and threats. Populated by manifold subgenres, […]
February 6, 2023 by 43 Comments How to Become a WriterGenre Tips: How to Write Fantasy
Genre is an important consideration for any writer. Not only can identifying your story’s genre (and perhaps subgenre) help you create cohesion and resonance amongst your plot, character arcs, and theme, it will also be a crucial piece of information when it comes time to market your story to readers. Today, I’m opening a five-part […]
February 3, 2017 by 31 Comments Writer's Help5 Things I Learned When I Decided to Switch Genres
I was in the middle of mundane household chores when the idea for The Lost Girl of Astor Street struck: Veronica Mars meets Downton Abbey was my initial thought. Followed quickly by, But I’ve never written a mystery or a historical! There’s no way I could write that. The idea nipped at me all day long. As did the doubts. I’ve written […]
November 1, 2013 by 9 Comments Writing InspirationUsing Genre to Help You Brainstorm Unique Story Ideas
Ideas are essential for fiction. What seems like a new idea to you might be an ancient idea to everyone else. You have to examine the background or meta-story of your chosen genre. However, all is not lost, as you can mashup genres to revitalize classic or cheesy story ideas. Why Have New Ideas? The […]
June 30, 2013 by 21 Comments Characters8 Promises Writers Must Make (and Keep) to Their Readers
A book is a contract between reader and writer. The reader promises to pay attention to the story and emotionally invest in the adventure. In return, the writer promises to fulfill certain expectations about the fictional experience. When you fail to fulfill this contract with readers, you are, in essence, breaking your promises to them. […]
May 1, 2013 by 32 Comments Writing LifeThe Setting in Your Historical Novel Should Be More Than JUST a Setting
Today, I want to take a minute away from talking about general fiction techniques and focus on a specific genre—that of historical fiction. This is a hugely popular milieu that, in a sense, is really more of a setting or backdrop than it is an actual genre. Here’s what I mean: you can write a […]
October 31, 2012 by 19 Comments Plotting Your NovelAre You Skimming Your Story’s Potential?
It’s not enough to write a story that just covers its bases. By that I mean a story that essentially works—it’s properly structured, the prose is professional, and it possesses all the working pieces (plot, character, etc.). You can check all the boxes on your story checklist and still end up with a story that […]
May 16, 2012 by 20 Comments Writing LifeAre You a Genre Flip-Flopper?
Most likely, you already understand the benefits and limitations of genre. You may even have heard me harping on my dislike of the whole notion. When you get down to the heart of things, genre is about marketing, not writing. It’s there to help readers find the books they’re most likely to read. It’s not […]
May 13, 2012 by 78 Comments Structuring Your NovelThe Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 12: Your Questions Answered
Because of its fixed nature, story structure, once learned, is easy to grasp. However, it’s also a subject that inspires endless questions. A few weeks ago, while I was finishing up the last of the posts in this series, I asked those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter for story-structure questions you’d like me to address before […]
February 13, 2011 by 38 Comments Writing Inspiration8 Signs You’re Stuck in a Writing Rut—and Why You Should Care
Laziness and fear—a writer’s two great nemeses—do their best to keep us stuck in the writing rut. Usually, it’s a very comfortable rut. All our characters are down there with us, keeping us company, cooking up tea, playing chess, and just generally having a happy ol’ time. Life isn’t very difficult, since we never have […]
