Note From KMW: This week’s post is a quick one—but it covers a sneaky little habit that can creep into even the best of stories: overexplaining in dialogue. I’ve seen it in books I’ve read, and I’ve definitely caught myself doing it too. It’s easy to do when we want to make sure readers really […]
May 1, 2023 by 34 Comments BackstoryThe Backstory Drip (Backstory Techniques, Pt. 3 of 3)
What are the best backstory techniques you can use in your story? Over the past two weeks, we’ve been discussing some of the options writers have for sharing backstory in their stories. So far, we’ve talked about four specialized techniques, analyzing their respective advantages, disadvantages and best-use practices: Flashbacks Prologues Backstory-as-Story Alternating Timelines All four […]
May 11, 2020 by 88 Comments Beginning Your BookCritique: 7 Possible Hooks for Your Opening Chapter
What are some good hooks for your opening chapter? This is a question every writer must ask at the beginning of a story. How can we introduce the story and the characters in a plot-pertinent way that also deeply interests readers? A good hook sets your book apart. It promises readers you’re going to deliver […]
February 15, 2016 by 94 Comments How to Become a Writer5 Important Ways Storytelling Is Different in Books vs. Movies
These days, everyone is writing movies. Including novelists. Not screenplays, mind you, but even if you’ve never touched a Celtx program and will never see your story on the big screen, you’re still writing movies. Our society is saturated by visual storytelling. It’s the cool kid on the block, da boss. Whether we’re talking Hollywood movies, TV shows, […]
February 12, 2014 by 61 Comments DialogueHow to Avoid the “As You Know, Bob” Trope in Dialogue
Among writers, the “as you know, Bob” trope has become almost something of a joke. But let me tell you, this isn’t any joking matter! “As you know, Bob” refers to the clumsy technique of filling readers in on basic story details through dialogue exposition by having two characters who already know the facts explain […]
January 8, 2014 by 84 Comments Description5 Reasons Not to Describe Your Character in a Mirror
This week’s video offers five good reasons you shouldn’t describe your character by having him look at himself in a mirror. Video Transcript: Today, I want to discuss a simple but important “don’t” of how to describe your character. And that’s simply this: Don’t describe your character by having him look at himself in […]
April 5, 2013 by 18 Comments Dialogue8 Tips for Awesome Dialogue
Dialogue is one of the most important and also one of the most difficult aspects of a story. That is because dialogue is such a common occurrence in readers’ lives. Just as badly done animation of people is creepy, badly written dialogue comes off as fake and vaguely menacing. There is nothing worse to read than a […]
June 17, 2012 by 36 Comments Writing LifeThe Top 25 Ways to Ruin a Book
There are only so many ways to do things right in creating a book. But there an infinity of ways to blow a book. Nothing anyone writes completely escapes every mistake and pitfall. But some of those mistakes are more costly than others. Let’s take a look at the top twenty-five ways to blow a […]
May 9, 2012 by 16 Comments NarrativeFinding the Right Balance of Information for Your Readers
How many times have you been told your readers are smart? We’re warned repeatedly not to dumb down our writing, because chances are good that our readers are just as smart, if not smarter, than we are. If we treat them like dummies who can’t be trusted to understand complex language or ignoramuses who need […]
April 11, 2012 by 25 Comments NarrativeHow to Show the Passage of Time in Your Novel
The passage of time is one thing all stories have in common. In some stories, such as “The Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce, maybe only a few minutes pass. In some novels, such as James Michener’s Centennial, decades pass. In some books, we may even see millennia go by. But no matter how much time […]
