Tone is one of those things, along with author “voice,” that can be difficult for us get our heads around since to some extent it just happens. But tone, even more than voice, is something we can—and should—deliberately consider and plan for the good of our stories. Think of tone as sort of like a […]
March 4, 2012 by 97 Comments Structuring Your NovelThe Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 2: The Hook
Readers are like fish. Smart fish. Fish who know authors are out to get them, reel them in, and capture them for the rest of their seagoing lives. But, like any self-respecting fish, readers aren’t caught easily. They aren’t about to surrender themselves to the lure of your story unless you’ve presented them with an irresistible hook. Our discussion […]
September 18, 2011 by 42 Comments Beginning Your Book5 Elements of a Riveting Opening Line
The opening line of your book is your first (and possibly last) opportunity to grab your reader’s attention and give them a reason to read your story. That’s a gargantuan job for a single sentence. But if we break down excellent opening lines, we discover a number of interesting things. One of the most surprising […]
July 3, 2011 by 47 Comments Beginning Your BookMost Common Writing Mistakes: Opening Lines That Lie to Readers
Your opening line may be bristling with energy, danger, and barbed fishhooks designed to reel in readers, but if the paragraph that follows pulls the old switcheroo, readers are more likely to be irritated than impressed. Let’s take a look at an example of a lying opening line: Jeanette rounded the bend in the mountain […]
