Because all your characters come from just one person—namely you—it can often be challenging to make them all sound like unique people in their own right. This is a challenge that reaches far beyond dialogue and personality quirks, especially when you’re utilizing more than one narrator. So how do you create a different voice for […]
October 17, 2010 by 23 Comments CharactersWhy Writers Can’t Afford to Judge Their Characters
Every once in a while, a reader will ask which of my characters is my favorite. Usually, I come up with an answer based on the whim of the moment. But really, no matter what I say, it’s a lie. I don’t have a favorite character. As an author, I can’t afford to. If you’re […]
July 21, 2010 by 31 Comments Outlining Your NovelyWriter Outlining Software in Action
In anticipation of my convalescence from Lasik corrective eye surgery, I skipped the usual how-to video this week and, at the request of a viewer on YouTube, created a short sequel to my popular yWriter tutorial, showing how I use yWriter outlining software once I’ve typed up all my outline notes and am in the […]
July 7, 2010 by 38 Comments Point of View3 Guidelines to Determine if Your Book Has Too Many POVs
Point of view—frequently referred to as POV—allow readers to see the story through the eyes of a character. In most instances, a skillful use of POV limits the story to only what is apparent to the POV characters. As a result, writers are sometimes tempted to include as many POVs as possible in an attempt […]
January 31, 2010 by 54 Comments Story Settings4 Setting Questions That Will Deepen Your Characters
In the best of stories, setting is an inherent key, not just in bringing to life the scenery, but in helping you deepen your characters. As such, it isn’t something any author can afford to overlook. Answer the following setting questions to find the weak points in your setting construction and help you use it to […]
July 12, 2009 by 43 Comments Narrative5 Ways to Use Pacing to Write a Powerful Story
Pacing is like a dam. It allows the writer to control just how fast or how slow his plot flows through the riverbed of his story. Understanding how to operate that dam–how to pace your story–is one of the most important tasks an author can learn. Without this skill, you end up writing stories that variously lack […]
