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Scene writing takes skill. Writers must employ the basic elements of a scene, but if the scene is not important, it may be a waste of time. Knowing when to hold ’em (onstage) and when to fold ’em (by summarizing) will propel your story into the stratosphere! Writing Tip for Today: How can writers know […]
Of all the skills involved in writing a novel, satisfactory pacing must happen or else it’s highly unlikely that readers will stick around. You, as writer, are a manager. You control the rate that your story is unfolded. Make sure you manage the readers’ time wisely. Writing Tip for Today: Identifying three important levels where […]
A writer I once taught was working on a novel about war in the Middle East. The characters were well-drawn and the writer was skilled in writing dialogue. The problem was, instead of actual battles, the scenes were about what the military guys were planning to do. The officers stood around in the “situation room,” […]
We spent last post discussing what qualities make a character unforgettable–the main character. But what about the story’s “baddie” or villain? Writing Tip for Today: Every hero needs an anti-hero. Here are three ways you can make your story villain more fully formed. Look for the Good. Behind every good villain there are hurts, disappointments, […]
If you want your reader to follow your lead character, you’ll need to describe that character so that he in effect “comes alive” for the reader. But don’t stop at a physical description. Here’s why. Writing Tip for Today: One way to sketch a character is to describe her physical appearance, including clothing. But an […]