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Fiction writers know that to attract and keep readers, we must write effective characters. But what does that mean? Writing Tip for Today: Here are three little tests that will give you an idea of how effective your characters are: A Burning Desire You’ve heard me discuss story stakes many times, but did you know […]
As we’ve discussed over the past few weeks, rewriting a novel is a multi-step process. We now appreciate that revision is more than mere copy editing, but copy edits are also an important part of the process. Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few areas to address as you move into the copy editing […]
After you’ve torn out your hair rewriting the “Big Picture” of your novel, you may be ready to pitch the manuscript into the trash. But wait! There are more important steps to a strong self-edited novel. Writing Tip for Today: After the structural components have been fixed, what’s the next step of novel revision? One […]
The “Big Picture” revision we discussed last post may take a lot of rearranging, addition/deletion and much thought. Whole chapters may need to be lopped off. But let’s say you’ve done it. Now what? Writing Tip for Today: What are some ideas for “next step” revision? Storyboarding As you see your novel’s Big Picture more […]
Rewriting a novel is hard. Yet after you’ve spent so much time drafting and then cooling off your hot property, that story deserves to be fixed up. Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few ideas for rewriting your drafted novel. So What? Most first-time novelists rewrite by tinkering with sentences and word choices. Some […]
Writing action scenes is important, but so is writing character reactions. Throughout the fiction you write, your protagonist must react to each and every event (action) encountered. A character who doesn’t react will have a difficult time moving the story forward. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s examine some ways to write character reactions in more […]
At last, you’re writing the story pay-off. Act III of a story must answer the question of whether your protagonist wins the goal or not. As in our joke model of story, this is where that question pays off—readers want a satisfactory resolution in exchange for their devotion to the journey. Writing Tip for Today: […]
Writing the Build-up, or Act II of a story follows the set-up, or Act I. Now let’s wade into the bulk of a story: How writers can effectively flesh out the premise or set-up in the story opening. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss the vital elements of your story build-up: Rising Action If you […]
In Bird by Bird, author Anne Lamott writes that story writing is like a joke: first there’s a set-up, then there’s a build-up and last comes the punch line or payoff. I reread her advice again and again as I seek to improve my craft. Writing Tip for Today: The set-up of a story gives […]
So you want to be an author? Writing is in your blood, you say? You’d write even if hell froze over. And though you might not say it out loud, you want your writing published for all the world (or at least a bunch of readers) to see. How do you get there? Writing Tip […]
Linda has always been a daydreamer, artist and storyteller. In addition to doting on grandbabies, collecting too many cats, gardening and walking on the beach, she loves to write and to help writers develop their skills. [READ MORE…]
