In nonfiction writing, it’s important to balance the different elements of style. Here’s what I mean. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s talk about the different nonfiction elements and how to balance them: The Five Elements Any story—fiction or nonfiction—relies on five different ways we can tell a story: Action, Dialogue, Thought, Description (narration) and Exposition. […]
Tag Archives: dramatic action
Easy Ways to Tighten Your Writing
Each Fall, I get ready to welcome a new crop of novel writers to my class. This year, I thought I’d start things off by offering some simple ways to kick your fiction up a notch. Writing Tip for Today: New writers often make a few common mistakes that if corrected, can propel their writing […]
Using Story Kernels
When I first envision a novel, I usually see a character doing something in a particular place. That sets me to asking questions that eventually end up as story “kernels,” plot points or scenes which I then must string together to make a story.Writing Tip for Today: Although many writers first get down a lot […]
Fictional Time
Fiction writers need several skills to bring their story to life for readers. One of the most crucial skills to master is the use of time. What may take place over a month in the story may take the writer a day to craft and may take three minutes to read.Writing Tip for Today: As novelists, or even in nonfiction, time management is […]