by K.M. Weiland |
I always hated the whole idea that something as inherently artistic and, well, instinctive as writing fiction could (or, worse, should) be forced to adhere to structure. The notion is so non-intuitive as to be dumb.
Structure = formula = cliché = what’s-the-point?
No way I was going to try to stuff my creativity into the strait jacket of a preset structure created by some tweed-jacketed nincompoop out there in literary land.
Needless to say, I resisted the whole notion of structure for years.
And then, one day, I actually learned what structure was.
by Joe Bunting |
People read books for the stories, but it’s the characters they fall in love with. Audiences particularly seem to enjoy pairs of characters: Romeo and Juliet, Kirk and Spock, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, Watson and Holmes, John Paul White and Joy Williams.
When developing loveable characters (or hateable characters), storytellers have two primary methods of characterization: what a character does and every other character in a story.
The foil, in particular, is effective at breathing characters to life. This device in use since God made a bet with Lucifer in the Book of Job, and it shows up in many of the most popular stories today.
What is a foil and how can you use them in your stories?
by Guest Blogger |
You’re a writer, and you’re also a person who has some family, friends and acquaintances, which means you’ll eventually have to reconcile a basic conflict: Writing about the people you know without ticking them off.
Writing about people you know can get uncomfortable quickly. A fiction writer might say, “I hope my boss doesn’t realize I made him the ruler of the underworld in this story, or I might be looking for a new job soon.” Or “When this is published,” a nonfiction writer might worry, “some of these people might never talk to me again.”
Just changing names or a few details here and there isn’t enough to successfully address these issues. (Even writing only positive things doesn’t always work!) Here are five less-conventional ways to get what you want on the page without getting disowned by your family, dumped by your friends, and most importantly, losing the essence of what you’re trying to say.
by Joe Bunting |
How do you want a story to end? Should it have a fairy tale ending? A hopeful ending? Or do you like stories with more realistic endings—even if the protagonist doesn’t come out ahead and the villain doesn’t get his?
by Guest Blogger |
Creating a novel series—such as the Harry Potter, Dune, The Wheel of Time, or even Border Trilogy series—is one of the best ways to build continuous momentum with your book marketing efforts. It’s also a unique experience and can open up life opportunities you may never have had otherwise.
However, creating a novel series can also take years if not decades of effort. How do you even get started?
The following are my top five tips for creating a must-read fiction series.
by The Magic Violinist |
When you get up and get dressed for the day, why do you pick out the clothes that you do? Are you looking for comfortable clothes to fully enjoy your lazy Saturday? Are you attempting to look professional in your work uniform? Maybe you never even change out of your pajamas.
Showing what your characters are wearing can be a great way to show your readers what they might be up to that day without having to actually narrate anything.
Here are five examples….
