Fiction Writing Articles
No matter what writing topic I'm asked to address, I hang the most importance on characters. Conflict is drawn from characters. It's based on their goals, their ba...
Even people who know little about the mechanics of writing are bored by a static play, a play which has little conflict or spotty conflict. There are four types of conflict: foreshadowing, ...
As an editor, I can tell you that one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is when a writer "pesters" me every other day or once a week about his (or her) submission. I don't mind if it's a viable q...
Have you ever had an idea for a novel, and then just sat down and began writing without knowing exactly where the story was going? It happens to everyone at some point, but most people begin t...
Exposition: The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story. Foreshad...
I. The First Introduction THAT'S RIGHT. I know it sounds like an ad for some sleazy writers' school, but I really am going to tell you everything you need to pursue a successful a...
Your story, be it novel, short story or novelette, is finished. Or is it? Before you send it to a publisher, check firstly that your story makes sense!Maybe you read my article about The Final ...
So you say you want to get published? Well, great! These days you have more options than ever to see your work in print. Whenever I teach at conferences I am always amazed at how many authors are ...
Writing fiction is like allowing yourself to be the ugliest person in the room and the most beautiful person at the same time. The "beautiful" you swans into the party, garnering admiration, pr...
The most critical lesson in writing a love scene is that it is similar to making love in the real world: when done well, it is messy, chaotic and somewhat animalistic. The civilized approach do...
Writing a novel is easy. Writing a good novel is hard. That's just life. If it were easy, we'd all be writing best-selling, prize-winning fiction. Frankly, there are a thousand different...
When it comes to writing fiction, there are numerous advantages to creating a make-believe setting - whether it be a house, a street, a town or even a whole country. Not only do you n...
Most types of story, whether short stories or novels, absolutely need that vital ingredient: the conflict. Preferably more than one. You may well have your characters all fleshed out and ready t...
We're choking on acronyms. We're knee deep in initials. We all have our particular set, maybe several sets, and I'm not talking about S. A. for Stella Alicia, or whatever your initials happen t...
Most writers recognize the necessity of good worldbuilding in fantasy and science fiction. They understand they need to learn the geography of a foreign country for a spy thriller, and how, ...
For as long as I've been a writer of romance, I've heard comments about the formulaic nature of romance novels. After I became published, I began to hear the murmurs of the "secret formula" wh...
Experienced writers know that plot and character are like Siamese twins: if one is terminally diseased, the other is doomed. While a solid structure is essential to a good screenplay, it fails ...
"Dramas should be complete and whole in themselves, with a beginning, a middle and an end...with all the organic unity of a living creature." Aristotle The key to creating a nov...
A disclaimer: I'm just providing a sample set of turning points here-not a formula. These aren't engraved in marble. In fact, plenty of books don't even use a three-act structure. (Some h...
In the long run, one of the most influential books of the 20th century may turn out to be Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The ideas expressed in Campbell's book are h...
Three years ago a friend challenged me to turn a short story I had written into a complete novel. At the time, I remember laughing at her hysterically.Me? Write an entire novel? Where ...
Having trouble making the scenes in your novel work their magic? In this article, I'll show you how to write the "perfect" scene. Maybe you think it's impossible to write the perfect scen...
Labels: fiction writing articles
posted by Olivia Salter at 9:32 AM
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