The best-loved fiction for children, teens and adults shares characters who feel familiar. This is because effective characters often have strong archetypal qualities. They have combinations of fears… Read more
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What are essential components of mystery plots besides suspicion and secrets? What can Arthur Conan Doyle and cult classic TV mystery series teach us about writing better… Read more
Every bestselling or critically acclaimed book began as a story premise. First came the idea the author wouldn't let go. How do you find a compelling premise,… Read more
How do you write a novel that has satisfying structure? The story arc or narrative arc of a novel is something you can consciously develop in your outline… Read more
'Narration' means 'the action or process of telling a story' (OED). There are many choices for how you narrate a story. For example, whose viewpoint is the… Read more
'Show, don't tell' is something every aspiring author has heard or read at some point. It's true that telling the reader about your characters' acts and emotions… Read more
Ever wanted to groan out loud at how obvious and unoriginal a phrase, plot point or character in a book was? Common clichés in fiction weaken the… Read more
Knowing how to introduce characters so that they stick in readers' minds is a skill. Here are six techniques to create memorable first impressions: Read more
Characterization - how you make a fictional character seem like a real, living, breathing person - is tricky. Besides describing characters physically, you need to convey their motivations,… Read more