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Story Structure

How to end a book: 8 tips for a rewarding read

If you want to become a better author, learning how to end a book well is crucial. After the final page, the reader shouldn’t feel how Dorothy Parker did when she (allegedly) wrote in a review, ‘This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force’. Here are 8 tips to write better story endings:

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Narration Story Structure

How to write a flashback scene: 7 key steps

Writing flashbacks is an important skill to master if your novel cuts across time periods or strongly features characters’ memories. Here are 7 key steps for how to write a flashback scene:

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Story Structure Writing style Writing suspense

What is pacing in writing? Mastering pace

What is pacing in writing? In fiction, pacing refers to how quickly (or slowly) the action of the story unfolds. Why is pacing in a story important? Because it helps to keep the reader interested and maintains a desired atmosphere and tone. A suspense thriller shouldn’t move at a crawl, just as an adventure novel shouldn’t end rapidly, almost as soon as it began. Here are 5 tips for getting pacing in your novel right:

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Character writing Plotting Story Structure

Plot vs character: What drives a great novel?

Choosing whether your novel will be plot driven or character driven is an important part of writing a novel. Plot vs character isn’t a simple choice, as each emphasis has its own benefits (and disadvantages if it is emphasized far more than the other). Read the pros and cons of each story type, followed by 5 tips on finding a balance and making your story appeal to readers on multiple levels:

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Plotting Series writing Story Structure

How to write a book trilogy: 5 crucial steps

Want to learn how tow write a triad of books that keeps readers with you to the end? Here are 5 key steps for how to write a book trilogy:

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Editing Story Structure

How to write a short story: 10 steps to a great read

Writing a short story differs from writing a novel in several key ways: There is less space to develop characters, less room for lengthy dialogue, and often a greater emphasis on a twist or an ‘a-ha’ moment. How to write a short story in ten steps:

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Story Structure Writing software Writing tools

Book writing online: 10 effective tools for writers

Finishing a novel takes focus, dedication, motivation and time. Tools for book writing online make it much easier for you to plot a story, create a sustainable writing routine, draft without distraction and more. Don’t wait for NaNoWriMo to roll around again to finish your novel this year. Make headway now with the help of these 10 online writing tools:

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Character writing Narration Story Structure

The unreliable narrator: Creating surprise in your story

The unreliable narrator is a useful fiction device for creating surprise in your story and avoiding predictability. Here are some ways that unreliable narrators can be used to shape a novel’s form or to surprise and build tension in the reader:

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Story Structure Writing Process

The writing process: 7 steps to structure and success

‘The writing process’ – this is a term you might hear often, but how do you put in place a set of writing approaches that will help you finish your novel? Every writer has a process that works for them, and discovering the time, place, tools and other aspects of writing that work best for you will maximize your productivity. Here are 7 steps to creating a writing process that is unique to your own needs:

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