Learning how to make a good story great requires mastering the essentials of writing craft: Plot (cause and effect), characterization, narration, description and dialogue. If you’ve written a good story but feel it could be more interesting, these 9 steps will help you transform it into a better first draft:
Tag: story structure
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
Why is structuring a novel crucial? It puts in place the footholds you need to reach the finish. There are so many different ways of approaching structure … Read More
If you have ever found a book spoiled by its ending, you know it’s important to learn how to end a story well. Here are 8 pointers on how to end a novel. When you’ve written a draft ending, submit it for writing critique.
‘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: