Your Antagonist May Not Be a Villain
In a post on Writers Helping Writers, Neil Chase examines the difference between a villain and an antagonist. "We often see these terms used...
The Element of Surprise
In a post on Writer Unboxed, Greer Macallister says all writers - plotters and pantsers - can benefit from the element of surprise. "Are all...
Anchor Your Novel with Place
In a guest post on C.S. Lakin's blog, Yasmin Chopin offers advice on writing about place in fiction. "When place is an essential part of...
Dialogue Needs an Agenda
In their latest episode on dialogue, the Writing Excuses hosts examine the "area of intention." If all of your characters have their own agendas, their...
It’s Ok to Leave a Blank Space Between Scenes
In a guest post on Jane Friedman's blog, Sharon Oard Warner talks about the space between scenes and how they can help you build...
You Have to Give Your Hero Choices
In a post on Writers in the Storm, Shirley Jump says that creating impossible choices can force your protagonist to overcome their internal obstacles,...
Can You Handle the Truth?
In an article on Writer's Digest, Holly James says letting your characters tell the truth can increase both tension and humor in your story....
Advice on Incorporating the Passage of Time in Perspective
In the third of her three-part series on Writer's Digest, Sharon Short explores how time away from an event can affect how a character...
The Joys of Lists
In a post on his BookFox blog, John Fox says something as simple as a list can add layers to multiple elements in your...
First-Person POV and Deep POV are Not the Same
In a post on Writers in the Storm, Lisa Hall-Wilson examines the difference between deep POV and first-person. "For many first person POV stories,...
