Causation Drives Character and Plot
In a guest post on Jane Friedman's blog, writer and book coach Harrison Demchick how to use cause and effect structure in character-driven fiction.
"Causation...
Your Twist Can Be Both Surprising and Inevitable
In their latest podcast, the Writing Excuses continue their discussion of the promises we make our readers with genre, structure, and beginnings. In this...
What’s in a Name?
It's doubtful that a great novel has ever been killed by a bad title, but a good title can still help you get noticed....
Be Your Own Best Writing Coach
We love sharing the best of the web's writing advice on this blog, but we also believe that every writer should find their own...
What Does Your Story’s First Line Promise?
In their latest podcast, the Writing Excuses hosts continue their exploration of “promises as a structure” by looking at the promises made by the...
Is Your Conflict Working For or Against You?
A lot of writing advice starts with "Stories need conflict" but often ends there as well. Less attention is paid to creating the right...
You Can Convey Powerful Stories Without Words
If a picture says 1,000 words, then a 100 great images can tell a novel, right? In an article for Writer's Digest, writer and...
What Makes a Great Villain?
In a new episode of its Page to Picture vlog, the Stage 32 blog discusses how to create great villains, using examples from popular...
Are You Reliable Enough to Use an Unreliable Narrator?
Tyler Durden. Humbert Humbert. Alex the Droog. Literature is filled with unreliable narrators, from the villainous, like Patrick Bateman, to the dangerously naive, like...
Jean Hanff Korelitz: Create Suspense by Paring Back Information
During an interview with Lit Hub's First Draft podcast, Jean Hanff Korelitz (The Plot) talks about how she learned to create tension and suspense.
Korelitz...
