Red Herrings Aren’t Just for Mysteries
In a post on BookBaby, Scott McCormick says planting red herrings can undermine your readers' expectations and create suspense and surprise. "Although most commonly...
What’s Behind Your Character’s Smile?
In a post on Writers in the Storm, Margie Lawson says there's a lot more going on behind a laugh than mere sound. "When...
Using Microtension to Ramp Up Narrative
In their latest episode, the Writing Excuses hosts continue exploring tension, this time focusing on micro-tension. In this episode, they discuss some favorite applications of...
3 Steps to Crafting a Story Arc
In a new post, Janice Hardy suggests three steps you can use to write a story arc that draws readers into your novel. "At...
The Fun and Pitfalls of Historical Fiction
In an article for Writer's Digest, Liz Trenow shares 5 pros and cons of writing historical fiction. "When I discovered historical fiction, I loved...
Brainstorm Possibilities with Scene Outlines
In a post on Killzone, James Scott Bell examines scenes and recommends using a mini-outline to craft the best moments in your novel. "A scene...
How Much Description is Too Much?
"It depends," says Anne R. Allen in a new blog post.
Writers often have very clear ideas in their heads about the sights, sounds, scents,...
Forget Questionnaires – Try Character Maps
In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Shannon Valenzuela offers advice for developing complex characters in your story. "As we know from Aristotle, character is...
A Closer Look at Antagonism
In a post on Writers in the Storm, Lynette Burrows discusses the forces of antagonism and how to use them in your novel. In...
Are Your Character Descriptions So Basic?
In the latest in Writer's Digest's series on mistakes writers make, Moriah Richard cautions us against creating only basic character descriptions. "Not only do...
