3 Reasons to Borrow Mythic Power

I’m currently reading Alan Gratz’s book, Something’s Rotten. It’s a blatant take-off on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Every character is named after a Hamlet character, the main character named Hamilton. The plot echoes Hamlet: Hamilton’s father was murdered and he suspects his uncle, who has married his mother. And the book works! Why? It’s the power of [...]

Weaving Background.

In a recent post, Gail Carson Levine discusses how to get background material into a story without the use of a flashback scene,
along with tips for when you do use a flashback.
Weaving in Backstory
Poem. She points out that in her story, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, she uses an epic poem: everyone knows the [...]

Feedback on Entire Novel Makes Difference

Whole mss critique or chapter at a time critique?
I went to Idaho this weekend for a Novel Revision Retreat.
Whole mss critique. One thing I like about the Novel Revision Retreat is that it is set up to get feedback on an entire novel.
Many critique groups run on the idea that a person will [...]

Don’t Follow that Revision Letter: Here’s Why

Go to the Heart of the Revision Issues
This weekend, I attended the MO SCBWI retreat with Randi Rivers of Charlesbridge Publishers as the main speaker. The retreat was set up to give use feedback on a specific manuscript and the opportunity to revise and get feedback on that revision.
Mss were sent in a month early; [...]

Top 5: 2010 Popular Posts

Top 5 Posts
Here’s a review of the first quarter of 2010 on Fiction Notes:
Top 5 New Posts

29 Plot Templates: Know the Reader’s Expectations Before You Bust Them
Plot Outline and Templates: Why Your Novel Needs Them
Tips on Plot, Plot Layers, Subplot
Checklist of 17 Character Qualities
27 Tools for Writers

Top 5 From the Archives

43 Book Trailer Sites to [...]

Talking About Revision

When I teach Novel Revision Retreats, I need a variety of ways to explain this thing called “revision.” Lately, two ideas have helped.
Plot: Aiming for Bull’s Eye
There are two things novelists must do when writing a story. First is figure out “what story are you telling?” Second is “what is the best way to tell [...]

FREE Edit for your MG/YA Novel

Dear-Editor.com is Giving Away a Free Edit
Former Harcourt editor, Deborah Halverson is celebrating the one-month anniversary of her new blog, Dear-Editor.com, with a Free Giveaway. It’s a “substantive edit” of an 85,000 word or less middle grade or young adult (teen) novel.
About Deborah
Disclosure: Deborah was my fabulous editor for Searching for Oliver K. Woodman.

Deborah Halverson [...]

Give Me Your File Drawers and I’ll Give you Cash

A Gold Mine Awaits in Your File Drawers
Take a good look at the files in your file drawers! You could be rich by mining those drawers.
There are snatches of dialogue, character sketches, interesting anecdotes, tons of research and facts on obscure things. For example, from my research for novels, I can tell you about [...]

Old Manuscripts? 2 Questions Before Deciding to Revise

This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series File Cabinets
I’m at a place where I’m looking for a new novel idea. (Yes, I’m still looking around for a new idea. I’m slow this time, but I think I’ve found an event that is fascinating. Reading background material now.)
One strategy I’m using to find [...]

4 Manuscripts That Should Stay in Your Drawer

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series File Cabinets
Private v. Public Stories: When to Hold Back
We’re talking about those old files, old stories, old passions that are hidden in your file drawer. Here are four manuscripts that should stay in your drawer.
Your first manuscript. No, you are not allowed to air [...]