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Is 750 words per day getting easier or harder? January 2012 is a month when I am making a commitment to write at least 750 words each day. For me, it’s hard to get started, but goes easily once I actually go to 750words.com and log in. Just knowing that it is timed makes me [...]
I am working on a novel revision for an editor and I expect to turn it in by Monday. But today, as I was reading through one last time to polish everything up–oh, my gosh!–there’s still so much work to do. Last Minute Revisions At this point, it’s not major structural changes or big plot [...]
Creating Suspense to Strengthen the Narrative Arc Great novels grab your attention and never let it go until the reader looks up from reading, “The End.” That’s a given. But it’s not always easy to grab that reader’s attention. What you need is suspense. Suspense is created by an uncertainty about what happens next in [...]
In my WIP, I’m looking for mini-conflicts among characters. I want to keep the tension high throughout. Donald Maass, agent and author of Write the Breakout Novel, says, “Tension on every page.” Ongoing Conflicts. These mini-conflicts are the stuff of everyday life: The ongoing battle between teacher/student over chewing gum. The ongoing battle between brother/sister [...]
Top 5 Tips for Dynamite Scenes Guest Post By Roz Morris 30 Days to a Stronger Scene Table of Contents Have you got a scene that’s looking lifeless? Here’s how I pep it up. Have something change. No scene should ever go as the reader expects. If you have a character set out to buy [...]
When, How, and Why to Cut from Scene to Scene 30 Days to a Stronger Scene Table of Contents Importance of Scene Disasters Are you personally a peace maker? Do you try to smooth out conflict among your friends? Are you in trouble when you try to write fiction! Scenes must end in disaster, at [...]
Conflict on Every Page Literary Agent, Donald Maass preaches the necessity of “conflict on every page.” I’m revising a scene today and realized I was being lazy.
Conflict, the type that motivates and moves a plot, comes from four sources. Yesterday, an editor asked for revisions on a very short piece which was meant for a kindergarten or first grade audience. The editor didn’t like the competitiveness between siblings. But when she contemplated taking out that conflict, she correctly understood that the [...]
Doing the character checklist this week, I realized that I hadn’t written much about dialogue. Oh, I have a couple times.
Use Character Traits to Make Your Character Sympathetic Yesterday, we looked at 9 character traits that can be used to develop sympathy for your character. Today, we’ll look at using those traits in your story. It’s not enough just to tell yourself, or write on a checklist, that your character has these traits and is, [...]
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