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Pacing: Space out the Tense Moments
Tension on every page is the mantra for fiction writers. But what if your tension is spread unevenly throughout the story? That may be fine, because stories need a natural rhythm, an ebb and flow of action, thoughts, dialogue and reflection (inner dialogue). Some scenes may be crammed with small actions, while others pace steadily…
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Scene: Fast or Fast-Paced?
Is your scene fast or fast-paced? There’s a difference, an important difference. A fast paced scene has lots of small changes happening, which keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat. Think of it as the last few minutes of a basketball game where the ball changes hands often, and the score bounces back…
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Timelines: Plotting
When you are deep into plotting a new novel or especially, a series, timelines are your friends. It’s a tool that will help straighten out the details and create order. Obviously, a time line lays out the time period of your novel. Does it take place in 24 hours or does it span 24 years?…
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Master Plot for Pacing, Characterization and Action
Somewhere in your writer’s head is a Master Plot, an idea of what a story or novel should be like, how it should progress. For writers who don’t outline–the write-by-the-seat-of-their-pants writers–the Master Plot is hard-wired into their brains. For the rest of us, the idea of a Master Plot is helpful. Hero’s Journey. The hero’s…
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Novel Revision: 4 Goals to Polish Your Story
It seems like all I am doing is printing out my WIP right now. Of course. Revising a novel is always a circular process. Get it Right the First Time Some authors get it right the first time; others claim to get it right the first time. For experienced writers, who are used to editing,…