Fiction Notes

Tag: Plot

  • 4 Revision Goals: Conflict, Emotion, Surprise, Enrich

    For the next month, my writing goals for my work-in-progress novel trilogy are clear: conflict, emotion, surprise, enrich. The trilogy is tentatively called, The Blue Planets, and is an early-teen or YA science fiction. Book 1, The Blue Marble, has a complete draft; for Books 2 and 3, I have complete outlines. I’m happy with […]

  • Beta Readers: Facts, Grammar, Plot, Character and More

    Beta Readers: Facts, Grammar, Plot, Character and More

    Thanks to the computer industry, we no longer have first readers, we have beta readers. Early versions of software that engineers expect to be riddled with problems were called beta versions. Beta is the second letter in the Greek alphabet, so presumably, the alpha versions were kept all in-house. Betas were the first public versions […]

  • Online Video Course: 30 DAYS TO A STRONGER NOVEL

    The course is now live on Udemy.com! Each day includes: A quote that inspires Short, practical instruction from Darcy on a specific topic A simple “Walk the Talk” action to take Over the course of the month, you’ll receive the entire text of Darcy’s book, 30 Days to a Stronger Novel (November, 2014 release). We […]

  • 6 Questions to Sharpen Your Story Beats and Make Your Plot Sing

    When you’re writing or plotting a story, one way to approach it is to write out the story beats. A beat is a small action; a collection of beats makes up a scene. It’s sort of like choreographing a dance; you must make character move around, interact and do things. You can write story beats […]

  • Why I LOVE Cliches and Tropes

    I confess: I love a good cliche or trope. A cliche is a phrase or expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original or interesting. A trope is a common or overused theme or device, as in the usual horror movie tropes. I’m in the middle of plotting a massive […]

  • Subplots Fight Writer’s Block

    Subplots are a connected sequence of events, just like any other plot; the difference is that this is a minor plot with fewer developments. It should affect the main plot in some important way–or else you should delete it–but it doesn’t need the same development of a main plot. I am still plotting my trilogy, […]