Archive:
Fiction
You’ll find loads of advice to help you find a great novel idea, start writing, and push through what I call the Marathon of the Middle. But you may not find as much on how to end a story, though that’s every bit important. Of my more than 200 published books, more than two-thirds have […]
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Publishing a children’s book in today’s extremely competitive market can be tough. And because most such books require four-color illustrations, they are also the most expensive to print — though most publishers have this done overseas. You might think it’s easier to write children’s books because they’re shorter than adult novels. Well, they might not […]
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The wildly popular phenomenon, National Novel Writing Month, starts November 1 every year, and you’re urged to write an entire 50,000-word novel by the end of the month. Wouldn’t it be great to actually finish a novel in 30 days? That very idea has inspired millions of writers from all over the world to embark […]
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List your favorite novels, those you can count on one hand, and I’ll bet they have one major thing in common — an unforgettable hero. Regardless the genre, your characters must behave like real people in real-life situations who make mistakes, have regrets, and grow emotionally or spiritually throughout the story. Fail, and it shows. […]
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Imagine a short story, then make it even shorter. That’s flash fiction. Short stories run anywhere between 1,500 and 10,000 words. Flash fiction stories run up to 1,500 words — but often much shorter. Usually up to 500 words. If you get down to 100 words or fewer, that’s micro fiction. Flash fiction contests tempt […]
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