Archive:
Plot Development
If it’s true that conflict is the engine of fiction—and I believe it is—what is the best way to inject it into your fiction? By introducing a worthy, effective antagonist. What is an Antagonist? It’s your villain, and every good story needs one. While some would argue that certain nonhuman elements, like the weather or […]
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Guest blog by Gabriela Pereira Of all aspects of the writing craft, dialogue is by far my favorite. Maybe it’s because dialogue makes me feel like I’m in the scene with the characters or lets me see their dynamic personalities bounce off each other. Or maybe it’s just because I’m impatient and don’t like to weed […]
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Acquisition editors have eagle-eyes for both talent and for amateurs. They’re looking for stuff to buy and publish, and most are so overwhelmed with submissions, they’ve learned to quickly spot anything that allows them to set your piece aside. Sound cruel? They don’t want reject your writing. But because of their work loads (and their […]
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Want Jerry as Your Mentor? Learn More Your greatest challenge as a writer is to keep readers engaged. Your job is to keep them with you page after page to find out what happens. Inject tension into your work to enthrall readers. What is Tension in Writing? Tension is anything in your manuscript—fiction or […]
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Budding writers often ask me: “How do I master Point of View?” The inability to grasp this concept is the most common problem I see in aspiring novelists. Veteran editor Dave Lambert says, “No decision you make will impact the shape and texture of your story more than your choice of Point of View.” So […]
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