Word magic.
As you may know, I mentor writers and authors. Although many of my students begin their careers by writing short fiction, few have goals for this short material. They look at short stories and novellas as practice material for their real goal: writing a novel. Of course, this is laudable. I’m a big fan of exercises and writing journals. The … Read more
Bored with your fiction? Why not plot a novella, and write it? Not only do novellas improve your sales, they’ll improve your craft skills as well. I love novellas, because I can write and publish them in a few days; this makes them a wonderful promotional tool. Tip: try writing a novella as a prequel to an upcoming novel. My … Read more
When you’re plotting fiction, here’s the essence: your plot is what your characters DO. If you focus on what your characters do, and WHY they do it, plotting your novella is simple, even if you’re a dedicated pantser, as I am. (Mostly.) Plotting fiction: create a goal for your main character As soon as possible when you’re writing and plotting … Read more