Word Magic
You’re writing fiction, but you’re a new author, and you’re disappointed with your results. Two strategies will help: Developing suspense: it’s essential, in the age of TikTok. Control: write in scenes, and edit. New authors tend to overwhelm their plot with backstory; that is, everything that happened before the story starts. Readers don’t care about that. They want entertainment. As … Read more
Readers want what they want, so when you’re writing fiction, it’s easy to make mistakes which annoy readers. That said, don’t despair. You can fix most mistakes easily. Writing fiction: the biggest mistake Before we look at common errors, let’s look at the biggest one: failing to capitalize on success. Sadly this is horribly common. One of my students wrote … Read more
Do you wish that editing fiction could be easier? Many authors struggle with editing, because at this stage, you’re dealing with logic, as well as imagination. Thinking logically can challenging, because when you’re writing, you’re imagining. Logic requires a different mindset; you’re looking at your fiction as a reader, rather than a writer. Before you read the tips, if you … Read more
Hate plotting fiction? Me too, at times. Why not do what Shakespeare did? He “stole” plots, as many, many authors do. “Stealing” your plot takes the pressure off. You can focus on building your characters and setting, and developing conflict. Plotting fiction: plots you can steal In Plotting Made Simple: The One-Hour Plotting Strategy, I outlined my usual strategy: Over … Read more
How do you create drama in your fiction? When I coach fiction authors, it’s often simple to make their novels more exciting. Many authors fall into the trap of creating perfect characters. You need to give your characters flaws, and I suggested: (Although) it’s advisable not to use your family and friends when writing fiction… you can use people’s flaws—and … Read more