Keep Readers Close to Action and Emotion

If readers aren’t engaged by your story, maybe you’re holding them at a distance, using filtering phrases that keep them a step away from the action and emotion of a scene. Check out these common filtering phrases that keep readers at a distance.

read Keep Readers Close to Action and Emotion »

The major characters in your fiction need goals to see them through the story you’ve dropped them into. Make sure you’ve given them goals sufficient for the adventure.

read Characters Need Goals »

Writers often become so lost in their stories that they can’t look at them dispassionately. Remember to step back and away from your fiction so you can get a true picture of a story.

read Step Outside Your Story World »

Ever thought about writing a book series? A reader asks for tips about writing a series.

read Setting Up a Series—A Reader’s Question »

Are your characters and plot so predictable that even you are bored? Add surprises to make stories fresh and characters engaging.

read Include Surprises in Your Stories »

Chapter endings have at least two purposes—to look back at what’s already happened and look forward to what might happen. Both characters and readers benefit from the dual purposes of chapter endings.

read Dual Duties of Chapter Endings »

Writers can’t write novels of any length, not if they want to be published traditionally. Word count is important, especially for the first-time novelist.

read How Long Should My Story Be »

Not everyone will like what you write and how you write it. An encouragement when the voice of detractors seems louder than the voice of your fans.

read Write to Universal Acclaim? Not Likely »

Backstory can bring depth to characters and their motivations. It can reveal reasons for the status quo at a story’s opening. But it could overwhelm current story events, if you don’t keep it in its place.

read When To Bring Backstory Out of the Shadows »

You’re ready for submission, but is your manuscript? Take one final pass through your story using these tips to help with last-minute cleanup.

read That Final Manuscript Cleanup »