Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
Lyricism and poetry can change the common into the extraordinary. Explore ways of adding a dash of poetry to your fiction.
Continue reading Add Poetry to Your Prose—Write with Flair »
Scenes—someone doing something somewhere—are the pulse and images of the novel. Don’t skimp on scenes. Use exposition to connect them, but be sure you write them. Listening to a character’s thoughts, without knowing where and when he is, can make for dull reading.
Can you combine dialogue for multiple readers in one paragraph? Learn what readers expect about dialogue and why it’s important to follow the rules.
Continue reading More Punctuation in Dialogue—A Reader’s Questions »
Some writing rules are not rules, certainly not rules that must be followed to craft understandable and engaging stories. Let’s look at some of the rules we can toss out.
Writers are like God, creating worlds and populating them with characters who fit those worlds. Equip characters to navigate your fictional universe.
There’s much more to a paragraph than what you learned way back when. See what your paragraphs can and should be doing for your stories.
Compelling fiction means stories that engage the reader. And readers are engaged by conflict and tension, by friction between characters and between one character and himself or his surroundings. Explore ways to write boldly and without restraint to create conflict and tension.
New writers need to hear it for the first time and experienced writers need reminders—basic writing advice.
Even though it’s often ignored, the semicolon has important uses that other punctuation marks can’t handle. Learn where and where not to use the semicolon.
Continue reading Don’t Fear the Semicolon—It’s a Useful Writing Tool »
What firsts do readers look for in stories? The introduction of the protagonist, the first clash between main character and his chief antagonist, the first meet between hero and heroine? Put reader expectations to use and write strong introductions and firsts.
The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
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Copyright © 2010-2018 E. A. Hill Visit Beth at A Novel Edit
Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
