Reader Perception is Important

Readers bring perceptions to every novel. Put those perceptions to work for you rather than allowing them to annoy your readers.

Continue reading Reader Perception is Important »

Ramp up story conflict by repeatedly denying characters what they want or need.

Continue reading Deny, Deny, Deny »

Give your main character a tour de force moment where he reveals his true personality and all the needs and fears he’s been repressing and stuffing deep for a lifetime.

Continue reading Character Rants and Breakdowns—Let ‘em Rip »

Facts or setting details that are out of era or simply wrong weaken stories and distract readers. Check your story facts, check setting details, to keep stories tight and enjoyable.

Continue reading Check Your Facts »

Are your characters more than verbal, talking more than they do anything else? Determine if your characters talk too much and learn some fixes for getting them to shut up.

Continue reading Dialogue—My Characters Talk Too Much »

Stories can gain strength and meaning when the words we use suit characters and genre and story events. Create memorable stories by clothing characters with words that fit.

Continue reading Clothe Characters Well—Choose Words that Fit »

Punctuation can overwhelm a sentence or paragraph. Poor punctuation can be a distraction, pulling readers out of the fiction and out of the mood to read your work. Let words tell the story. Use punctuation for other purposes.

Continue reading Use Words, Not Punctuation, To Tell Your Story »

Stories need action events. Something needs to happen, not only to keep characters moving forward, but to keep readers interested.

Continue reading You Got My Attention, But Where’s the Action? »

Sub-plots can add great depth to story. But these secondary plots can detract from the main plot. A look at sub-plots and their limitations.

Continue reading Sub-plots, Main Plots, and Digressions »

Some lists of writing tips are written for those looking for easy fixes, for those who want to play at being writers without taking on the work of writing. This list is not one of those.

Continue reading Tips for Writers—The Down and Dirty »