Take Me Somewhere New—Tell Me A Story

A reminder of the power of story to take us where we’ve never been, to make us into people we can only imagine.

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A reader’s belief in your fictional world and characters can be easily destroyed. One way is when writers intrude into the story with explanations that have no place in the fiction. Resist the urge to explain.

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All writers, not only those who write sci-fi and fantasy, are world builders. Explore the elements of fictional world building.

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Story-specific words add an extra dimension to a story. They are beyond correct punctuation and grammar. They are deeper than plot and characterization. They go to a third level of writing, a level that deals with layers and symbols and meaning and rhythm. Mastery of the elements at this level assures the writer that each story is not only a good read but a great work.

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Emotions pull readers into the story faster than most anything else a writer could try. They are instant connection points. Think of emotions as tentacles reaching to the reader and tying him to your tale. Wrap him tightly, so tightly that he must stay with you until the end.

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We all want to write better fiction. This video gives you keys to achieving that goal and tips on what you can do to improve your writing.

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Genre vs. literary. In fiction, most readers have their preference. Most writers do as well. A look at the major difference between literary novels and genre novels.

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NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month, happens every November. Join hundreds of others in writing a novel—50,000 words—in a month.

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Theme in literature and fiction is a statement, a conclusion, drawn from a story. It’s a truth about the human condition that a reader takes away from a novel. You can define theme as a statement, a truth, about people or life as revealed by a book.

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We get advice out the wazoo about a novel’s opening chapter. We can find information about how to write the final chapter. But what are the tips for starting a novel’s second chapter?

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