Maintain Point of View

Maintaining a consistent point of view is critical for fiction, for keeping the story real. When a reader is pulled from one point of view and thrust into another, he can lose his connection to the story. He can lose his belief that the story is true.

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The sex of a writer colors his or her writing. Men and women are different, and some of those differences show up in writing styles.

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Invite readers into your story with a compelling open. Readers want to be enticed into new worlds—make yours an attractive one, a world readers will willingly step into, willingly stay in while your fictional events unfold.

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Repetition is a strong tool for a fiction writer. It can draw attention to a clue, it can create mood and stir emotion, it can emphasize with only a word. Yet repetition can also annoy the reader. Discover the power of repetition.

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Entice your readers with a book opening that’s irresistible. Write compelling fiction that will draw the reader into the story from the first page, first paragraph, first words. Grab the reader with an intriguing character, an intricate plot, a convincing tone. Get a gimmick and put it to work.

Hook your readers.

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Common writing mistakes can be made by any writer at any stage in his career. Write better fiction by being aware of these common writing mistakes.

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Anyone can write a novel. Or can they? Plenty of people think they can, that it’s easy to craft a story and write a book. But writing a book isn’t as easy as it seems.

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A writer’s first book will rarely be his best in terms of quality yet is often the story that’s provoked him into writing. Should a writer save his best story for when he’s a better writer?

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