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When the Familiar is Too Familiar

May 11, 2018 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Fact-checking is critical so that readers trust what you tell them and so they aren’t pulled out of your stories by inaccurate details. Fact-check your fiction.

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The Rudest Awakening

October 1, 2016 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Look for and then correct story problems that shock readers out of the fictional world. A list of common story problems that can ruin the reader’s experience.

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Managing Days and Time—Lessons From TV

April 24, 2016 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A lesson about time markers in story using Game of Thrones as reference material.

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Setting Sets Your Stories Apart (Excerpt #2)—Launch Week Festivities*

March 14, 2016 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Excerpt from The Magic of Fiction—Showcasing the Setting

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Write Like a Native

September 21, 2015 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A reader’s question got me thinking about the details of a story’s setting, about choosing details that fit the actual location as well as the story. I also wanted to share a reminder to check details for real locations—make sure your details are correct.

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Setting Details—Mastering Technology

August 3, 2013 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Technology is part of a story’s setting. Remember to include technology, especially in contemporary stories, if you want setting and background to feel authentic.

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Fish Out of Water, Character Out of Time

November 18, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A character thrust into an unfamiliar world is a character off balance. Such characters should respond to the unusual in their lives. And their responses should draw them into deeper trouble.

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Check Your Facts

November 7, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

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.

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Setting—The Place and Time of Story

October 15, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Setting is the place and time of story. It can include physical locale and social milieu and the props that characters handle as they move through the story.

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