Articles (info on craft)

This is a list of links to articles on writing—craft, technical issues, writing tips. These articles are typically longer than what you’d find on a blog page and since they’re already online at my Web site, I thought linking would be the best way to make the information available.

Check for updates to this page.

Article links will take you to A Novel Edit, my editing Web site. A link in the navigation bar there will return you to The Editor’s Blog.

Writing Scenes for Your Novel—Novels are a series of connected scenes. Scenes meaning characters performing actions in some location. Read about the importance of novel scenes.

Story-specific Words—Choose words that have meaning for your story. Words specific to the setting, character, tone, and genre.

A Novel Ending—The way you end you novel is as important as the way you begin it. Tips on how to leave your readers at the end of the story.

Writing for the Emotions—Don’t cheat your readers out of feeling as they read your work. The importance of writing for the emotions.

Show and Tell—Learn how to bring the reader into the story instead of holding him at a distance from the action and emotion.

Punctuation—Proper punctuation is vital for clear communication. And yes, writers need to know the rules, even if they plan to break them.

Writing with Impact and Depth—You can write with both impact and depth, creating notable characters and memorable plots. A look at cures for flat or boring writing.

Writing to Entertain—The purpose of a novel is to entertain. Writing is about more than the mechanics. Reminders of what readers are looking for in fiction and story.