Tuesday April 28
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Subtext—Revelation of the Hidden

May 17, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

The use of subtext can add depth to and increase conflict in your fiction. Check out the uses of subtext, the hidden element of fiction.

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Dealing with Discouragement

May 14, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Just a word—or a thousand—for writers faced with discouragement from any source. You can defeat the giants arrayed against you.

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Viewpoint Character and the Need to Choose Wisely

May 13, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

The wrong viewpoint character could send your story in the wrong direction; the right viewpoint character could make your story. Learn what you should consider in choosing viewpoint characters.

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Should I Use Absolute Phrases? Absolutely

May 10, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

An absolute phrase is a modifier you might use in your writing, but one you might not have heard of. Learn the proper uses of absolute phrases, and give yourself one more tool for crafting creative sentences.

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Single Quotation Marks—A Reader’s Question

May 7, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Single quotation marks don’t have many uses in American English. Learn when to use them and how to use double quotation marks and italics for emphasis.

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The Mean, the Bad, and the Nasty—Writing Villains

May 4, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Antagonists can be fun to write. Yet, to be good foils for your protagonists, they need depth and layers. They need logical reasons to oppose the story’s main character. Write worthy antagonists.

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Don’t Write the Bland and the Boring

May 2, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Fiction characters both on screen and on the page require lives of volatility and change and conflict. They need anything but peace. They need events intruding and messing up their plans. They need other characters to challenge them, to put obstacles in their paths. They need confrontation and trials. And they need to take risks.

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Don’t Call Me Ishmael—Name that Character

April 29, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

However characters come to you, they’ll need names. And it’s your job to give them names that reflect their personality, history, experiences, hopes, and even the future that they’ll have stepped into by the end of your story. Learn tips for creating character names that fit.

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Writer’s Block—Real or Imaginary?

April 24, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Writer’s block is real and it can keep you from finishing your manuscripts. Consider strategies and options to overcome writer’s block.

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Assess Your Writing Skills—Turn Weaknesses to Strengths

April 18, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Writers have personal strengths and weaknesses. What one writer nails every time, another might struggle with again and again. A reminder to assess your skills and improve those that weaken your writing.

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