I’m just going to throw it out there: Writers write. Authors finish. Finishing is what this is all about. Bazillions of people want to write a book. Millions of people…
There really aren’t very many true synonyms. There are words which share nuances, but most words have their own meaning. For example, ‘She ____ onto the horse’. Fill in the…
Trust your characters and they’ll trust you enough to tell you their story. This links back to the tip from November 8 (your characters are not you). Telling your story…
Funny thing: when Storyworld puts out a press release that you’re working on a novel, you never know who’s going to turn up. Somewhere, locked away in your brain, is…
You can write anywhere. Both literally and figuratively. Don’t be one of those people who swear if they could just get away for a week or two to a cabin…
Unless you're writing an autobiography, always remember your characters ≠ you. They have their own ideas about religion, politics, food, music, philosophy…and just about everything else you can think of.…
Anyone can describe a setting. It’s your job to help the reader feel it. Use all your senses. Is it hot or cold; stuffy or humid; drafty or stale. How…
Dialogue is the most fake-y thing that novelists write. Everything else needs to be true to reality to provoke reader emotion (which is the goal of the novelist). But dialogue?…
Characters see the world through the lens of their experiences. Remember that peasant girl from the October 31 ‘Before Your Write’ tip? She’s the one who lived in Europe during…
How do you plot a novel? Be the meanest mean that you can be. Torture your characters, never give them what they want, reward their good behavior with misfortune, and…