The 5 C’s of Writing a Great Thriller Novel, by James Scott Bell
From: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-5-cs-of-writing-a-great-thriller-novel May 6, 2014, reposted December 28, 2015 Remember when Tommy Lee Jones holds up the empty shackles in The Fugitive and says, “You know, we’re always fascinated when we find leg irons with no legs in ’em”? It makes me think of readers who pick up thrillers and find no thrills in them. Or at least not as many as there could be. I’m not just talking about plot here…. Read More
Filling the Silence, by Donald Maass
From: http://writerunboxed.com/2016/02/03/filling-the-silence February 3, 2016 Is there anything worse than an awkward silence? Actually, there is. Its silence filled by the tedious ramblings of a bore. The first situation makes you want to kill yourself. The second makes you want to kill someone else. What is it that makes the drivel spoken by a bore so boring? It lacks all interest, for you anyway and maybe even for the bore. After… Read More
7 Ways to Create a Killer Opening Line For Your Novel, by Brian Klems, Jacob Appel
From: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-ways-to-create-a-killer-opening-line-for-your-novel January 9, 2014 Writing the first line to your book is an incredibly daunting task. This is your first opportunity to hook readers in. I remember writing and rewriting the opening line to my humor book OH BOY, YOU’RE HAVING A GIRL over and over again until I finally felt like I nailed it with this: “If you’re a guy and you’ve opened this book, you either have a daughter,… Read More
Killing Your Character(s)
We’ve all heard the advice as authors to “kill your darlings” but in her article, “How to Successfully Kill a Character: The Checklist,” K.M. Weiland shares her thoughts on when it’s a good idea to kill them, and when not. Check it out!
The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, by Christopher Booker
From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Basic_Plots This information is based on the 2004 book, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, by Christopher Booker. The Seven Basic Plots provides a Jungian-influenced analysis of stories and their psychological meaning. Booker worked on the book for 34 years. It’s 736 pages in length. The Meta-Plot The meta-plot begins with the anticipation stage, in which the hero is called to the adventure to come. This is followed by a… Read More
The Internal Conflict Formula That Generates Plot Points and Strengthens Theme, by Lynn Johnston
From: http://savvyauthors.com/blog/index.php/the-internal-conflict-formula-that-generates-plot-points-and-strengthens-theme-by-lynn-johnston; March 10, 2015. Internal conflict is what happens when a character wants two things that are mutually exclusive. Sometimes the conflict will be something big: perhaps your heroine is in love with George but also lusts after Fred, and she’s unable to choose which man she wants to be with. Or maybe she’s a homicide detective, and she wants to build a case on the evidence, but she also wants to… Read More
12 Fundamentals Of Writing “The Other” (And The Self), by D. J. Older
This is an excellent article to review when writing characters outside of ourselves. “12 Fundamentals Of Writing ‘The Other’ (And The Self)” by D. J. Older, author of the YA novel, Shadowshaper, among others.
The Current, by Donald Maass
From: http://writerunboxed.com/2015/12/02/the-current What about a novel sweeps us up into its world? What carries us along even when the imperatives of plot are on hold or absent? What makes us ache for something without knowing what it is? What makes us impatient for a story’s resolution at the same time that we want the tale to go on forever? What is it that causes us to feel that a story has touched our… Read More
The Worst Ways to Begin Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents, by Chuck Sambuchino
From: http://thewritelife.com/the-worst-ways-to-begin-your-novel-advice-from-literary-agents/#.dbdmj3:ip0 August 6, 2013 This column is excerpted from Guide to Literary Agents, from Writer’s Digest Books. No one reads more prospective novel beginnings than literary agents. They’re the ones on the front lines, sifting through inboxes and slush piles. And they can tell us which Chapter One approaches are overused and cliché, as well as which writing techniques just plain don’t work when you’re writing a book. Below, find a… Read More
43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately, by Diana Urban
In her article, “43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately,” Diana Urban provides a useful list of watch words to eliminate from your writing. Check it out!