Setting – The Versatile Tool for the Fiction Writer
Settings in fiction are often in the background—literally. Characters are talking and doing things, but readers get merely a glimpse…
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Story Structure and the Essential Outline
I do a lot of scene outlines for writers. And I’ve written a lot of blog posts on the topic….
How to Create a Scene Outline
One of the biggest problems I see as a copyeditor and writing coach is weak scenes. Scenes with no point…
Choosing the Right Scenes to Go in the Right Places
My guess is that few novel writers spend time thinking about scene choice or type and the placement of specific…
The 10 Most Important Questions to Ask about Your Scenes
In my work as a professional freelance copyeditor and critiquer for publishers, literary agents, and authors in six continents, I…
Why Story Endings Are Often Predictable – And That’s Okay
Here’s a reprint of a post I wrote a decade ago. Do you struggle with ending your story? Trying to…
Conflict in Story: Character versus Self
This post is a reprint from a few years ago, shared again to help you nail the opposition in your…
Crafting a Compelling Story Premise
UPCOMING: I’m doing a workshop on crafting a terrific premise on January 11, 2-4 p.m. Pacific Time (it will be…
Digging to Find the Theme in Your Novel
When you ask a fiction writer what her story is about, she will usually explain the plot. Yes, plot is…
Next Steps for Your Manuscript
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