Advancing Your Plot
I tell writers often they are failing to “advance their plot.” What does that mean, and why does it matter?…
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Why the Last Lines of Your Scene Are Critical
Every scene has to have a purpose. I shouldn’t need to say that, but I’ve critiqued thousands of scenes that…
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…
Outlining Your Novel for Success
Writers often need a lot of help and direction to write a novel. Even seasoned authors benefit by another set…
3 Powerful Cinematic Techniques for Novelists
Readers will often stop reading before they finish the first page of your story. While this has always been true,…
Writing Scenes with a Purpose
I know this may sound silly and obvious, but your scenes need to have a purpose. Thing is, so many…
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