Working Past Wordiness For Fresher Writing
…description of “sun-ripened” mangoes and “sweet-smelling” air are not only longer, but lamer, than Roy’s. Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs. When it comes to description, sometimes less is more. My use…
101 of the Best Fiction-Writing Tips, Part I
…the most important moments in dialogue is what isn’t said. What Isn’t Said: Subtext in Dialogue. Author Culture Try using an ambiguous ending to create a plot twist (often works…
11 Tips for Writing Short Stories Lit Mags Will Want to Publish
…insight, a piece of striking dialogue—those are what I call “pow” moments. They sometimes defy description. They just are. But in any case, it’s sometimes these moments that transform a…
7 Reasons You’ve Failed as a Writer
…chores around the house. You haven’t found the balance between art and craft. Writing is an art, but it also involves skills. Creativity can be innate, but skills are learned…
7 Tension-Building Tips for Writing Action Scenes
…too much in the character’s head during an action scene. It is not a time for internal dialogue unless that dialogue plays with the actions. Here’s an example: She trembled…
HOW TO ADD VOICE TO FICTION
…Kya’s dialogue and those of the other southern characters, made this book unputdownable. I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially to anyone struggling with adding voice to their story. Here…
6 Ways to Hook Your Readers from the Very First Line
…We won’t know who’s speaking or why we should care. Excessive description. Some description is good, but not when it’s long winded. Skip the purple prose and opt for something…
15 Reader Frustrations to Avoid in Your Novel
…their struggles apart, we won’t want to cheer for them, and might not care enough to keep reading. Unrealistic dialogue. Overuse of speech tags like “she hissed,” “he snapped,” “she…
Your Top Reading Recommendations from 2010
…teacher, the vast and icy distance between mother and daughter becomes unbridgeable. (Quoted from: Elizabeth Strout’s website) What I loved about it: From its description, you might think Amy and…
