You Can Trust Me (But Don't!) — The Unreliable Narrator writing craft Feb 25, 2023

 

 

What are unreliable narrators and how do I write them? There are 4 Types of Unreliable Narrators (LIAR):

  • Lunatic - insane, delusional 
  • Innocent - naive, manipulated, amnesiac
  • Ape - trickster
  • Rat - criminal, villain

We will also review 7 Tips and...

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Find Your Stagecoach — How to Master the Art of Writing Fiction writing craft writing process Feb 18, 2023

 

 

I want to improve as a fiction writer, both in my writing craft and the writing process. What is the best way to master the art of writing fiction? Deliberate Practice is a proven 3-step methodology to master any topic, and we can apply it to writing fiction:

  1. TARGET - pick one...

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Playing Scales with Words: The 7 Benefits of Freewriting for Fiction writing craft writing process Feb 11, 2023

 

 

I don’t feel ready to write my story yet, so I think I’ll do some freewriting. What are the benefits of freewriting? Just like playing scales, there are 7 Benefits of Freewriting:

  1. Warming Up - just start, get into the groove of writing
  2. Ear - get in tune with writing,...
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How to Write Fiction With Emotional Impact — The 6 Emotional Arcs characters plot scenes writing craft Feb 04, 2023

 

 

I want to write fiction with emotional impact, so that the reader feels the sweep of emotions from the beginning to the end of the whole story. What are emotional arcs, and how do I use them to plot a story and character transformation?

There are 6 Emotional Arcs:

  1. Rise - like...
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It's Alive! How to Write Character Descriptions characters writing craft Jan 28, 2023

 

 

I want to make the characters in my story come alive. How do I write character descriptions in a story? Consider 3 layers of character description:

  • SKIN - the “surface” level, the externals

  • FLESH & BONES - “below surface”, things you could research...

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Writing Process: "The Clockwork Craven" writing craft writing process Jan 21, 2023

 

 

The short story "The Clockwork Craven" was written in the "Character" method, one of the 3 ways to develop an idea into a story. That is: taking a character through a transformation.

Of course, there are **spoilers**, so if you haven't read the story yet, do that first,...

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Need a Great Idea for Your Next Story? Try the Story IDEA Formula writing craft writing process Jan 21, 2023

 

 

I'm drawing a blank. I want to write fiction, but where do I get the ideas? Try the Story IDEA Formula, where IDEA stands for:

INSPIRE x DELVE + ENGAGE x ADAPT

  • INSPIRE - get sparks of inspiration from multiple sources 
  • DELVE - get clear about what you want to write...
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The MAGIC of Plot Twists plot writing craft Jan 14, 2023

 

 

I'm in the middle of writing a story and I need to come up with a mind-blowing plot twist. How do I do it? Here are the 5 MAGIC Rules of Plot Twists:

  • Misdirect - red herrings, dead ends, misguided attention, stalking horse 
  • Astonish - a memorable "wow" factor...
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Writing Process: "Ravens Hold Grudges" writing craft writing process Jan 07, 2023

 

 

The short story "Ravens Hold Grudges" was written in the "Outliner" method, one of the 3 ways to develop an idea into a story. That is: plotting the story in advance of writing it.

Of course, there are **spoilers**, so if you haven't read the story yet, do that first,...

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Grab Your Readers' Attention: Hook Them From the First Line writing craft Jan 07, 2023

 

 

I've written (what I feel is) a great story, but honestly the story starts with a bit of a slow burn, and I've been told that I should come up with a better "hook" to grab the reader from the first line

How do I write a hook that catches the reader's attention from the first line?...

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How to Write Story Titles That Pull Readers Like a Magnet writing craft Jun 03, 2022

 

 

I have a story, but what should I call it? My "working title" feels uninspired, and I know that titles are important to catch readers' attention.  

How do I write story titles that catch readers' attention?  Follow these 5 Rules for a Great Story Title:...

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Write Fiction Faster! — How to Speed Up Your Story Writing writing craft May 31, 2022

 

 

We all want to make more progress in writing fiction, whether to push through the 50,000 - 100,000 words needed to complete your novel or just produce more stories in order to get more feedback and grow as a writer.  

How can I write...

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