Kill Your Darlings: For Storytellers
Some writing tips are cryptic. When I first came across writing advice that said, “Kill your darlings,” I thought it meant we should kill off our favorite characters. That seemed ridiculous. I mean, there are situations in which a story calls for characters to die, but to make a sweeping rule that we should default…Read More
What Makes Iconic Characters Unforgettable?
This post contains affiliate links that earn commissions for this website from qualifying purchases. Luke Skywalker was the obvious hero of Star Wars: A New Hope, so why does it seem like Han, Leia, and Darth Vader got all the attention? When I think about the characters from Star Wars, Luke is often the last…Read More
Writing Tips for Creating a Complex Villain
When it comes to writing fiction, we each have our own unique challenges. For some of us, it’s a struggle to come up with names for characters. For others, it’s hard to write realistic dialogue. Maybe you’re like me and find it difficult to write a really good villain — I mean — a really bad…Read More
42 Fiction Writing Tips for Novelists
The more I explore fiction writing, the more complex and multi-layered it becomes. Through the processes of brainstorming, outlining, researching, writing, and revising, I have discovered countless details that authors have to consider as they set out to produce a viable work of fiction. Over the years, I have collected a vast pile of notes…Read More
Top Secret Fiction Writing Prompts
“Ssh, don’t tell anyone. Put it in the vault!” Most of us have had those very words whispered into our ears. In fact, most of us have probably whispered those words into someone else’s ear. They say everyone has a secret. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that secrets sure pique…Read More
Where to Find Ideas for Writing a Story
It always seem like there are too many writing ideas or not enough. When you don’t have time to write, ideas come hurtling out of nowhere. Sometimes they come so fast, you can’t even write them all down. But when you sit down, stretch your fingers, and lean over your keyboard to start typing, nothing…Read More
23 Fiction Writing Ideas That Will Revitalize Your Story
Sometimes our fiction writing projects dry up. The characters turn out flat, the plot feels formulaic, and the story suddenly seems lackluster. This is when a lot of writers give up and file their half-finished manuscripts into a bottom drawer never to be seen again. What a waste of time and energy. Before giving up…Read More
20 Fun and Inspiring Character Writing Ideas
Creating a realistic character is one of the most difficult challenges in writing a piece of fiction. We’ve all read stories in which the characters were dull or hollow; they come across like clones of the same characters we’ve met in dozens of stories before. Readers want characters who are as unique and complex as…Read More
Storytelling: The Elements of Plot
Good storytelling includes many elements that a writer must consider. Plot and character are foremost among these elements, and for literary writers, language is high on the list as well. Some writers start with nothing more than a few key characters and let the plot develop by exploring those characters’ actions. Others practice careful and…Read More
Writing Resources: No Plot? No Problem!
This post contains affiliate links that earn commissions for this website from qualifying purchases. There are a million ways to approach writing a novel. You can outline your plot. You can create a series of scenes and use note cards to organize them. You can use a tried and proven formula from any number of…Read More
