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Resolving Your Story
The excitement in the plot is magnifying as the story reaches its climax. You’re at the pinnacle of your latest achievement. Now you have to resolve the story without letting it fall flat or, worse, carry on with additional tangents and innumerable epilogues. Face it,...
Where Does the Climax Fall?
I read somewhere that the beginning of the novel makes the sale, but the power of the climax sells the next. The climax is the pivotal point of the novel. It is the moment when the decisive event occurs, the turning point that all of...
The Curse of the -ly Words
She walked gingerly to the corner, sighing contentedly while avidly glancing around. She spoke softly, whispering wishfully. All the while, thinking succinctly about something else. Too many adverbs? You know, those -ly words that are supposed to add dimension to the description in a narrative passage...
The Value of Inventiveness
Inventiveness is defined as the quality of being creative. Inventiveness is not only important to every writer; it’s a virtue. Inventiveness is what makes a writer look at things from a different perspective. It’s what makes him formulate “what if” questions and draw a potential...
Onomatopoeic
Ahem! Do I have your attention? Ta-da! Now you see how easy it is. Grr! But sound words can still be frustrating and overused. So, how do we know when to use a sound word. You know what I mean: the onomatopoeic words that are the sound...
The Idea Thieves
I’ve had story ideas stolen. I’m sure we all have. But that shouldn’t be a reason to step back and avoid creative ideas. Perhaps what we should do is keep our ideas to ourselves. However, even that’s not a reliable protective barrier. Years ago, I...
Using Head Hopping in Fiction
Head-hopping can be a jarring experience for readers and can quickly turn an interesting novel into an unintelligible mess. Head-hopping refers to the act of quickly jumping from one character’s point of view to another, essentially occupying another headspace. This is usually intended to give...
Continuum and Writing in the Time Warp of Time Travel
Your story begins in the future or the past or the present and then jumps to another time. The character (or characters) remains the same while experience some sort of jump in time. The general consensus, particularly for those jumping into the past, is that...
Character Agreement
Developing an interesting character who seems believable and real can be a challenge for fiction writers. Part of good character development is consistency. An excellent plot with inconsistent characters can greatly diminish the reader’s experience. Exploring the character before writing the story can prevent a deviation...
Medical Inspirations: Chronic Hiccups
What would you do if you lived for ninety-seven years and over sixty of those were filled with almost constant hiccups? Would it drive you crazy? Would you go about life as if they weren’t happening? Would you spend your waking hours searching for a cure? As...