Finding Courage
A good friend of mine wrote five novels before he got the courage to submit one to a publisher. (It was a great book, and it became a bestseller!) A young author I met on a panel once was shaking when she sat down. I asked if she was all right, and she said, “I’m afraid […]
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 11: Taking the Plunge
From the time that I was a teen, I’d wanted to write a fantasy series. In fact, my first two attempts at fiction writing were both fantasy novels, but as I got into college I began writing other things—literary fiction, poetry, science fiction, non-fiction. Ten years after winning the grand prize in the Writers of […]
Dream Sequences
Most editors will warn you against writing too many dream sequences. The problems in writing about dreams are multitudinous. Very often, a new author will write an opening to a story and feel that it is dull, so he or she will spice it up by putting in an action scene—and then have the character […]
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 10: Agents, Editors, and Writers
Most new writers dream of getting a high-powered agent and editor, and as a new author I was no different. As an older writer, I’m a bit more skeptical. I got my first agent fairly easily. After winning the Writers of the Future Contest and having the award ceremony atop the World Trade Center in […]
Telescoping
One book that I frequently recommend for writers is Orson Scott Card’s Characters and Viewpoint. I do it for a number of reasons. First, Scott looks at such issues as whether to write a novel in first person, second, or third; he also look at past, present, and future tense, and comes to the conclusion […]
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 9: Writing Fun
Many authors, when they “get serious” about writing, discover that their attitude will suck all of the fun out of their work, and it shows in their prose. A novelist who isn’t having fun will tend to write beautifully and powerfully, but may go an entire novel without cracking a joke, without displaying a sense […]
Eliminating On-The-Nose Dialogue
Today’s writing tip comes from Alex Bloom, the founder of Script Reader Pro, a screenplay consultancy and blog based in Los Angeles dedicated to helping aspiring and working screenwriters. Whether or not you are a screenwriter, Alex’s writing tip applies to narrative writing too. Eliminating On-The-Nose Dialogue Have you ever received script coverage back on a […]
Defying the Reader’s Expectations
Imagine this: you pick up a story and begin reading only to discover that the story seems to be about you. The main character has your name. He repeats all of your favorite phrases. His friends are all people that you know, and the story seems to be drawn from your life. In fact, as […]
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 8: Making Connections
While my early novels were all bestsellers on the science fiction lists, hitting the New York Times bestseller list was another matter entirely. With each novel that you write, you’ll find that you make new business and personal connections with people. You need to be prepared for that. For example, when my first novel came […]
How to End a Novel Well
Today, I want to talk about the ending of your novel or short story. Most new writers don’t have a problem ending their story. After all, if you’re working on a large novel and you’ve spent a year or two of your life working toward the ending, the chances are excellent that you’ve had a long […]