A Screenwriter Wins at Prose Fiction Writing
I wrote my million words of crap blissfully unaware of the “rules.” [My novella] was the first piece of writing I actually submitted to a
David Farland
June 27, 2016
David Farland: Story Doctor Writing Tips
Recent Writing Tips
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
David Farland
June 24, 2016
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
David Farland
June 21, 2016
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
David Farland
June 16, 2016
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
David Farland
June 9, 2016
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
David Farland
June 8, 2016
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,
David Farland
June 2, 2016
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 7: The Lifesaver
I knew that the second book in my Serpent Catch series was doomed. There were three indicators. The first was that my publisher had been
David Farland
May 31, 2016
Provide Your Own Inspiration
Once in a panel, I was asked, “Who inspired you to become a writer.” I’ve been asked that question many times before, so I knew the
David Farland
May 27, 2016
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 6: Round Two
I felt gratified that my first novel was well received, but I discovered that no matter how well you think things through with a novel,
David Farland
May 25, 2016
Writers of the Future Contest and Anthology
UPDATE AUGUST 2020: The anthology is still doing very well, here is the latest from this year: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future
David Farland
May 23, 2016
Character Traits
As we read stories, we are constantly making judgments. We may admire an author’s style, even as we are annoyed by a plot twist that
David Farland
May 20, 2016
Writing a Bestselling Series, Chapter 5: Taking the Challenge
When I got my first writing contract from Bantam Books, I had two problems. One was my health. I was still fighting off my chronic
David Farland
May 18, 2016
A Writer’s Guide to Stalking Opportunity
My arm shook over the mouse button in apprehension. A single shot, a single click, was all I had to turn this hard-sought opportunity into
David Farland
May 16, 2016
Last Call for Phoenix Workshop + Today’s Tip
Before we get to today’s writing tip, just a quick note that my Phoenix writing workshop is next weekend, and this is your last chance to
David Farland
May 13, 2016
