Structure
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The Elements of Fiction Every Author Needs to Know
There are certain core elements of every work of fiction, some principles you need to know to write a good story. In this article, we cover the most important elements of fiction.
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Putting the “I” in your novel–writing in first person
First person narrative is when you write using the words “I”, “us”, or “we”. It’s when your story is told through the eyes of one person and we spend time in their head, hearing their thoughts and seeing what they see.
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When Should You Use a Prologue in Your Book?
A prologue can be a powerful addition to your book... or completely ruin it for the reader. Use this article to figure out when you book should contain a prologue
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How to Write a Trilogy: The Definitive Guide
Writing a trilogy is no easy feat, nor is it like writing a book or serialized novels. In this complete guide, we break down everything you need to know to write your best trilogy.
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How Many Scenes Should Be In My Novel?
Part of the technical side of writing is figuring out how long your book should be. This includes understanding how many scenes should be in a novel, which is what we discuss in this article.
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How to Write a Sequel that Slays
Writing a sequel is an entirely different entity than writing the first book in a series. With a first book, you have all the newness and excitement of introducing fresh characters and settings. And while there is an entire canon of advice and articles dedicated to writing a book, most of that really applies to writing the first (or only) book in a series. Sequels come with their own set of challenges and rules. I wrote my first sequel last year after writing plenty of first books and it was definitely a different kind of beast to tackle.
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How Many Scenes in an Act? Don’t Overthink It.
There may not be one universal answer to how many scenes should be in an act. But this guide will help you find the right answer for your novel.
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How to End a Chapter and Get Readers Hooked on Your Book
Knowing how to end a chapter means knowing how to keep readers engaged and hungry for more. Power up your writing with these must-know tips and get inspired with 16 chapter-ending ideas.
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How to Write a Death Scene That's Meaningful
As writers, we have the power to both create and destroy our fictional characters. Sometimes characters die, and you want to make sure you're sending them off the right way. In this article, we dissect all the best ways to write a death scene.
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Three Steps to Write Chapter Outlines That Work
Great chapters start with great chapter outlines! In this article, we'll cover how to outline a chapter step by step.
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All About the Action: What is a Plot-Driven Story?
You’ve just finished a novel you couldn’t put down. The pacing was spot on and everything about it made you want to keep flipping the pages to find out what happens next. You’re going to be exhausted for work this morning and you really shouldn’t have stayed up until 3 am to find out if they found the killer. If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, then it’s probably because you were reading a plot-driven story. If you’ve ever considered writing a plot-driven story, you might be wondering what exactly that term means and what elements you need to write one. In this article, we’ll break that down and give you some tips for writing your own plot-driven book.
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Navigating the Roadway of Character-Driven versus Plot-Driven Novels
You’ve probably heard the terms plot-driven versus character-driven stories and maybe wondered what they mean. Like a lot of things in writing, it can be tricky to define because the lines between the two are often blurred. And what feels like a plot-driven story to one person might feel like a character-driven story to another. Which is all a little confusing. In the most basic terms, a plot-driven story is one where the plot moves the characters, while a character-driven story is one where the characters drive the plot. It sounds simple enough, and it kind of is, but also has a bit more to it than that. In this article, we’ll break it down a bit more.
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Oh, Hello There: How to Introduce a Character to Your Story
We talk a lot about character development and how to make those paper children of yours come to life so they leap off the page. It’s one of the fundamental aspects of a good story—without characters your reader can fall in love with, you don’t really have much of a story. But a potentially less common question is, how the heck do you go about introducing those fascinating characters? Maybe this seems obvious, or maybe it doesn’t. After all, there are numerous ways you can introduce them into your story that not only tell the reader they exist but also show who your character is. Sure, it can be as simple as walking on and saying “hello,” but it can also be a lot deeper than that.
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How to End Your Novel so They Come Back for More
There’s a lot of to-do about the opening of a story. I mean, writers probably have more practice starting stories as opposed to finishing them. Right? We also hear a lot about that pesky saggy middle when the excitement of the opening is long over and now you’re wondering what the heck you’re supposed to do with these characters. Sure, the opening, middle, and all the parts in between are important, but truly nailing the end of that book is where you’re going to create dedicated fans who are already begging for the next one. And if you want to make a career of this whole writing thing, you have to make sure you leave them wanting more.
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Starting Off With a Bang: Ideas for Writing an Inciting Incident
The inciting incident is the make-or-break moment for your story. It’s the catalyst for change. It’s the thing that sets your entire tale in motion. It’s the kick in the pants your protagonist needs to force a change in their lives they probably never saw coming. Novel openings are one of the hardest things to nail and you can’t do that without a compelling, disruptive, and logical inciting incident. But how do you create an inciting incident that will carry your whole story?
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How Many Scenes Should Be in a Chapter? This Many!
Can't get a clear answer on how many scenes should be in a chapter? Here's how to calculate the answer for your book.
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How Many Chapters Should I Cram Into My Book?
There's no easy way to determine how many chapters you should have in your book, but let's figure out how many will work for you.
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How to Start a Chapter
How to start a first chapter: include action, character, plot, emotion, and motivation or you’re going to lose your reader.