Scary. Freakin’. Fish. That is all. Move along.
Some names stick with us.
Bridget Jones, Holden Caulfield, Nero Wolfe — these names are all indelibly stamped into our literary consciousness.
Those names are evocative. Memorable. Unique.
Some writers are incredibly good at coming up with names.
I am not one of them.
with Yours Truly
I’m always happy to answer questions from aspiring authors. This week, I got some tricky ones:
Q: How do you know when to end one chapter and start the next chapter?
A: You end a chapter as soon as the lead character either achieves their goal or fails.
The best place to end a chapter is immediately after you raise a new question in the reader’s mind. The desire to answer that question will make them turn the page. Continue reading
All the proceeds of this fundraiser will go to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute. You can help!
You can win 50 pages of intense story development editing in the Brenda Novak diabetes auction:
http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=3405168
Find out how you can get my undivided attention and advice for a full 50 pages.
Plus, you’ll get a personal 20 minute follow-up phone call to talk about your book, answer your questions, and learn more about how to get published.
What if you could prove your ex was framed for murder?
The fine folks over at FreshFiction.com invited me to do a guest post about The Spider Thief series, and I’m happy to oblige! –L.
Pop quiz: Do authors really imagine complex characters from the ground up, with mysterious backstories and intricately detailed biographies? Or do they just make everything up as they go along?
(Or do they create thinly-veiled versions of their friends and family, and torture them vicariously on the page?)
Click here to read the rest on FreshFiction.com >>
Outlining a novel is kind of like building a wall — one brick at a time. Flying monkeys optional.
Getting overwhelmed at the prospect of starting (or finishing) your novel? Feeling the pressure of hundreds of blank pages staring at you, waiting to be filled?
No sweat. Planning out a story is like building a wall:
You just do it one block at a time.
Just like a towering brick wall is made up of individual bricks, your manuscript is made up of individual parts.
You just have to break it down into small, easy-to-handle chunks, and then build it up from there. Here’s how.
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| Hear me now and believe me later: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rules of success can help you write a novel. |
What could Arnold Schwarzenegger possibly teach you about writing a novel?
A lot, as it turns out.
Schwarzenegger likes to talk about his “6 Rules of Success”. Believe it or not, these rules just might hold the key to your success as a writer. Continue reading
By Laurence MacNaughton
Dear Laurence: What do I need to know beforehand in order to write a novel? I’ve been told by several different people that an author has to have a character outline (with a biography, as if he or she was a real living person), then a story outline, and I don’t know what all else… Continue reading
By Laurence MacNaughton
Dear Laurence: I recently got a request for pages from an agent that I pitched to at a conference. At the same time, I had also submitted my query to a workshop, and that editor emailed me and requested pages, too. I didn’t realize I would get this kind of response, so I was caught unprepared. What do I do? Continue reading
Got a scene in your novel where a group of characters argue and discuss, but no matter how important the subject is, somehow the tension falls flat?
You can fix this scene, and I’ll tell you the trick right up front: get rid of some of your characters. Why? Continue reading
Hate outlining? You’re not alone. Tomorrow (9/8/12), I’ll be teaching Instant Plot at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers conference. Here’s what’s in store: Continue reading
Her best customer is on fire, and a magic carpet is careening out of control. Can Dru save her friends—before it’s too late? FREE with author newsletter.
Can Dru solve a cryptic riddle, stop an angry Chinese spirit, and resist heaps of amazingly tasty dumplings – before an evil army of fiends conquers the world? Amazon
When a handsome mechanic with glowing red eyes pulls up in a possessed black muscle car, Dru’s world is turned upside down. Can her magic save the world—before his curse destroys it? Amazon
Sorcerers are disappearing off the streets. Greyson is missing. Hellbringer is on the loose. Can Dru stop the prophecy before legions of undead rise to consume the souls of everyone on Earth? Amazon
Can Dru save Greyson’s soul, salvage her friendships, and find the apocalypse scroll in time to stop doomsday? Amazon
Can Dru escape seven soul-devouring wraiths and safeguard the apocalypse scroll forever—before the undead break the seventh seal? Amazon
Surrounded by criminals, can a con artist with a heart of gold find an ancient spider before it steals his memories — and his life? Amazon
When supernatural evil stalks the noir streets of 1947 New York, private detective Jazzy St. Clare is on the case. Ancient curses, dark sorcery and bloodthirsty fangs are no match for Jazzy’s killer wit and panache.
Laurence MacNaughton is the award-winning author of more than a dozen novels, novellas, and short stories. His work has been praised by Booklist, Publishers Weekly, RT Book Reviews, Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews. He lives in Colorado with his wife and too many classic cars.
