Tag: how to write
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Is Your Story Stuck? 5 Questions You Need to Ask
Are you writing a novel or story and feeling stuck? Do you have the sneaking suspicion that your story went off the rails somewhere? Not sure what to do with your characters? Don’t worry. You can fix practically any story problem just by asking yourself five simple questions: 1. Who’s really driving the action in…
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The Ultimate Guide to Character Motivation (Part 2)
Why do heroes and villains do what they do? In Part 1 of this article, we explored Greed, Revenge, and Acceptance, three of the most powerful motivations in literature. Now, let’s find out how you can you can create fascinating characters driven by the need for Identity, Love, or Survival. I is for Identity Who am…
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7 Keys to Creating Bloodcurdling Monsters
Science fiction, fantasy and horror stories are full of monsters. But one of the toughest jobs a writer has is coming up with creatures that are new and interesting. When I sat down to write my urban fantasy novel A Kiss Before Doomsday, I knew that the bad guys would be undead creatures. But today’s…
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4 Ways to Handle Foreign Languages in Fiction
When a character in your story speaks a foreign language, should you write it out in that language, or in English? How can you make the dialogue sound exotic without confusing the reader? These are tricky questions. Foreign languages can lend your characters and locations a more exotic flair, and even increase the dramatic tension…
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How Effective Is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro Technique is deceptively simple. Set a timer for half an hour or so, ignore all distractions, and focus on your work. On the surface, it seems far too simple to be effective. But it does work. Amazingly well. In fact, I can pinpoint the exact moment my novel-writing career took off a few…
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What Every Writer Should Know About Theme
Theme seems to be one of those angst-triggering bogeymen that writers constantly wrestle with. But when you examine it closely, there’s really nothing complicated about it. Theme is simply the lesson the main character learns over the course of the story. (Or, in the case of a tragic ending, the lesson they failed to learn.)…
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6 Best How-To Books for Writers
Countless best-selling authors have told me that in their early years, before they were published, they relentlessly studied the craft of writing. Consequently, I’ve had hundreds of writing books recommended to me. Here are the very best of them all, the books I always keep within arm’s reach of my writing desk. #1: Save the…
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One Simple Trick to Write Everything Better
What if there was one single trick that could help you write better, faster, and easier than ever before? What if that trick could help you organize your thoughts, get started sooner, and finish every writing project, from a blog post to a novel? There is such a trick. And as a full-time writer, I…
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6 Secrets of Science Fiction and Fantasy World Building
How do you, as a writer, build a new world that fascinates your readers, draws them in, and makes them want to come back for more? If you write fantasy, science fiction, or horror, you need to do your world building the right way. I’ve revealed the shortcuts and tips you should use — and…
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Why You Should Never Be Afraid to Write
One day, almost exactly 10 years ago, I walked into a bookstore in Hawaii and discovered something fascinating. It was an overly large magazine, with big glossy pages that flopped over in the humid air, and it was chock-full of articles on how to write. The magazine was called Writers’ Forum. It was from the…
LAURENCE MACNAUGHTON 