Any suggestions for writing a book series? Do’s and Don’ts, etc.—Lyn South Here we’re probably talking about genre, because it’s all but impossible to create a series without categorizing it in a genre so booksellers can point readers in the right direction when they come in looking for book two… Read more“Writing series fiction”
Month: May 2010
Remembering Barbara Robinson
Hi, guys. I got a letter this afternoon from an aunt I haven’t talked to in years, telling me her cousin—whom I’ve been close to for a very long time, but hadn’t traded email with since last summer—died suddenly last week, after a whirlwind bout of lung cancer that I… Read more“Remembering Barbara Robinson”
Seeing the end of revision
Well, how much do you revise before you consider a piece finished? Best—@sandraslad Oh, gosh. Infinitely? Unto the ends of the earth? Until you’re dead? And then you can be like Monte Python’s plague victims: “‘Not dead yet!” “Yes, you are.” I’ve been asked this before, and the straight-forward answer… Read more“Seeing the end of revision”
Selling mechanical or artistic literature in today’s market
To some, writing is a skill. To others, it’s intuitive. I’ve been reading of late a small controversy brewing over the mechanical writer vs. the artistic. I believe that there is a place in this world for both, but my question is which technique does better in the general fiction… Read more“Selling mechanical or artistic literature in today’s market”
Choosing your significant details
I have a very active imagination and whenever I imagine a story I become quickly aware of a ridiculous amount of details about the plot and the characters. Very often—especially with short stories— I start with an idea that I believe is quite strong in its own right. However, if… Read more“Choosing your significant details”
8 Ways Your Story Needs to be Tweaked
Your characters need to be more distinct from each other. We all have different personalities out here. We want to identify with one character. If you make us look less-than-unique, we will get bored and decide you don’t understand us. Your plot needs to be more solidly structured. Cause. And… Read more“8 Ways Your Story Needs to be Tweaked”
Transcending the evil twin meme
I hate, hate, HATE the Evil Twin Meme. The point is not for one to defeat the other, but for them to unite to fight the real bad guys. How do I avoid making this completely trite?—Iapetus999 For those of you who’ve been following this advice column since the beginning,… Read more“Transcending the evil twin meme”
Differentiating between exposition in fiction & film
Is there an equivalent to exposition in film?—@akimoku In scriptwriting, exposition is described as “Act II stuff,” more than a quarter of the way in. Exposition as backstory in film, often flashback scene (dreams, memories, etc.) In film, it’s sometimes dialogue, but usually action. Someone finds a old news clipping,… Read more“Differentiating between exposition in fiction & film”
Differentiating between exposition & character experience
Re: 3rd person: what is the difference between 1st person telling us their feelings and 3rd person feeling etc (both expos?)—@AidanFritz What (if any) is the relationship between interior monologue and exposition?—@destigarribia Are there certain POVs that lend themselves to use of exposition more than other, as in exposition that… Read more“Differentiating between exposition & character experience”
Differentiating between exposition & dialog
Pointing out during an exposition can be done via a dialogue or whatever?—@so_you_know In 3rd person, is there the same leeway for expository dialogue? Still characters talking, feels different—@Wiswell Now, there are three levels of specific perspective you can employ in telling a story: dialog (“She said that?” Yes, she… Read more“Differentiating between exposition & dialog”