UPDATED WITH WINNER: LitReactor's Flash Fiction Smackdown: February Edition - Now, with New Rules!
New Rules: 25 words. 2 sentences.
This is Not a Checklist: How to Write a Story
In:
flashback, Info dumps, List, Narrator, Plot, POV, subtext, tense, unreliable narrator, world-building
Some things to have taken into consideration while writing your story. Not rules, just after-the-fact guidelines.
Info Dumps Aren't Evil
By Erik Wecks
Writers are often told to avoid information dumps at all costs, but this can leave a story feeling clipped and lacking necessary description.
The Joys and Perils of Self-Fictionalization as Portrayed in Four Films - or - Why We Write
Four movies that blur the line between artists and their art.
Five Plot Devices That Hurt Your Writing
A list of common storytelling devices writers employ that usually cause far more harm than good.
Dramatic Situation Vs. Dramatic Scene: Win the Fight Against Poor Form
There is a symbiotic "formal" relationship between situation and scene. A clearly defined dramatic-situation enhances the tension of your scenes, and more scenes ensure deeper exploration of premise.
10 Reasons Your Screenplay Sucks (and how to fix it)
In:
Character, Cliche, Dialogue, Grammar, INT/EXT, List, Plot, screenwriting, Syd Field, Top 10, Voice
What makes a reader hate a screenplay on sight? Here are 10 pet peeves - and fixes.
Storyville: Story Dissection - Maker of Flight
In:
Character, Character, Craft, editing, Plot, Plot, POV, POV, Setting, Setting, Short Stories, Storyville, Voice, Voice
Richard dissects another of his short stories, this time, the contest winning, "Maker of Flight."
Storyville: Narrative Hooks
In:
Character, Craft, Dialogue, Literary Devices, Narrative Hooks, Plot, POV, Setting, Storyville, Structure
Writing a great narrative hook isn't easy, but it's one way to grab your audience and never let them go.
Storyville: The Horror of Editing and Revision
In:
editing, fiction writing, Grammar, Plot, Revision, Rewriting, Storyville, Structure, Vocabulary, Workshop
It's been said that the difference between a good writer and a great writer is editing. So let's hop to it.
Storyville: Endings, Twisted and Otherwise
A beginning, a middle, and an end. Let's talk about the end. Make it resonate.
App-tacular: Writing on Phones, Smart Phones, and Tablets
In:
cell phone novels, facebook novels, Plot, twitter novels, writing apps, writing on smartphones, writing on tablets
We're moving on from the land of computers to writing on tablets and smart phones. Here are a few ways that writing is happening with these new implements.
Ten Obvious Truths About Fiction
Ten obvious truths about fiction and its relationship with your readers.
Short Shorts: Extremely brief prose forms plus LitReactor’s first Short Shorts Contest!
Learn all about how to write the shortest stories possible, plus enter your own 10 word/2 sentence short short for a chance to win some LitReactor swag. Short short = Win win!
Autobiographical Fiction: Using Your Real Life To Craft Great Fiction
When crafting fiction from your real life, tread lightly and follow these tips.
Storyville: Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Where do you get your ideas? Turns out, you can get them just about anywhere. But the best stories tap into your personal experiences and emotional truths.
Write What You Don’t Know
Of all the rules that apply to fiction writing, perhaps none is more misleading than the common, banal adage that you should “write what you know.”
The Changing Character
Does a character have to “change” during the course of a story? Do they have to evolve? Or can they continue behaving the same as always, even at the end of the narrative?
Putting An End To Plot Conveniences
Writers are often faced with the predicament of writing themselves into a plot corner. We know where our stories are supposed to go, but the plot becomes an impasse to resolution instead of a gateway.
That’s So Meta: Writing A Story About Writing A Story
In:
Cervantes, Craft, Dave Eggers, Don Quixote, Literary Devices, metafiction, Narrator, nonfiction, Plot, POV, Structure
When narrators escape--a discussion of metafiction.
The Art Of The Rewrite
A true rewrite is not just editing, proofing or copy-editing, but a complete re-imagining of the work. Here’s a four-part process to fortify writers with a successful re-writing plan that works.
When To Show, When To Tell
Maintaining action is paramount in fiction, but sooner or later we’ll need to deliver expository details for our stories to make sense. So, how do writers engage while providing character depth?
Write Characters In A Representation-Free Zone
Many writers eschew compelling characters in favor of mannequin tropes that serve as props for preexisting social messages, or characters a reader can “relate to.” Here’s why it’s always bad writing.
Don't Leave Me Hanging...
The ending is the most important part, and as a writer you should want to write a spectacular ending because, hey, you did a heck-of-a-lot of work on the beginning and middle parts.
An Exquisite Corpse: Tips for Brainstorming your National Novel Writing Month Plot
How to Generate plot ideas for your NaNoWriMo novel.
