Is It Really Such A Bad Thing To Give The Audience What They Want?
Fan service is seen as a four-letter word, but that doesn't mean it's actually a curse.
Writing a Novel With Save the Cat!
By Cina Pelayo
The Cat has had its way with the screenplay, and now it has turned its sights on novels.
5 Lessons Fiction Writers Can Learn From Video Games
If you're a writer who likes games and needed an excuse to play more, here it is.
The Great Game of Balancing Character and Plot
It's no secret many "Game of Thrones" fans were disappointed in the final season. But what lessons can writers take away from it?
Improve Your Stories By Eliminating Agendas
By Joshua Isard
The agendas with which you approach your story might be holding the narrative back.
Dirty Little Secrets, Part Three: Why the Agent Requested—and Then Rejected—the Full
Good news: The agent requested the full! Bad news: The agent said, “Thanks but no thanks.”
10 Must-Know Tips For Outlining Your Novel
If you're struggling to get your novel off of the ground, an outline can potentially rescue you from all of your toils.
Engage Your Readers By Putting Them To Work
By Joshua Isard
As writers, then, we want to ask our readers to do the right kind of work, the kind that helps them engage with our stories as much as possible.
Storyville: Creating Tension in Your Fiction
How do you create tension in your fiction? Here are some tips.
Make Your Characters More Interesting With Lies
By Peter Derk
Ask yourself: When's the last time I had one of my characters tell a real whopper?
Storyville: Horror Story vs. Horror Novel
How do you know if your horror project is a story, novella, or novel? Some quick tips.
Through the Labyrinth: Plotting the Story
By Jeff Noon
Part 8 of Jeff's 10 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Brace Yourselves: A Breakdown of the Game of Thrones Pilot, "Winter is Coming"
The Game of Thrones pilot, "Winter is Coming," packs a sprawling, fantasy epic into a tight sixty-one minutes featuring distinct and interesting settings and characters.
Seeing the Page Like A Quarterback Sees the Field
Using football metaphors, I compare how being a successful QB is similar to being a good writer.
Story Structure: The Magic Bullet that Nearly Killed Me
Matthew Quirk, author of the newly-released 'Dead Man Switch,' talks about the secret code of storytelling he learned from screenwriting.
Open to Inspiration: How Your Own Family History Can Feed Your Fiction
By Alex Segura
Acclaimed crime/mystery novelist Alex Segura talks about finding inspiration for his next book in his own family's Cuban history.
Making A Murderer: How Good Storytelling Made It So Damn Compelling
By Peter Derk
In:
Character, documentary, Legal, Making A Murderer, Netflix, Plot, Steve Avery, Structure, Television, True Crime
'Making A Murderer' was a fascinating story, but good storytelling made it truly excellent.
Five Situations Horror Characters Get Themselves Into (and What Would Happen in Real Life)
Among the lessons you will learn: Karma's a bitch, don't piss off serial killers, and never under any circumstances enter a basement.
The Age of the Unoriginal Idea
In an era where every story is recycled, how do we as writers strive for originality?
Storyville: Writer’s Block—Where It Comes From, and How to Break Through
Information on where writer's block comes from, and how to fix it.
Brainstorm Your Next Novel with Fiasco - Part 2
We come back to our work in progress, ready to fill in some details about our fictional town and its inhabitants.
Abandoning Linearity and Enabling Shuffle Mode: How to Write Out of Sequence
By writing out of sequence, you no longer have to force yourself to write the boring bits. You are always writing the fun chapters. The scenes that remind you why you’re a writer in the first place.
