Storyville: Pacing and Depth in Short Fiction vs. Novels
Thoughts on the differences between novels and short stories, specifically when it comes to pacing and depth.
What Reviewing Nonfiction Taught Me About Writing Fiction
Reviewing nonfiction taught me a few tricks that helped improve my approach to writing fiction.
Storyville: Living Vicariously Through Our Fiction
Some thoughts on how and why we live through our stories and protagonists.
5 Unconventional Methods of Writing a Story
Instead of surrendering to writer's block, give these ideas a try.
Storyville: Method Writing
What is method writing, and how can it help breathe authenticity into your work?
Dialogue: The Number One Mistake Newbie Writers Make
There's no lack of online advice about how to write dialogue in fiction. But there’s one issue I see over and over in the dialogue of newbie writers, and I have yet to find one post that tackles it.
So You Want To Write About The Cold
By Peter Derk
Want to make a reader shiver? Here are a few tips.
Storyville: Horror Story vs. Horror Novel
How do you know if your horror project is a story, novella, or novel? Some quick tips.
Anatomy of a Mini Flash Novel Experiment: Angel Dust
By Alex Behr
"Planet Grim" Author Alex Behr turns prompts into experimental prose.
Avoiding Stereotypes When Writing Place (Even If That Place Is Home)
Knowing your setting doesn't mean you'll avoid stereotyping it.
The World in the Skull: A Story’s Environment
By Jeff Noon
Part 9 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.
Storyville: Leaving Room for the Reader in Your Fiction
Thoughts and advice on how to leave room for your readers when writing fiction.
Five Storytelling Tips I Learned from Watching 'The Bachelor'
Five examples of how reality TV Shows 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' showed me how to write better stories.
The Architecture of Fantasy: How Authors Use Real Places To Build Imaginary Ones
Sometimes our world and others overlap, like the center of a Venn diagram. These new worlds that still retain vestiges of our own offer a unique angle; they allow the author to make comparisons.
Writing the Unknown Setting: 8 Tips on Conducting a Research Trip for your WIP
What happens if you need to set a story in a place you've never seen? Melissa F. Olson, author of the Boundary Magic series, walks you through how to plan a location research trip.
Writing 'The Other'
When does writing about The Other stop being an exercise in understanding and become something exploitative?
It's Made Of SCIENCE: Aliens
Everything you need to know about aliens, the biological definition of life, and SCIENCE!
Storyville: Dissecting "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates
In:
Character, Joyce Carol Oates, Literary Devices, Plot, POV, Research, Setting, Short Stories, Storyville, Structure
One of the most talked about, published and taught stories, I dissect "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates.
Storyville: Fiction As Film—Writing Scenes That Are Visual
How can your fiction be as visual and engrossing as a film? Here are some suggestions.
Storyville: 15 Unconventional Story Methods
Here are 15 unconventional methods of telling a story. Why not stretch yourself?
On Writer's Constipation, The Sophomore Slump and Zombies
By Dana Fredsti
Author Dana Fredsti talks about the trials and tribulations of writing the sequel to her hit book, 'Plague Town,' and all the anxiety and lessons that came with it.
Storyville: Dissecting "Fireflies"
In:
Analysis, Character, Dissection, Plot, POV, Research, Setting, Short Stories, Storyville, Structure
Dissecting my story, "Fireflies," I shine a light on my first attempt at magical realism — craft, process, and structure.
Bringing the Lie to Life: What Your First Two Pages Can Tell You
Using particular details brings your lie to life.
