Five Things to Keep in Mind for a Great Opening
The first line. The first paragraph. The first page. The first chapter. They all matter. A lot. Here are some things you should keep in mind to get them right.
Be Childish Because It’s Robert McCloskey’s Birthday
Timeless literature begins with the youngest readers.
Reality in Fiction: The Invisible Signature of Your Favorite Authors
The role of real events in fictional stories is an unavoidable aspect of an author's signature voice—and even the authors themselves don't know where the line between the two is drawn.
Storyville: Method Writing
What is method writing, and how can it help breathe authenticity into your work?
Taking the Stage: How Storytellers Saved My Ambition to Write
The story of how I fell into a hole with my writing career, and the strategy I developed to climb back out.
Moods in White, Black and Grey: Finding a Style
By Jeff Noon
Part 7 of Jeff's 10 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Storyville: The Proper Use of Violence in Fiction
Violence in fiction—when to use it, and when to avoid it.
Storyville: Leaving Room for the Reader in Your Fiction
Thoughts and advice on how to leave room for your readers when writing fiction.
Storyville: Six Dark Contemporary Films That Can Inspire Your Fiction
Here are some of my favorite recent films, and ways they can inform and inspire your writing.
One Word Leads To The Next: Unconventional Conjunctive Devices
In:
Choruses, conjunctions, Fight Club, Invisible Monsters, Literary Devices, rhymes, Vocabulary, Voice
An essay that explores unconventional conjunctive devices and how they can link a story together, making it more like a song or piece of music.
Storyville: Making Relationships Feel Real in Your Fiction
Some tips on how to make your fictional relationship feel real.
Storyville: Love Instead of Death—Writing With Heart
Replace death with love, in your writing, and see what happens.
Consider This: Coping
In this first of a series of new craft essays, Chuck Palahniuk displays a method for helping your characters cope against dramatic situations. He also delves into the language of singing, mantras and the importance of a good scream.
Storyville: Three Essential Books On Writing
In:
Character, Craft, Dialogue, Jeff VanderMeer, Plot, Stephen King, Storyville, Structure, Theme, Voice
Three essential books on writing by Stephen King, Donald Maas and Jeff VanderMeer.
Screenwriting: Speed Dating The First Five Pages
A screenplay should always have the reader at 'Hello'. Find out how techniques developed chatting up strangers at speed dating events can make your first five pages sing.
Nuts and Bolts: Saying It Wrong
Great writers like Mark Richard and Amy Hempel re-invent the world, partly by re-inventing the language. In this essay, Chuck introduces you to the mysteries of "Burnt Tongue," and its three principal uses.
Storyville: 10 Hot, Emerging, and Underappreciated Genres
Looking for something new to write? Here are ten hot, emerging, and underappreciated genres.
Storyville: Supernatural and Speculative Fiction—Getting Weird Without Losing Your Audience
Supernatural and speculative fiction—getting weird without losing your audience.
