A Madman Scattering Dust: Time as a Theme
By Jeff Noon
In:
Theme
Part 4 of Jeff's 6 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
Return of the Son of Twilight Zone: Dusk as a Theme
By Jeff Noon
In:
Theme
Part 3 of Jeff's 6 part series on the writing of his new novel, "A Man of Shadows."
How to Take Edits 101
In:
Rewriting
I explain what editing is (it's not just proofreading!) and how to take edits.
A Head Full of Tropes: Finding New Life in Dead Ideas
In:
Theme
Some horror tropes refuse to die. And that's a good thing.
Storyville: Young Protagonists—MG vs. YA vs. Adult
Some advice for writing young protagonists for Middle Grade, YA, and adult fiction.
Inspiration vs. Influence: Using What We Know
In:
Research
A discussion of how writers take, steal and borrow content, and why.
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: The Proper Use of Violence in Fiction
Violence in fiction—when to use it, and when to avoid it.
Cannibalizing Yourself: 9 Reasons You Should Mine Your Life for Ideas
In:
Research
Strange experiences, new situations, and faraway galaxies are all great, but sometimes looking inside yourself and revisiting your memories is the best thing you can do for your writing.
Storyville: Avoiding Purple Prose in Your Fiction
How to avoid writing purple prose.
Storyville: Adding Diversity to Your Fiction
Some tips on how to be more inclusive in your writing.
The Leftovers Pilot: Television Turns Literary
In:
Literary Devices
The Leftovers pilot is packed with literary flourishes that carry throughout the entire series. Fred Venturini breaks down the techniques that power one of the best shows on television.
Storyville: Are You Unique or Just Difficult with Your Fiction?
Make sure you're not being difficult and vague when trying to write unique stories. Here are some tips.
These 4 Popular Reading Spots Are Actually Awful
In:
Character
Your favorite place to read is probably terrible.
Want a Masterclass in Character Development? Better Call Saul!
In:
Character
Better Call Saul's pilot, "Uno," focuses on building characters in surprising and patient ways, emphasizing the creation of curiosity over providing the audience with exposition.
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.
Writing the Crime Scene: Mental Illness
By Repo Kempt
In:
Research
Psychopathic kilers, depressed cops and neurotic detectives. Mental illness is a recurring staple of crime fiction. Here's a guide to doing your research and getting the details right.
Storyville: Writing Compelling Dust Jacket Copy
Tips for writing compelling dust jacket copy that makes the back of your book sing.
The Five Be's to Being a Better Beta Buddy
By Leah Rhyne
In:
Rewriting
Want to give a friend a beta read? Want to actually be GOOD at it? Read on for some tips!
Storyville: Leaving Room for the Reader in Your Fiction
Thoughts and advice on how to leave room for your readers when writing fiction.
Storyville: Great Titles—Hooking Your Readers
In:
Theme
Some ideas on how to hook your readers with your titles.
Comics And Comics Movies Need Good Villains
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
Where have all the villains gone?
Story Structure: The Magic Bullet that Nearly Killed Me
In:
Plot
Matthew Quirk, author of the newly-released 'Dead Man Switch,' talks about the secret code of storytelling he learned from screenwriting.
Five Storytelling Tips I Learned from Watching 'The Bachelor'
In:
Setting
Five examples of how reality TV Shows 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' showed me how to write better stories.
