Storyville: Breaking Hearts
In:
Character
In order to break a reader's heart, you first must get them to care.
This is Not a Checklist: How to Write a Story
Some things to have taken into consideration while writing your story. Not rules, just after-the-fact guidelines.
Storyville: Researching The Best American Short Stories Anthology
In:
Research
When you are looking to do research on literary short fiction, start with the Best American Short Stories anthology.
Watching out for Reiterations: Eliminating Redundancy in Your Writing
In:
Grammar
Like Sonny & Cher on February 2nd, redundancies in your writing are driving your readers crazy.
Info Dumps Aren't Evil
By Erik Wecks
In:
Plot
Writers are often told to avoid information dumps at all costs, but this can leave a story feeling clipped and lacking necessary description.
Kill Those Modifiers!
The overuse of adjectives and adverbs can ruin sentences and flatten descriptive passages.
Phraseology: Groups of Words with a Lot of Jobs
In:
Grammar
So I've bored you with lectures on sentences and clauses, now we'll talk about that other group of words-the phrase.
Bringing the Lie to Life: What Your First Two Pages Can Tell You
Using particular details brings your lie to life.
Storyville: Writing Dialogue
What is the function of dialogue, and how do you make it sing?
Screenwriting: Insert Woman Here - Sidestepping the Sausage Fest
In:
Cliche
Where are all the female characters in your screenplay? Why should you care about adding some? Where can you put them?
The Joys and Perils of Self-Fictionalization as Portrayed in Four Films - or - Why We Write
In:
Plot
Four movies that blur the line between artists and their art.
Five Plot Devices That Hurt Your Writing
In:
Plot
A list of common storytelling devices writers employ that usually cause far more harm than good.
Organic Word-Growing: Why You Should Keep the Shit in Your Writing
By Robbie Blair
In:
Rewriting
A look at how accepting the crap you write during early drafts can both accelerate the writing process and feed your story.
Storyville: Where to Send Your Stories
In:
Research
No idea where to send your writing? Consult this list of the most common genre markets, as well as Richard's BIG LIST, five years in the making.
10 Grammar & Usage-Related New Year’s Resolutions
In:
Grammar
So you swore off sugar in the new year, but did you resolve to stop using 'they' to refer to a single subject? You should. Here are 10 grammar and usage resolutions for 2013.
Dramatic Situation Vs. Dramatic Scene: Win the Fight Against Poor Form
In:
Plot
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 Stories We Never Need to See in Workshops Again
A list of the some of the most predictable, clichéd storylines that somehow continue to appear in fiction workshops again, and again, and again.
Ghostly Doppelgangers, Bell-Ringing Goblins, and More Cranky Old Rich Jerks: Get in the Holiday Spirit With Some Lesser Known Dickens
In:
Theme
Can't get enough Dickens at Christmas time? Check out his lesser-known holiday-themed works.
6 Ways You're Molesting Your Metaphors
By Robbie Blair
In:
Literary Devices
Including mixed metaphors, cliche metaphors, ambiguous implications, too close to literal, referencing outside the common experience, and over-extending your metaphors.
Storyville: Happy, Not Sappy
In:
Theme
It's not easy to write a happy story that is not melodramatic, but here are some tips on how to get there.
UPDATED WITH WINNER: Workout Your Brain: Write a Sonnet (& Win!)
In:
Poetry
Is your brain getting flabby from too much science fiction writing? Shake up your writing routine by trying out one of the oldest forms in the book. That's right--write a sonnet!
Why Netflix Makes You a Better Writer
By Robbie Blair
In:
Research
Today's world of online streaming technology provides a powerful learning environment for hopeful writers. This article explores ways Netflix can educate writers and why you should care.
10 Reasons Your Screenplay Sucks (and how to fix it)
What makes a reader hate a screenplay on sight? Here are 10 pet peeves - and fixes.
Writing Beyond the Good/Bad Character Dichotomy
In:
Character
Crafting unique characters is a delicate process. Here’s a few tips to help writers bring life and color to the people in their stories.
Etymological Evolution: 12 Words Altered By Historical Misuse
In:
Vocabulary
Does the widespread misuse of certain words get your goat? Well suck it up, because that's one of the ways the English language evolves.
