Dialogue is an important part of books—whether it’s lighthearted banter revealing character or stoic words hiding real feelings. Characters must sound real and yet talk in a way that conveys their feelings, thoughts and moves the story along—and the truth is, that can often be at odds!
How do...
Many writers in publishing have made their way from the world of fan fiction, either as readers or writers. What does fan fiction get right – why does it hold so much attention and what can writers learn from its creation, its tropes, its emotional power and its passion?
We will take a...
Tropes are both the building blocks of our writing and the magical potion that can take “been there, read that” to “omgincomprehensablewordsofhappy.” How do we take something that’s been done before and make it our own?
First, we need to work out why certain tropes attract readers and what...
Some people are angst junkies. They like their stories chock full of heart-ripping drama and trauma. Others like their angst just a delicate sprinkling on their story, nothing too intense. What do these two extremes have in common? Angst (at whatever level) only works when it fits your...
An emotional arc is the journey that a character’s emotional state of mind undertakes during a scene. A typical emotional arc has a beginning in which the character is feeling a certain way, an end in which their emotional state of mind has undergone a change, and a turning point that triggers...
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