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Since the start of fiction, we’ve seen ourselves in animals, Gods and monsters and used them to populate fantastical worlds in which we’re happy to get lost. Sometimes, the best way to explore an idea is to do so using non-human characters, and sometimes it’s just enjoyable to invent and enjoy beings that never were. Often, non-humans are used to make us really think about what it is to be …
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Story filler is unnecessary text that might come between two scenes that move the plot forward. It can take the form of a sentence, a paragraph, dialogue (both internal and external) or even a whole chapter. Now, when I say “unnecessary” I mean that if you were to take out that piece of writing, the story would not lose continuity and the reader wouldn’t be confused. Whilst there mostly seems …
[Read more...] about What Is Story Filler And How Much Is Necessary?
Every character, location and event in a story needs to be introduced and explained to an audience. Every relevant detail has to be explained, and that explanation is the element of a story which enchants a reader more than any other. It is the essence of storytelling. The way you explain the details of your story is vital to building and maintaining a satisfied readership, but often what you …
[Read more...] about Are You Killing Your Book With Too Much Detail And Explanation?
We’re constantly updating our articles to bring you the best advice on writing, editing, publishing, and marketing your book. This article was originally published on January 21st, 2014. Fight scenes are the single hardest character interaction to write. Many authors who know their craft in every other respect can’t write a fight scene to save their (or their hero’s) life. Happily, there are a …
[Read more...] about 7 Ways To Write A Damn Good Fight Scene (UPDATED AND IMPROVED)
You’ve put yourself out there, produced something you’re proud of, and with a few lousy words and a low star rating, all that confidence is turned on its head. But fear not: you’re not the first author to receive bad book reviews and luckily, those who have gone before have shared their thoughts on bad reviews and what they really mean. 1. Not everyone is going to like it This is the kind of …
[Read more...] about Seven Truths To Combat Bad Book Reviews
Characters are the heart of a story, the engine that drives them and the feature which sticks longest in the reader’s mind. As with any powerful device, it’s important to control your use of characters. One absorbing character is iconic, three is brilliant, five could leave room for nothing else. So how many characters should be in your story? While there can be no definitive number, there …
[Read more...] about How Many Characters Should A Novel Have?
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