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There are as many types of antagonist as there are protagonist – a villain for every hero (maybe more than one). We’ve talked before about how to write sympathetic antagonists, how to write villains that your reader trusts, and even how to write a story with no antagonist at all, but what about when you want your protagonist to face-off against a genuinely likable character? How do you write hero …
[Read more...] about Readers Love ‘Hero vs. Hero’ – Find Out Why
It’s time-honored advice that authors can learn as much – if not more – from badly told stories than from works of genius. Good writing, after all, is idiosyncratic; there’s only so much you can learn from Twain or Hemingway before you’re simply learning their style, whereas poor writers highlight the pitfalls you might tumble into when honing your own voice and crafting your own narratives. I …
[Read more...] about What A Blacksmith Knows About How To Fix Your Story
Good communication is the secret to a successful relationship. Why? Because it prevents drama and solves problems before hard feelings manifest as conflict – that’s why it has absolutely no place in your story. Well, we’ve wrapped things up quicker than usual, but that’s no crime. Let me know in the comments whether you think characters are more interesting when their communication is strained, …
[Read more...] about Are Your Characters Talking At Cross-Purposes? Why Not?
Time – the fourth dimension, and one over which an author possesses complete control. Like every aspect of a story, the way in which time passes is completely in the author’s hands. That I’m suggesting this is noteworthy may surprise you – you may think that time just happens as you write – but it’s an ability on which many authors fail to capitalize, and that’s frequently to the detriment of …
[Read more...] about Passing Time Is The Secret To Improving Your Story
An anticlimactic ending is a particularly nasty thing to happen to an author. It’s a toxic little addition to a story that can turn the whole thing to sludge – in fact, in many cases it even grows stronger when the rest of the story is great, turning the reader’s stored excitement into lasting disappointment. Worse still, the fallout of an anticlimactic ending isn’t even reserved to one story; it …
[Read more...] about Scared Of The Anticlimactic Ending? Here’s How To Kick It To The Curb
There’s a secret to writing strong characters. It’s not about perfect dialogue, vivid description, or stirring emotion. Those are all important, but the most essential ingredient in making a character feel alive is an author’s insight into human nature. Without that, you’ll gravitate to stock characters and melodrama. Why do people do what they do? Why are their motives so often hidden and …
[Read more...] about Not Sure How To Make Your Characters Come Alive?
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