Tag: writing advice
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10 Tips for Writing Captivating Stories
Capturing a reader’s attention is the goal for many writers. You want them to read and enjoy what you’ve written, but how do you know if you’ve succeeded until the book is out there? Beta readers are the first step, of course. They read your book while you’re still in the editing/rewriting stage, so they…
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10 Tips for Fantasy Writers
Fantasy is a genre that’s always amazing to read. How crazy is it that a simple block of paper can transport us to a whole other world? You may even want to write your own fantasy story, to build your own world set in the ancient past or the distant future. If you are, here…
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Spelling: Capitals
To capitalize or not to capitalize? The answer isn’t as philosophical as to be or not to be. In other languages, capitalization rules can vary drastically, but the rules for English are, I’ve found, fairly straightforward. Beginning of a Sentence Capitalize the first word of every sentence. *Note: dialogue tags do not count as their…
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Writing Compelling Villains
Stories always have antagonists, someone (or something) who opposes the main character. However, they don’t always have a villain. But what’s the difference? And, if you’re writing a story with a villain, how do you write them to the best of your ability? What is a Villain? First, what is an antagonist? Defined, an antagonist…
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What is a First Draft?
You probably already know this; a first draft is the first completed manuscript of a book, what’s done before the editing process begins. Simple, right? Well, I’m about to go further into detail. Firstly, the biggest mistake writers can make is trying to make their first draft perfect. Do not do this. It is impossible.…
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Punctuation: Parentheses
Definition: a punctuation mark; a pair of round brackets ( ) used to mark off a parenthetical word or phrase. Note: Do not rely on grammar or spelling checkers to identify missing or misused punctuation. Although a checker may flag possibly missing or incorrect marks, it cannot do much else. While I still recommend using…
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Dragons in Fiction
Dragons and dragon-like beings permeate history and culture across the world. From the typical European interpretation to their Asian cousins, to Africa and Central America and the Middle East. They differ vastly from one another and go by different names, but they are all, inherently, mythological and majestic creatures. [A handy chart highlighting some of…
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Writing Good Characters
Let’s face it: writing characters is hard. Writing good characters is even harder. But it’s possible. I won’t be able to give you a step-by-step guide of writing good characters, but this article will help shine a light on how you can improve your understanding of people—fictional or not. What Makes a Good Character? In…
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Pixar’s 22 Storytelling Rules
Originally tweeted by Emma Coats, Pixar’s Story Artist, the 22 rules of storytelling are great advice for any author to follow, and I believe they are a staple in how Pixar continues to tell such relatable and heartwarming stories over the years. Some are more useful than others. Remember, you don’t have to use all…