This page is the heart of the site, with many resource links below, as well as definitions.
True greatness is hard to define, but it's something we can feel. It's powerful, makes an impact, whether it is a strong emotion of poignancy, hearty laughter, revelation, haunting love of the characters, conceptual stimulation, bigger breaths, a sense of vivaciousness, or sensual excitement over the beauty of the sentences and sounds. It draws on the author's intelligence as deeply, or cleverly as possible to affect the reader palpably. Writing the piece often changes the author in ways he couldn't have foreseen at the beginning, and thus neither could the reader, who is also transformed. The reader sees something more clearly, is inspired to act, feels more ready to face her life, and her self.
You have to keep the reader in mind throughout the revision. However, depending on the topic, the process of writing the first draft, especially for Literary or Experimental Literature, often is most productive when you're playfully delving into your own mind without an agenda and surprising yourself.
Fresh language, surprising phrasing, avoidance of cliche and over-used phrases, vivid imagery, muscular sentences, attention to sound are all vital for great writing of any type. Show don't Tell. (Though telling is accepted in Flash Fiction if it follows the unique dynamics thought by thought of a fascinating narrative mind.) Earn the background description by making readers want to learn it because of an intriguing hook. Avoid expository prose as much as possible, especially near the beginning.
This page includes an extensive list of links that are useful resources for writers.
Follow me on Medium
You have to keep the reader in mind throughout the revision. However, depending on the topic, the process of writing the first draft, especially for Literary or Experimental Literature, often is most productive when you're playfully delving into your own mind without an agenda and surprising yourself.
Fresh language, surprising phrasing, avoidance of cliche and over-used phrases, vivid imagery, muscular sentences, attention to sound are all vital for great writing of any type. Show don't Tell. (Though telling is accepted in Flash Fiction if it follows the unique dynamics thought by thought of a fascinating narrative mind.) Earn the background description by making readers want to learn it because of an intriguing hook. Avoid expository prose as much as possible, especially near the beginning.
This page includes an extensive list of links that are useful resources for writers.
Follow me on Medium
Some of my articles on the craft of writing
Tantra Bensko's: Exercise Caution when Writing Backstory
Tantra Bensko's: Generating Meaning in a Narrative without Inducing Gagging
Tantra Bensko's: Break that Paragraph! Show No Mercy.
Tantra Bensko's: Write Unique Prose, Not Generic, OK?
TANTRA BENSKO'S: Experimental Writing Tip: Expanding the Notions of Character
TANTRA BENSKO'S: Writing Experimental Fiction: Leaving the Problem out of the Plot
TANTRA BENSKO'S: An Exercise in Writing Spiritually Expansive Fiction
Tantra Bensko's: The Slow Pace of David Lynch's Scenes
Tantra Bensko's: Micro-Obstacles VS Flow in Narrative
Lance Olsen
Basic Blunders
The Story Arc
Word Counts
The Social Sasspects of Making it as a Writer
Aspiring Authors Beware
Writers Beware
Literature's greatest opening paragraphs
Interview 728 – Jon Rappoport on Art, Consciousness and Reality
Storyville: 15 Unconventional Story Methods
Lit Journals for Your New Year’s Resolution
The Prisoner Puzzle
Fuck the Straight Line: How Story Rebels against Expectation
12 Signs Your Novel isn't Ready to Publish
Literary Magazine Submission Tips Submitted to Myself
Basic Blunders
The Story Arc
Word Counts
The Social Sasspects of Making it as a Writer
Aspiring Authors Beware
Writers Beware
Literature's greatest opening paragraphs
Interview 728 – Jon Rappoport on Art, Consciousness and Reality
Storyville: 15 Unconventional Story Methods
Lit Journals for Your New Year’s Resolution
The Prisoner Puzzle
Fuck the Straight Line: How Story Rebels against Expectation
12 Signs Your Novel isn't Ready to Publish
Literary Magazine Submission Tips Submitted to Myself
"The most solid advice for a writer is this, I think: Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep really to sleep. Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough.”
― William Saroyan |
Free checklist of Don'ts to keep handy on your own computer or print out, when assessing your fiction: |
checklist.doc | |
File Size: | 12 kb |
File Type: | doc |
And, here's my irreverent presentation to help you grasp and remember how to avoid comma splices. Please don't click through if you are sensitive to slightly naughty language and dubious references. Just click the arrows at the bottom to see all the thirty-two pages.
Useful Tips:
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Online Writing Academy on YouTube
“A good [short story] would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit.”
― David Sedaris
And at the most mundane level: The most common punctuation error I've seen is the comma splice. You can't string two complete sentences together with only a comma. If in doubt, read the first part and see if it stands along, and then read the next part, or parts, to test to see if it sounds complete. You can usually tell intuitively if it does. If so, consider using a period if you want a full stop, or a colon or semi-colon. "And" or "or" also work.
Best to carry mace when walking in alleys in the twilight, as they particularly are fond of semi-darkness. They pretend to be one thing, when they are really only one. You can't trust them. They have been twisted, scarred into improper behavior because of inevitably worrying in their youth that they might be subject to semi-colonoscopies, and they have a particular dread of those.
I see two common grammatical errors. One is: referring to a singular pronoun as "they." "I didn't see what the person looked like but they were wearing a vest." You have to pick "he" or "she" or say "he or she," or you can even make up a word if you like. But unless you are writing dialogue or in character, you need to do it grammatically or you distract readers.
The other: misusing the forms of lie and lay. You lie on the table, and when you get up, you have lain on the table. You lay on the table for awhile, but decided that was enough. // You lay a book on the desk. You have laid a book on the desk.// It's lain there for a long time where you laid it.
The hypothetical form is not expressed as "if I was" but "if I were." If you were going to the store, I would ask you to bring me a pen. If I were going, I would bring you one. If she were going, I wouldn't bother asking. If they were going, they would bring me the wrong thing as a prank. But I know no one is doing, so I'm just going to go to bed."
"The horse was walking along behind the other horse so close it seemed obvious it would get kicked in the head." This sentence implies that it did really happen, so "was" is the correct word.
Many people seem not to have noticed that around 1978, the rule of putting an extra space before a new sentence changed. Just one space is all you need, and otherwise, it is incorrect.
Punctuation in dialogue:
You probably know that what is spoken goes inside the quotation marks. Other parts of the same sentence go outside. Dialogue starts with a capital. Then when it's interrupted (he said) and dialogue begins again, it is not capitalized. "I see you," she said, "with my special powers. I can see through my nostrils." Only direct rather than reported dialogue goes in quotations.
Some people are unclear about these things, though: The comma goes inside the quotation marks. "I saw you," she said. There is a comma after attribution, before the quote. She said, "I saw you." All punctuation in the quoted dialogue, even question marks and exclamation marks, stay inside the quotation marks. "Your nostrils!" he said. That doesn't require the use of extra commas. A quote within a quote uses apostrophes.
When writing multiple paragraphs of dialogue spoken by one person, use quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph, but only at the end of the last one. Be sure to change paragraphs for each speaker.
David Mitchell's Soapbox on "couldn't care less" and "hold down the fort."
Best to carry mace when walking in alleys in the twilight, as they particularly are fond of semi-darkness. They pretend to be one thing, when they are really only one. You can't trust them. They have been twisted, scarred into improper behavior because of inevitably worrying in their youth that they might be subject to semi-colonoscopies, and they have a particular dread of those.
I see two common grammatical errors. One is: referring to a singular pronoun as "they." "I didn't see what the person looked like but they were wearing a vest." You have to pick "he" or "she" or say "he or she," or you can even make up a word if you like. But unless you are writing dialogue or in character, you need to do it grammatically or you distract readers.
The other: misusing the forms of lie and lay. You lie on the table, and when you get up, you have lain on the table. You lay on the table for awhile, but decided that was enough. // You lay a book on the desk. You have laid a book on the desk.// It's lain there for a long time where you laid it.
The hypothetical form is not expressed as "if I was" but "if I were." If you were going to the store, I would ask you to bring me a pen. If I were going, I would bring you one. If she were going, I wouldn't bother asking. If they were going, they would bring me the wrong thing as a prank. But I know no one is doing, so I'm just going to go to bed."
"The horse was walking along behind the other horse so close it seemed obvious it would get kicked in the head." This sentence implies that it did really happen, so "was" is the correct word.
Many people seem not to have noticed that around 1978, the rule of putting an extra space before a new sentence changed. Just one space is all you need, and otherwise, it is incorrect.
Punctuation in dialogue:
You probably know that what is spoken goes inside the quotation marks. Other parts of the same sentence go outside. Dialogue starts with a capital. Then when it's interrupted (he said) and dialogue begins again, it is not capitalized. "I see you," she said, "with my special powers. I can see through my nostrils." Only direct rather than reported dialogue goes in quotations.
Some people are unclear about these things, though: The comma goes inside the quotation marks. "I saw you," she said. There is a comma after attribution, before the quote. She said, "I saw you." All punctuation in the quoted dialogue, even question marks and exclamation marks, stay inside the quotation marks. "Your nostrils!" he said. That doesn't require the use of extra commas. A quote within a quote uses apostrophes.
When writing multiple paragraphs of dialogue spoken by one person, use quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph, but only at the end of the last one. Be sure to change paragraphs for each speaker.
David Mitchell's Soapbox on "couldn't care less" and "hold down the fort."
Q and A
What is a chapbook?
Chapbooks have been around throughout book publishing history. They are small-press, hand-made books. The most common page limit is 32 pages, but some go to 50. They are most often a collection of poems or stories, but can be a combination, or one long narrative, sometimes an excerpt of a novel. They go over best when they carry a common theme, or are organized obviously as one coherent work. Once an author has had pieces in magazines, they can then go in a chapbook, after the exclusive waiting period is up. Once pieces have been in chapbooks, they can go in longer books. However, the reverse of these statements is not the case. Chapbooks are not commonly used for non-fiction or genre fiction so much as in literary fiction. E-chapbooks online exist as well.
What is Flash Fiction?
Very short fiction is labeled Flash. Different editors make different world limits, the usual one being 1000 words, the next common being 750 However, once in awhile 2000 is allowed, though 1500 is more likely. Many consider 1 word to be the lowest count, while others begin it where nano and micro fiction leave off, which is also defined differently by a variety of editors. Rules of writing it are developing, but like any form of fiction, experimental styles have their place. Keeping action tight and linear, momentary, and simply told is the norm, and the paring down of extraneous words turns it into a heightened poetic piece in which each juxtaposition is meaningful. While showing rather than telling is the rule for longer fiction, that rule tends to reverse for Flash. Nano and Micro fiction tend to cut off at 500 but sometimes it's 250, and some ask for limits of 100.
What is a blurb?
That is a short quote within a book, usually on front or back cover, or beginning pages, by a well-known author, or reviewer, about the book.
How hard is it to get published in magazines?
Magazines take from .01 percent to 1 percent of what they are sent. Sometimes new, obscure, casual journals have a higher acceptance rate, but that is the average across the board.
What is Prosedy?
Poetic word-driven fiction that provides enjoyment of the experience of savoring the sound, word juxtapositions, timing, pacing and structural variety of sentences.
Is Experimental Fiction easier to write than regular fiction?
No, not as a general rule. Many people have the misunderstanding that it's anything goes, doesn't have to be understandable, can be just some mess they put on the page. It's not generally so self-indulgent, at least not if it's published with a reputable publisher, though valid styles include words arranged on the page, and words put together by chance. It's best if the author has understanding of the rules she is breaking, and the reason for doing so is clear. What urgent need to express something would require that particular author to bend the rules in that way in order to create something unique that engages readers in authentic ways?
Commercial Fiction vs Mainstream Fiction: are they the same thing? Is Literary Fiction entirely different from either? Is Commercial always Genre? Help!
Fiction is divided up into two kinds: Commercial and Literary.
Commercial Fiction aims for blockbuster mass appeal. It can include genre fiction, such as thriller, western, sci fi, fantasy, mystery, crime, noir, etc. It doesn't expect too much out of its readers' education, or in depth analysis of the hidden themes and motifs. It may be complex in plot, but is written simply, without too many subtle layers, and is action-driven.
Literary Fiction is written for a more obscure intellectual audience interested in reading outside the formulas, being thrilled by beautiful language, unique structure, ambitious explorations, and is mostly character-driven or word-driven. The standards of surprising imagery, avoidance of cliche, originality, great analogies, and references to previous literary trends are much higher for literary fiction. It generally is not genre, but can be a hybrid, such as Literary Sci Fi. It normally tops off at 120,000 words at most, but doesn't have specific expectations of word count.
It explores deep themes, the big picture, ambiguity, and is not escapist, but confrontational. Readers should be able to thrill over the way it's written, word by word.
Mainstream Fiction (also called General Fiction) can include both Literary and Commercial as long as it isn't too far out. No zombies or vampires, here. They normally are set in present time with middle class or upper class characters doing somewhat ordinary things, going after common goals such as getting married, landing a job, defending a client in court, solving medical emergencies, striking with the union. Most readers want to read about "normal people" and thus these are the main best sellers. It is escapist. Authors don't try to hide the formula, or obvious conventions.
What are Sequels in Fiction? I'm not talking about the second movie or book that comes out. It's being used in some other way that I don't understand.
I don't know why they use the same term so confusingly. But it refers to the protagonist responding to an event, and deciding if this is going to be a plot reversal and he or she must reconsider the situation, or continue driving on in the same fashion toward the ultimate goal goal.
Wait. Sequels, or Sequences. I'm confused.
"Sequences" is a different term, regarding breaking up the acts of the narrative into complete scenes, usually two in the first act, four in the second act, and two in the third, in commercial and mainstream fiction especially, especially if they are made with being turned into movies in mind, such as Sci Fi or Action. Sequences each need to belong to one particular character, not necessarily always the protagonist, though they need to relate in some way to his/her driving goal. The begin with Plot Points, set ups, conflict, drama, and end by confronting and failing, or winning, while resolving one specific source of tension, before moving on to the next, which generally shows the successes or failures only serving to lead the protagonist into even more problems. Novels don't always need to be written with this formula, and Innovative ones tend to take more freedom. Many freeform authors aren't any more aware of this structure than the casual movie-goer or reader, unless they are familiar with the language of screenplays and have studied what makes narratives work best for the masses and commercial appeal.
How do you chose which Point of View to use?
1st: Which character has the most compelling voice, takes the biggest risks, propels the action forward? That would usually be the protagonist. However, not all novels are narrated by the protagonist. We do want the character narrating it to be able to change, provide irony perhaps in the observations that are different from how the reader would take things. Unreliable narrators add layers of intrigue as the readers struggle to figure out what is the truth.
3rd: Sometimes the point of view is not from one of the characters at all but an outside narrator who isn't even identified. That can give you the advantage of seeing what one character wouldn't see, maybe even going inside the mind of more than one character. However, the fewer characters we see inside, the more popular the books, usually. Readers seem to want their books to be about one person primarily, though there are countless exceptions.
2nd: Literary fiction sometimes employs "you" as an actor in the narrative. This can have a fascinating, unique effect.
Are there gender issues?
Yes. Most individual stories and poems and books are published are by men, and of those published, more by men are reviewed. Editors, publishers, and reviewers are currently trying to remedy that situation. http://www.vidaweb.org/ And check out This.
And, Other gender is generally set off to the side, and if it happens in a book or movie, that's usually what the scene is about. Attention is drawn to it.
What are the main genres in Genre Fiction?
Note: Word counts below are the highest usually sold, but are not always agreed on across the board.
Mystery, up to 100,000 words, must be realistic, the crime occurring quickly in the book, and the entire focus being on solving it, subgenres being true crime, amateur sleuth, police procedural, cozy, supernatural, hardboiled
romance: happily ever after novels up to 100,000 words, with subgenres such as paranormal, erotica, historical, women’s fiction, Christian, erotica, fantasy/science fiction, Regency, time travel, contemporary
crime and detective, 70,000 words based on solving a crime, as you may have guessed, in real locations, without supernatural content, usually written in past tense
western, up to 75,000 words, set in the old west, very traditional, bit of a dying genre
sci-fi, up to 120,000 words, these books deal in technology, set in the future or alternate universe, often in an exotic world, subgenres including
alternate history, space opera, cyberpunk, space western, military, steampunk (a very popular subgenre)
chic lit, ordinary women facing regular world problems, up to 80,000 words, not published these days as much
historical, 140,000 word limit, realistically set in the past and well researched with all the details correct
fantasy, up to 150,000 words with subgenres including alternate history, urban, dark, high, historical, steampunk, wuxia, fantasy of manners
suspense and thriller: up to 100,000 words characters always on the verge of death, constant action, short simple fast-paced prose, not much description, subgenres being disaster, crime, political, erotica, legal, conspiracy, eco
horror: based on fears that never let up throughout the book of up to 100,000 words, subgenres being psychological, ghost, weird menace, erotic, splatter, occult detective
YA (young adult) for teenaged readers, up to 75,000 words
What are some good things to consider when introducing a character at the beginning of a story?
Think about revising your first paragraph: It's sometimes hard to put yourself in the place of a reader who is stranger to your narrative. But you have to remember he is not seeing what you have in your head. Getting that image out of your head and onto the page in a quickly entertaining way is generally a good idea. Notice what you picture when you read the paragraph. Do you see a scene there? Get a good look at the details, and fill them in as much as you can with what imagination naturally comes to you. Does it come from experiences you've had that others haven't? What might they picture?
Have you given them any details at all to locate the action in any place and time, with whatever might be going on in the background? You don't want to go on too much at first setting the scene until you earn the reader's interest by a hook. Unless the strange mystery of the scene is the hook. You do want to keep the action moving, so maybe having a character interact with what's around her in some way that we can picture, displaying something unique about her appearance, would be useful. But not in a pedestrian, obvious way. Keep a light touch, making it entertaining.
Don't expect readers to remember the character's name. Use something about them to identify who they are when you return to them, until readers get a good chance to learn their names. Set up what that is at the very beginning.
What's all this about fresh language?
Language can be alive and full of the life force that we put into it by paying careful attention to its beauty moment by moment. Unusual word choices are delicious and dense exciting juxtapositions of phrases and vivid images delight readers. It scintillates off the page. But reading words we've read so often before, in the same combinations, the same vague generalities summing things up and talking about mundane topics gets old. It's dead on the page.
Is literary fiction-character driven, action-driven, or language-driven?
It is usually character-driven, the more innovative, non-traditional styles being however more often language-driven, meaning beauty of the language is supremely important. Genre and commercial, mainstream fiction are action-driven, like block-busters.
Is writing from prompts superficial and silly?
Sometimes it is, and we normally picture great authors writing about topics they are passionate about because they have to. Not playing around making up stories based on a list of words. But prompts can actually lead to more fresh, densely surprising fiction that draws new material out of the author. Writing too much based on obsessions and experience and habitual imaginative patterns can become stale and make the material hard for the author to see objectively.
Are online magazines less important than print? Are magazines that don't pay writers just a waste of time?
Online magazines are sometimes considered less prestigious, and there is an official tier system for journals, many at the very top being print. However, this is changing, as online magazines allow for wider audience. People can easily share links in social networking to specific stories. There are a lot of online magazines that don't stick around very long, but many have a very strong reputation and publish respected authors. The exposure and status can mean more than payment.
Even the obscure online magazines however can be loving, encouraging places to put your work, and especially at the beginning, finding out who your audience is, connecting with them, developing resume material, and giving the magazine readers something to enjoy is worth it, even if the magazines disappear before long. Continue to site them as first publication if your work is published again elsewhere.
I spent an hour reading 'how to write short stories' books in the shop yesterday. I liked how they contradicted themselves. One said write for your target publication/market; the other said don't waste your time trying to perfect it for a certain market. thoughts?
Good question. I can't agree with the second one. I don't think perfecting it for a certain market is a waste of time at all, in the revision and polishing stages especially, and then with submissions and marketing. If you're writing with the hope of attracting readers for your story, it needs to get in their hands, and they need to understand your work in context of the authors they read. Reading what's similar to yours and seeing why it succeeds with your intended audience can help you hone it.
Writing a story with a specific publisher or magazine, issue, theme, or project in mind can help you come up with some new material, in a style maybe you hadn't tried before, and help you imagine your audience. Imagining them reading it helps with deciding how to revise it. Writing for a market in general only makes sense. Find authors within that market you respect and imagine them reading it. Would they like it?
However, if you are writing simply to sell a story or book, tuning in to what's outside of you all the time while writing it may not allow you to delve deeply into your own psyche. It may lead to superficiality, rather than the profound depth and epiphanies you can get by writing the first draft for yourself. Writing the first draft in a trance in which you go into your subconscious can produce stunning work, especially with literary fiction, symbolism, surrealism, confessionalism, mystical prose, transgressive fiction, etc. Throwing yourself into the subject matter you're writing about by living it, rather than taking a lot of time studying the market, can also be fruitful. The revision is the time I most suggest targeting the audience. The first draft may be a combination of that, and throwing caution to the wind and discovering your brilliance way inside. You may discover that your story is for a different audience than you have connected with before. Surprise yourself.
What is Subplot?
Narratives other than very short or basic ones usually consist of the interaction between the main plot and the secondary one/s. For example, the main plot may be about finding treasure, but getting the love-interest may be a progression creative dramatic tension all along, and that gets resolved in some way by the end, usually tied together with the main plot. Subplots can help round out characters, showing how they react, and thus more parts of their personality. Subplots can provide variety of tone, such as inserting comic relief into heavy stories.
What is Subtext? Is that different from Subplot?
Characters may be hiding something underneath their more obvious dialogue. Their inner thoughts that aren't necessarily plainly portrayed by their direct speech is their subtext. Some of it is implied by their speech, other parts revealed only through the action, expressions, revelations. This is not the same thing as a subplot.
What is a Pinch Point?
Because of our individual tastes, the wide variety of narrative structures can't really be categorized in one way. However, traditional formulas for stories are somewhat mechanical: a one paragraph hook, division into equal length acts and scenes, with pinch points inside each act to draw attention to the full force of the antagonist, predicable plot reversal intervals in each act, all within the overriding plot arc of tension that peaks near the end, and a quick resolution that takes down the tension.
Those who focus on that type of structure, in commercial and genre fiction especially, caution us to use pinch points in each Act, as we could label it even in novels, to show us objectively how bad the opposition, reminding us of the obstacles and risks dramatically in powerful scenes, even if they are subtle foreboding. These may seem theoretical, but they actually do exist throughout most screenplays and novels.
In screenplays particularly, the first one comes in about a quarter of the way through the second Act, heading in toward the Midpoint, a major shift in the direction of action, and then another pinch point three quarters of the way through the second Act, which echoes the first pinch point. The showdown of the climax references the strength of the antagonist as shown in the pinch points.
What is an Inciting Incident in fiction?
The main character encounters a catalyzing event, or person that sets off the plot.
What is a Plot Point?
Plot points are important events that affect the direction the plot takes. Usually in a novel, a few plot points could be pointed out as highlights. The first one is best to bring into the story quickly. In screenplays and novels written similarly to them, it happens most commonly in Act One's final scene, making the protagonist have to face the antagonist. It could even have just occurred and the characters are reacting to it. The most pertinent occurrences can be charted as part of the overall structure.
Generally, Plot Points consist of the catalyzing incident that sets off the dilemma, then, the main character gets stuck with his journey (by the end of Act One,) the preliminary culmination around the center of (Act Two,) rising to the major culmination at the end of Act Two which finishes out the drama while simultaneously twisting it around to unfold even more dramatically in (Act Three,) which usually has a twist to make it surprising. Fiction does have other options other than the three Act structure, and can have any number, or the author can just ignore the whole concept of Acts altogether.
What is a Plot Reversal?
The protagonist's actions suddenly change course and go backwards, or sideways, from the linear direction they were going in. They are faced with an obstacle, revise their plan, have new limits to work with, have had to reassess their antagonist, etc. The protagonist has gone down a blind alley and has to turn around, creating more frustration, more appreciation for the force of the antagonist, more sympathy for the protagonist, and a sense of surprise as the original ideas of what was going on were undermined. Some shows and novels are made up primarily of plot reversals. The classic structure of novels includes at least one big reversal near the end.
What is Foreshadowing in fiction?
The events, mood, intimations, subtle hints, and feelings, or something can suggest to the readers something of what is coming along in the future of the narrative. Ideally it doesn't give it away, and often allows for guesses about what it is, wild goose chases, before the revelation. It's not a direct statement telling us what the issue is.
Are there acts in narrative besides in plays and operas?
Many writers do proceed according to carefully delineated acts, in screenplays, and in novels, usually with a 3 act, sometimes 6 or 9 structure. Most consider the first act to set it up, the middle act to play out the drama, and the third to resolve it. The second act is traditionally twice as long as the first and third. However, often in narrative, we jump right into the action, the first act being off-screen, or told as back-story, or very quickly established in the midst of the conflict. This allows people to be intrigued by the mystery immediately.
Does the protagonist have to want the same thing the whole way through the book?
No. The structure of the book actually hangs on her changing her mind. That creates Plot Reversals, and all the shifts throughout the narrative, switches and escalations, revisiting and revising of the journey to attain whatever is driving her, related to the original dramatic situation that began the story. A story is the progression of a main character interacting with opposition to a goal that comes out of a catalyzing incident.
What is Backstory?
The backstory is what came before the time frame of the action. The narrator has to fill in the readers at some points. The more this can be done with showing rather than telling, by flashback, for example, the immediacy. It's also told through Exposition, ideally through realistic dialogue that doesn't look too obviously put there to fill the reader in, thus during heightened conflict being the best.
What is Flashback in fiction?
This is a strong way to let the readers in on the backstory by having the characters relive vividly what happened in the past. Rather than the narrator telling the readers about it, informing, this method allows the continuance of action, involving the senses, so it can be just as engaging as the main time-frame storyline.
What is Theme in fiction?
Not all narratives, certainly, need a message, and these days, earnest messages without irony are hard for some people to take seriously. But a theme can be less pointed than a message, not so much making a paraphrasable statement as that. Books have some kind of theme, even if it's just a static phrase, such as "the difficulties of family dynamics across generations" or "the universal experience of the first loss of a loved one." Sad as it may seem, there are certain themes repeated over and over and over. Man vs. Nature, Individual vs. Society, Loss of Innocence, Denial as destructive, Suicide as cowardice, and Revenge, for example.
Will studying to write fiction, or get a PHD in Literature or English pretty much land a tenure track job?
Tenure track jobs require a resume full of participating at conferences, winning grants, fellowships, writer in residents, publications in nationally based University Press publishers. The jobs require intense amounts of work for low pay scale, but many professors find it extremely rewarding and stimulating.
This academy makes no claims about you being able to make a living writing best sellers, teaching tenure track jobs, or getting movies made from your books. However, you will be able to write like you, with careful attention to what you write, from a teacher who listens to your individual style. You won't be corralled by a huckster's simplification of a how to use a formula to win win win.
What is The Hero's Journey in fiction?
Narratives often incorporate what Joseph Cambell labeled the hero's journey, consisting of a call to adventure, refusal to go, being told to go by their mentors, entering into the journey, many obstacles along the journey, tests, enemies, and allies, entering the inner sanctum where they face the deepest intensity, achieving the desired goal and reward, returning home, sometimes being chased, breaking through to the home-front, and applying what he has learned from the trip.
Such a journey is very common in literature, and the hero's encounters of mythological archetypes are classic, such as the shadow, the trickster, allies, mentors (guides), threshold guardians, heralds, the idol (role model), and shapeshifters, the ghost of the past representing what the protagonist (or world) used to be like, love interest, rival, guardian
What is The Shadow in fiction?
The Shadow shows us the protagonist's dark side, the things he/she doesn't want us to know, and might even project onto others, the deep unsavory aspects. The protagonist tends to do anything he can to avoid seeing it but the journey forces him to face it. He can be very afraid of being swallowed up by it, and it playing a stronger role in his identity. The Shadow can represent what the protagonist really is inside, and wants to let out.
The Shadow doesn't always have to be a separate character, but can be a pooka (like Harvey the 6 foot rabbit, or arguably, Wifred the dog), alter ego, or a split off of the protagonist's personality with Multiple Personality Syndrome.
Do narratives have to go by the structure laid out above with Acts, Plot Reversals, a Protagonist pursuing a nearly impossible goal, and all that formulaic stuff?
No. This structure must be observed in screenplays for major movies and TV shows, but novels have other options. Literary novels especially can form their structure organically out of the plot.
Can I just mail a copy of my work to myself and it's copyrighted?
Not really useful. Register it officially.
Does it matter how I print my Author Screenplay?
Don't use an ink jet or dot matrix printer for submitting scripts. 300 d.p.i. laser is required. Put it into a plain white/manila cover without a label or handwriting on it anywhere, bound only with brass brads. Use regular business style stamps that say you are a boring person. Never bind the script with any other method than using brass brads.
How can I make my book sell better on Amazon?
Vary the price and category from time to time, and use SEO keywords. Narrow the category so your book has a better chance of ranking high in it.
Have a quick question? I'll put it here and give my answer.
""The language still strikes me as a miracle, a thing the deepest mind adores. At its best, when you lose your arrogance and are least selfish, it can sing back to you almost as a disembodied friend. I think of the moments in Faulkner, Beckett, and Holy Scripture when the words seem absolutely final, bodiless, detached, as out of a cloud of huge necessity. My desire is to come even close to that team—to be that lucky, to be touched by such grace." —Barry Hannah
Chapbooks have been around throughout book publishing history. They are small-press, hand-made books. The most common page limit is 32 pages, but some go to 50. They are most often a collection of poems or stories, but can be a combination, or one long narrative, sometimes an excerpt of a novel. They go over best when they carry a common theme, or are organized obviously as one coherent work. Once an author has had pieces in magazines, they can then go in a chapbook, after the exclusive waiting period is up. Once pieces have been in chapbooks, they can go in longer books. However, the reverse of these statements is not the case. Chapbooks are not commonly used for non-fiction or genre fiction so much as in literary fiction. E-chapbooks online exist as well.
What is Flash Fiction?
Very short fiction is labeled Flash. Different editors make different world limits, the usual one being 1000 words, the next common being 750 However, once in awhile 2000 is allowed, though 1500 is more likely. Many consider 1 word to be the lowest count, while others begin it where nano and micro fiction leave off, which is also defined differently by a variety of editors. Rules of writing it are developing, but like any form of fiction, experimental styles have their place. Keeping action tight and linear, momentary, and simply told is the norm, and the paring down of extraneous words turns it into a heightened poetic piece in which each juxtaposition is meaningful. While showing rather than telling is the rule for longer fiction, that rule tends to reverse for Flash. Nano and Micro fiction tend to cut off at 500 but sometimes it's 250, and some ask for limits of 100.
What is a blurb?
That is a short quote within a book, usually on front or back cover, or beginning pages, by a well-known author, or reviewer, about the book.
How hard is it to get published in magazines?
Magazines take from .01 percent to 1 percent of what they are sent. Sometimes new, obscure, casual journals have a higher acceptance rate, but that is the average across the board.
What is Prosedy?
Poetic word-driven fiction that provides enjoyment of the experience of savoring the sound, word juxtapositions, timing, pacing and structural variety of sentences.
Is Experimental Fiction easier to write than regular fiction?
No, not as a general rule. Many people have the misunderstanding that it's anything goes, doesn't have to be understandable, can be just some mess they put on the page. It's not generally so self-indulgent, at least not if it's published with a reputable publisher, though valid styles include words arranged on the page, and words put together by chance. It's best if the author has understanding of the rules she is breaking, and the reason for doing so is clear. What urgent need to express something would require that particular author to bend the rules in that way in order to create something unique that engages readers in authentic ways?
Commercial Fiction vs Mainstream Fiction: are they the same thing? Is Literary Fiction entirely different from either? Is Commercial always Genre? Help!
Fiction is divided up into two kinds: Commercial and Literary.
Commercial Fiction aims for blockbuster mass appeal. It can include genre fiction, such as thriller, western, sci fi, fantasy, mystery, crime, noir, etc. It doesn't expect too much out of its readers' education, or in depth analysis of the hidden themes and motifs. It may be complex in plot, but is written simply, without too many subtle layers, and is action-driven.
Literary Fiction is written for a more obscure intellectual audience interested in reading outside the formulas, being thrilled by beautiful language, unique structure, ambitious explorations, and is mostly character-driven or word-driven. The standards of surprising imagery, avoidance of cliche, originality, great analogies, and references to previous literary trends are much higher for literary fiction. It generally is not genre, but can be a hybrid, such as Literary Sci Fi. It normally tops off at 120,000 words at most, but doesn't have specific expectations of word count.
It explores deep themes, the big picture, ambiguity, and is not escapist, but confrontational. Readers should be able to thrill over the way it's written, word by word.
Mainstream Fiction (also called General Fiction) can include both Literary and Commercial as long as it isn't too far out. No zombies or vampires, here. They normally are set in present time with middle class or upper class characters doing somewhat ordinary things, going after common goals such as getting married, landing a job, defending a client in court, solving medical emergencies, striking with the union. Most readers want to read about "normal people" and thus these are the main best sellers. It is escapist. Authors don't try to hide the formula, or obvious conventions.
What are Sequels in Fiction? I'm not talking about the second movie or book that comes out. It's being used in some other way that I don't understand.
I don't know why they use the same term so confusingly. But it refers to the protagonist responding to an event, and deciding if this is going to be a plot reversal and he or she must reconsider the situation, or continue driving on in the same fashion toward the ultimate goal goal.
Wait. Sequels, or Sequences. I'm confused.
"Sequences" is a different term, regarding breaking up the acts of the narrative into complete scenes, usually two in the first act, four in the second act, and two in the third, in commercial and mainstream fiction especially, especially if they are made with being turned into movies in mind, such as Sci Fi or Action. Sequences each need to belong to one particular character, not necessarily always the protagonist, though they need to relate in some way to his/her driving goal. The begin with Plot Points, set ups, conflict, drama, and end by confronting and failing, or winning, while resolving one specific source of tension, before moving on to the next, which generally shows the successes or failures only serving to lead the protagonist into even more problems. Novels don't always need to be written with this formula, and Innovative ones tend to take more freedom. Many freeform authors aren't any more aware of this structure than the casual movie-goer or reader, unless they are familiar with the language of screenplays and have studied what makes narratives work best for the masses and commercial appeal.
How do you chose which Point of View to use?
1st: Which character has the most compelling voice, takes the biggest risks, propels the action forward? That would usually be the protagonist. However, not all novels are narrated by the protagonist. We do want the character narrating it to be able to change, provide irony perhaps in the observations that are different from how the reader would take things. Unreliable narrators add layers of intrigue as the readers struggle to figure out what is the truth.
3rd: Sometimes the point of view is not from one of the characters at all but an outside narrator who isn't even identified. That can give you the advantage of seeing what one character wouldn't see, maybe even going inside the mind of more than one character. However, the fewer characters we see inside, the more popular the books, usually. Readers seem to want their books to be about one person primarily, though there are countless exceptions.
2nd: Literary fiction sometimes employs "you" as an actor in the narrative. This can have a fascinating, unique effect.
Are there gender issues?
Yes. Most individual stories and poems and books are published are by men, and of those published, more by men are reviewed. Editors, publishers, and reviewers are currently trying to remedy that situation. http://www.vidaweb.org/ And check out This.
And, Other gender is generally set off to the side, and if it happens in a book or movie, that's usually what the scene is about. Attention is drawn to it.
What are the main genres in Genre Fiction?
Note: Word counts below are the highest usually sold, but are not always agreed on across the board.
Mystery, up to 100,000 words, must be realistic, the crime occurring quickly in the book, and the entire focus being on solving it, subgenres being true crime, amateur sleuth, police procedural, cozy, supernatural, hardboiled
romance: happily ever after novels up to 100,000 words, with subgenres such as paranormal, erotica, historical, women’s fiction, Christian, erotica, fantasy/science fiction, Regency, time travel, contemporary
crime and detective, 70,000 words based on solving a crime, as you may have guessed, in real locations, without supernatural content, usually written in past tense
western, up to 75,000 words, set in the old west, very traditional, bit of a dying genre
sci-fi, up to 120,000 words, these books deal in technology, set in the future or alternate universe, often in an exotic world, subgenres including
alternate history, space opera, cyberpunk, space western, military, steampunk (a very popular subgenre)
chic lit, ordinary women facing regular world problems, up to 80,000 words, not published these days as much
historical, 140,000 word limit, realistically set in the past and well researched with all the details correct
fantasy, up to 150,000 words with subgenres including alternate history, urban, dark, high, historical, steampunk, wuxia, fantasy of manners
suspense and thriller: up to 100,000 words characters always on the verge of death, constant action, short simple fast-paced prose, not much description, subgenres being disaster, crime, political, erotica, legal, conspiracy, eco
horror: based on fears that never let up throughout the book of up to 100,000 words, subgenres being psychological, ghost, weird menace, erotic, splatter, occult detective
YA (young adult) for teenaged readers, up to 75,000 words
What are some good things to consider when introducing a character at the beginning of a story?
Think about revising your first paragraph: It's sometimes hard to put yourself in the place of a reader who is stranger to your narrative. But you have to remember he is not seeing what you have in your head. Getting that image out of your head and onto the page in a quickly entertaining way is generally a good idea. Notice what you picture when you read the paragraph. Do you see a scene there? Get a good look at the details, and fill them in as much as you can with what imagination naturally comes to you. Does it come from experiences you've had that others haven't? What might they picture?
Have you given them any details at all to locate the action in any place and time, with whatever might be going on in the background? You don't want to go on too much at first setting the scene until you earn the reader's interest by a hook. Unless the strange mystery of the scene is the hook. You do want to keep the action moving, so maybe having a character interact with what's around her in some way that we can picture, displaying something unique about her appearance, would be useful. But not in a pedestrian, obvious way. Keep a light touch, making it entertaining.
Don't expect readers to remember the character's name. Use something about them to identify who they are when you return to them, until readers get a good chance to learn their names. Set up what that is at the very beginning.
What's all this about fresh language?
Language can be alive and full of the life force that we put into it by paying careful attention to its beauty moment by moment. Unusual word choices are delicious and dense exciting juxtapositions of phrases and vivid images delight readers. It scintillates off the page. But reading words we've read so often before, in the same combinations, the same vague generalities summing things up and talking about mundane topics gets old. It's dead on the page.
Is literary fiction-character driven, action-driven, or language-driven?
It is usually character-driven, the more innovative, non-traditional styles being however more often language-driven, meaning beauty of the language is supremely important. Genre and commercial, mainstream fiction are action-driven, like block-busters.
Is writing from prompts superficial and silly?
Sometimes it is, and we normally picture great authors writing about topics they are passionate about because they have to. Not playing around making up stories based on a list of words. But prompts can actually lead to more fresh, densely surprising fiction that draws new material out of the author. Writing too much based on obsessions and experience and habitual imaginative patterns can become stale and make the material hard for the author to see objectively.
Are online magazines less important than print? Are magazines that don't pay writers just a waste of time?
Online magazines are sometimes considered less prestigious, and there is an official tier system for journals, many at the very top being print. However, this is changing, as online magazines allow for wider audience. People can easily share links in social networking to specific stories. There are a lot of online magazines that don't stick around very long, but many have a very strong reputation and publish respected authors. The exposure and status can mean more than payment.
Even the obscure online magazines however can be loving, encouraging places to put your work, and especially at the beginning, finding out who your audience is, connecting with them, developing resume material, and giving the magazine readers something to enjoy is worth it, even if the magazines disappear before long. Continue to site them as first publication if your work is published again elsewhere.
I spent an hour reading 'how to write short stories' books in the shop yesterday. I liked how they contradicted themselves. One said write for your target publication/market; the other said don't waste your time trying to perfect it for a certain market. thoughts?
Good question. I can't agree with the second one. I don't think perfecting it for a certain market is a waste of time at all, in the revision and polishing stages especially, and then with submissions and marketing. If you're writing with the hope of attracting readers for your story, it needs to get in their hands, and they need to understand your work in context of the authors they read. Reading what's similar to yours and seeing why it succeeds with your intended audience can help you hone it.
Writing a story with a specific publisher or magazine, issue, theme, or project in mind can help you come up with some new material, in a style maybe you hadn't tried before, and help you imagine your audience. Imagining them reading it helps with deciding how to revise it. Writing for a market in general only makes sense. Find authors within that market you respect and imagine them reading it. Would they like it?
However, if you are writing simply to sell a story or book, tuning in to what's outside of you all the time while writing it may not allow you to delve deeply into your own psyche. It may lead to superficiality, rather than the profound depth and epiphanies you can get by writing the first draft for yourself. Writing the first draft in a trance in which you go into your subconscious can produce stunning work, especially with literary fiction, symbolism, surrealism, confessionalism, mystical prose, transgressive fiction, etc. Throwing yourself into the subject matter you're writing about by living it, rather than taking a lot of time studying the market, can also be fruitful. The revision is the time I most suggest targeting the audience. The first draft may be a combination of that, and throwing caution to the wind and discovering your brilliance way inside. You may discover that your story is for a different audience than you have connected with before. Surprise yourself.
What is Subplot?
Narratives other than very short or basic ones usually consist of the interaction between the main plot and the secondary one/s. For example, the main plot may be about finding treasure, but getting the love-interest may be a progression creative dramatic tension all along, and that gets resolved in some way by the end, usually tied together with the main plot. Subplots can help round out characters, showing how they react, and thus more parts of their personality. Subplots can provide variety of tone, such as inserting comic relief into heavy stories.
What is Subtext? Is that different from Subplot?
Characters may be hiding something underneath their more obvious dialogue. Their inner thoughts that aren't necessarily plainly portrayed by their direct speech is their subtext. Some of it is implied by their speech, other parts revealed only through the action, expressions, revelations. This is not the same thing as a subplot.
What is a Pinch Point?
Because of our individual tastes, the wide variety of narrative structures can't really be categorized in one way. However, traditional formulas for stories are somewhat mechanical: a one paragraph hook, division into equal length acts and scenes, with pinch points inside each act to draw attention to the full force of the antagonist, predicable plot reversal intervals in each act, all within the overriding plot arc of tension that peaks near the end, and a quick resolution that takes down the tension.
Those who focus on that type of structure, in commercial and genre fiction especially, caution us to use pinch points in each Act, as we could label it even in novels, to show us objectively how bad the opposition, reminding us of the obstacles and risks dramatically in powerful scenes, even if they are subtle foreboding. These may seem theoretical, but they actually do exist throughout most screenplays and novels.
In screenplays particularly, the first one comes in about a quarter of the way through the second Act, heading in toward the Midpoint, a major shift in the direction of action, and then another pinch point three quarters of the way through the second Act, which echoes the first pinch point. The showdown of the climax references the strength of the antagonist as shown in the pinch points.
What is an Inciting Incident in fiction?
The main character encounters a catalyzing event, or person that sets off the plot.
What is a Plot Point?
Plot points are important events that affect the direction the plot takes. Usually in a novel, a few plot points could be pointed out as highlights. The first one is best to bring into the story quickly. In screenplays and novels written similarly to them, it happens most commonly in Act One's final scene, making the protagonist have to face the antagonist. It could even have just occurred and the characters are reacting to it. The most pertinent occurrences can be charted as part of the overall structure.
Generally, Plot Points consist of the catalyzing incident that sets off the dilemma, then, the main character gets stuck with his journey (by the end of Act One,) the preliminary culmination around the center of (Act Two,) rising to the major culmination at the end of Act Two which finishes out the drama while simultaneously twisting it around to unfold even more dramatically in (Act Three,) which usually has a twist to make it surprising. Fiction does have other options other than the three Act structure, and can have any number, or the author can just ignore the whole concept of Acts altogether.
What is a Plot Reversal?
The protagonist's actions suddenly change course and go backwards, or sideways, from the linear direction they were going in. They are faced with an obstacle, revise their plan, have new limits to work with, have had to reassess their antagonist, etc. The protagonist has gone down a blind alley and has to turn around, creating more frustration, more appreciation for the force of the antagonist, more sympathy for the protagonist, and a sense of surprise as the original ideas of what was going on were undermined. Some shows and novels are made up primarily of plot reversals. The classic structure of novels includes at least one big reversal near the end.
What is Foreshadowing in fiction?
The events, mood, intimations, subtle hints, and feelings, or something can suggest to the readers something of what is coming along in the future of the narrative. Ideally it doesn't give it away, and often allows for guesses about what it is, wild goose chases, before the revelation. It's not a direct statement telling us what the issue is.
Are there acts in narrative besides in plays and operas?
Many writers do proceed according to carefully delineated acts, in screenplays, and in novels, usually with a 3 act, sometimes 6 or 9 structure. Most consider the first act to set it up, the middle act to play out the drama, and the third to resolve it. The second act is traditionally twice as long as the first and third. However, often in narrative, we jump right into the action, the first act being off-screen, or told as back-story, or very quickly established in the midst of the conflict. This allows people to be intrigued by the mystery immediately.
Does the protagonist have to want the same thing the whole way through the book?
No. The structure of the book actually hangs on her changing her mind. That creates Plot Reversals, and all the shifts throughout the narrative, switches and escalations, revisiting and revising of the journey to attain whatever is driving her, related to the original dramatic situation that began the story. A story is the progression of a main character interacting with opposition to a goal that comes out of a catalyzing incident.
What is Backstory?
The backstory is what came before the time frame of the action. The narrator has to fill in the readers at some points. The more this can be done with showing rather than telling, by flashback, for example, the immediacy. It's also told through Exposition, ideally through realistic dialogue that doesn't look too obviously put there to fill the reader in, thus during heightened conflict being the best.
What is Flashback in fiction?
This is a strong way to let the readers in on the backstory by having the characters relive vividly what happened in the past. Rather than the narrator telling the readers about it, informing, this method allows the continuance of action, involving the senses, so it can be just as engaging as the main time-frame storyline.
What is Theme in fiction?
Not all narratives, certainly, need a message, and these days, earnest messages without irony are hard for some people to take seriously. But a theme can be less pointed than a message, not so much making a paraphrasable statement as that. Books have some kind of theme, even if it's just a static phrase, such as "the difficulties of family dynamics across generations" or "the universal experience of the first loss of a loved one." Sad as it may seem, there are certain themes repeated over and over and over. Man vs. Nature, Individual vs. Society, Loss of Innocence, Denial as destructive, Suicide as cowardice, and Revenge, for example.
Will studying to write fiction, or get a PHD in Literature or English pretty much land a tenure track job?
Tenure track jobs require a resume full of participating at conferences, winning grants, fellowships, writer in residents, publications in nationally based University Press publishers. The jobs require intense amounts of work for low pay scale, but many professors find it extremely rewarding and stimulating.
This academy makes no claims about you being able to make a living writing best sellers, teaching tenure track jobs, or getting movies made from your books. However, you will be able to write like you, with careful attention to what you write, from a teacher who listens to your individual style. You won't be corralled by a huckster's simplification of a how to use a formula to win win win.
What is The Hero's Journey in fiction?
Narratives often incorporate what Joseph Cambell labeled the hero's journey, consisting of a call to adventure, refusal to go, being told to go by their mentors, entering into the journey, many obstacles along the journey, tests, enemies, and allies, entering the inner sanctum where they face the deepest intensity, achieving the desired goal and reward, returning home, sometimes being chased, breaking through to the home-front, and applying what he has learned from the trip.
Such a journey is very common in literature, and the hero's encounters of mythological archetypes are classic, such as the shadow, the trickster, allies, mentors (guides), threshold guardians, heralds, the idol (role model), and shapeshifters, the ghost of the past representing what the protagonist (or world) used to be like, love interest, rival, guardian
What is The Shadow in fiction?
The Shadow shows us the protagonist's dark side, the things he/she doesn't want us to know, and might even project onto others, the deep unsavory aspects. The protagonist tends to do anything he can to avoid seeing it but the journey forces him to face it. He can be very afraid of being swallowed up by it, and it playing a stronger role in his identity. The Shadow can represent what the protagonist really is inside, and wants to let out.
The Shadow doesn't always have to be a separate character, but can be a pooka (like Harvey the 6 foot rabbit, or arguably, Wifred the dog), alter ego, or a split off of the protagonist's personality with Multiple Personality Syndrome.
Do narratives have to go by the structure laid out above with Acts, Plot Reversals, a Protagonist pursuing a nearly impossible goal, and all that formulaic stuff?
No. This structure must be observed in screenplays for major movies and TV shows, but novels have other options. Literary novels especially can form their structure organically out of the plot.
Can I just mail a copy of my work to myself and it's copyrighted?
Not really useful. Register it officially.
Does it matter how I print my Author Screenplay?
Don't use an ink jet or dot matrix printer for submitting scripts. 300 d.p.i. laser is required. Put it into a plain white/manila cover without a label or handwriting on it anywhere, bound only with brass brads. Use regular business style stamps that say you are a boring person. Never bind the script with any other method than using brass brads.
How can I make my book sell better on Amazon?
Vary the price and category from time to time, and use SEO keywords. Narrow the category so your book has a better chance of ranking high in it.
Have a quick question? I'll put it here and give my answer.
""The language still strikes me as a miracle, a thing the deepest mind adores. At its best, when you lose your arrogance and are least selfish, it can sing back to you almost as a disembodied friend. I think of the moments in Faulkner, Beckett, and Holy Scripture when the words seem absolutely final, bodiless, detached, as out of a cloud of huge necessity. My desire is to come even close to that team—to be that lucky, to be touched by such grace." —Barry Hannah
Resources For Writers at all stages
For Freelance bloggers
Title Capitalization Tool
Creative Writing Resource Guide
Poets and Writers
Luna Park
Duotrope
Agent Query
New Pages
Writer.ly
How to Clean up Word
The Flattening of E-Book Sales
Fiction Writers Review
Subgenres
How to Get a Fiction Chapbook Published
Novel and Short Story Writers Market
Tips
Is Your Novel Mainstream Fiction?
Is Your Novel Mystery, Thriller, or Suspense?
Everything Wrong With Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets
Prompts
The Fictional Bureau of Investigation
Sell a Script
How to Sell a Script
Cliche Cleaner
Breaking into TV Writing
Simply Scripts
Protecting Your Script
15 Places to Promote Your Book for Free
AWP
The Critical Flame
A Room of Her Own
How To Dress for an Interview as a Butch Dyke
Rhysaurus
Crowdfunding
Author Scripts
Daily Scripts
Writers Digest
Best of the Net
PDF Converter
Full Stop
Lit Pub
SPD
Author Connect
Chick Lit Is Dead, Long Live Farm Lit
Poe's Writer's Resource Center
Writers.Net
The MacGuffin
Booksie
Getting Your Book Reviewed
Writers Chatroom
Editminion
SPD Greats
Scrivener
InkTip
Trope
Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories
Slush Pile Hell
Ape the Book
The Writers Market
PubSlush
Chicago Manual of Style
Goodreads
Nothing Binding
AllTop
Experimental Writing
Screenwriting Pro
Make a Living Writing
A Guide to Tax Deductions for Writers, Bloggers, and Independent Journalists
The Grinder
New Pages
Yahoo Group for Submission Calls
Query Tracker
Preditors and Editors
How to remove page numbers from first page
Book Patch
The Real Life of a Tenure Track Faculty Person
Source Fabric
Blahblah Meter
Citation Machine
Novel Writing Software
Storybook
THIRTY FIVE TIPS ON WRITING BIZARRO FICTION
25 Pieces of Writing Software
She Writes
Press Exposure
Draft Journal
Three Act Structure
Mysteries Thrillers Crime
Pinch Points and Turning Points
Emerging Writers Network
Bonefolder
How to Get the Right Reviews
Calibre
Read Through
Writers.Com
Publisher's Market
Celtix
ENovella Review
Free Press Releases
Zeta-Boards Art and Literature
StoryBird
Indie Book Awards
What Defines Best Seller
5 Most Common Mistakes
Rise of Short
Amazon Studios
Telling Tales Together: 4 Great Collaborative Writing Tools
7 Collaborative Storytelling Websites to Weave Your Own Digital Stories
Title Capitalization Tool
Creative Writing Resource Guide
Poets and Writers
Luna Park
Duotrope
Agent Query
New Pages
Writer.ly
How to Clean up Word
The Flattening of E-Book Sales
Fiction Writers Review
Subgenres
How to Get a Fiction Chapbook Published
Novel and Short Story Writers Market
Tips
Is Your Novel Mainstream Fiction?
Is Your Novel Mystery, Thriller, or Suspense?
Everything Wrong With Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets
Prompts
The Fictional Bureau of Investigation
Sell a Script
How to Sell a Script
Cliche Cleaner
Breaking into TV Writing
Simply Scripts
Protecting Your Script
15 Places to Promote Your Book for Free
AWP
The Critical Flame
A Room of Her Own
How To Dress for an Interview as a Butch Dyke
Rhysaurus
Crowdfunding
Author Scripts
Daily Scripts
Writers Digest
Best of the Net
PDF Converter
Full Stop
Lit Pub
SPD
Author Connect
Chick Lit Is Dead, Long Live Farm Lit
Poe's Writer's Resource Center
Writers.Net
The MacGuffin
Booksie
Getting Your Book Reviewed
Writers Chatroom
Editminion
SPD Greats
Scrivener
InkTip
Trope
Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories
Slush Pile Hell
Ape the Book
The Writers Market
PubSlush
Chicago Manual of Style
Goodreads
Nothing Binding
AllTop
Experimental Writing
Screenwriting Pro
Make a Living Writing
A Guide to Tax Deductions for Writers, Bloggers, and Independent Journalists
The Grinder
New Pages
Yahoo Group for Submission Calls
Query Tracker
Preditors and Editors
How to remove page numbers from first page
Book Patch
The Real Life of a Tenure Track Faculty Person
Source Fabric
Blahblah Meter
Citation Machine
Novel Writing Software
Storybook
THIRTY FIVE TIPS ON WRITING BIZARRO FICTION
25 Pieces of Writing Software
She Writes
Press Exposure
Draft Journal
Three Act Structure
Mysteries Thrillers Crime
Pinch Points and Turning Points
Emerging Writers Network
Bonefolder
How to Get the Right Reviews
Calibre
Read Through
Writers.Com
Publisher's Market
Celtix
ENovella Review
Free Press Releases
Zeta-Boards Art and Literature
StoryBird
Indie Book Awards
What Defines Best Seller
5 Most Common Mistakes
Rise of Short
Amazon Studios
Telling Tales Together: 4 Great Collaborative Writing Tools
7 Collaborative Storytelling Websites to Weave Your Own Digital Stories
Mind/Body
Don't slouch at your writing desk and cause back pain. What kinds of thoughts come from a curled over body compared to one with the chest out, shoulders back? How can you reverse that? Going for walks outside revs up your brain and IQ, great for working out issues in your story. Paying attention to things in the distance and up close, as you do when walking, helps revitalize the eyes, and creativity. Dancing around your room gets stagnant blood and lymph flowing, and doing so creatively gets the brain hemispheres working together and coming up with new writing ideas. Taking deeper breathes excites. Try doing these before writing and see the difference.
Don't slouch at your writing desk and cause back pain. What kinds of thoughts come from a curled over body compared to one with the chest out, shoulders back? How can you reverse that? Going for walks outside revs up your brain and IQ, great for working out issues in your story. Paying attention to things in the distance and up close, as you do when walking, helps revitalize the eyes, and creativity. Dancing around your room gets stagnant blood and lymph flowing, and doing so creatively gets the brain hemispheres working together and coming up with new writing ideas. Taking deeper breathes excites. Try doing these before writing and see the difference.
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