Writing Workshop Lesson 2: Fiction Genres
Workshop Introduction Fiction Genres There are many genres and subgenres, with lots of cross-over between genres. Many stories could fit into several different genres, although they are usually...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 3: Characters
Workshop Introduction Characters Exotic names are okay in certain genres, but not all. For example, the name Chesapeake Divine would work in a romance novel, but not as well in a children’s story....
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 4: Dialogue
Workshop Introduction Dialogue Don’t write dialogue in perfect, grammatical English. No one really speaks like that, except perhaps English professors. Make your characters talk on the page the way you...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 5: Point of View
Workshop Introduction Point of View Who is the narrator? Through whose perspective is the reader viewing the story? First Person This is the most intimate Point Of View (POV). The reader views the...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 6: Setting
Workshop Introduction Setting In Lesson 1, we learned some of the factors that can make up the setting of the story. In this lesson we’ll go into each in more detail. Please note that you should avoid...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 7: Plot
Workshop Introduction Plot “Plot grows out of character. If you focus on who the people in your story are…something is bound to happen. …Any plot you impose on your characters will be onomatopoetic:...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 8: What is a hook?
Workshop Introduction What is a hook? Editors and agents make a decision about your story based on the first few pages—sometimes the first paragraph. They don’t have the time or patience to read the...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 9: Tension and Climax
Workshop Introduction Tension and Climax Your story must build tension all the way through, up to the climax. Each scene should add a little bit more. If not, it will feel flat and boring to the...
View ArticleWriting Workshop Lesson 10: Polishing Your Work
Workshop Introduction Polishing Your Work When you’ve finished your first draft, you should put it away in a drawer for some length of time—a day, a week, a month—how long is up to you, but the longer...
View ArticleLimited Availability in October
I will be unavailable for new projects for the month of October. I will be attending an intensive, full-time course for the full month and will not have the time to devote to editing or design work. I...
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