Fiction

Every story of any kind will begin with an idea. For those inexperienced in the field of writing, recognizing those ideas might be a difficult task. The point of this isn't to help you through a...

Sherlock Holmes is undoubtedly the most famous fictional detective in literary history. He solved numerous seemingly unsolvable mysteries, sometimes within minutes of receiving the case. By...

One of the fun challenges about writing is that there is always room for growth and improvement. It is an on-going process that can benefit from the passage of time and practice. Here are ten tips...

Hobbits inhabit Middle earth. It's very difficult to capture them, though it is possible. However, normally one can only keep one captive for a short period of time. Follow my Steps and you too...

We've all faced it at one time or another. We sit down to write, hell bent on churning out pages of vivid, moving prose. Then instead of being set on fire, we feel like a dried up speck of dust....

Sometimes words just come to us. They flow lyrically onto our page in beatific glory. Those are good times. That’s what makes it so hard when we find our fingers floating over the keys while our...

The classic whodunit or puzzle mystery continues to delight its readers as it has since the golden age of the mystery in the thirties and forties. Whether you prefer a gentile British style cozy...

Do you love books? Want to collect tons on the cheap? Read on!

Some of the most powerful stories in literature and cinema have a surprising common element: The death of a main character. At first glance, this would seem to be an instant turnoff. Why hang with...

There is nothing worse for a writer than to feel like you have nothing to write about. But that simply isn’t true – there is always something to write about! Unless you’re alone in the Arctic...

Ok, so you published a novel. Now what? You can't sit on the sidelines. Authors need to market the book or the book will likely not sell well.

You need to get out of Hogwarts and do some investigating in the Shrieking Shack one night, but Professor Snape, as usual, is skulking around just looking to catch you doing something against the...

Writing is like many other skills: it takes practice, practice, and more practice to become a really good writer. One of the best ways to practice your writing is to keep a writer’s journal or...

With all the tasks and work that we do in order to pay the bills, it becomes impossible to sit down and do absolutely nothing. Doing nothing can sometimes be the most positive activity that the...

Writing a novel is not easy. But sometimes the juices flow pretty good and you can connect to a character in a good way. Overall, it's a nice thing to believe you can do, that is, write a...

Wouldn't it be great to be able to spend your time doing exactly what you wanted to do and still make money?? I love to read novels but there is no way I'd be able to make money reading books in...

One important element of good fiction writing is point of view. The point of view you choose is the reader’s window into the story; they will see everything that happens through the eyes you...

Write Your Novel in a Month? You can't write a novel in a month. Don't tell that to the over 21,000 people from around the world who did just that last November in the 2008 NaNoWriMo

Settling down to enjoy a good book is a favorite pastime for many Americans. According to research done by National Center for Education Statistics in 2003, 32 percent of Americans read books on a...

Historical fiction is a specific genre, set in the past and pertaining to historical events or people. The work must walk a fine line between fact and fiction: presenting historical details...

Some people read for pleasure while others read for academic purposes. The historical novel is a fictional account of historical events and characters. Reading historical fiction is similar to...

Let me tell you a story about a jar and some rocks. The jar is your life. All the things you have to do (feed the dog, wash the laundry, help the kids with homework) is sand. Your dreams (if...

TWiLiGHT, the book that every teenage girl has left breathless, struggling between the never-ending bounds of charm and lovee from Edward Cullen to the loyal best-friend that every girl would die...

Reading enriches our lives and creates lifelong readers and book collectors. Of course, that in itself is the main reason for the number of vast home libraries and collections. However, according...

When an author is looking to make a name for himself, one of the best ways is to enter writing contests. You can get noticed and, if you start winning, you can also end up published. But there...

Have an extra $500 sitting around that you can use to buy the most popular eReader on the market (and that is before paying for any eBooks)? No? Fortunately for iPod touch and iPhone users you...

One of the primary sticking points for beginning writers is basic grammar. Even ignoring problems related to word choice, sentence structure, style, and so on, most writers have grammar that is...

Do you want to quickly bore your readers to death? There is no faster way than by writing passively. But what is passive writing and how do you avoid it? Read on to find out.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? If you're a Twilight fan, maybe you're having a hard time deciding...it seems most fans fall into one of these two camps, but which is best?

Have you ever struggled with fiction dialogues? Do conversations seem hard to compose and difficult to read? Writing a smooth flowing conversation is easier than you think, and can take a solid...

Part 2 of a 4-part series, we're continuing with the novel-writing process. Don't let anything stop you now.

We're talking about $1000.00! If the hardbound copy of Gone With The Wind you have in your home is an authentic 1936 first edition of the Margaret Mitchell epic--it's one about 5,000 and is much...

What is NaNoWriMo? Well its November is National Novel Writing Month! It involves a plan where in the month of November you write a 50,000 word novel in just those thirty day? Don't think it can...

Zombies and monsters and ghosts---oh my! Scary tales shared around a campfire or read in bed on a dark and stormy night have the power to induce shivers that last long after the final page. Many...

In journalism you have the who, what, where, when, and why and you try to put all this information in the first paragraph. In fiction you also have to include the who, what, where, when and why in...

The first in a 4-part series, we'll talk about creating characters, plotting, and building a routine. The runners who come across that starting line fast and in good form have the best chance of...

Which is more important to a story the plot or the characters? It's like asking the question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg. The answer of course is that it really doesn't matter...

When you're crafting a thesis, your job will be much easier if you follow a few guidelines. These guidelines apply to all levels of education writing, but, of course, much more is required in a...

What would a great story be without great characters? Not much if you ask me. Here are some tips to help you develop characters for your novel or short story.

Love to read? Pick up too many books from the library? Just left your the yearly book sale? You can read two books at once, AND remember their content! Here's how...

A lot of writers on line claim that their biggest problem is not writing well but just thinking of what to place on the blank page before them. It’s something they call writer’s block. I have...

Zombies. The undead. When the undead rise up and take to the streets, will you be ready? Will you survive? Will you rebuild? Will you be lunch?

You have read all the Twilight books (at least once), you probably own the Twilight movie and even catch yourself daydreaming about the characters throughout the day. Now, find out which Twilight...

The article will list all the places where you can get free books. The internet is load with free books in public domain. There are even pieces of books where you can preview it to see if you like...

Well rounded, dynamic and interesting characters are hard to come by, even in the world of professional story creation. I'll take you through a step-by-step guide of how to create a truly...

Athena, also known as Pallas Athena and Minerva (in Rome), is the Greek goddess of the city, civilized life, handicrafts and agriculture. According to Greek mythology, Athena was born without a...

This is just a simple process for practicing and strengthening your creative writing skills. This will particularly help those of us who are interested in writing about fiction/characters.

Everyone loves adventure, but some adventure stories are more memorable than others. Adventure stories have action, romance, drama and compelling characters. Your story should work as a whole and...

Most everyone loves a good story. Since our ancestors first gathered around the campfire and told tales, we've come to crave the emotional roller-coaster ride that a compelling story provides....

Writing can be fun and interesting, but sometimes you simply run blank on thoughts. Don't worry here is an easy way to think of a great topic for your short story!