Books

Writing an emotionally compelling, intelligent, fun-to-read story can be a very difficult, but highly rewarding task. It requires practice and learning from trial and error, writing every day and...

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...

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...

Anyone who likes to write, whether they are working on a short story or a novel, needs to have a main character. In any story, the main character is the focus that the tale develops from. You...

We're going to try to learn how to write a novel, something like the ones written by Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui Sutherland, and Victoria Holmes, also known as Erin Hunter. So let's get started!

Weak and overused verbs are the most common culprit leading to passive writing. But there's another form of passive writing that can quickly derail an other wise great piece of fiction. Read on to...

Third Person is a point of view used in fiction writing. In a third-person narrative, the story is told using third-person pronouns such as “he” and “she.” Third person narratives offer the most...

Second person is a form of narrative point of view in which the protagonist or main character is referred to with a second-person pronoun, most often “you.” The second person narrative is less...

Few literary or cinematic figures have captured public fascination like gangsters. Their stories embody the dark side of the American dream, where ruthless entrepreneurs gain wealth and fame...

Writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby first created the X-Men in the 1960s. Since then, they have gone on to become some of the most popular figures in comics. The X-Men are mutants--born with...

Writing a children's book is not easy. The writing needs to be tight and interesting. There needs to be a definite plot for the story to work, and you need to have all the basic story elements in...

J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" books are a literary phenomenon, with millions of loyal fans worldwide. She developed an incredibly rich universe for Harry and his friends to occupy---one of the...

When most people think of English literature, they think of the novel, although literature may also include short stories, plays, novellas and poetry. According to Encarta, a novel is defined as...

Conflict provides the drama and momentum in a story. While longer works such as novels may feature more than one type of struggle between opposing forces, literary conflicts fall into one of five...

Writing a story in sequence allows you, the storyteller, to unfold the events as they happen from beginning to end. While the basic sequential storytelling method tends to lack much of the...

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...

Though we've all heard the old adage that, "Everyone has a book inside," that doesn't mean we can all write them. As many ideas as we may have rolling around in our heads, few will hold still long...

Character building can be tough. There’s no doubt about it. But it’s also one of the most important skills a creative writer can learn. You’re never too masterful to improve or too...

The difference between comedy and tragedy is seemingly clear, but the nuances of the chasm are often little understood. While comedies encapsulate some elements of tragedy by nature--a...

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

If you love a good mystery, you may be a candidate for writing one. But first you have to know what makes a mystery novel work so you can use the same strategies. This article outlines what to do...

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...

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...

have you ever come up with a great idea for a story but you can't come up with any good names? Check this out!

"Writer's block" is aptly named. It's like there's a wall there, too high to scale, to wide to get around. My solution: Tunnel underneath it! You do this by "tricking yourself"...

The graphic novel is a genre of literature that is gaining increased attention from readers of traditional texts and literary scholars alike. With the advent of films like Persepolis and Watchmen,...

The intrigue into your novel, that which builds suspense and motivation depends not entirely on the hero of your story, but also on the depth and darkness of your villain. Do not forget his/her...

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!

Script writing is a difficult market to crack. Not only are there a great deal of writers with a script to sell, actually finding an interested buyer can be challenging. However, every time you...

In children's publishing, middle grade refers to readers between the ages of 8 and 12. To capture this audience, your novel should be fast-paced, action-packed and include plenty of dialogue. Gory...

Writing a great murder mystery sometimes takes more planning compared to other fiction genres. If done well, the process should be fun for you as an author, and the results will be entertaining...

There are many different ways to create a superhero story, but there are several key elements that are necessary to make it real and popular. Learn how to make the perfect character and how to...

Writing an adventure story should be as entertaining and fun for you as the writer as it will be for your readers once you're finished. In this article, I'll show you the basic process including...

The purpose of a character analysis essay is to not only demonstrate to your instructor that you have read an assigned story or novel, but also to enhance your knowledge and awareness of the...

Writing is all about being creative and using lots of imagination. But writing adventure stories requires writing about traveling to a faraway and exotic locale, where the main character has to...

Comic books and graphic novels are popular right now, and the medium is enjoying critical respect it didn't have even 20 years ago. The film versions of comic books, such as "Spider-Man," "X-Men"...

A book series is a collection of fiction novels based typically around a central character. The success of series books goes all the way back to the days of pulp fiction with the "Doc Savage" and...

Don't you just hate reading a book filled with bland, uninteresting dialogue? Readers want an engaging plot filled with action and a steady forward momentum. Here are some tips for that necessary...

Creating a fictional character can be a challenge for a writer. Deciding on motivations, creating a character background and fitting the character into the flow of the story all take skill and...

A character sketch is a description of a character in a novel or a story that includes both physical and emotional characteristics. Character sketches are designed to help readers understand a...

A monologue poem voices the feelings and intents of one character to an implied audience. It can be comic, but most are dramatic. In a monologue poem, there is no dialogue, and the poet takes on a...

Third person narration is when a story is told by someone outside the story. Follow these easy steps to write a story in the third person.

Writer's Block is easy to break if you just start writing... right? Well... for most people that's the problem. I'll give you a few basic steps that will get you writing -something- and then you...

The trail ends where the path begins. Focus your effort on constructive, artistic creation. This will enable you to express your most intimate thoughts and keep the pilot flame in your heart...

In quality fiction writing it is often important to tell what your character is thinking. There are multiple acceptable methods for doing this. The method you choose depends largely on the point...

Writing Point of view (POV) is one of the fundamental traits for writing. They both offer advantages and disadvantages, and obviously influence the style of your writing. In this easy how-to you...

Most people who read have a favorite character they love to follow. It is what causes someone to read an entire series or a single book over again. Favorite characters are usually people that...

Having rich, full-bodied characters in your novel or play is important for capturing a reader's interest. A good exercise to achieve this goal is to write a character biography. This step forces...

If you want to be published, the first page of your novel is the most important. It's what agents and editors read first, and if it keeps them interested enough to read the next page, and the page...