Books

Not all works of fiction rely on the strength of the characters, but ones that do must have exemplary development. Here's how to write characters that pull the reader into your stories.

No matter how technically proficient you are with the English language, or how skilled you are at structuring a novel or formatting a screenplay, if you don't have a compelling story at the heart...

Structure is not plot, structure is about design, the foundation of your novel. It's the glue that holds your story together. Here are a few pointers that will help you build a solid arc for your...

Historical fiction is a made-up story, written in the style of fiction, which takes place in historical circumstances and/or involves a historical figure. It may include make-believe characters...

One of the biggest challenges to writing any sort of story is coming up with believable characters. Writers want to have the best, the brightest, the most dynamic sort of characters and they...

Like the main character in a novel, the secondary characters play an important part. These are everything from the smallest little parts, like a person who walked by on the street, to the...

Many of us have thought that we would love to write a novel. Maybe something to bring tears to the eyes of our reader, or something comedic to make them laugh. Whatever your inner muse might be,...

The "Star Wars" universe has expanded far beyond movies to encompass novels, TV shows and multiple lines of comic books. In addition, numerous fans have tried their hand at writing fiction,...

Good characters are the building blocks of any story. What would "War and Piece", a literary monument of genius, be without its 125+ characters? A thousand or more pages of setting and...

Charles Dickens (1812-1870), author of A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, and Oliver Twist, is one of the most well-known writers in English literature, and one remarkably successful in his...

For a fiction book to be great, it must be believable and draw readers in. One of the most important ways for a book to accomplish this is for the characters to be real and believable. You must...

Novel summaries are often used during the query process, when a writer seeks agent representation. They're also typically used in proposal packages sent to agents who ask to see more of 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...

Horror stories have been really appealing to people for the past 30 years. People really want to experience vicariously through characters the horror of being isolated, terrified and having their...

Writing the beginning, middle and end of a story causes stress with all types of writers, but it doesn't have to be a stressful situation. With a little creativity and a plot, creating a complete...

Since the early 1960s the Marvel superhero has been part of the American cultural consciousness. Unforgettable, larger than life characters like Spiderman, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible...

Teachers, writers and students are often asked to conduct a character analysis. They describe characters in terms of such traits as "roundness," motivation, and the relationship between the...

Writing a vampire novel, especially in this day in age, requires a bit of finesse. Many people don't even know where to begin. Follow the steps below, and you will have yourself a very fine...

The three main things a book report should cover are characters, important events and thematic elements. By tracking these things as you read the book, you are helping save yourself time later.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced children are a direct result of war and turmoil. Homeless and in many cases malnourished, these children rely on the kindness of strangers to offer them refuge...

Just what is meant by “the plot,” anyway? In fiction, it is what happens in a story. It’s something you have to think about when writing fiction, because you have to give your reader motivation to...

Are you so obsessed over the Harry Potter series that you're scourging the web for fan-written continuations? Did you really wish those two, not those two characters from Star Trek had gotten...

A book report isn't just proof to an instructor that you've read the material for a class; it should also be an enticement for others to want to read it, too. In addition, the practice of...

Learn the fundamental steps in creating a Manga series, from character concepts, story ideas, and other tips to help you get your ideas ready for the art table.

Writing a fictional sex scene is about the characters, their emotions, and the events in the story. You will not find a formula that tells you how to craft the scene; it is dependent on unique...

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...

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...

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.

Third-person point of view is a narrative mode in which the primary characters within a written work are referred to by their names or relative pronouns. In a third-person story, the narrator...

Historical fiction is a story set in a time previous to that of the writer and reader, with characters who react in varying degrees to historical events.

In fiction, supporting or secondary characters help drive your plot forward and add depth to your main characters. In this article, I'll show you basic ideas on how to create solid supporting...

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...

Dialogue. It's a weapon in the craft of writing, wielded with grace and power in the hands of some and with reckless abandon in the hands of others. Characters are not only defined by the...

Cunning but small Asterix, and huge, dim-witted Obelix, are known the world over as amusing Gallic villagers in combat with their foes, the ancient Romans. The Asterix cartoons were created by...

Follow these steps and consider these questions carefully when writing your romance novel. From choosing your characters, to creating a relationship that will last.

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...

By following the basic format and script writing techniques, you can create a finely presented script that most producers will at least begin to read. However, without quality content, your script...

Science fiction is a very flexible genre to write stories and novels, considering that it combines well with other genres and allows you to work within your own rules as a writer. In this...

Lack artistic skills, but love comic books? Well, you can write your own comic book! However, don't think it's easy to write your own comic book. It takes time, dedication, and creativity.

Why does it seem that everyone is obsessed with Twilight?? Follow the directions in this article and you will find out!

Writing children's books can be a wonderful creative outlet and a very rewarding career. Before you try to write a children's book you should make sure that you are truly dedicated to writing for...

Suspense novels require a particular sense of mood and timing, a means of ratcheting the reader's tension to unbearable levels and a way of manipulating emotions without appearing crass or...

A lot of people confuse story and plot. You hear it when someone remarks, "Wow, that's a good idea for a plot," when what the speaker really means is the idea sounds like it would make a good...

The adventure novel can encompass a range of genres, including action, thriller, and even mystery and suspense. The novel can create a story full of edge-of-your-seat thrills and breathtaking...

Poetry is one of the most enduring art forms in human history. There are more than 50 types of poetry, ranging from romantic sonnets to playful limericks. Although you may not be familiar with the...

Book covers contain material on the back of the book and on the flaps of the slip covers. The material on the back of books is written primarily to tease readers with the story in the hope of...

Diving straight into the world of your story can lead to some great outcomes but to make sure you don't create boring characters that are just there for the sake of your plot, you should first put...

Descriptive writing is a style of writing that takes readers inside the characters, scenes, and settings by providing detailed and vivid descriptions of the elements of the story. Executed...

So you love children. You’ve always dreamed of having a children’s show or writing a series of children’s book, not for the money, but because you want to see children happy and educated. ...