Guest post by Neil Wright Where you are and where you have grown up plays a massive part in how you perceive the world. It is our cultures that shape who we are. Most people tend to think of culture as the superficial surface phenomena of clothing and certain sporting events and festivities. They don’t…
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You may have heard the term “thematic statement” when it comes to novel writing. But what does it actually mean? Do you really need one? Theme can be a pretty complex topic. There are many different interpretations. Sometimes terms are used interchangeably, and discussions around topic, theme, and thematic statements can be a bit mind-boggling.…
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A hundred years ago, there were hardly any resources to teach you how to write a novel. You had to work everything out from first principles and forge your own path. These days, things look very different. There are hundreds, even thousands, of books, courses and other resources, all claiming to hold the secrets to writing a…
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A flat character is a bad character, right? Having one in your story means you haven’t done your job as a writer. You haven’t given enough detail or injected enough personality or backstory so your readers will fall in love with them. And that must mean you have to improve or rewrite them, right? Wrong.…
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Strong characters are the foundation of any great novel. There are many ways to make your characters seem more real and more human. In our character development resources, we offer a detailed process for building characters from the inside out, starting with a nugget of a personality, then layering it with detail. We advise looking…
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Guest post by Millie Dinsdale Are you considering writing a romance novel? You might be wondering where to start. Romance novels are incredibly popular and while they might seem easy to write, there’s a lot of nuance that goes into creating an effective and reader-friendly love story. In this article, I’ll outline eight steps for writing…
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There are certain elements every good story needs. If you skip any one of them, there’s a good chance your story will fall flat and fail to resonate with readers. They’ll struggle to lose themselves in the world you’ve created and have little concern for what happens to your characters. No one ever sets out to write…
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Do you dream of writing a great science fiction novel? If you’re a fan of the genre, then you know a well-written sci-fi story includes excitement, adventure, a fascinating and memorable world, and some truly unique characters and relationships. But you might also be hesitant. That’s because the best sci-fi novels don’t just entertain. They also make your…
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You’ve heard of character archetypes, but do you know about character tropes? More specifically, do you know how to use them to write stronger stories? Archetypes inform your characters and the roles they play in your novel, but tropes can help you round out your characters’ personalities. Why you may already be using them without…
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Creating characters who feel real and knowable can be a daunting task. So, you’ve devoted a great deal of time researching and developing incredible characters you’re sure readers will love. They’re definitely not weak – they’re skilled, empathetic, they have goals… Problem is, they’re still falling flat. You’re frustrated. Have you considered that your characters may be too perfect? You read…
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