A Mystery Novel Template/Cheatsheet/Outline

Thrillers and mysteries are one of the most popular genres. Mystery readers gobble them up and are hungry for more. So if you want to write novels, this is a great genre to get into. And writing a mystery can be hugely satisfying. But it’s hard. There are clues to seed, tension to ratchet up,…

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The Hero’s Journey Examples in Popular Fiction

As part of our series of resources on the Hero’s Journey, we’ve put together some Hero’s Journey examples in popular fiction. The examples below are: Interview with a Vampire The Hunger Games Interstellar Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone We hope to add more as time goes on. For each story we identify how each…

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How to End a Story: A Guide for Novelists

You’ve got a great idea for a story. You’ve got great characters, a gripping plot, and breathtaking locations.  The only problem is, you’re not sure how to end your novel to give it the greatest possible impact. Should you have a happily ever after? Should you leave it on a cliffhanger to make sure the…

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Novel and Script Editing Tips for Beginners

We are extremely pleased to bring this guest post to you where top editor David Ferris shares his top tips for editing your work. David has 15+ years of editing experience, including with one of the Big Four publishers. Read on to gain insider guidance from a pro. Whether revising or rewriting, novelists and script…

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How to Outline a Novel: Get a Novel Framework

how to outline a novel

Novels have shape. Not only do they have a beginning, middle, and end, but a good novel will have peaks of conflict and excitement and quieter moments of reflection and emotional connection. They will rise towards a satisfying climax and conclusion, but not without taking some detours and unexpected turns on the way. So how…

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Inciting Incident: How to Grab Your Readers’ Attention

If you’ve been writing for a while it’s likely you’ve heard the term ‘Inciting Incident’. But do you know exactly what is meant by that term – and more importantly, do you know how to write an effective Inciting Incident? If you’d like to master this dramatic element and use it to strengthen not just…

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10 Plot Hole Types and How to Fix Them

plot holes

Do you worry about plot holes in your story? You want to give your readers an engrossing, believable experience. You don’t want a glaring spotlight shining on the gaps you failed to correct in your story. So do you have to find and fix every plot hole you can? Well, it depends. Can glaring plot…

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