Since we’re beginning a brand new year, it seems appropriate to reflect on beginnings—the beginning of books, that is. Few things are as daunting to a writer as that blank page upon which we type “Chapter One.” That’s because we know that we only have this one chance to hook the reader, to intrigue and delight her so strongly that she won’t be able to put down the novel until she’s read it cover to cover. It may be the … Read More »

What makes for good literary style? The components are so numerous that it would take all day to list them, but one that jumps out at me is description that is vivid and original. Vivid and Original Vivid: It engages your senses until you can really see, hear, taste, smell, and feel the scene the author has laid before you. In fact, she hasn’t just laid it before you. She has drawn you into it. Original: She has expressed herself … Read More »

The holidays are upon us, and already I hear your heart rates increase. “How am I going to maintain my writing schedule through all the family dinners, out-of-town visits, and Super Bowl games?” you’re moaning. “How am I going to maintain the inviolable code of Butt-in-Chair?” For all of our consolation, I’d like to suggest that there’s more to writing than writing. That’s right, and you already know it. For every page that gets typed, how much thinking, imagining, and … Read More »

Some time ago, I wrote a blog on unlikable protagonists, and one of my colleagues (you know who you are!) commented that the way we see a protagonist can be mediated by the narrator. That idea is so full of interesting possibilities for an author that it deserves a blog all to itself. So, here are a few ideas to add to your literary arsenal about who is going to tell your tale. To See or Not to See The … Read More »

You (hotly): You’re kidding, right? Of course my novel has a plot! Me: It probably does, because that’s the kind of tightly-put-together story we prefer nowadays. But some novels really/almost/actually don’t. They’re episodic, quest-like. And that’s OK, if you intend them to be that way. Just don’t let it happen by accident, as I once almost did. Perhaps a little reflection up front can stave off some panicked rewrites later. The Classic Quest The great English classic Pilgrim’s Progress is … Read More »

Not many things in real life are more annoying than a slow leak of the faucet. That plop-plop-plop from the bathroom is guaranteed to drive a writer (who’s probably hoping for a distraction anyway) craaazy. But in your writing, those slow leaks can be an effective way to build tension and lead the reader along clue by clue to a surprise ending. This is supremely important with mysteries and thrillers, but any book with any tension is going to have … Read More »