It sounds really obvious, but I’m continually amazed at the number of aspiring fiction writers who don’t seem to pay enough attention to helping their readers tell one character from another. This is really basic if you want to produce a page turner that requires no unnecessary effort or confusion on the part of the reader. Some of the items below may indeed go without saying, while others might bear a bit more thought and planning. Yet all of them, … Read More »

When a reader opens the cover of a book, they are embarking on an adventure the writer has created for them. What should happen at the beginning of that first chapter, and subsequent chapters? Let’s explore the possibilities. First Chapter The beginning of the first chapter of a story has specific requirements, different in some ways than subsequent chapters. It’s a big ask. There’s a lot that needs to happen as soon as possible because you want to grab and … Read More »

Authors who go the extra mile in research tend to become bestsellers—Patricia Cornwell, Michael Crichton, Dave Berry, Creston Mapes, James A. Michener, David Morrell, Ridley Pearson, Amy Tan, and Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Herman Wouk to name a few. Some authors start out as experts, such as: Tess Gerritsen (a physician who writes crime stories featuring a coroner) Linda Fairstein (a former Manhattan Assistant DA who writes crime novels) Timothy Browne, M.D. (a missionary physician who writes inspirational medical thrillers) Frank Zafiro … Read More »

Let’s get back to those quirky, fun books that writers of all ages tend to love. And what’s not to love—tight plots, precise characterization, emotional impact—all within a very controlled 32 pages and, nowadays, often with less than 700 words. They’re not easy to write, and to get right. In fact, as the author of three novels, many poems, magazine article, and 13 picture books, I find that a good picture book is the most difficult thing I write. (Maybe … 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 »

Chapters are the stepping stones that guide a reader from the beginning to the end of your story. A chapter can be a mini-story in itself, with its own arc and exciting stuff happening in a little, literary package. When it comes time for the chapter to end, what do you do? What is a chapter ending supposed to accomplish within the bigger context of a story? Let’s explore some possibilities. Wrap Up A chapter ending can wrap up that … Read More »