It may feel like an afterthought or process a writer goes through when the writing is done, but whether or not to include a table of contents (TOC) warrants careful thought and special attention. The discussion that follows is based on my own (unofficial) research and inspection of various titles in my own small library. What is a TOC anyway? Basically, it’s a list of chapters and page numbers at the beginning of a book. As a writer, it’s important … Read More »

Ouch! This isn’t the reflection of a sadomasochist! Pain occurs (or should occur) a lot in novels, and it gives the author a lot of fresh ways to show something about their characters. I say “should occur” because it’s far less prevalent in hard-driving thrillers (for example) than it should be. If you jump off bridges and throw yourself out of moving cars, my guess is you’re going to get a few ouchy booboos. If the book makes any pretense … Read More »

Lucky is the writer whose book title is known before the first word is written. Other books may tease a vague hint or inclination, and then there are those that refuse to cooperate. At any level. If book titles are a challenge, let’s explore some possible remedies for those defiant or reluctant to make themselves known. Reflect the Book’s Tone The title of your book confers a critical first impression for a potential reader. It should provide insight into what … Read More »

There’s an ebb and flow to the pace of a story. Everything in the world moves at a pace that changes now and then, so your story needs to flow with a momentum that makes logical sense based on the setting, characters, and plot of the story. Let’s explore some ideas that will help vary the stride of your story. Word Choices Words have the power to move the reader along or slow them down, based on what is happening … Read More »

A really good book is like plywood—many layers of story glued together to produce an end product that’s stronger than any one layer alone. You have a main plot (say, retrieving the magic stone that protects the kingdom), one or more sub-plots (the heroine’s coming of age and her sidekick’s overcoming his sense of inferiority to a brother who died a hero), and then a thematic layer (resisting the temptation to do evil for a good cause). It’s about that … Read More »

Time is always tricky in structuring a novel, even one with a single line of action. Maybe your two sleuths split up to investigate two leads at once. In what order do you present their interviews? Because at some point you’ll need to bring them back together, and it should be in the smoothest possible way. But even more challenging is the ordering of a book with multiple timelines—two characters’ independent stories, for example, that braid together until they unite … Read More »