How to write great dialogue in a novel
In this post we'll talk about how to write great dialogue. The principles outlined below mostly apply to novel writing, but they also apply to screenplays, short stories and other forms of creative writing.
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Premise: What your book is really all about
This is part three of a three-part series on Storytelling Tips. Also see: • Part 1: Creating compelling characters for your novel • Part 2: Mind your language: Repetition, clichés and modifiers In his excellent book about screenwriting, Save the Cat, Blake Snyder suggests you imagine your dad or mom asking you to finish the sentence, […]
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Mind your language: Repetition, clichés and modifiers
This is part two of a three-part series on Storytelling Tips. Also see: • Part 1: Creating compelling characters for your novel • Part 3: Premise: What your book is really all about One way of splitting novelists into two camps is between storytellers and stylists. Storytellers are all about the tale. A stranger comes […]
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Creating compelling characters for your novel
What is the one ingredient shared by every bestseller? A great, compelling character who's relatable to the reader.
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Writing about guns? Get your ammunition right
How to make sure your fictional firearms don’t jam Part two of a two-part series. See part one: The right way to write about guns in novels Rounds, cartridges, shells or bullets? In this article I’ve been scrupulous about referring to “rounds” when I mean the things you load into your firearm and “bullets” when […]
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The right way to write about guns in novels
A farewell to firearms mistakes: How to get the details correct in scenes with guns First of a two-part series. Also see Part two: Writing about guns? Get your ammunition right See that handgun on your writing desk? There. Just to the right of your keyboard. Go on, pick it up. Heavy, isn’t it? Surprisingly […]
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The storytelling secrets of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’
I like to take inspiration for storytelling from all kinds of sources, not just books. Movies, paintings, dog walks: They can all spark an idea or solve a narrative problem giving me grief. But TV is often a bust. The need to sell advertising or hook viewers into an unending multi-series show often corrupts the […]
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How to create a coherent crime series
A crime fiction author offers writing tips for creating coherent series that have both commercial potential and creative freedom.
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Virtuous villains and flawed heroes
Andy Maslen and Alessandra Torre discuss how to create complex characters for your novel. How to create characters your readers will love (or love to hate) Conflict is at the heart of all great fiction. Without conflict there is no story. “The cat sat on the mat is not the beginning of a story,” thriller […]
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How I learned to stop worrying and love A.I.
The story of how I got past my initial reluctance to use AI to improve my writing When I first heard about Marlowe, the fiction-savvy artificial intelligence from Authors A.I., I experienced two strongly conflicting emotions. Emotion one: An AI can read my entire novel in 15 minutes and tell me what’s good/bad about it? […]
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How authors can stay productive during the pandemic
Authors A.I. asked its founding authors for tips on how to stay productive during the pandemic, whether you're locked down, shut in or just don't feel like having company over.
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The number one rule for novelists
Thriller author Andy Maslen explains that the number one rule for novelists is to set the rules for your fictitious world, and then stick to them.
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