One of the best ways to create believable fiction is to structure it around believable characters. But how do you get to know your characters well, and give them the depth of real people? One excellent way is to create a list of everything you know about each major character. I’ve created a form you…
Many literary and movie characters have become cultural icons—Atticus Finch, ‘Ratso’ Rizzo, Holden Caulfield and Scarlett O’Hara, for example. A great character name will help make your story clearer and more memorable. The name should also reveal something about your character: who they are, where they come from or where they are going. Here are several tips…
by Elizabeth Rose Part one My favorite part of writing, believe it or not, is the dialogue. While many authors may feel this is a challenging aspect in their novel, I, instead look forward to the dialogue as I let my characters write the book themselves. Personally, I think dialogue can make or break a…
Other people may be more like us than we imagine. (The Borrowers) Memories of friendship can last forever. (Bridge to Terabithia) Defending a country requires loyality and sacrifice. (Camp X) Every child is special to his or her family. (The Canada Geese Quilt) Imagination can be a powerful weapon. (Cougar) Jealousy can be destroying. (The Fairest) The power of knowledge. (From the…
In English, only two tenses are marked in the verb alone, present (as in “he sings”) and past (as in “he sang”). Other English language tenses are marked by words called auxiliaries. Simple Present: They walk Present Perfect: They have walked Simple Past: They walked Past Perfect: They had walked Future: They will walk Future Perfect: They will have walked The…
This article, from Laura Backes, originally appeared in the February 2010 issue of the Children’s Book Insider newsletter and is reprinted here in its entirety with the CBI’s permission. While the CBI newsletter is primarily aimed at authors of children’s books, the advice given here is applicable to any work of fiction. If you’re writing a…
A SIMILE is a figure of speech where X is compared to Y , using the words AS or LIKE . For example: “My love’s LIKE a red, red rose.” “He was AS cold AS ice.” A METAPHOR is a figure of speech where X is compared to Y, and where X is said TO…
In the plotting and storyline process of writing, often times the term, ‘Scene and Sequel’ is brought into play. This is a very important aspect of the writing process, as the entire structure of your story rests on the way you compose each of these elements in your work. The scene and the sequel are…
based on material originally published at cinemoose.com, author unknown One of the things that every writer needs to know is the difference between story and plot. It’s very easy to confuse the two and many people often do. So what is the difference between story and plot? To put it simply, “plot” is the sequence…
These favorite opening lines were originally collected by book clubs in New Zealand: Once upon a time, there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person. Anne Tyler, Back When We Were Grownups Captain Ahab was neither my first husband nor my last… Sena Jeter Naslund, Ahab’s Wife My mother…
45 Questions to Create Backstories How much about your characters do you really know? Small details might seem superfluous even irrelevant to the story you intend to write, but the smallest detail informs the bigger picture. The more you know about your characters, the better you’ll create believable characters who live and breathe on the…