First-person present tense is the most seductive mistake in contemporary fiction. Writers discover it in published YA or literary novels and try it themselves. The logic seems sound: “I run down the hallway” feels more immediate than “I ran down the hallway.” More urgent. More cinematic. What gets lost is narrative distance. Distance is a…
Most writers don’t finish their first novel. The reason is almost never a bad idea. It’s editing while they write. I’ve taught over 100,000 students. The pattern is the same: you write a chapter, you don’t like it, you go back and fix it. Then you fix the next chapter. Then you loop. You never…
“Show don’t tell” is the most repeated writing advice in existence. It’s also the most misunderstood. Telling isn’t bad. “She was exhausted” works fine if exhaustion is background the reader needs to move forward. Spending a full paragraph on heavy eyelids and stumbling steps would be self-indulgent. The real distinction is stakes. Tell when the…
mww42 Manuscript Evaluation ChecklistDownload This topic is covered in depth in our Novel Writing Workshop.
A note from Daniel White Hodge, the editor of this page: “This dictionary isn’t so you can try to talk like someone you’re not. But it is a good reference for those who are seeking to understand a piece of youth culture today. No … every kid doesn’t use all of these words. But this…
Using Metaphors in Creative Writing What is a metaphor? The term metaphor meant in Greek “carry something across” or “transfer,” which suggests many of the more elaborate definitions below: Metaphor Table Definition Origin A comparison between two things, based on resemblance or similarity, without using “like” or “as” most dictionaries and textbooks The act of…
by Susan J. Letham Novice writers tend to feel awed by the concept of “voice.” Once you understand what writers mean by voice, it becomes easier to grasp. You wouldn’t mistake Goldie Hawn’s voice for Liz Taylor’s, even if you couldn’t see their faces, would you? And if I were to give you a text to read, you wouldn’t…
After two years of editing(!) Dani’s and my new book, Writing Young Adult Fiction, is about to be published. As one of our fans, I’d like to extend this special pre-publication offer to you: get the Kindle book for just $2.99, or get it for free when you purchase the paperback. My favorite part of the book…
Passive writing is boring. Here’s a simple change you can apply to every sentence you write to make it more interesting. Simply look for the word “was.” For example: The house I grew up in was in Los Angeles. It was a low, ranch style house with some modern touches. It was designed by my…
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…
Sign up and get the 25-point checklist my students use — plus the writing resources you choose.