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Category Archives: Writing
28. Setting/3 of 3
In YOUR Novel post #26 we discussed the “magic” of adding information unobtrusively to YOUR Novel. In our second example, post #27, we saw how Billy Coffey used setting to introduce us to his main character. Our third example is … Continue reading
27. Setting/2 of 3
In YOUR Novel post #26 we discussed the “magic” of adding information unobtrusively to YOUR Novel. In our first example, author Ken Follett used vivid visual images and “new information” to set the scene in a Welsh coal town. Our second … Continue reading
Posted in Writing, YOUR Novel
Tagged Billy Coffey, Setting, SNOW DAY, writing with passion
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25. Scenes
Welcome back to YOUR Novel! Let’s talk a bit about scenes. You can’t write a novel without scenes. Scenes are the molecular structure of story and thus of a book. I like literary agent Rachelle Gardner’s take on scenes. “A … Continue reading
24. Progress
My husband and I have major differences when it comes to attacking a project. He’s the plan and research guy. I’m the gal who starts right away and screeches to a halt sometime in the middle of the mess to … Continue reading
Posted in Writing, YOUR Novel
Tagged pantster, planner, plotter, Sue Harrison, YOUR Novel
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23. The Down-ramp
Just as various literary devices add tension, others dissipate tension. In my current manuscript, my literary agent approved my use of occasional backstory chapters that slightly ease the tension (though are necessary for readers to solve the mystery part of … Continue reading
Opportunities
Just a very quick note to let all of you know that a group of writers and literary agents are conducting an auction on Friday afternoon, March 25, with the proceeds to be donated to the Red Cross efforts in Japan. … Continue reading
22. The tension ramp
Tension grabs a reader and pulls him or her into your story. As a novelist, that’s what you’re aiming for. To get the reader into your story and keep him/her there. Now obviously that result depends on a number of … Continue reading
21. Conflict/External
You’ve heard the old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Interesting times – war, famine, storms, earthquakes – are terrifying to live through. However, within the framework of a novel, interesting times are wonderful. I purposely set my … Continue reading
Posted in Writing, YOUR Novel
Tagged external conflict, Sue Harrison, writing with passion, YOUR Novel
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20. Conflict/Internal
Tension can make or break a novel. Too little and your readers are yawning, too much and you rend the “veil of disbelief” and your readers pop out of your story. (You know – “give me a break nobody has that … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized, Writing, YOUR Novel
Tagged characterization, Conflict, writing with passion, YOUR Novel
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19. Paragraphs
I remember writing my first paragraph. I think I was in the second grade. Our teacher the paragraph on the blackboard, and we copied what she wrote. Although the total paragraph was probably only two or three lines, I remember it as a laborious … Continue reading