pacing

Why Outlining Subplots is Key to Drafting Your Novel

by
Why Outlining Subplots is Key to Drafting Your Novel

Have you ever heard a little kid tell a story? Did you pay attention to the way they told it? It was probably not a tale crafted to perfection. Maybe they went off on too many tangents and never got to the point. Maybe they only gave you the bare bones of the tale, revealing nothing exciting.

As a general rule, don’t write the way a child would speak.

When you write, you should give your readers more than the bare bones, but don’t abandon your plot altogether either. It can be tricky to find the middle ground, the happy medium—that’s what subplots are for.

Read more

The Easiest Way to Start Writing Your Plot-Driven Story

by
The Easiest Way to Start Writing Your Plot-Driven Story

In general, there are two main types of writers: plotters and pantsers.

I’m definitely an advocate for plotting your novel. If you do the legwork on the front end, you’ll be more organized later—you essentially give yourself a road map when you’re drafting. I’ve already written about balancing action and reaction scenes within your story, but today we’re going to look at the big picture: the overall narrative arc of your book.

When it comes to plot-driven novels, there is very little leeway; you need to know where your story is headed. You need to know how to put this kind of story together so you can build your story arc from the ground up. That’s where this guide comes in.

Read more

The Truth About Dialogue Tags and How to Make Mistakes Writing Them

by
The Truth About Dialogue Tags and How to Make Mistakes Writing Them

One of the fastest ways to tell a book was self-published, or a fanfiction was written quickly, is to look at the dialogue tags.

Now, of course, most self-published books use dialogue tags well. Many authors either do their research and know the proper syntax, or hire a professional editor, or both—but not all. And the ones who don’t? Well… The proof is in the pudding.

I hate to be a negative Nancy here, but not all dialogue tags were created equal. Some are fantastic, some are mediocre, and some are just plain bad. However, there is one dialogue tag that rises above the rest when it comes to brevity and clarity: said.

Yes. My favorite dialogue tag is “said.”

Read more

The Ultimate Breakdown of (Semi)Colons to Help You Become an Expert

by
The Ultimate Breakdown of (Semi)Colons to Help You Become an Expert

In any kind of writing (especially prose), sentence flow is extremely important when it comes to keeping your audience engaged. Too many short, choppy sentences in a row leave the writing feeling too simplistic, while too many long, flowing sentences may leave the reader feeling bored or confused. It becomes necessary to vary the pace, to keep the reader on their toes. That’s where punctuation comes in.

Punctuation is the key to controlling how your audience reads the sentences you write. Periods are, of course, a full stop. Exclamation points and question marks have their uses as well, providing interesting shifts in tone when used appropriately. Commas connect thoughts or separate items in a list, although they can become… muddy. 

With too many commas, your writing turns into the circuitous prose of an eccentric 18th-century novelist. However, not adding pauses to your work will make your writing seem stiff. So how do you break up your sentences to maintain the proper pacing?

COLON and SEMICOLON enter stage left. 

Read more

How to Make Sure Your Novel Ebbs and Flows Naturally

by
How to Make Sure Your Novel Ebbs and Flows Naturally

Among my friends and family, I make it no secret that I dislike watching action movies.

I don’t hate them, per se, but they’ve never truly interested me. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until I was watching an Indiana Jones movie—and hating the experience, much to my family’s chagrin—that I recognized the source of my aversion: more often than not, in my experience, the pacing of action movies is severely unbalanced. They’re all action, with little to no reaction, and so on an emotional level they tend to fall flat.

Scenes and Sequels

In general, there are two main types of scene: there are scenes full of action that further the plot, and scenes in which the characters (and reader) pause to regroup and take stock of their emotions. More experienced and renowned writers than I, such as Dwight Swain or Randy Ingermanson, may call these “scenes” and “sequels.” 

I find the name of the thing is less important than its definition and, most important of all, its practical use. As a result, I tend to explain them rather simply. “Scenes” are when things happen—this is when the story flows. “Sequels” are when characters react—this is when the story ebbs, pulling back before flowing forward again.

Even more simply put: there is action, and there is reaction, and a good story has both in not-quite-equal measure.

Read more