Some scenes are too much, and they may ruin a novel for readers. What are they? Plus, here are some good techniques for describing our characters, having our descriptions do double duty. And don't forget the quirks. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-...
Nov 11, 2022•29 min
How can we know when we've prepared enough? Is it time to start chapter 1? Here's a list of eight things we probably should have figured out before we start our first chapter. Also, how to show rather than tell about emotions and reactions. Support the show Buy the master class.
Nov 04, 2022•26 min
Some elements of a novel are more interesting than others, and some are less interesting. Writers should give readers more of the involving and fascinating aspects, and here is a ranked list of those elements. Also, a look at how three great writers describe their characters, and what we can learn from them. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and ab...
Oct 28, 2022•27 min
Scene structure is an art hidden from the reader but critical for the success of a scene. We'll talk about structure in this episode. Also, here is one of the best ways to avoid mushy, colorless sentences that don't grip the reader. Support the show Buy the master class.
Oct 21, 2022•23 min
Should we as writers practice our craft? What are the benefits, and how should we do so? And here are more ideas about making clear to readers what our character is thinking. Also, here are some laughably bad sentences. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of fo...
Oct 14, 2022•24 min
Here are eight signs that our plot isn't as interesting as we'd like, which is to say; it's dull. And how to fix it. Also, how do we carve out the time to write in our busy lives? A good author reveals how she did it. Support the show Buy the master class.
Oct 07, 2022•25 min
We should show as opposed to tell most of the time. But sometimes telling is fine. Here is a formula for when to show and when to tell. Also, we'll talk about techniques for clear and spare writing. And the reason Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is my favorite novel. And a wonderfully funny sentence from Lee Child. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is f...
Sep 30, 2022•26 min
Making a list of our favorite novels is fun and it can teach us something about writing, plus the strong technique of check-mark plotting. Support the show Buy the master class.
Sep 23, 2022•22 min
Plotting our story is so important that we return to it here. How can we know what works and doesn't work in a story? We'll talk about plotting techniques including good advice from a Pulitzer Prize winner. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine doll...
Sep 16, 2022•26 min
Successful novels almost always follow a pattern, and we'll talk about the pattern in this episode. Also, what put you in mind of writing fiction? I'd like to hear from you about it. And several more odd book titles. Support the show Buy the master class.
Sep 09, 2022•28 min
Vladimir Nabokov said a writer should have the enchanter quality. Here are examples from H.P. Lovecraft. And how does Nora Roberts work? Also, showing rather than telling about the weather and personality. And some John Lennon. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time pri...
Sep 02, 2022•28 min
Formulas became formulas because they work. Our genre will offer guidelines (formulas) for our plots. And: titles are fun to think about but it's sometimes hard to invent a good one. Here are some thoughts about coming up with a good title. Support the show Buy the master class.
Aug 26, 2022•25 min
Interior monologue and how to avoid it. And more techniques regarding the critical skill of showing rather than telling. And visits to John Steinbeck and Willa Cather. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you want structured, concise gu...
Aug 19, 2022•27 min
We writers may never know to whom our words will have a profound meaning. Plus, the importance of cause and effect. And the perils of interior monologue. Support the show Buy the master class.
Aug 12, 2022•25 min
Should we show friends and family our manuscripts as we compose them? Good reasons for and against exist. The key to vivid writing: be specific, definite, and concrete. Plus, famous romantic lines, avoiding useless analogies, and a technique for vivid writing: using verbs rather than verb objects. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minu...
Aug 05, 2022•25 min
What should we look for when editing our own manuscript? How do famous authors do it? What should we look for as we edit? This episode discusses the editing process, the good and bad of it. Support the show Buy the master class.
Jul 29, 2022•27 min
Topics of earlier episodes are boiled down to sixteen points, and we'll talk about them briefly. Also, here are some things we can do to make our sentence-by-sentence writing more pleasing to readers' eyes and ears. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-...
Jul 22, 2022•29 min
How can we shake loose from our brains plots for our novels? Here's my favorite way. Plus, benefits and perils of writing with a partner. More on accents. And avoiding adverbs, which are not a writer's friend. Support the show Buy the master class.
Jul 15, 2022•27 min
Why don't we begin our novel? Here's a reason, and a way to avoid it. Plus, we'll talk about qualifiers and intensifiers, the leeches of language. And some thoughts on profanity and slang. And why age benefits novelists. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of f...
Jul 07, 2022•26 min
Many adjective and adverb s do nothing but pad a sentence, making the sentence rickety. Here are some techniques on avoiding these useless or unintentionally funny modifiers. Plus, some words are just too much. We'll avoid these, too. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-t...
Jun 06, 2022•27 min
In this episode we focus on sentence-by-sentence writing. How can we make our sentences vivid and powerful? Some strong techniques are discussed, such as avoiding cliches like the plague. Support the show Buy the master class.
Jun 04, 2022•27 min
Our writing should be a clear window to the story, and a technique is to, in Einstein's phrase, keep it simple but not too simple. Here are some techniques for doing that, along with a discussion of metaphors and similes. Support the show Buy the master class.
May 29, 2022•26 min
As writers, should we be concerned with a themes for our stories? And a critical question: are writers allowed to be weird? We'll also return to the need for early conflict in our stories, and then go on to discuss vivid writing. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time p...
May 21, 2022•28 min
Our setting -- the place and time of the scene -- anchor our characters the the ground. Here are techniques for writing our settings to get the most from them, so that they play a strong role in the story. Support the show Buy the master class.
May 16, 2022•31 min
Our topics this episode are how to avoid breaking the fourth wall, onomatopoeia (clunk, thud, kersplat), and techniques on ending the novel. We'll also talk about some bad writing, really bad writing. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. I...
May 11, 2022•27 min
Dialogue is so important to our stories that we'll talk more about it here. Then we'll move on to foreshadowing--including the Chekhov's famous gun--and coincidences., where one is fine but two are not. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars....
May 06, 2022•26 min
A fictional character's dialogue sounds like a person speaking in real life, but not too much like a person speaking in real life. In this episode we'll talk about dialogue techniques that draw the reader into the story. Support the show Buy the master class.
Apr 28, 2022•25 min
Here are techniques to control our point of view so that our story doesn't have a dizzying quality as the reader jumps from one character's mind to another character's mind. We'll also discuss a writer's narrative voice. Support the show Buy the master class.
Apr 21, 2022•26 min
The difference between showing and telling is so important that we continue with it in this episode, including the technique of saving it for later. Plus, we'll talk about the grammatical person. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If you...
Apr 16, 2022•24 min
We'll talk about the most critical skill for vivid writing, showing versus telling. Showing reveals. Telling explains. Showing is almost always more involving for the reader, and we'll discuss how to show rather than tell.. Support the show Buy the master class.
Apr 09, 2022•29 min
