You know as well as we do that there is not a concrete “bestseller” formula that will catapult your novel to the top of the NYT Bestseller list. The things that make a novel a bestseller are different for every book and for every author. For example, your chances of writing the next bestseller are bigger if you are: Already a bestselling author, in which case, you don’t … [Read more...] about 5 Things You Need to Do to Transform Your Book from Average to Bestseller
Fiction
5 Mistakes about the Timing of Events in Your Story That You Should Avoid
When you look at the basic structure of a scene, you get two different compounds: action that leads to disaster, and the aftermath. The aftermath is slow, compared to the action of the scene. But they are rarely balanced. The aftermath can be only a sentence after a series of activities, or a long period of reflection. The truth is, trying to control the timing of events in … [Read more...] about 5 Mistakes about the Timing of Events in Your Story That You Should Avoid
How to Write Unforeseen Events in Your Novels
Plot twists give spice to a novel, and turn it from a tightly plotted piece into a masterpiece that will remain in the readers’ minds for years to come. Just look at your favorite books. What is it that makes them so memorable and so enjoyable that you want to reread them, over and over again? The answer is always the same. Your favorite novels have a tightly woven plot, … [Read more...] about How to Write Unforeseen Events in Your Novels
How Not to Write a Male Protagonist
Protagonists have a key role in a story. They need to drive the story forward, they need to be active instead of reactive and they should be many other things to satisfy the needs of a story. Male protagonists appear deceptively easy to write and because of that, many times the protagonist’s characterization suffers as a result. It is also easy to assume that female writers … [Read more...] about How Not to Write a Male Protagonist
How to Write the Perfect Female Antagonist
Well, for starters, you could stop thinking of her as female first, antagonist second. It should be the other way around. Or, you could simply think of her as the antagonist, regardless of gender. If you were to create a male antagonist, how would you go for it? Could you use the same techniques if you are creating a female antagonist? The answer would be both yes and no. It … [Read more...] about How to Write the Perfect Female Antagonist