Archive for the 'Characterisation' Category
Using Index Cards
Last night, I finished reading No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty. (I admit there was a long break between starting the book and finishing it, because I was extremely busy.)
There’s a section at the end of the book that gives tips on […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 8 Sep 2007
How to Plot Your Novel
I’ve been plotting novels and short stories for some years now, but that doesn’t mean I think I know everything that needs to be known on the subject. Because of this, I continually borrow books from the library, or purchase them if they are being sold at the right price, to ensure I’m not […]
Posted by: Scribe on Tuesday, 12 Jun 2007
Grouping Your Characters
Not all your characters are important. They cannot all have the starring role, or even the supporting role, but they should be important in their own way to the story. With this in mind, how do we sort the characters into groups in order to find out who should be there and who […]
Posted by: Scribe on Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Grab Your Reader With Conflict
by Lea Schizas
No, not conflict of interest…not conflict within your being…but conflict found in a story.
What exactly is conflict in a story? Simple…a problem/obstacle your main character needs to overcome by the end of the story. Think of it as your engine that drives your car forward. Without one your car remains idle, collecting dust […]
Posted by: Scribe on Monday, 16 Apr 2007
And Now for the Sequel
Whilst researching non-fiction, I found this article called And Now for the Sequel…Writing Series Fiction for Children by Nikki Tate.
It’s interesting to read the thoughts of this writer, because they echo my own thoughts in so many ways, even though I made up my own mind before reading it elsewhere. I like how this […]
Posted by: Scribe on Friday, 9 Feb 2007
BBC - Get Writing
Struggling Writer is always supplying his readers with great links, so I wasn’t surprised when I saw this one - BBC - Get Writing.
There are informative courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced writers in the Mini-Courses section. Also, if you browse The Craft, you’ll find heaps of helpful articles on all aspects of writing…including […]
Posted by: Scribe on Friday, 2 Feb 2007
The 36 Plots
A member of my Email Writers’ Group shared this link and I thought I’d share it here too.
The 36 Plots is written with RPG in mind, but I think the essense of what’s being said can be applied to novel or short story writing too. I hope it helps someone over a stumbling block. […]
Posted by: Scribe on Saturday, 27 Jan 2007
Being Invisible
Excerpt from The Business of Writing for Children: An Award-Winning Author’s Tips on Writing Children’s Books and Publishing Them, or How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book for Kids by Aaron Shepard.
All at once, in the middle of the story, I “woke up” with a shock. For just a few seconds, I had […]
Posted by: Scribe on Wednesday, 20 Sep 2006
Where to Start
As a reader, no matter what I’m reading - a children’s book or a book for adults - I always enjoy the books that start right in the middle of the action. It’s exciting! It makes me keep reading to find out who the characters are and what is happening to them. […]
Posted by: Scribe on Tuesday, 19 Sep 2006
Leaving Successful Characters Dead or Alive
An interesting question was asked within my email writing group this morning - A Fantasy Writer’s Dream.
To start with, here’s a quote by J K Rowling, which she is reported to have said about her main character, Harry:
I have never been tempted to kill him off before the final book because I’ve always planned seven […]
Posted by: Scribe on Monday, 3 Jul 2006