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Not Taking Criticism So Seriously
The stories we write are part of us. Like children, we nurture them and raise them. We identify with them. Then we push them out […]
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11 Functions of Plot
I get the feeling that some critics vest too much importance in plot. They have a hundred criteria they use to disqualify a story. Is […]
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#FridayFlash Favorites (2011/02/25)
Each Friday, writers post on Twitter a link to a short-short story they’ve written, marked with the tag #FridayFlash. And I (eventually) wrap up my […]
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What Is Character?
(I extracted this post from an upcoming free ebook Character Fiction 101: How to Write Fictional Characters and Character Stories.) When I first started writing […]
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10 Steps to Punch Up Your Prose
If you read a lot, you’ve probably read at least one author you admire. Her words seem to flow through your heart like a river. […]
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#FridayFlash Favorites (2011/02/04)
Remember these? Each Friday, writers post on Twitter a link to a short-short story they’ve written, marked with the tag #FridayFlash. And I (eventually) wrap […]
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Metaphor in Stories: the Lake, the Void, and the Skating Rink
Over the past weeks here in New England, we’ve been inundated with snow. And between snowstorms, the air turns bitterly cold, as sub-freezing air blasts […]
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The 5 Principles of Story Design: How Storytelling Is Like Mapmaking
Some time ago, I ran across a post on the Society of Cartographer’s email list— What I was doing there, I don’t remember. I’m not […]
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9 More Sources for Character Ideas
Ideas are a dime a dozen, which is no consolation when you just can’t seem to come up with that perfect idea that will pull […]
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Novelist, Heal Thyself (Why Everyone Should Write)
So, I’m putting together a newsletter. That is, a paper newsletter, to send to friends, family, fans, and readers–Sorry, I couldn’t think of a synonym […]
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