|
|
A Scriptural 'How to' for Writing ...
If you want to know how to be a successful writer, by the world's methods and standards, I have absolutely no idea. However, if you have a passion to use writing as a tool to reach people for the Lord, have I got Good News for you! A Scriptural...
PROPOSAL WRITING
Writing to persuade is a tough task, but with a bit of planning it can be made easier and more effective. When you try to persuade someone, often you'll be trying to do one of these three things: * confirm an existing belief; * challenge an...
The Myths Of Writing: Have You Bought Into These?
There is an image most people carry of the artist (think Van Gough's self-portrait, the one with his ear bandaged), working in solitude in a barren garret in a dark corner of the city. Everyday is a struggle. He continually walks between moments...
The Write Habit: How to Strengthen Your Writing Muscle
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in shape. I realized how true that saying is when I took what I called "a well-earned break" after I finished my first novel. The last few days of writing that novel felt as sweet as whipped...
Using Emotional Triggers in Ad Writing
Writing ads for either you own products or affiliate products is a large part of a marketing plan. You need to find the emotional "triggers" that will excite your prospects and get them to buy. Take a good look at the product you are promoting....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Writing a Page Turner
What's going to happen next? You turn the pages as quickly as you can. Agitated, you read on, lured by the sense of dread that's pulsing through your veins.
You don't realize it, but you're holding your breath. Something's going to happen. Something big! You just saw Jane Protagonist's fianc slip something into her drink. But he's deeply in love with her...or so you thought!
What did he slip into the drink? And why? What's he up to?
Scene after scene, he keeps dropping something into her drink, and you're becoming more and more confused. He's also meeting with a female colleague of hers in secret. Who is she? Why are they meeting like this? What's going on? Now he's luring her younger brother to a upscale hotel, claiming he has urgent news. But he's never met her brother. What could he possibly have to tell him? What?! What?! What?!
Has a book ever filled you with such anticipation? Have you ever stayed up hours past your bedtime to finish a book? Have you ever turned the pages so quickly you ended up with a nasty paper cut? Or, called your mother in the wee hours of the morning to tell her that she must read that book?
Why did that book make such a big impact on you? Quite possibly, it had to do with two things: engaging characters and a carefully constructed plot. Both are crucial to the makings of a great novel.
CREATING CHARACTERS
Your characters must be intriguing and memorable. But, most important, they must be worth caring about. After all, if I don't care what happens to Jane Protagonist, no matter how horrible her fianc is to her, how twisted the relationship is between him and the brother, or how much care the author took to develop a winning plot, I'll lose interest.
In his book, Characters and Viewpoint (Writer's Digest Books, 1999), author Orson Scott Card explains that vivid and memorable characters aren't born: they have to be made. And it's your job to make them both vivid and memorable. If you don't do it, who will?
Use description to paint clear pictures of your characters. How much description or the type you use, depends on your writing style and the genre for which you write, but you must paint a clear picture for your reader. This is crucial!
Characters should also be memorable. Many times when remembering a favorite book, you may find that most of the plot is now fuzzy to you, but the characters--or parts of them--continue to live inside your head.
CAREFULLY CONSTRUCT THE
PLOT
A carefully constructed plot is also important. Though the element of suspense is critical only to certain genres, namely mysteries and psychological thrillers, the element of suspense can deepen the overall impact of any work of fiction.
The goal is to create tension from the very first page, to trap readers in the viscous web of suspense as early as possible, and to keep them there to the very end. Nancy Kress, author of Beginnings, Middles, and Ends (Writer's Digest, 1999) writes, "...you must hook a reader or editor in the first three paragraphs." Think about it. There are tens of thousands of books available to readers these days, not to mention other forms of entertainment. There are also tens of thousands of aspiring writers vying for the attention of agents, editors, and readers. You don't have much time to make an impression. Make a good one as quickly as you can.
Give your protagonist a difficult goal, then throughout the novel add complications. Give her a deadline and force her to make difficult choices. Convince the reader there's no solution; no way out. Always leave a question in the reader's mind. This will give them a great reason to continue on.
Prolong agony. By making life difficult for your protagonist, you'll inspire anticipation, even dread, in your readers. But dread is good! Stir readers' emotions whenever you can. Force them to empathize, to feel. That's what they want! They want to feel sad, angry, inspired, annoyed, excited. They want to be taken off guard. They paid for good entertainment; make sure you give it to them. By writing intriguing characters and crafting a solid plot, you'll create a compulsive need to turn the page. They will skip meals, miss bedtimes, and (though not condoned) ignore spouses and friends until they reach the answers for which they've been searching. They'll keep turning the pages until they reach the end.
Conversely, draw readers in, but don't let them down. Nothing's worse than reaching the last pages of a book just to find that the ending is a letdown. Many books do that; don't let yours! Make yours a page turner...from the first to the very last page.
About the Author
Jennifer Minar is a freelance writer in the writing and health & fitness markets. She is also the founder & managing editor of Writer's Break http://www.writersbreak.com, a web site and ezine for fiction and creative non-fiction writers; and Industry News @-a-Glance, an ezine for the retail pharmacy industry.
|
|
|
|
|
Writing.Com: Writers, Writing, Poetry, Creative Writing, Fiction ... |
An online community dedicated to fostering writing skills. With a free membership anyone may read, write, rate, and review works. |
www.writing.com |
  |
Welcome to Writing-World.com! |
Writing articles and resources. Tips about how to become a better writer, get published and find writing markets. From Moira Allen. |
www.writing-world.com |
  |
Guide to Grammar and Writing |
The Guide to Grammar and Writing contains scores of digital handouts on grammar and English usage, over 170 computer-graded quizzes, recommendations on ... |
grammar.ccc.commnet.edu |
  |
Purdue University's Online Writing Lab - The OWL Family of Sites |
Writing lab and resources. Email newsletter available. |
owl.english.purdue.edu |
  |
OWL at Purdue University: General Writing Concerns Handouts |
This page contains important links to the writing: planning/writing/revising aspects of the OWL website. |
owl.english.purdue.edu |
  |
Writing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
The original Mesopotamian writing system was initially derived from a system of ... If it is deemed to be a written language, writing in China will predate ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
Writing.org - Advice for Freelance Writers |
Articles to help you launch a freelance writing career, from a former literary agent and PLAYBOY editor. |
www.writing.org |
  |
Writing HTML |
More than just an HTML reference, this is a structured approach for learning how to create web pages, designed by specialists in learning at the Maricopa ... |
www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu |
  |
National Novel Writing Month - National Novel Writing Month |
NaNoWriMo is an annual (November) novel writing project that brings together professional and amateur writers from all over the world. |
www.nanowrimo.org |
  |
Poynter Online |
Apply by Dec. 11 Reporting and Writing the Untold Stories Apply by Dec. 11 ... Reporting & Writing for Multi-Platform Newsrooms. Apply by Jan. 10 ... |
www.poynter.org |
  |
Pages tagged with "writing" on del.icio.us |
This short online course provides a practical introduction to writing fiction. During the course you will be expected to write two short pieces for ... |
del.icio.us |
  |
BBC Get Writing |
The BBC's online resource for writing drama and comedy for television, radio and film. |
www.bbc.co.uk |
  |
TOC About Writing |
Menu of articles on writing written by professional SF/F writers. |
www.sfwa.org |
  |
11 Rules of Writing -- a concise guide to important grammar ... |
A concise guide to some of the most frequently violated rules of writing, punctuation, and grammar. |
www.junketstudies.com |
  |
NAEP Writing Subject Area |
NAEP assesses student performance in writing periodically in grades 4, 8, and 12 for the nation, and in grades 4 and 8 for the states. |
nces.ed.gov |
  |
Writing: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
See all blog posts tagged with writing on Technorati. |
www.technorati.com |
  |
IPL Teenspace: A+ Research & Writing |
Includes step-by-step instructions on researching and writing, how to find information online and offline, as well as links to useful resources. |
www.ipl.org |
  |
Dictionary.com: Writing Resources |
Free online English dictionary and reference guide. List of sites writers can use. |
dictionary.reference.com |
  |
WritingFix: Home of Interactive Writing Prompts and 6 Trait ... |
Daily and interactive writing prompts. |
www.writingfix.com |
  |
Advice on Academic Writing |
Includes articles on critical reading, planning, researching, style and editing, grammar and punctuation. |
www.utoronto.ca |
  |
|