Inside/Outside: More Tips on Writing Conflict
When writing conflict, inner and outer conflicts are not two separate things. Outer conflicts offer an opportunity to explore inner ones better. Find out how.
Defining Types of Conflict in Children’s Books
Conflict in children’s books isn’t necessarily fights or arguments, it’s about the roadblocks that keep the character from getting what they want in the story.
Conflict and Your Story Machine
Discover how the conflict the main character of your manuscript faces is the little piece of the story machine with the biggest impact on your reader.
Plot: What’s At Stake?
Plot moves forward as pressure is applied to characters to motivate them to act. Pressure in a story is all about the stakes. Are your stakes high enough?
How 3 Words from Aristotle Can Help Your Story
Aristotle’s RHETORIC gives 3 elements for persuasive communication—Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. These 3 words are also what every book for young readers needs.
Ready, Set, Go! Incorporating the Rule of Three into Your Writing
Rule of Three writing tools, such as a tricolon or hendiatris, make our writing different and possibly more interesting to readers—always a good goal.
Writing a Successful Plot: A Wandering Journey
Plot is complicated and those complications are called conflict. Let’s explore different types of conflict your character must face in a successful plot.
The Magic Number: Three – Recognizing the Rule of Three in Writing
What’s so special about the number 3? Three is magical because it’s the smallest number that creates a pattern. Here’s how to use the rule of three in writing.
Introduction to the Rule of Three
We find the rule of three in all sorts of places, but especially in writing. How can you make this magic number work for you? Read on to find out!
Plotting Your Plot
Plot is the structure that brings everything together in a way that makes sense, drives the story, and results in an engaging read. Let’s plot our plots.
Bringing a Cast of Characters to Life
Your cast of characters fills certain roles in the plot to bring forth an engaging story. Time to talk about your protagonist, antagonist, sidekicks, and more!
Sneaky Writing Tip: Character-Building Characters
Characters populate our stories but what does it mean to write a character-building story? How do you help build character without preaching at your audience?
Introducing Genre Writing
If you can describe your story with genre shorthand, it will help attract the attention of an agent or a publisher. Here’s how to think about genre writing.
Series Books: The Trouble with Character Transformation
How do you handle character transformation in series books where readers fall in love with characters and expect to meet those same people, sometimes exactly the same people, book after book?
Series Books: 3 Popular Ways to Orient Your Reader | IFW
Each book in a series must somehow orient the reader to what is going on in the series overall and the specific book in hand. Today, we look at three ways to orient your reader.
Trade Publishing: Single Book or Series?
Trade publishing recognizes a simple truth: when selling a series to individual readers, the first book gets the most readers. Jan Fields shares tips for increasing your series odds.
Planning a Book Series: The Premise
All series books have a basic premise, something that links the books through time. Today we talk about how a good premise is interesting but also has repeatability.
How to Build a Good Mystery Part 1 – Institute for Writers
096: How to Build a Good Mystery Part 1
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NaNoWriMo Success: You’re This Close – Institute for Writers
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NaNoWriMo Success – Throw in a Dragon ? – IFW
227: NaNoWriMo Success – Throw in a Dragon?
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