One of the most important skills every writer has to master, no matter their genre, is crafting a great mystery. It’s also one of the most misunderstood elements of novel writing. Mysteries are the lures that keep us turning the pages and keep us glued to the book. They send us into a frenzy because […]
Writing Novels
What makes a great setting in a novel
The Reading Rainbow theme song really had it right. One of the best parts of reading is the way books open up new worlds to us, whether a story is set in an unpronounceable ancient kingdom, the far reaches of outer space, ancient history, the distant future, or even the real world but maybe somewhere […]
Give your protagonist a mini-quest before the main plot kicks off
Sometimes novels jump straight into the action and don’t let up, but most of the time you’ll need a bit of time to introduce the characters, show the setting, and get the reader into the flow of the novel before the main plot kicks off. But the pages before the inciting incident are fraught with […]
Interview on writing novels and believing in yourself
I was very excited to sit down with my friend Natasa Lekic of New York Book Editors for a forty minute (!) interview on novel writing and editing. Some of the things we covered: Believing in your own creativity Motivation and stakes Dialogue and writing cinematically Here’s the full interview! (Don’t worry, I got a […]
Why protagonists need to be active
I’ve been on a “story essentials” kick lately as I work my way through the latest round of revisions for my new novel. One of the big weaknesses in the last draft: my protagonist wasn’t active enough through the second act of the book. It is so crucial to keep a protagonist active throughout the […]
9 ways to spice up characters
Some characters leap off the page from the moment you first mention them. Some characters start off flat and boring. And no matter how hard we try, a few characters need a whole lot of coaxing to come to life. Never fear! Characters can be resuscitated and invigorated. You might just need to freshen them […]
