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Category Archives: Self-editing Fiction that Sells
How to Structure a Strong Narrative
Following on from the post on the action-consequence principle in building a strong narrative plot, in this post I’ll illustrate how to build a narrative mini-arc, by using one of the greatest examples of accomplished narrative structure, Ken Follett’s masterpiece, The … Continue reading
Posted in Narrative
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What Is an over-developed Character?
Characters are often under-developed in beginning fiction writing. An unknown villain is a common example. That is a villain whose characterisation is not strong or compelling enough to convince us that he or she can pose some seriously menacing adversity … Continue reading
Generic Adjectives are Bad for your Style
What’s wrong with this fragment, found in a novel: ‘Their conversation was stilted’? That’s right: it tells, it doesn’t show. Instead of creating a scene with the right atmosphere to show us that the awkwardness, boredom and self-consciousness of the characters … Continue reading
How to Avoid saggy Middles
Middles can be drawn out affairs. The never seem to deliver quite the excitement of beginnings or the satisfaction of endings. Characters don’t appear to achieve anything and the story struggles to get anywhere. This is particularly the case with … Continue reading
Posted in Narrative, Uncategorized
Tagged fiction writing, narrative drive, pace, self-editing
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How to Strengthen a weak Story
Weak stories are a common encounter in beginning fiction, even when the quest is strong and the stakes are high. Example of weak story: The protagonist endangers his life to save his best friend’s life, who’s been kidnapped by a … Continue reading
Posted in Plot, Self-editing Fiction that Sells
Tagged plot, protagonist, quest, story, villain
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Is Structuring your Novel a good Idea?
Structure is a good idea when it enriches the meaning of your story, but it comes with its own risks. Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries won the 2013 Man Booker Prize. Everybody is in awe with the structure of this huge … Continue reading
Posted in Structure
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Here’s a piece of brilliant advice on how to build your plot, from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park and The Book of Mormon. Don’t plan out your action linearly: she did this and then she … Continue reading
Show, don’t tell
What’s wrong with this: ‘Jim felt hurt that his wife did not discuss her plans with him.’? It sounds like an excerpt from a psychological report. Surely not one from the narrative of a sci-fi thriller. Yet, this is where … Continue reading
The page-turner effect: Cliffhangers
It’s a well-known fact that we prefer to read a book in full chapters. Usually it’s one, two, three or more chapters per sitting and therefore, the more grabbing the end of a chapter is, the more likely we are … Continue reading
Posted in Narrative
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Genre fiction: Is Unpleasantness enough to make a great Villain?
Or how to tell if your villain needs more development Take this example: “Jim drew his face closer to Hannah’s so, when he started to speak, a spray of spit landed on Hannah’s face. ‘You park in my spot once more,’ … Continue reading
Posted in Characterisation
Tagged character development, characterisation, self-editing, Self-publishing
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Self-editing Fiction that Sells 