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The Author/Publisher Relationship - How do authors and publishers interact? Turns out there's more to it than most people would think. Read the article to find out more from James Roy Daley!
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Creative Writing 301 - Long time writer and veteran member of the CSFWG, R. Michael Burns, shares his knowledge about upping tension in a story and adding conflict. Read more by R. Michael Burns.
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Standard Manuscript Formatting - It seems like each editor/agent wants something different. Fortunately, there are some standards that you can stick with for generic manuscripts. Read more by R. Michael Burns to find out about how to format your manuscript.
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Poetic License - Learn the rules about breaking the rules of the English language. Find some rigidity to your freedom of speech! By R. Michael Burns.
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Plot Versus Focus All books that are picked up for publication have one thing in common. They all have good focus. No, plot and focus are not the same thing. You can have a great plot, but if there is no focus, your writing isn’t going anywhere.. By Hollie Snider.
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Creative Writing 101: Show Versus Tell - Anyone who has ever taken a creative writing course or picked up a book on the subject has surely encountered the famous refrain: show, don’t tell! What I wasn’t so frequently told, though, was what exactly that dire entreaty meant.. By R. Michael Burns
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The Country in the Mist - In ancient Greek theater, whenever things got too difficult for the merely mortal characters to handle, some deity would intervene. The actor portraying the divinity in question often was suspended over the stage by some impressive mechanical device intended to make the entrance properly awe-inspiring. From this theatrical form of divine intervention we get the expression deus ex machina — the “god from the machine.” And in modern writing, it is generally considered a major cheat. By R. Michael Burns
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Writer's Block: A 12-Step Cure - Most of us have stared at that blank page/screen with frustration, knowing that we have good ideas, just forgetting where in the heck we put them. Here's a few ideas on how to cure the most hated writer's problem. By Hollie Snider.
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It's All English - This list is far from exhaustive, and it should also be remembered that in both the U.S. and the U.K. regional expressions and usages are common.. By R. Michael Burns
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This Article is Brought to You by the Fine Folks at Brand X - Brand names add a quality of specificity. Saying that Lisa drinks sparkling water is generally less evocative than saying she drinks Perrier. Familiar brand names can help define characters. By R. Michael Burns
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Talking Head Syndrome - Ever try to stay awake while reading a full page of strictly dialogue? This article shows how to add a little action to spice things up without ruining the mood. By Hollie Snider. |
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He Said . . . She Said . . . Who Said? - Ah, pronouns -- those wonderful words that cry out to the writer, “Love me, use me, I’m convenient,” only to whisper, “Identify me.” Think co-dependent. Without a noun to depend on, pronouns get questioned and can’t stand up in the spotlight. They become vague.. By Hollie Snider. |
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After the First Draft - So, you’ve finished your manuscript or short story. Congratulations, that’s quite an achievement. Still, how do you know if it’s any good? Let someone else read it. Scary thought, isn’t it? By Hollie Snider. |
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On Honesty - It might seem a strange demand to make of an art which is, by its nature, concerned with making things up. But I would humbly suggest that honesty is vital to writing good fiction.. By R. Michael Burns |
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How to Create Realistic Scenes Part 1: Physical Description - Having three dimensional characters is the key to a good story, but what about they interract with the world? This article tells the best way to offer description without overdressing the experience. By Hollie Snider. |
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Becoming a Novelist -People have asked me, "How do I become a novelist?" The answer is easy; hard work. The process is not.Becoming a novelist is not like becoming a doctor or an accountant. College creates these folks. It does not create the novelist. By Hollie Snider. |
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Writing Fiction . . . Why Bother? - Those of us interested in fiction talk a great deal about how to write -- and why not? Insightful analysis of our craft is an indispensable means of honing our skills. What we seldom discuss, however, is why we bother to write. By R. Michael Burns |
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