The Meat of the Matter: Creating Characters by thebalefulprimal, literature
Literature
The Meat of the Matter: Creating Characters
Creating characters is my absolute favourite part of the writing process. I thrive on the sheer number of paths you can take to create just one character with their personalities, traits, quirks, wants and needs, back stories - the list is endless! But dreaming up one isn't just about hair length, eye colours, if they are left handed or right handed. They need to be more than their physical presence, and I know not everyone may think that an infinite number of ideas is as much fun, so let's take a look at a couple things that can be considered when you're creating a character.
What is the most important thing about this character that you wa
Screenwriting Software Resources by Cinestress, journal
Screenwriting Software Resources
Final Draft
CeltX (Free!)
Movie Magic
Scrivener
Fade In
Amazon Storywriter (Free!)
WriterDuet (Free!)
DubScript (Free! Mobile)
And more! I will add resources to this list as I come across more software. Which is your favorite? Leave a comment below!
7 Ways To Prepare Yourself for World-Building by JenifryConan, literature
Literature
7 Ways To Prepare Yourself for World-Building
This is now available to download for free in a PDF format! Check it out:
There are plenty of tutorials out there telling you the whats and hows of world-building, but I've not found any on how to prepare yourself for the process. So in this space, we'll delve into the 7 ways I use to prepare myself for world-building.
1) Know Your Purpose
It's just as important to know why you're world-building as it is to know how. Are you doing it for fun, as a writing exercise, or are you world-building for a story? The answer will affect multiple aspects of your world-building.
World-building for a story is different than doing it for fun. If you're
How to Write Better Character Emotions by illuminara, journal
How to Write Better Character Emotions
The following is a technique for writing deeply-felt character emotions, as described by Donald Maass in his book The Emotional Craft of Fiction. It's the single most valuable thing I learned about writing fiction in the last year.
Step One
Pick a moment in your story when your character feels something strongly. Identify that feeling and write it down. Then dig deeper. What else are they feeling? Write down that second feeling. And what else are they feeling beneath that? Writing down that third-level emotion. You should now have a list of three emotions.
Example:
Fear
Vulnerability
Loneliness
Step Two
Work with feeling #3 and examin
How to Write the Beginning of Your Story by illuminara, literature
Literature
How to Write the Beginning of Your Story
We all know the most important sentence in a story is the very first sentence. It has only one goal: to convince the reader to read the next sentence and then the next until they are fully immersed in your story.
The goal is simple, but executing the goal with success is a challenge we’ve all agonized over. It’s easy to obsess over the beginning and wonder if you’ve started in just the right place with the right scene or narration. Maybe it seems perfect to you, but beta readers tell you it’s not a good enough hook and you try to make it bigger and better, flashier and more action-packed.
Stop.
The opening of a stor
Just what is a pitch?
Sometimes pitch is used interchangeably with query. A query is your 1 page letter to a publisher or agent to get them interested in your book. A pitch can also mean the few minutes you have at a conference to tell them about it.
Pitch is also another term for the log line, or one to two line description, of your novel or short story. The elevator pitch! And that, my friends, is what we're here to talk about.
I know what you're thinking. "But wait, I can't summarize the awesomeness of my book in just one attention-grabbing line! It's impossible!" Well . . . it is possible and you can do it!
How do I write one?
Your p
The Lifecycle of a Novel Draft by illuminara, literature
Literature
The Lifecycle of a Novel Draft
This article’s aim is to teach you how to draft a novel. That’s a pretty vague statement and begs a lot of questions. What’s a draft? What work or planning do you have to do before you start drafting? Can you just sit down and start putting pen to paper and expect a draft to miraculously show up? How many drafts do you need to write in order to get a “finished” novel?
First and foremost, a draft is simply a version of a manuscript, and there will be many versions along the way to a finish novel ready for publication (or whatever other plans you have for it). The purpose of a first draft is to bring your story ki
7 Ways to Form Healthy Writing Habits by illuminara, literature
Literature
7 Ways to Form Healthy Writing Habits
1. Write Every Day
Christy Hall nailed it when she said, “A writer writes. There are no exceptions to this reality. No excuses.” There’s nothing sexy about this. It’s tough work and requires dedication and persistence, but it’s the only way to make consistent progress. Almost everyone who writes for a living or is a productive amateur will tell you this. It’s no secret, but it’s often ignored because it’s hard. Unfortunately, there’s no magical way to make it easier, but you can form a habit through discipline. Once habit sets in, you don’t have think about it—you just do it.
Critique and You Part I: How to Give Critique by Cinestress, journal
Critique and You Part I: How to Give Critique
Hi, deviants! In honor of Critmas, I am coming to you with some tips on giving and taking critique.
What is critique?
Does this mean that you have to be particularly knowledgeable in a certain art form to give critique? No! Anyone can give a critique as long as it is thoughtful and detailed. So how does one give a critique?
Step 1. Look at the piece of art (or read, whatever. I will be referring to visual art, but this can be done with all forms of art).
Step 2. Note your initial feelings after you look at it.
Step 3. Look at the piece of art again, but this time look closer at the details.
Step 4. Notice how the piece makes you feel, what