Tag Archives: james scott bell

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff

In our final edition of About This Writing Stuff for 2020, Ken Brosky offers advice for managing multiple narrators while Abigail Perry helps us decide when our story can support two protagonists.

Even as an inveterate plotter, I admit that Hank Phillippi Ryan makes a strong case for writing without an outline (aka pantsing, but I like her use of “emergent design”).

In the Kill Zone, Sue Coletta provides insightful tips for crafting a series bible while James Scott Bell shows us three ways to weave humor into our stories. Over at Mythcreants, Oren Ashkenazi discusses how to handle content edits and Chris Winkle suggests clever ways to describe your POV character.

If you’re considering self-publishing, I encourage you to take some pointers from Anne R. Allen, and if you’re struggling to find that powerful opening to your story, let Josyln Chase help.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy… and Happy Holidays!

How to Effectively Manage Multiple Narrators in Your Novel by Ken Brosky via Jane Friedman

5 Tell-Tale Signs of an Amateur Self-Published Book by Anne R. Allen

How to Write Without an Outline by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Productive Procrastination: Re-Purposing Downtime to Profitably Promote by Ellen Byron

6 Tips to Help You Network Like a Natural by Penny Sansevieri

Tips to Create a Series Bible by Sue Coletta

On Using Humor in Fiction by James Scott Bell

Five Things to Know When You Get Content Editing by Oren Ashkenazi

Nine Ways to Describe Your Viewpoint Character by Chris Winkle

Staging the Scene by John J. Kelley

The Secret for Creating Characters that Readers Want to Root For by J.D. Edwin

Can You Have More Than One Protagonist in Your Story? by Abigail Perry

How to Start Your Story: 10 Ways to Get Your Story off to a Great Start by Joslyn Chase

A Look at Literary Devices: What is Motif? by Sherry Howard

How a Limited vs. Tight Point of View Can Confuse Writers by Janice Hardy

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff

This week, James Scott Bell makes a good case for putting your protagonists between opposing characters, thereby forcing them to choose a path. Siera London introduces us to the BENP system of book marketing, and Daphne Gray-Grant links perfectionism with depression.

Richie Billing examines the use of religion in the fantasy genre, Joe Bunting provides a 20-step guide to novel writing, and Donald Maass teaches us to how dance to the beat (story beats, that is).

At Fiction University, we get schooled by Kassandra Lamb on the relationshp between backstory and behavior, Chris Eboch explains the importance of plot questions, and Janice Hardy offers advice about planting clues in your story.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Religion in Fantasy by Richie Billing

What Kind of Marketing Plan Will Work for Us? by Siera London via Jami Gold

Put Your Lead Between Opposite Characters by James Scott Bell

How to Choose Scenes for Your Story by Chris Winkle

What is DRM (Digital Rights Management)? by Matt Knight at Sidebar Saturdays

Show Me the Money: Royalties, Rights, and Riches for Indie Authors by Erika Liodice

The Beat Goes On by Donald Maass

How to Write a Novel (Without Fail) by Joe Bunting

How to Sneak Clues Past Your Readers and Keep Them Guessing by Janice Hardy

Writing a Page-Turner: Keep the Reader Guessing with Story Questions by Chris Eboch

The Importance of Backstory (or How the Brain Connects the Present to the Past) by Kassandra Lamb

Is Your Depression Masquerading as Perfectionism? by Daphne Gray-Grant

11 Ways to Give Writing Perfectionism the Heave-Ho by Daphne Gray-Grant

60 Things For Your Character to Do When They Talk or Think by Amanda Patterson

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Charlie Jane Anders encourages us to write what is in our hearts regardless of current events. At Career Authors, David Bell provides five reasons for outlining your novel, while over at IndieReader, Savannah Cordova shows us five ways to get your novel noticed on Amazon.

Marlene Cullen explains how to use the freewrite method to chronicle traumatic experiences. Jami Gold delves into the risks and benefits of foreshadowing. John Gilstrap warns us against second guessing our writing. Kristen Lamb demonstrates how the Johari Window can be used to provide depth to our characters. Tajja Isen discusses the importance of sensitivity readers for stories involving minority characters.

Congratulations to writer pal, Amanda Headlee, on winning the “When Words Count Pitch Week XVII contest” with her upcoming horror novel, My Brother’s Keeper.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy!

Never Say You Can’t Survive: Everything is Broken! What Should I Write About? by Charlie Jane Anders

5 Tips for Navigating a Successful Novel Outline by David Bell

Freewrite: How to Write About Traumatic Events Without Adding More Trauma by Marlene Cullen

5 Tips for Getting Your Book Noticed on Amazon by Savannah Cordova

What’s the Point of Foreshadowing? by Jami Gold

Eyes Front by John Gilstrap

Pulp Diction. What We Can Learn from the Noir Czars by PJ Parrish

How to Characterize by James Scott Bell

The Johari Window: Understanding and Harnessing the Character Blind Spot by Kristen Lamb

Parody, Satire, and Fan Fiction: What’s the Difference? by Matt Knight

How Not to Write a Book About a Minority Experience by Tajja Isen

6 Ways to Incorporate a Dash of Foreign Language by Kathryn Craft

Blurbing and Being Blurbed by Barbara Linn Probst

How the Rising Action Works in a Story by Joe Bunting

Meet the Pitch Week XVII Finalists from When Worlds Collide!

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Harrison Demchick delivers a comprehensive four-part series on Point of View.* Over at Mythcreants, Chris Winkle talks specifically about omniscient narration and Anthony Ehlers at Writer Write touches on ways to spice up your writing by changing POV.

(*Mr. Demchick will be a guest at The Write Stuff writers conference in March in Bethlehem, PA!)

Anne R. Allen offers advice on writing your final chapter while Peter Selgin warns against wasting the first one. James Scott Bell encourages us to find the one thing at the heart of your novel.

Matthew V. Clemens sites one of my all-time favorite films as the apotheosis of suspense—which is precisely what Allison Brennan discusses in her article about pacing.

All that and a lot more. Enjoy!

How to Write Better Fiction Using Limited Point of View by Harrison Demchick

How to Choose the Best Point of View for Your Story’s Purpose by Harrison Demchick

How to Rely on the Unreliable Narrator by Harrison Demchick

How to Exploit Uncommon Points of View in Your Novel by Harrison Demchick

Writing Your Final Chapter: 6 Do’s and Don’ts for Bringing Your Novel to a Satisfying Conclusion by Anne R. Allen

Secrets of Suspense: What I Learned from JAWS by Matthew V. Clemens

Pacing: The Key to Scintillating Suspense by Allison Brennan

What One Thing is Your Novel About? by James Scott Bell

Five Essentials of Omniscient Narration by Chris Winkle

Taxes and the Writer—The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 by Matt Knight

Fiction Contests Worth Your Time in Winter 2019 by Arthur Klepchukov

When Your Story Opening Does Nothing but Blow Smoke by Peter Selgin via Jane Friedman

Revive Dull Descriptions with Simple Tweaks in Viewpoint by Anthony Ehlers

How Do You Find the Plot of a Story? Using Scenarios by Now Novel

A Home Library Can Have a Powerful Effect on Children by Robby Berman

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Tim Grahl reveals the ingredients to a successful book launch while Joanna Penn offers quick advice on how to combat imposter syndrome.

Over at the Kill Zone, James Scott Bell provides guidance on character description while Jordan Dane talks layering scenes and plot. We have a twofer from that wise Mythcreant, Chris Winkle, who first expounds several methods for ensuring your protagonists pull their weight, and then points out how to spot misandry in your story.

Writer pal Kathryn Craft reveals why you might be afraid of your WIP while Tiffany Yates Martin whips our editor’s brain into shape.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

The Book Launch Framework: How I Keep Launching Bestselling Books by Tim Grahl

How Writers Can Deal with Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome by Joanna Penn

How to Describe Your Main Character by James Scott Bell

How to Enhance Your Writing by Layering Your Scenes & Plot by Jordan Dane

18 Ways for Protagonists to Contribute and Five Signs Your Story is Sexist—Against Men by Chris Winkle

CockyGate Update: One Writer’s Adjective; Another Writer’s Short-Lived Trademark by Matt Knight

How to Train Your Editor Brain by Tiffany Yates Martin

12 Signs You’re Afraid of Your WIP by Kathryn Craft

6 Ways to Immerse Your Readers in the Setting of a Story by Joslyn Chase

 

Articles, Blog, Craft, Opinion, Writing and Publishing

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Kristen Lamb ponders the importance of talent while Chris Syme offers a primer on preserving your authorial reputation in a crisis.

Kris Kennedy concludes her five-part series on avoiding the nefarious info-dump and Jordan Dane defines narrative drive.

Over at Writer Unboxed, Donald Maass analyzes what makes a true hero or heroine while Heather Webb provides tips on writing an effective query letter.

The New York Times reminds us that fact-checking is everyone’s responsibility and Kickstarter finds itself embroiled in a labor dispute.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Do Some People Lack the Talent to be a Successful Author? by Kristen Lamb

The Five Myths of Crisis Management for Authors by Chris Syme via Anne R. Allen

Pitfalls and Solutions for Writing a Science Thriller by Amy Rogers

Backstory: Avoid Info Dumping by Making it Essential-Part Four and Part Five by Kris Kennedy via Jami Gold

Narrative Drive—Do You Have It? by Jordan Dane

Rookie Mistakes Indie Writers Make by James Scott Bell

It’s a Fact: Mistakes are Embarrassing the Publishing Industry by Alexandra Alter

The Making of a Hero or Heroine by Donald Maass

Writing the Query Letter: Dos and Don’ts by Heather Webb

How to Market a Book: 10 First Steps by Joe Bunting

Is There a Labor War Brewing Inside of Kickstarter? by Tobias Carroll