How to Get Published

A Rerun

By Al Kalar

We’re going to cover several topics today: plot development (the overall theme), introducing characters, character growth, and repeated words.

Plot development originally takes place when you outline your book. Sometimes the characters take over and alter your plans, but don’t let that stop you from at least trying to control the situation.

So, work within your plot plan when you can.

Develop the situation

The main reason for the middle of your yarn is to develop the situation(s) being faced by your main character(s). Everything here eventually leads to the climax (arc) of the story. (more…)

by John Bowers

One of the hardest things I face when writing a novel is keeping the story consistent. Writing a book-length story may take from a few weeks to a few months, and you put the story down a few hundred words at a time. Over a period of several weeks, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of what happened earlier, and consistency can suffer.

If you’re writing from a detailed outline it may be easier, but if you’re like me, outlines are too restrictive. When I start a novel I usually have a general idea of what the book is about, three or four high points I want to hit, and a couple of characters. From that starting point, the adventure begins, and I usually don’t end up where I thought I might. But the journey is fantastic-I discover the story as I go, just as the reader does later on. (more…)