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THE WRITER’S CRAFT explores various principles, techniques, and guidelines to help authors of all genres improve writing and storytelling craft.

FLASHING THE READER: A Practical Guide to Clearly Managing Transitions of Time, Place, and Viewpoint in Fiction

[by John Robert Marlow]

TRICKY TRANSITIONS

Few works of fiction relate events in a continuous flow, from start to finish. Sometimes the story moves back in time (as with flashbacks); more often it jumps forward, sparing the reader the dull details of ordinary life. Frequently, the transition will take the reader from one location (and set of characters) […]

By |2024-01-13T19:00:05+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on FLASHING THE READER: A Practical Guide to Clearly Managing Transitions of Time, Place, and Viewpoint in Fiction
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KEEP IT OR CUT IT? Four Questions To Help You Get Your Manuscript Down To Size

[by Whitney Bak]

When an editor takes the literary equivalent of a hedge trimmer to your bountiful, blossoming book baby, the process can feel more than a little personal. While some authors begin working with an editor in the very early stages of developing their manuscript, many don’t solicit editorial help until they’ve produced a […]

By |2024-02-08T18:47:36+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on KEEP IT OR CUT IT? Four Questions To Help You Get Your Manuscript Down To Size
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Revise Your Book, Hollywood-Style A novelist, screenwriter, and editor shares his take on a secret weapon for manuscript revision

[by John Robert Marlow]

Are you an author who

  • Has never tried using an outline?
  • Likes the idea of outlining, but gave up on it because it was too much trouble—or just didn’t work for you?
  • Uses an outline for initial story planning, but not for revisions?
  • Would rather have a root canal than use an outline?

If so, you’re not alone. Let’s […]

By |2024-01-20T16:56:42+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Revise Your Book, Hollywood-Style A novelist, screenwriter, and editor shares his take on a secret weapon for manuscript revision
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How Do We Write about The Future Now That It’s Here? Tips for writing science fiction writing in the 21st century

[by Shannon Roberts]

Science fiction, as a genre, has often struggled to be taken seriously. Oh, it’s garnered some respect, a few classics, and a bucketful of noteworthy authors, but how seriously are we expected to take a class of fiction that still doesn’t even warrant its own section in too many bookstores?

By |2024-01-06T22:46:38+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on How Do We Write about The Future Now That It’s Here? Tips for writing science fiction writing in the 21st century
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POV Part II: The Third Eye A crash course in the “most complex element” of storytelling

In Janet Burroway’s book, Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, she describes point of view as the most complex element of fiction. This is because establishing point of view involves  tending to a complicated relationship between reader, author, and characters. Establishing a point of view and maintaining its consistency can […]

By |2024-01-06T21:02:31+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on POV Part II: The Third Eye A crash course in the “most complex element” of storytelling
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The Role of Mystery in Fiction An editor's take on the value of mystery in all genres of fiction

[by Peter Gelfan]

Unlike nonfiction, fiction’s motor doesn’t run on information, but on its opposite: mystery.

I’m not talking about mystery as a genre, but as the essential quality in all fiction that cultivates curiosity, stimulates the imagination, invites participation, and generally keeps readers reading. Every step of the reader’s journey should be fraught with questions, not only […]

By |2024-01-06T21:03:15+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on The Role of Mystery in Fiction An editor's take on the value of mystery in all genres of fiction
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