Have you ever been writing a story and come up against a scene and been at a loss as to what to write or how to handle the specifics of a scene? Whether you are a detailed plotter or someone who likes to just sit down and write freeform, a story is made up of distinct and definable scenes. A writing teacher of mine once told me that if you know how to write good scenes, you will be able to write any fiction. Okay, that makes sense. But let’s dig a little deeper and think about what that teacher meant, what exactly is a scene, and what is it that makes some of them harder to write than others? And, when you encounter one of those tough scenes, what do you do – specifically, what do you do to write that particular troubling scene and not get bogged down?
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Maintaining Proper Point of View
September 24th, 2011 
GuestPost A Directive From Readers Everywhere
Point of view is a serious and often overlooked part of writing, frequently taught in only the most rudimentary way. Usually in the seventh grade, we learn that it is the character through whose eyes or conscious we view the scene and the corresponding quiz consists of matching first, second, third and omniscient POV to the correct definitions. Then it’s all over.
Rarely does anyone even question this. It’s unusual to hear someone say ‘I only read first person point of view’ or ‘I really like third’. Most of us prefer good writing regardless of the POV. But it isn’t so much the specific POV as the quality. It’s difficult to take a concept as simple as ‘my story’ versus ‘his story’ and discuss quality, but after reading a handful of books you’ll probably agree, quality is an issue.
About Mystery Writing
September 24th, 2011 GuestPost Writing for the mystery genre can be fun, but there’s a lot of preliminary work that goes into it before you can sit down and begin.
One of the most important aspects of mystery writing is the plot. This genre is very plot driven and it’s important to flesh out a good strong plot before beginning. This includes creating several plot points leading readers on different paths. Don’t give out too much information too soon in your story. Equally important is knowing how your story will end. By outlining your plot and establishing your ending up front, you’ll know how to structure the other elements of your story.
A mystery incorporates the following elements: a problem or conflict, a villain, a detective or hero, clues/red herrings, and suspense. Also, the time and setting are important elements as well. Time and setting can augment suspense and mood of the story.
Conflict in Fiction Writing
September 18th, 2011 GuestPost Conflict exists everywhere: in a family, in a work place, and among people and groups. Conflict is also at the core of any work of fiction. Without conflict there is no drama. Writers may create as elaborate settings and characters as they possibly can, but if characters find no conflict to work with, the story will not go beyond character portrayals or setting descriptions.
For conflict to exist, action is essential. Every action results from another action before it.
If conflict is put under a microscope, its basic structure would be like a compound biological cell made up of action and its opposing action. Thinking toward the origin of the action and the origin of the opposing action is important, because this examination results in a strong backstory; however, the writer must remember that going too far back into the origin may bore the reader.
Subsidy Publishing: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
August 30th, 2011 GuestPost Subsidy publishers offer turnkey book production services that can be helpful to authors who do not want to invest the time and energy to learn about the self-publishing process.
Because they underwrite (subsidize) a significant portion of the production costs (e.g., for cover design, interior layout, and printing), authors need less upfront cash to get their books in print. Many subsidy publishers also have distribution networks and marketing programs that can be helpful to self-published authors.
Subsidy publishers offer aspiring authors some advantages over commercial publishers, too. They readily accept manuscripts for publication, they pay author royalties at higher percentage rates, and they generally bring books to market faster.
It’s easy to see why some authors are attracted to this alternative. However, if you are considering this option, you should be aware of the disadvantages, the deceptions, and the dangers.
