Over the last five years, I’ve had the good fortune and privilege to feature storytelling advice from many bestselling authors, as well as editors and agents. Here’s a round-up of the best and most popular advice on writing craft and technique I’ve featured since 2011.
Developing Strong Story Concepts
- The Big Reason Why Agents and Editors Often Stop Reading by Paula Munier
- How to Attract a Readership Based on Concept Alone by Matt Bird
- Craft a Compelling Novel Concept by Larry Brooks
- How to Build a Compelling Novel Concept—Something With a Kicker by C.S. Lakin
- How to Tell If Your Story Idea Is Mediocre—and How to Improve It by Laurie Scheer
Character Development
- Internal Dialogue: The Greatest Tool for Gaining Reader Confidence by Elizabeth Sims
- A Fatal Flaw in Weak Descriptions by Rachel Starr Thomson
Plot and Structure
- How to Tell If Back Story Is Sabotaging Your Novel by Roz Morris
- How to Effectively Handle Time Shifts in Your Story by Lisa Lenard-Cook
- Building a Believable Chain of Events in Your Novel by Steven James
- Writing Suspenseful Fiction: Reveal Answers Slowly by Jane K. Cleland
- 4 Big Pitfalls in Story Openings by K.M. Weiland
Point of View
- The Basics of Point of View for Fiction Writers by Joseph Bates
- Using Multiple Points of View: When and How Is It Most Effective? by Jordan Rosenfeld
Scene Building
- The Fundamentals of Writing a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld and Martha Alderson
- How to Write a Great (and Not Schmaltzy) Love Scene by Jessi Rita Hoffman
Setting
- How Writers Can Craft an Effective Setting by Mary Buckham
What are your favorite writing craft & technique articles? Share in the comments.
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10 Comments on "How to Write a Great Story: A Roundup of Best Advice"
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Jane, I just saw this!! Honored to be in such estimable company! Hoping you’re having a great weekend.
Thanks for such a timely roundup. I’ve got a rough draft from NaNoWriMo in need of major reworking. But I love the self-editing process most of all. It’s much easier than looking at the blank page. These articles will be quite helpful.
Marvelous compilation, JF. Thank you for curating this list.
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Not sure that my comment went through, but I would like to use this excellent post in the next issue of Writer Advice, http://www.writeradvice.com. Of course I will give credit to you and your website. =) Okay?
If you’d like to share the links, not a problem. The posts themselves remain the property of the authors who wrote them.