If you’ve thought about using a flashback scene in your writing but haven’t been quite sure where to begin, you’re in the right place. We’ll demystify the purpose of this device in literature, show you how to write flashbacks in your writing, and give you some examples of flashbac...
You might be tempted to save up flashbacks and back story that you did not include in the beginning for the middle of the book. However, even though this is a better place for them, it is important to make sure they don’t take over the middle. The motion of the book should still ...
going back to a physically abusive spouse drowning sorrows in alcohol/drugs Write while keeping in mind how you want your reader to perceive the character. For example, in the book “Living Las Vegas” by John O’Brien, the character Ben drives to Vegas to drink himself to death. Do you...
the more sensitive you become to the points at which your hearer begins to fidget with impatience because you’re going into too much detail — the more prepared you will be to sit down and write a synopsis that focuses upon that story, not the narrative tricks. ...
If you’re wondering how to write a novel, keep the following in mind: A novel has a beginning, middle, and end. A novel has characters, plot, setting, and conflict. A novel must explore at least one theme. Before you start working on your novel, familiarize yourself with the elements...
Speaking of getting set in one’s ways — or, at any rate, in one’s worldview — do you remember how at the beginning of this series, I mentioned that one reason that there’s so much conflicting advice out there about how to write a winning query letter is that to the people who...
Decide what type of superhero to create, such as whether the hero will be human or some type of creature. Give the human character a backstory, a day job and other humans to interact with. Include the backstory in the first chapter of your novel or in flashbacks throughout the novel to...
I found this to be true asa judgeof one of our writing contests here at The Write Practice. The theme, “Let's Fall in Love,” yielded many stories where characters simply “remembered” things that happened long ago. Perhaps they were visiting a cemetery where a loved one was buried, ...
Of course,self-publishing is always an option, and going through the process with a shorter work of fiction can be a great way to learn the ropes if you plan on publishing a novel. In fact, some of the most famous authors in the western canon kick-started their careers with a novella...
The inciting incident is one of the most important plot points in any story. A great inciting incident should pave the way for everything else to follow. So what exactly is the inciting incident, and how do you write an effective one?