Good sense about prologues from author and former agent Nathan Bransford.
Category Archives: theme
On Prologues
Here’s a great blog post about prologues in novels. It provides an interesting and balanced view.
When I was a kid I skipped prologues. I wanted to get to the story. (I still do.) All readers are different, though. Some people love them.
Literature’s Greatest Closing Paragraphs – Entertainment – ShortList Magazine
I’m getting ready to guide a novel revision group. Beginnings and endings hold keys to the tone, character, setting, and, most important, the emotional impact of a story. Here’s a fascinating collection of great endings.
Literature’s Greatest Closing Paragraphs – Entertainment – ShortList Magazine.
Don’t Kill Your Novel!
Another terrific essay from Kristen Lamb.
5 Common Mistakes that Will KILL Your Novel | Kristen Lamb’s Blog.
From Editor and Author Cheryl Klein: A Plot Checklist for Revision
I’m putting together materials for our local SCBWI group’s April Revision Workshop. One of my favorite revision gurus is Cheryl Klein. If you don’t already have it, pick up a copy of Second Sight: An Editor’s Talks on Writing, Revising, & Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults. Until it arrives, or even if you already have it, download this helpful plot checklist. The site even has a Word template!
Emotional Connection: The Writer’s Holy Grail
If your story does not touch the emotions of your reader in some way, it will not last. In order for this to happen, it has to be important, emotionally, to you. Here’s a great post about how to make that happen.
Click on the link below:
Oops! There’s Nothing Wrong with Your Character
I am sharing this here because I want to be able to find it again myself. It is a great chart of facinating flaws for story people.
Fantasy Elements in Realistic Novels
I am writing a contemporary middle grade fantasy that includes many very realistic elements, including a real-world contemporary problem that is resolved in the end. The following blog post addresses a different sort of fantasy/reality mix.
Take a look at this inspiring and practical advice by clicking on the link below.
The Contrary, Heavenly, and Cardinal Virtues
If you are looking for a theme in your book (if it’s a story, there is one), check out this interesting site. It lists the seven deadly sins, too. Add exaggeration (the most _______ in the world), and these qualities can help you create a powerful character.
One Way to Wonder 