Is your main character useless?
Having had occasion to read several stories by beginning writers recently, I noticed a common thread: the supposed protagonists don’t really do anything. Sure, lots of interesting things happen in the...
View ArticleThe Four P’s of Exposition
Writing unobtrusive exposition — that is, getting a story’s background information across in a way that doesn’t interfere with narrative flow — presents a unique challenge if you’re writing science...
View ArticleWhere to Submit Your Stories
If you want to become a published author, the first step is to send your work out to paying markets. For novelists, that means writing query letters and proposals and a bunch of other stuff we’re not...
View ArticleOn finishing, and how to get there
Our last couple of posts have been about what to do once you’ve finished a story. But how do you finish in the first place? What happens if you’re not inspired one day, or if you suddenly (hi, college)...
View ArticleNolite te rejection carborundum!
It’s hard to know how to start this post. I could say that rejection is part of the publication process (which is true), or that it can make you a better writer (also true). But right now, if you’re...
View Article