So You Want to Write a Novel by Kay Keppler
If you want to want to write a novel, but the idea of writing a 100,000-word novel overwhelms you, start by thinking and planning your story in acts. Lots of ways to do that…
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Your Plot: It’s Not Just What Happens by Kay Keppler
Plot isn’t just what happens. Each scene must be connected to the next by cause and effect. The action of the second scene is a consequence of the action in the first. Here’s what we mean…
Use Body Language to Add Depth to Characters by Kay Keppler
Applying body language to your characters is one of the best ways to show and not tell when we write. Learn some tips in this post by regular columnist Kay Keppler.
Metaphors and Similes Improve Precision and Clarity by Kay Keppler
Using description that grounds the reader in time and place can make a powerful opening—and metaphors and similes can help readers see and feel more precisely what you want them to experience.
Use Story Stakes to Hook Readers by Kay Keppler
A great way to hook readers—and keep them turning the pages—is to keep your readers worried about your characters. You can create and sustain this tension by constantly raising the story stakes.
What Matters to Readers by Kay Keppler
Writers get a lot of advice. They’re told to write what they know or explore new worlds. To grab readers in the first paragraph or do a slow build.
Use a Conflict Box to Sharpen Your Story by Kay Keppler
Most of the time if the plot of your story sags along the way, it’s a problem with your conflict. We all know what conflict is, but finding it sometimes can be surprisingly difficult. A visual aid can help. Let’s review the basics of conflict and see how a conflict box can help you see if your conflict is on track.
Developing Your Voice by Kay Keppler
Developing your voice takes time and practice. Babies don’t learn to speak in a week, and your voice won’t emerge immediately, either. In time, you’ll be dancing on the page, and your readers will beg to come to your party.
Keeping Resolutions by Kay Keppler
The new year is a time for resolutions, including resolutions about writing. A new year brings fresh hope, and with it, promises to improve.
Lift Your Story with Character Archetypes by Kay Keppler
Some books are easier to write than others. Some stories “write themselves,” while others seem uninspired. Lift Your Story with Character Archetypes.
Find Your Character’s Tipping Point by Kay Keppler
Have you ever changed your mind about something substantial? If you ever shifted your opinion, why did you? And how did that decision shift your world view or how you lived your life?
Revealing Backstory through Nonverbal Communication by Kay Keppler
Getting backstory right is difficult. Authors want readers to understand what made their characters into the people they are, but the usual backstory techniques.
Find Empathy in Your Openings by Kay Keppler
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist, editor, and novelist, Kay Keppler, as she shares with us “Find Empathy in Your Openings.” Enjoy!
Make ’Em Laugh by Kay Keppler
Not all types of comedy suit all readers, but everybody likes a good laugh—or even a slight smile. Many stories that are essentially serious are nonetheless enlivened and enriched by humor, and a few tested techniques can help put your humor across.
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