There are certain signs that tell you you’re learning how to write a story. The most distinctive sign is when you know what’s going to happen next in other people’s stories. It can get bad, really bad, but the worse it gets, the better you will be at constructing your own story. You learn to [...]
Archive for August, 2007
Get Lost?
Posted in Tips on August 23, 2007 | 14 Comments »
Things You May Not Believe When You Learn How to Write a Story…
Posted in Tips on August 22, 2007 | 16 Comments »
…but which turn out to be true just like everyone said.
Kill Your Darlings
The most important part of learning how to write a story is learning how to re-write. Most of re-writing is taking stuff out. The hardest part of taking stuff out is taking out the bits which are good in and of [...]
How to Write a Story: Write Short Stories
Posted in Tips on August 20, 2007 | 17 Comments »
Before I learned how to write a story and set about writing a novel, I wrote short stories to cut my teeth as a prose writer. I recommend all would be novelists write as many short stories as possible.
Short Stories Make You Disciplined
Writing short stories is in and of itself a worthy goal. The skills [...]
How to Write a Story: The Premise
Posted in Tips on August 20, 2007 | 13 Comments »
When you’re deciding how to write a story, the important first step is to create your premise.
What is a Premise?
When you write a story it needs to be about something. That something is the premise. It’s the central idea, an intriguing set-up or a situation that makes people want to read or watch further. It [...]