Write Better Fiction / 115 posts found
Bring Your Secret Skillsets to the Page
Every person’s life is unique, so why not borrow some of your own eccentricities for your fiction? If “eccentric” is a word you feel you couldn’t ever claim, let me give you another option: Borrow your secret skillsets. Everyone has them. How could yours embolden your storytelling? Whether your goals are to flesh out your protagonist, to intrigue your reader with little known facts sprinkled organically amidst your storyline, or to capture unique character behaviors and non-cliché plot points, leaning into your secret skillsets is one way to ensure you’re writing a story your readers haven’t read hundreds of times […]
Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Not Asking Questions in the Drafting Process
Everyone makes mistakes—even writers—but that’s OK because each mistake is a great learning opportunity. The Writer’s Digest team has witnessed many mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them early in the process. Note: The mistakes in this series aren’t focused on grammar rules, though we offer help in that area as well. (Grammar rules for writers.) Rather, we’re looking at bigger picture mistakes and mishaps, including the error of using too much exposition, neglecting research, or researching too much. This week’s writing mistake writers make is not asking questions in the drafting process. Writing […]
The Rewards of Writing Epic Fantasy Fiction (After Writing in Another Genre)
My first historical novel, The Magician’s Lie, was published in 2015. When interviewers asked how I started writing historical fiction, I told the truth: It was an accident. I hadn’t meant to become a historical novelist, not exactly. (How to Write Time Travel Historical Fiction.) I’d been writing contemporary fiction until I got a book idea I couldn’t shake: Why is it considered unremarkable for male stage magicians to cut women in half, and what would happen if a female stage magician cut a man in half instead? As I developed the idea, it became clear it should be set […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 24
The wonderful thing about flash fiction is that you can have a story that goes up to 1,000 words, or you can have a story in six words or less. For today’s prompt, write the shortest story you can. Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.) Here’s my attempt at the super short short: A Picture of […]
3 Things Writers Should Know About Cults
A lifelong fascination with cults led me to create and explore the depths of one in my second novel, This Might Hurt. The key questions I wanted to answer: why does a person join a cult? Why does someone start one? To get the portrayal right, I dove deep into research. (10 Things to Consider When Writing About Obsession in Fiction) If you’re preparing to write your own cult novel, here are a few resources to get you started: the Heaven’s Gate podcast; Terry Gross’s Fresh Air interview with Jeff Guinn, author of The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 23
There’s a lot you can pack into flash fiction; but sometimes, focusing on a single moment can open up your writing in a way that a wider span of time cannot. For today’s prompt, write a story that takes place in 10 minutes or less. Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.) Here’s my attempt at capturing […]
How to Write Unique Horror Fiction When Every Trope Has Already Been Used
I’ve been writing dark stories for 14 years professionally, and quite often my students, peers, and friends ask me, “Richard, how do you write unique horror stories when every trope has already been used?” That’s a great question. Something I wrestle with every time I sit down to write. So here are a few ideas. GENERAL VS. THE SPECIFIC So, if I mentioned a few horror tropes or monsters, such as a werewolf, vampire, zombie, or demon, you might roll your eyes. “Seen it, been there, done that, bored to death.” And I hear you. But what if I instead […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 22
For today’s prompt, write something featuring the phrase “the door is open.” Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.) Here’s my attempt at featuring a specific phrase: Knowing and Known People always talk about when they knew they’d found “the one.” But does anyone talk about what the knowing feels like? It isn’t something I feel all […]
Eva Stachniak: On Filling in the Blanks
Eva Stachniak was born in Wroclaw, Poland. She moved to Canada in 1981 and has worked for Radio Canada International and Sheridan College, where she taught English and Humanities. Her first novel of Catherine the Great, The Winter Palace, has been included in the Washington Post 2011 list of Most Notable Fiction and was a #1 international bestseller. Empress of the Night, her second Catherine the Great novel was published in March of 2014. She lives in Toronto, where her latest novel, The Chosen Maiden, was published in January of 2017. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Eva Stachniak […]
3 Tips on How To Write Relatable Families in Fiction
Families are challenging. Whether it’s parents, siblings, aunts, or uncles, the people who share our blood are not always easy to get along with, love, or even like at times. I always find it interesting when a child begins to spend time at a friend’s house. The experience is usually enlightening, because they begin to step away from their familiar world, and discover new rituals, cultures, and habits. From the food served, the interactions and dynamics of the group, to the physical home itself, we are all unique. It can be an exciting revelation to suddenly understand the world is […]