Writing is a creative process. Behind every story is an author who spent hours plotting. Someone who came up with an idea while washing the dishes. A writer who found a solution for a plot hole while grocery shopping. Notes written on recipes, note apps, and digital documents. All that just to not find that critical detail you wrote down somewhere. Staying organized is not about appearing perfect or being…
Descriptions are how the story is told to the readers. It shows what your world looks like, how it feels, sounds, smells, and tastes. Think of description as a camera capturing the narrative. Instead of readers experiencing it as ink on paper, they can fully immerse themselves in the tale. Like everything else, description can be tricky. You may wonder: how much or how detailed should it be? Is it…
When creating a fictional world, some authors focus on culture or locations. Although both of those things are vital for a great world, you still need to write a legal system to have a complete world. There are different reasons why a society has the laws they have. Laws are deeply rooted in culture. What we think is acceptable and what we think should be illegal makes up laws. In…
When you sit down to worldbuild, it is easy to focus on maps, magic systems, and technology. Yet, there is something just as important. It breathes life into your world: Culture. Culture is more than the design of your clothes and the food you eat. It is how your world is shaped. When creating a fictional world, it is easy to overlook this. Admittedly, a world is not whole without…
One of the best aspects of writing fiction is the freedom to invent your world. Whether it is a kingdom ruled by faeries or a colony on Mars, worldbuilding is the process of taking a small idea and transforming it into a whole new world. Worldbuilding is a huge topic with many subtopics, such as geography, culture, and history. If you have no idea where to start, read this guide…
Stories are built scene by scene. It is where the plot takes place, characters develop, and readers spend time. If you are starting, the idea of writing a scene can be overwhelming. Where should it begin? Where should it end? In this guide, you will learn how to write a scene. What Is a Scene? Before you start writing scenes. Do you know what it is? A scene is a…
Have you ever read a book where everything happened so fast you could not keep up, or a book that dragged on, and nothing seemed to happen? That is a common pitfall even the best writers can fall into. Pacing is easy to get wrong, but not impossible to master. In this guide, I will explain how to write better pacing. What Is Pacing in a Story? Pacing is referred…
If your story feels flat, even though you have a well-written plot and characters, then you might be missing one key ingredient: tension. Tension is what makes readers hold their breath, turn the page, or shout at your characters. Regardless of whether you are writing a fast-paced story or a quiet one, you still need to build tension. In this guide, we will learn how to build tension in writing.…
You are writing, but you just cannot describe your character’s emotions. Whenever you try to describe them, it turns out dull and fake. However, do not worry. Many writers struggle with showing their characters’ emotions on paper. In this guide, we will explore techniques for writing characters’ emotions in a way that feels authentic. Understand Your Characters Before Writing Their Emotions Before writing a character’s emotions, it is important to…
Characters are more interesting together than individually. How they interact and view each other has a large impact on how readers view them. A protagonist with bland supporting characters turns bland themselves. Which brings us to one question: How to build a character relationship? Creating meaningful and realistic character relationships is easier said than done. Some of you might have realized that while staring at a blank page. In this…
