60 Awesome Search Engines for Serious Writers June 20th, 2010 Finding the information you need as a writer shouldn’t be a chore. Luckily, there are plenty of search engines out there that are designed to help you at any stage of the process, from coming up with great ideas to finding a publisher to get your work into print. Both writers still in college and those on their way to professional success will appreciate this list of useful search applications that are great from making writing a little easier and more efficient. Professional Find other writers, publishers and ways to market your work through these searchable databases and search engines. Writing These helpful tools will help you along in the writing process. Research Try out these tools to get your writing research done in a snap. Google Scholar: With this specialized search engine from Google, you’ll only get reliable, academic results for your searches.WorldCat: If you need a book from the library, try out this tool. Reference Need to look up a quote or a fact? Niche Writers
Manuscript Format for Novels by Glen C. Strathy The manuscript format used in publishing has evolved a little over time as technology has changed, and if you grew up with word processors, it may seem rather quaint, old-fashioned, and downright boring to look at. Word processors come with many desktop publishing capabilities that are so tempting to use. And if you were working in any other business, you would probably take advantage of them to give your document a distinctive and attractive look. However, if you are submitting your book to agents and/or publishers, it is best to forget about all that and follow the correct manuscript format for publishing that was developed back in the days before word processors existed and professional writers used typewriters. There are several reasons why this format became standard. 1. Think about this. 2. Despite the fact that everyone uses computers, many editors still like to look at a hard copy and make editing marks in pencil between lines and in margins. 3. 4. 5.
297 Flabby Words and Phrases That Rob Your Writing of All Its Power You’re not stupid. You know what writing is truly about. It’s a never-ending battle for your readers’ attention. Every sentence is a link in a taut chain that connects your headline to your conclusion. And you are just one weak sentence away from losing your reader forever. So you take your craft quite seriously. You ignore all but your best ideas. You work on each piece of writing for exactly as long as necessary to get it right. And you edit until your words are crisp and clear. But what if that isn’t enough? What if weaknesses remain that are almost impossible to spot? The Subtle Attention Killers That Hide in Plain Sight No matter how carefully you scrutinize your writing, subtle problems will remain. Certain words and phrases are so commonplace – and so seemingly benign – that they glide unnoticed under your editing radar. But these words and phrases can silently erode your reader’s attention. They don’t stand out. But they weaken your writing and dilute your ideas. So bookmark this post.
Creative Writing These OWL resources will help you with the basics of creative writing. This section includes resources on writing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Fiction Writing Basics This resource discusses some terms and techniques that are useful to the beginning and intermediate fiction writer, and to instructors who are teaching fiction at these levels. The distinction between beginning and intermediate writing is provided for both students and instructors, and numerous sources are listed for more information about fiction tools and how to use them. A sample assignment sheet is also provided for instructors. Pattern and Variation in Poetry A brief rundown on the basic concepts of pattern and variation and how they can be used when writing poems. Pattern and Variation: Aural A brief exploration of the various aspects of sound that can be utilized when making a poem. Pattern and Variation: Visual A brief exploration of the various visual aspects that can be utilized when making a poem.
A Simple Novel Outline – 9 questions for 25 chapters « H.E. Roulo Just as every tree is different but still recognizably a tree, every story is different but contains elements that make it a story. By defining those before you begin you clarify the scope of your work, identify your themes, and create the story you meant to write. At Norwescon 2011 I sat in on a session called Outline Your Novel in 90-minutes led by Mark Teppo. I’ll give you the brief, readable, synthesized version. Answer 9 questions and create 25 chapter titles and you’re there. Here are the 9 questions to create a novel: 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) 7.) 8.) 9.) Now, with those 9 questions answered to your satisfaction, try to fill in a 25 chapter, 75,000 word outline. Chapters 7-18 are the middle of your book. Chapters 19-25 depict the heroic act to victory. Wasn’t that easy? Okay, sure, the work isn’t done yet. Using the idea that there are 25 chapters, I outlined my current work in progress. I hope that was helpful. Tell me what works for you. Related 6 Steps to Masterful Writing Critiques
The Little Things (Can Make a Character Great): Specifics and the Directive EVERYTHING is supported, illuminated and deepened by your “SPECIFICS”–your “SPECIFIC CHOICES” in a scene. What EXACTLY do you fall in love with? Her eyes? The way he walks? His powerful shoulders? Exactly what history or past experience of your character is affecting you in the scene? Begin your SPECIFICS with what is given in the script. It is always important to begin approaching the “specifics” of a CHARACTER with the simple two-part question: “How is this character like me, and how is this character different from me?” You must DO SOMETHING about what is different. TO BEGIN: Try writing a CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY. These last two questions can sometimes give an actor his/her whole character because in some cases a person’s entire life is defined by what they do with their body and physicality. CONTINUING: Voice type? What would I be doing now if I was alone and this EVENT was not taking place?
Creative Writing Courses and Ideas: An Online Resource for Writers The Art of Character Development As authors, it is our Duty To create lovable, enticing Characters And do horrible, evil things to Them. This guide is designed to help people with writer's block, role-players of all levels, and people who are just interested in psychology and philosophy as it applies to fiction. Here you'll find tips, examples, suggestions, general information to aid in creating rounded fictional characters for your stories and/or RPGs, and perhaps even information useful for everyday life. There are many aspects of character development, and your character could be nearly as deep and complete as anyone you might know in real life. However, there are basic keys to fleshing out a character that can help break through blocks and get you and your creation on their way to a great story. ♦ Being informed is a vital part of all storytelling. ♦ Learn the importance of Point of View and Background. ♦ Motivation and Alignment: "Good" VS "Evil", what drives your character. The characters come before the story.
Tinderbox 6 Inspector This article describes the panes of the Inspector window of Tinderbox v6. This is opened/closed from the Window menu or via Cmd+1. 1. Tinderbox colour controls A number of Inspector tabs use the same 'standard' group pf controls for configuring a 'Color' data-type Tinderbox attribute: Pop-up of defined (named) colours in the current document. 2. The top row of buttons set the main Inspector's content: Tinderbox Inspector.Document Inspector.Properties Inspector.Appearance Inspector.Text Inspector.HTML Inspector.Action Inspector. 3. The Tinderbox inspector gives and overview of the document: The title is always the document name, as opposed to the selection.Info tab.Agents and Rules tab. 3.1 Tinderbox Inspector - Info tab This tab gives an overview of metrics about the current (front) document. The left column shows the numbers of notes and other object types in the document. v5 Users: This replaces the v5 Hypertext view. 3.2 Tinderbox Inspector - Agents & Rules tab This is a new report for v6. 4.
back story How to Weave Backstory Into Your Novel Seamlessly Today's guest newsletter is from Karen Dionne, contributor to Writer's Digest. My first science thriller, Freezing Point , opens with the crew of a fishing trawler braving rough seas off the coast of St. John’s, Newfoundland: The wind howled around the solitary trawler like an angry god. Inside the wheelhouse, Ben Maki braced himself as an errant wave hit broadside and the trawler listed heavily to starboard. Who is Ben Maki? Backstory refers to the characters’ history and other story elements that underlie the situation at the start of the book. But as authors, we need to be careful: Backstory by definition takes the story backward. Too Much, Too Soon One of the most common mistakes I note when I’m called upon to offer comments on aspiring authors’ manuscripts is that the author has included too much backstory in the opening pages. Including backstory in the opening pages is the same as saying to the reader, “Wait a minute—hold on.
Read These Seven Books, and You'll be a Better Writer Donald Miller I used to play golf but I wasn’t very good. I rented a DVD, though, that taught me a better way to swing, and after watching it a few times and spending an hour or so practicing, I knocked ten strokes off my game. • The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: This book is aimed at writers, but it’s also applicable to anybody who does creative work. Pressfield leaves out all the mushy romantic talk about the writing life, talk I don’t find helpful. • On Writing Well by William Zinsser: Zinsser may be the best practical writing coach out there. • Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: Before becoming a literary superstar, Anne Lamott taught writing, and Bird by Bird is the best of her advice, broken up into chapters. Save the Cat by Blake Snyder: Snyder’s book is specifically for screenwriters, and yet I recommend the book for writers of any kind, and teachers and preachers as well. Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell: On Writing, by Stephen King: Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury: