Creating Conflict

Creating Conflict & Sustaining Suspense
by Lee Masterson
Conflict is the heart of any story. So how do you get the conflict rolling without resorting to violence?

Conflict in Fiction
by Tina Morgan
Inserting conflict into your fiction is not quite as simple as inserting a fist-fight into the storyline. Conflict in fiction can be as diverse and as individual as you are. It can also be used effectively to heightened tension and increase suspense.

Tips for Adding Tension to Your Fiction
by Stacy Verdick Case
If dramatic tension stays flat chapter after chapter why are those chapters still in your book? Exposition? Boring! Look for these tension killers and eliminate them.

Plotting Your Novel and Writing a Synopsis

Mastering the Dreaded Synopsis - Condensing Your Novel
by Lee Masterson
Writing a synopsis is one of the toughest chores a writer will face. How do you condense a 400-page novel into just 2 or 3 pages? This article will outline some tips to help keep it tight and terrific!

Synopsis vs. Outline
by Dr. Vicki Hinze
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there on the difference between a Synopsis and an Outline. Many writers, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, find this confusing. So what is the difference?

Effectively Outlining Your Plot
by Lee Masterson
Creating an outline for your novel is sometimes frowned upon by those who maintain that it "Kills the creative process". But there are ways to accomplish this and actually increase the creative output.

Plotting Your Novel
by Lee Masterson
A plot for a novel-length work needs to be more than just a beginning, middle and an end. Here are some things to consider when creating a plot for your book.

The Plot Thickens
by Rob Parnell
Most good plotting is about the decisions your characters
make when confronted with specific situations - so how do you know where to start?

Thickening the Plot
by Dr. Vicki Hinze
Is it enough to create just a storyline? Vicki Hinze takes us through some steps to plotting a well-crafted novel.

Plotting Inspiration
by Tina Morgan
Inspiration for a new plot can strike at any time - but what do you do if your 'inspiration is having a dry-spell?

Building Novel Templates
by Rob Parnell
With a novel template you are at least twenty times more likely to finish your novel than without one! Rob looks at ways to create your own novel template

Using Index Cards to Plot a Novel
by Marilynn Byerly
Creating the embryo for your novel on a set of carefully planned out Index Cards can benefit your story in many ways. Marilynn looks at how to make the Index Card system work for your novel

Bringing Your Novel To Life

Does Your Novel Have a Heartbeat?
by Holly Lisle
What do you do when you discover that your novel's heartbeat is fading fast? Can you revive it in time?

Storytelling
by Tina Morgan
Don't focus on writing a novel - your readers want to read a story. Here are some tips for telling a story worth reading about.

Ten Tips for Writing a Publishable Novel
by Leslie Caine
An easy guide to getting your novel right!

Sagging Middles
by Dr. Vicki Hinze
You know the beginning. You know the end. So how do you prop up the sagging parts in the middle? Vicki looks at ways to get your readers through the middle and back out on the other side.

Exposition vs. Narrative
by Dr. Vicki Hinze
What is the difference between exposition and narrative? And when do you use them?

Endings
by Dr. Vicki Hinze
The ending of a novel is the summation; the portion of the book where what the characters have experienced in the novel's events lead to a conclusion that is logical and in a sense inevitable. So how do you get there and what do you need to remember?

Writing Fan-Fiction
by Tina Morgan
Fan fiction is a popular form of entertainment. In the majority of cases, fan-fiction is written when a reader doesn't want to leave the characters or the world they enjoyed so much, and the temptation to continue the story becomes overwhelming