Fiction Writing Craft

Have you ever read a book that had it all–an engaging plot, interesting characters, beautiful prose–but you reached the end and felt… dissatisfied? Maybe there was a general sense of incompleteness, or you were left feeling like, “so what?” Theme is one of the most important parts of a novel, and readers will feel if it’s missing. Books without a clear theme can feel shallow and directionless, and readers will often walk away wondering what the “point” was. In fact, you must

Picture this: you’ve just come up with a brilliant story idea. You’ve gathered your journals, opened your word document, and you’re ready to get started. What’s the first thing you do? If you’re a pantser, maybe you just start writing. If you’re a plotter, maybe you build a detailed outline. But at what point do you consider point of view? Point of view (POV) is one of the most important decisions an author can make for their story, yet it’s often eclipsed by more “exciting”

When people say "kill your darlings," what do they really mean? Hint: you might be taking it too literally. Learn all about this common piece of writing advice, from what it means to how to do it painlessly.