Dialogue is an important tool for characterisation, for subtle exposition and to develop relationships. Here we will focus on how to keep dialogue flowing into your story naturally by framing it properly in your narration using dialogue tags. Dialogue tags should be invisible The dialogue itself is what is important; the tag is just functional.… Continue reading Framing Dialogue

How a character speaks can be utilised for the sake of characterisation in a very effective way that shows the reader what kind of person someone is instead of simply telling them in narration. Here are some things you should take into consideration when writing dialogue. Accents and dialects Accents and dialects point to a… Continue reading Characterisation in Dialogue

Do you ever wonder why JKR’s stories are so satisfying to read? Why is it so much fun to follow her characters into an adventure and solve one riddle after the other? To build a plot like that, you need proper set up and pay off. The mystery genre uses this the most, but it… Continue reading Foreshadowing: Set Up and Pay Off

First rule when building characters: Nobody is perfect—except Mary Sue. Who is Mary Sue? She is a character trope that becomes most apparent in amateur writing and was first recognised in fan fiction. A Mary Sue is a character without flaws, often claimed to be a self insert and wish-fulfillment for the writer. Why avoid… Continue reading Compelling Characters – Mary Sue

Have you read a book before that made you cry harder than you have ever done in your whole life? That had a romantic scene so intense, you felt like your whole chest is constricting and your toes curling? Those are real emotions, and they are the reason we continue to read, desperately looking for… Continue reading Real Emotions

Do you have the feeling that your stories sometimes feel flat and boring even though there are loads of awesome and creative ideas mixed into them? What you should do is show, don’t tell. I know, it is an old concept that most of you probably have heard about before. Still, I often hear from… Continue reading Show, don’t Tell

Preparation Framing a flashback  There are stories that begin with the end of the story and then they go back to the beginning, telling everything as one long flashback. Their plot is about the events that lead to the ending that the writer has already presented. This method is common in fiction and is called… Continue reading Anatomy of a Flashback

You do not know where to start your story? How to give your character good motivation to get off his arse and finally do something? McGuffin A McGuffin might be exactly what you need! What is a McGuffin? Harry Potter is full of them! Essentially, a McGuffin is an object or person that drives the… Continue reading Well-rounded Plots

Dialogue is an important tool for characterisation, subtle exposition and developing relationships. We will focus on how to keep dialogue flowing in your story naturally by framing it properly in your narration using dialogue tags. Dialogue tags should be invisible The dialogue itself is what is important; the tag is just functional. Try to delete… Continue reading Making Dialogue Flow