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Archives
Showing posts 1 to 10 labeled Style (19 total)
Twitter Isn't Real Life (August 7, 2021)
Reading popular novels published in recent years has often felt like reading Twitter. More »
Books Are Not Movies (May 21, 2020)
Many authors tend to write as if they're describing a movie or TV show in text. But what would make for an interesting viewing experience makes for a very dull reading experience. More »
How to Show Culture Subtly (July 14, 2019)
This month I've been spending more time on Twitter, and through it I've found out how weak I am to peer influence. I've bought lipsticks because pretty women posted selfies wearing them. I've sought out movies because people referenced them in memes and animated GIFs. More »
In Defense of Telling: Orienting Readers and Respecting Their Time (April 14, 2017)
There is no such thing as "too much telling." A writer might bog down a story with irrelevant telling, or tell when showing would be more effective, but she can't tell "too much." More »
What I Learned from Twilight: Writing with Sincerity (January 18, 2017)
A writer can come up with the tightest plot, the wittiest dialogue, and the keenest observations of the human condition, but if she doesn't write with sincerity, her readers won't connect with the story. More »
Tips for Writing Descriptions #2 (November 26, 2016)
From the works of other authors, I've gleaned some devious ways of describing settings without being boring. More »
Pros and Cons of a Strong Authorial Voice (September 18, 2016)
If done well and purposefully, a strong authorial voice can make a book. But if done badly or accidentally, it can ruin it. More »
Stage Directions, My Latest Pet Peeve (March 25, 2016)
Turning, moving, looking...these things work on the stage and in film, but not in books. In books, stage directions are boring and hard to follow, and they distract from more important information. More »
Show, but Sometimes Tell (March 20, 2016)
The advice to "show, don't tell" doesn't mean you should give visual descriptions of everything. Rather, it means you should provide solid evidence of characters' thoughts and feelings through their choices and experiences. More »
Writing That Sounds Like Writing (January 31, 2016)
Writing that sounds like writing uses a lot of flowery adjectives and adverbs, clever wordplay, and million-dollar words in long compound-complex sentences. It prioritizes poetry and wit over coherence. More »