The Nearly Complete Guide to Writing A Novel

4 things to include when introducing your character Your character introduction sets the stage for whatever relationship that blossoms after. Here's how to do it right.

Of course it's happening inside your head, but why on earth should that mean it's not real?

The sooner we know what gets them up in the morning, the sooner we'll know that they're worth caring for.⠀
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What does your protagonist want most in life?

Remember: outlines should be a help, not a limitation. If pursuing a burst of inspiration is what makes your story better: go for it!

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An outline can be a great help in making sure your story has a backbone for you to work off of - so long as you're willing to disregard it completely when something better comes along.

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It's a fool's errand to wait for inspiration to strike. Keep an open mind every day, then let it mildly shock you very repeatedly.⠀
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What's something that has inspired your writing?

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You can do without that ergonomic glitter pen. Get writing.

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Here's everything love-at-first-sight tells us about your characters:⠀
1) They have eyes

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Think to yourself: how does this fight move my story forward? If you don’t have an answer beyond adding drama, it's time to ditch that scene.

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If they're going to be a handsome prince, at least make them one who hangs the toilet paper facing the wall.

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5 ways to make your romance more believable Romance can be wonderful, but it can also be very, very clichéd. Here's how to have readers swooning long after they've turned the last page

Stop trying to rush to the kissing scenes — that's advice both for writing and for life.

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You're the mastermind, and masterminds are very hard to trick. That's where your beta readers come in.

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Foreshadowing is about leaving a trail of breadcrumbs - not putting up a neon sign.

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If they have no clue you gave them a clue, something went wrong.

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5 steps to mastering the art of foreshadowing Foreshadowing ties together plot details, and helps keep the reader guessing throughout your book. Here are five steps to help you master the art.

Your reader is always trying to figure you out. Make it worth their while.

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Nothing motivates you to improve quite like cringing at your own work.

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Placeholder sentences are better than no progress at all. Trust your future self to finish what you started.

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"A terrifying hailstorm had devastated the path before her, yet it was the INSERT SOMETHING SCARY HERE that truly sent chills down her spine."

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Making time to write: the magic of ugly placeholder sentences You can always improve on bad writing, but you can't edit an empty page. Here's four ways that peppering your pages with unpolished trains-of-thought helps you make the most out of the hours you've…

You can always improve on bad writing, but you can't edit an empty page.⠀

Writer's block got you down? Not to worry! This personalised writing prompt should help get those gears turning.

Then you'd have a certified masterpiece on your hands!

At this point, it's a bigger twist when the bad guy _isn't_ the hero's father.

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6 steps to writing a plot twist your readers will gasp over A great plot twist can send shockwaves across your audience and beyond. Here's how to do just that.

A great plot twist is one that your readers didn't see coming, but _could_ have.

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"The face of Elrond was ageless, neither old nor young, though in it was written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful."

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Unless your protagonist is actual Sherlock Holmes, your descriptions will be so much more compelling when you infuse them with meaning.

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You're writing a novel, not an encyclopedia. Focus on what's distinctive, prominent or meaningful.

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5 easy steps to writing far better character descriptions There's more to character descriptions than hair colour and eyes - here are 5 easy steps to write far better ones.

It may be the inside that counts, but it's the outside we see first.

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Your characters are gonna be fighting over precious page time. Give them something to work with.⠀
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What makes your favourite character unique?

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The struggle is real. Or at least it should feel that way.⠀
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What's keeping your protagonist from achieving their dream?

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The sooner we know what gets them up in the morning, the sooner we'll know that they're worth caring for.⠀
⠀
What does your protagonist want most in life?