Posts by Thomas Myron
There are two simple rules when it comes to writing which trump all else: Always write for the reader (or in this case viewer). Never let anything get in the way of your writing. The second ...
This is a great example of when to show instead of telling. Infodumping is the act of telling a lot of information in a short amount of time. Sometimes it works, but usually, as you have noted, the...
I am trying to write novels where the setting plays a large part. I want the setting to naturally and passively show a truth to the reader. Sometimes it is easy to create such a setting, and other ...
The reader must want to read As far as I'm concerned, this is the basis for nearly everything you put into a novel. If the reader doesn't want to read your book, he will usually stop. Everything, ...
Occasionally in a novel, you have a point where there is dialogue, but only parts of it matter. You usually see this where the hero conveniently catches only the words he needs to hear: He cou...
You are correct, a new speaker is capitalized. It's a new sentence, and the first letter of a new sentence is always capitalized. Period. When you say it is continuing the same sentence - it's a ...
This question is based on this question. It is different, however. While that question deals with the safest way to create a custom font (or have someone else create it), this question assumes you'...
I intend to write an extensive fantasy series. There is a plethora of different languages and cultures in the series, and I've developed language systems and alphabets for some of those cultures, i...
I'm going to answer your question by telling you about a nearly identical experience I had. I get myself fired up to write by going to YouTube and searching for 'epic music mix'. There are severa...
You're overthinking it Adverbs are, on the surface, not bad. Without them, certain sentences and phrases wouldn't sound right, and we couldn't convey what we wanted to. You're finding this out wi...
Do short chapters affect story progression? Perception is key Short Version: There's two kinds of story progression: how fast the plot moves forward (meaning the time it takes for one action to...
Should you take a break from writing? Yes. Writing is, at its core, a creative process (especially where fiction is concerned). You can't force creativity. Or at least you shouldn't. If you try ...
Where prologues are concerned, it all comes down to one thing: Contents It all depends on what the prologue contains. You mention a major plot point, but you also say: Building a website fo...
I've been writing fan fiction for 7+ years, in an attempt to weed out the beginner mistakes and know what works. In one of my fan fictions, the main character failed to make the right choice. The r...
I've been writing fan fiction for 7+ years now. Recently, I went back and compared the ratings my fan fiction has received from my readers, compared to what they contained. I discovered that those ...
I'm attempting to understand how subplots work, and one aspect has me confused. I'm trying to create a process by which I can create subplots. When I create the main plot, I start with conflict - t...
They are your family. They will be biased. That doesn't mean they can't lend constructive criticism if you really impress on them how important it is that they be unbiased. Be very clear about sayi...
I'm writing a series, and I have two protagonists. Both are PoV characters, and both offer different viewpoints on the main conflict (an ongoing war). One is a respected general, has frequent conta...
I'm currently writing a tale with two protagonists. One of them is a dark protagonist - that is, technically evil. The other protagonist is not evil. I'm wondering if this will cause the reader to ...
Allow me to explain what I mean by 'thematic setting'. I'm talking about a setting which, simply by having the story located in it, shows the reader something: ideally a message - or theme - that y...
There are two parts of character development: the part which builds characters to tell your story, and the part which defines who those characters are/what they are like. I always start with the fi...
Recaps. We've all seen them. This question deals with whether or not they should be included in a series of novels, and if they should, how. Many series use recaps to 'catch up' the reader to wha...
English grammar is generally pretty black and white, but there are a few areas under debate. For instance, should a series of three have one or two commas? For example: The coach was black, du...
Note: This question was previously about breaking the fourth wall. I discovered that my interpretation of that phrase was wrong. I have therefore rewritten the question. (The above is in place to ...
Short answer: no. Long answer: A title is a very important part of a novel. That and the cover are the only two things you have selling your book to someone browsing the bookshelves (or interne...
