Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
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Reedsy shares top tips from industry giants on perfecting your craft. Read to find actionable advice on plot, character, storytelling, and more!
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
To err is human, in the words of Alexander Pope — or, in the slightly goofier words of Pam Beesly, pobody’s nerfect. It stands to reason that if you want your fictional characters to be as well-rounded and relatable as actual people, you’ll need to give them a few character flaws.
While it might be hard to bestow your precious characters with such defects, you’ll find they ultimately enrich your story: giving your characters deeper motivations, strengthening their interactions, and adding nuance to how they deal with the central conflict(s) in your plot. Not to mention that there are so many c ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
Author Elizabeth Bowen once said “characters are not created by writers. They pre-exist and have to be found”. That’s solid advice, but there’s one small catch — what do you do if you want to write, but a fully-formed character is yet to fall into your lap?
Don’t be disheartened: there are things you can do to speed up the process of finding them, and a character questionnaire is a great place to start!
Download a list of 50 juicy questions for authors to ask their characters here
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If you'd like to download the character questionnaire directly, you can click here.
What is ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
These days, there’s no shortage of ways to learn from the comfort of your own home, and writing is no exception. Creative writing classes abound on the internet, but in such a crowded market, it's difficult to know which are best suited to your skill level, interests, and learning preferences.
Below, we’ve gathered eight of our favorite online creative writing classes. These courses range quite a bit in price, time commitment, and writing topics, so there’s bound to be something that will fit your needs and lifestyle.
Check out our list of the best online creative writing classes in 2020!
Clic ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
Whether for school, work, or a particularly eloquent email, everyone’s done some creative writing at one time or another — but that doesn’t mean everyone knows how to do it well.
If you’re reading this now, you probably enjoy creative writing from other authors and want to improve your own, but aren’t sure where to begin! Luckily, this primer will take you through everything you need to know about creative writing: what it is, how to get into it, and our top tips for refining your prose.
What is creative writing?
Creative writing is writing that takes an imaginative, embellished approach to th ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
Freytag’s pyramid is a term that any writer obsessed with story structure will inevitably encounter. Conjuring up notions of dark, ancient tombs, this intimidating-sounding theory is actually very easy to understand. The pyramid, also known as ‘Freytag’s triangle’ or ‘five act structure’, is a straightforward way of organizing narrative.
Read on to discover the five acts that make up Freytag’s pyramid, and pay close attention as we apply each to Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. You’ll be a Freytag expert in no time.
What is Freytag’s Pyramid?
Freytag’s pyramid is a five-act structure ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
“When you leave a beautiful place, you carry it with you wherever you go,” lifestyle author Alexandra Stoddard once wrote. She was referring to real-life places, but the same is true of fictional ones — the setting of a story can be just as affecting and memorable as a place you’ve actually visited.
But how do authors choose the right settings for their stories, and what tactics do they use to bring them to life? Find out in this comprehensive guide to story setting, complete with definition, examples, and tips for writing a setting that readers will remember forever!
What is the setting of a ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
If you're a writer working on a children’s book that you just can’t wait to share with the world, self-publishing can be a great route to take. Not only is it increasingly accessible nowadays, it is also less time-consuming than the winding path involving agents and publishers of traditional publishing. On the other hand, exactly how to self-publish a children’s book is a big question that you’ll have to find the answer to as an indie author.
Fortunately, this post will walk you through the six essential steps to self-publish your children’s book! It’ll cover everything from finding an i ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
Defining the short story form may seem like a simple task, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. “How long is a short story?” can be a particularly tough question to answer — yes, a short story is short, but how many words does that entail? Moreover, which qualities determine a short story, other than mere brevity?
This post will address these questions in the clearest terms possible, including average short story length, other features of a short story, and plenty of examples to demonstrate. By the end, you should know exactly what goes into short stories, and may even feel ready to writ ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
What is a novella? Well, if you’re struggling to finish a novel, transitioning from short stories, or looking to test-run a book series, then it might just be the answer to your writing prayers! In this post, we’ll show you how to write a novella, how long it should be, how it differs from a novel, and how to nail your story elements. But before we get on to that, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page with its definition.
What is a novella — and how is it different from a novel?
Shorter than a novel but longer than a short story, the novella is characterised by its in-betweenness. Think ..read more
Reedsy » Perfecting Craft
3y ago
Writing a memoir is a daunting endeavor for any author: how do you condense your entire life story into a mere couple hundred pages? Of course, you'll find plenty of online guides that will help you write a memoir by leading you through the steps. But other times that old adage “show, don’t tell” holds true, and it’s most helpful to look at other memoir examples to get started.
If that’s the case for you, we’ve got you covered with 21 memoir examples to give you an idea of the types of memoirs that have sold well. Ready to roll up your sleeves and dive in? Let’s start with one of the most popu ..read more