Bookwriter RSS Blog
The Bookwriter RSS Blog will keep you up to date on new articles about writing and story structure, answers to common writing questions and other information designed to help you write your book.
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And please, enjoy the latest posts below.
Guardian or Contagonist?
Question: If I understand correctly, the guardian and contagonist help the protagonist achieve his goal and tempt him away from it respectively. But what
Too little consistency with the characters?
Hello First of all, thank you very much for all the useful information and help you’re providing, your website has already helped me a lot. My question
Continue reading "Too little consistency with the characters?"
Finish or not to finish, that is the question.
Question: I know its a crazy question but, I've got a summary for a storyline written already. Should I just create it now and add filler later, or add
Continue reading "Finish or not to finish, that is the question."
Identifying my book as a memoir versus a novel.
Question: Taken directly from my journals detailing true misadventures involving drug-addicted prostitutes over a two year period, though therefore properly
Continue reading "Identifying my book as a memoir versus a novel."
Online Creative Writing Courses
Take online creative writing courses from high profile professional and famous writers in a variety of genres.
Just a Comment and not a question
I've written a novel (going by notes as far back as High School, over 40 years ago), and have pieced everything together and fleshed it out to my satisfaction.
What are the limits of using IPs in a novel?
Question: Ready Player One references tons of intellectual properties, several of which are integral to the plot. Do you know if the publisher had to clear
Continue reading "What are the limits of using IPs in a novel?"
Online Creative Writing Courses
How would you like to learn the art of creative writing from some of the highest selling and most famous writers in the business--including such names as James Patterson and R.L. Stine? And get personal attention from the comfort of your own home? Take a look at this link to find out how.
Mystery Novel Resolution
Hello, Glen, First of all, thank you for reading my question and providing your valuable suggestions. I wrote around fifty thousand words of my mystery
Betrayal
Question: This site is exactly what I needed to actually pull out those someday ideas off the shelf, but I can't seem to find anything on character betrayals.
Flashback as hook?
Question: I am wanting to start my novel with the prologue time jumping following the main characters with their experience with the character who dies
What constitutes as a Chapter?
Question: You mentioned that some scenes will be part of a chapter while other scenes will be a chapter itself. So i want to know what a chapter is. Is
W-plot and signposts clarification needed
Dear Glen, First and foremost, so many thanks for your tremendous work and enlightening advice about creative writing ! I have a terminology-(and perhaps
Continue reading "W-plot and signposts clarification needed"
Including a subplot in a synopsis
Question: Your Steps in Writing a Synopsis is very thorough and helpful. One question I have, however, is how or where to include discussion about a subplot
need help with main character throughline
Question: I can't seem to come up with the main character throughline for my story that seems right. My story takes place in a world, filled with magic
Continue reading "need help with main character throughline"
How much time should I leave between main events?
Question: I am writing a love story told from four different perspectives. I have about three main events with several parts to each of them. However,
Continue reading "How much time should I leave between main events?"
Group Dynamics
Hi! I was wondering how I could go about creating interesting relationships between a group of characters. I find that I struggle with giving everyone
Using real name and story in fiction
Question: I am writing a love story about my healing from depression. The format is me writing letters to my counselor and what happens when I fall in
Dramatica "this scene represents" Dilemma
Question: I've decided to write a total of 64 scenes with 64,000 words. This is my benchmark, but I'm willing to let it grow larger or smaller as needed.
Continue reading "Dramatica "this scene represents" Dilemma"
I am stuck in my writing
Dear Glen, You have helped me before and I hope you can help me again. I am one third through my second novel and feel completely stuck with no idea how
Should I Have a Sequel Trilogy and am I Overplanning?
Question: I have big ambitions. I'm not yet done my first book, but I know for a fact it will be only the first of a trilogy, and that that trilogy will
Continue reading "Should I Have a Sequel Trilogy and am I Overplanning?"
Character Death Reaction
Question: One of my characters is at the brink of death. As much as it pains me, and as hard as I tried to keep her alive, she doesn't have much longer.
Is this Chapter Important to the Story? (And Another Issue)
Question: I wrote a chapter in which nothing particularly interesting happens. One of the characters (let's call her Anna) hasn't told the two main characters
Continue reading "Is this Chapter Important to the Story? (And Another Issue)"
Switching Point of Views
Question: I'm currently writing a novel, I'm really proud of it. But, I truly feel as though the audience should see the point of view of not only the
Memoir
Question: I want to write my memoir. Problem is, all of the articles and books I've read on memoir say that it should include lots of dialogue. Unfortunately,
Writers Boon: Mini-Review
Looking for more help publishing your novel? Writers Boon offers you an online catalogue of services covering every aspect of the writing and publishing process, including writing, self-publishing, marketing, publicity and selling. (It's also one of this year's 100 Best Websites for Writers.) Worth checking out.
How to write sensitive topics?
Question: So the main theme of my story is trust and distrust, tying in with the theme, my main character has trust issues. Specifically with men, even
Prologue, uh... Placement.
Hello, My prologue isn't something very exciting, at least not in my opinion. It has all the necessary hooks to keep people reading, but I fear that,
Introducing New Characters: when?
Question: I have been told that my self-discovery travel romance novel has too many characters the first chapter. The protagonist is alone for the first
Do you NEED a plot template?
Hi, I'm starting a new book. I've planned out a lot about the main characters, and know the plot I have in mind in pretty good detail. However, I've recently
Do you think my book will be well recieved by readers?
Hello, So, I'm writing a love story. Well, it's not really a love story since the woman he ends up with isn't introduced until towards the end. My character
Continue reading "Do you think my book will be well recieved by readers?"
We Made the Top 100 List Again!
For the second year in a row, How to Write a Book Now has been included in the list of 100 Best Websites for Writers by Write Life. Many thanks to all the readers who recommended us!
Psychological thrillers
Questions: 1. I want to write a psychological thriller but I'm not sure how to start it or how to create my own, original idea without copying other psychological
How to make a good villain
Question: I have my story and know pretty much everything, I just feel like my villain is missing something. The villain has a connection to the other
"It's a Wonderful Life": A Dramatica Analysis
The structure of "It's a Wonderful Life" using Dramatica terms.
Continue reading ""It's a Wonderful Life": A Dramatica Analysis"
TALKING ABOUT REAL PLACES AND QUOTATIONS
Question: I WANT TO WRITE A NOVEL FOR WHICH I NEED TO KNOW IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO TALK ABOUT REAL PUBLIC PLACES AND TO ADD QUOTATIONS OF WRITERS IN ORDER
How do I create an interesting plot with all this existing stuff?
Question: So I've got a bit of a problem. I've created a rich, complex world, and unique characters, but there is one problem: I don't have any interesting
Continue reading "How do I create an interesting plot with all this existing stuff?"
Is it possible to have more than one main character?
Question: I have a hypothetical idea for a novel. I say hypothetical because I don't know if I'll ever actually write it, but I'm enjoying planning the
Continue reading "Is it possible to have more than one main character?"
New Search Feature
With so many Q&A pages on this site, we needed a better way for you to search for the writing topics that interest you. Google's search box wasn't working, so we replaced it with a new and improved search box. Try it today!
Epic Fantasy Storyform(s) regarding Character Elements
Question: Hey there! Thanks for all of the wonderful and enlightening information you provide on this site. My question: How do you allocate Character
Continue reading "Epic Fantasy Storyform(s) regarding Character Elements"
Single POV vs multiple POV's
I've been thinking a lot about how to angle this question. This will be long. Keep in mind that this is just my opinion. It seems like every time someone
Co-Protagonists
Question: The more I watch the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer, the more I feel (and hear, it seems) that Rey and Kylo Ren aren't protagonist and
Help with writing a murder mystery
Hey guys, At the moment I'm planning/drafting a young adult murder mystery novel. I have a few questions. Firstly,how many words should I aim for? Secondly,
Story Goals
Question: I'm working on an outline for a series of books. These books have an adventure plot line and I'm finding that the story goal of each individual
Recent Postings
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Guardian or Contagonist?
May 26, 18 10:35 PM
Question: If I understand correctly, the guardian and contagonist help the protagonist achieve his goal and tempt him away from it respectively. But what
-
Too little consistency with the characters?
May 26, 18 10:28 PM
Hello First of all, thank you very much for all the useful information and help you’re providing, your website has already helped me a lot. My question
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"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus
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