by Marg McAlister | Characters, Viewpoint, Writing Fiction
Sit back, and imagine what it feels like to be you. Now that shouldn’t be too hard – you’ve lived in your own skin for a long time. Do you feel happy or sad? Do you feel on edge or relaxed? Do you feel tired or energetic? Do you feel angry or calm?...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Mystery and Crime, Writing Fiction
Here’s a quick question for you: what’s easiest to write – a ‘woman in jeopardy’ story or a police procedural? If you are (or have been) a police officer, then ‘police procedural’ might be the answer for you. If you know...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Mystery and Crime, Writing Fiction
I admit that this might start to sound a bit like the developments in your favorite (or most-hated) soap opera – but remember: readers LOVE to be surprised! Your job is to tread the fine line between giving them a plot twist that they didn’t see coming,...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
When you go to see a movie, you instantly know what characters look like; one glance at the screen lets you absorb dozens of small details. Obviously, writers have a much harder task. You do have one advantage over film: you can tap into the character’s...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Writing Fiction
Here’s a quick question for you: what’s easiest to write – a ‘woman in jeopardy’ story or a police procedural? If you are (or have been) a police officer, then ‘police procedural’ might be the answer for you. If you know...
by Marg McAlister | Plotting, Writing Fiction
What are “TURNING POINTS” in a novel? Put simply: a turning point in a story is A POINT AT WHICH THINGS CHANGE. You should be able to find a turning point in most of your scenes: it’s an indication that your story is moving forward. Any story is full...
