The Art of Surprise in Fiction (2 of 2)

Learn what makes surprise effective in fiction in this creative writing tutorial, part 2 of 2.

The Art of Surprise in Fiction (1 of 2)

The element of surprise is one of the most important parts of good fiction writing and is is rarely given the attention it deserves. This tutorial and it's follow-up tell you how to focus on surprise events in your story and make them more, surprising.

How to Write More Suspenseful Fiction

This tutorial offers techniques for writing suspense for fiction, creative writing.

To Consider When Writing a Title For Your Story

A title is the fist thing people are going to see of your story. Here are some things to consider when writing a title.

All in One Tutorial: The Absolute Best Ways to Write Better Fiction

Never before have all the best ways to write better fiction been disclosed in one video. Amazing!

Fiction Writing Tip: "Have I Already Said This?"

As your looking over something you've written, one of the best questions you can ask yourself, "Have I already said this?"

Creative Writing Tips: Using One Page To Focus Your Story

Editing a story? Here is a technique that will help you make effective rewrite decisions.

Fiction Writing Tips: Different Types of Plots

This tutorial discuses popular plot types and how thinking about the kind of plot you are writing can enhance your creative writing.

Adapting a Story to Storyboard for Graphic Novel and Film

Learn creative writing: the storyboard method.

Learn to Storyboard Using this Software, Springboard

This is an intro to Springboard, a great program for storyboarding without all the resource hogging other storyboard programs like to do. It runs on a netbook. I use it to storyboard all the time.

Creative Writing Tips: Finding Useful Feedback

No one like criticism but critiques about a story you are working on is invaluable. Listen to feedback and make the needed changes and it will make your story better. Not a fun process to start but as you rework you story it becomes very satisfying.

When it's Better to Forget About the Premise

The premise is a great tool for writers but know when to use it.

Tips on Writing Dialog that Absorbs

Dialog should be written to exist in time not on the page. This video tutorial is about making your dialog come across more smoothly and about how to make your dialog more digestible.

A Writing Exercise: Write a Story Based on One Character

The exercise should not take more than a couple of hours. It is designed to put you in that creative place from witch all great stories come.

How to Develop Characters: What Mood do They Bring with Them?

The mood your a character brings to the scene is like a miniature force of nature.

Organizing Tool for your Story: Online Timeline

This free online timeline site is a great place to make a timeline of your story to help work out event sequences and also provides you with a way to "see" your story much better. I highly recommend it! It made my writing better and helps me make decisions.

Writing Fiction Tutorial: Working the Plot out From End to Beginning

Try this simple writing technique out, it may work for you. Create a plot starting with the end of the story and work your way to the beginning.

Make Better Fiction: Handling Divisiveness in your Writing

It's not the point to rid divisiveness from your writing but to hide it away like electric wiring in a house.

Effective Surprise in Writing Fiction

A surprise event in the story is effective if it is also a logical outcome of previous events.

Strategies for Character Introduction for Fiction Writing

Another way for art to imitate life. Base the timing of character introduction on the way we get to know real people we interact with in the real world (as opposed to the imaginary ones. :))

How to Write Better Fiction: the Underlying Mood

Learn to compose an underlying mood to boost your story's impact.

First Draft Madness

Fly past writer's block by forgetting all integrity and abandoning yourself to "first draft madness."

The Story Idea

Not exactly the premise, the story idea is usually how a story first comes to us. This tutorial talks about getting more story ideas, and what to do with them.

The Drafting Process

This video has a lot of info about how to use use the drafting process. There is much more to it than improving your story. One draft my be focused on the emotional well being of one of your character, as an example. You can use the drafting process to take control.

Simplifying

"Less is more," what a great concept. It applies to writing too. People don't like a cluttered story.

Enhancing Creative Ideas

What you can do ahead of time to make sure you are ready when those great ideas fly through your life.

Character Driven Plot pt. 2

Try letting your character determine the course of the story.

Character Driven Plot vs. Circumstance Driven Plot

Is your story character driven or circumstance driven? Why it a good idea to have your story at least partially character driven.

Super-Short Story Exercises

The most important ideas in a story are the essential ones. This exercise will help you practice working with essential story ideas.

Naming Character, Exercises

Choosing Character Names

A name can say things about a character that would take paragraphs to convey and yet depicting a character with their name does not come across as decisive.

Creating Full Characters

16 Personality Factors to use for Developing Full Characters

Story Telling Snags

Learn to look for the bumps in the road that interfere with the course of the story.

Creative Writing, Getting Started

It's best to have different writing strategies for different stages of your story's completion. It's better to delay thinking of your writing as a finished work until you have completed many drafts. Good writing is the act of making changes in passing. This video introduces some the the beginning stage strategies.