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Writing related articles by Elsa Neal
Creating
derivative works from another author's writing
JK Rowling and Warner Bros have filed a complaint against Steve Vander Ark of the Harry Potter Lexicon website and halted the publication of his print version of the lexicon until February 2008. Find out more about derivative works, and writing fan fiction, commentaries, or criticisms.
Crafted
writing
Some authors prefer to freewrite their first draft, getting the words down as quickly as possible, with no regard for spelling or format. Other writers spend a great deal of time crafting well-polished sentences, producing a first draft that, in some cases, may need very little further work.
Freewriting
Writers who choose to freewrite believe that the magic of the story occurs because they don't attempt to control every detail. They like to allow the story to unfold to them as they write.
Exposition in
fiction
There are points in almost every story where exposition is necessary. Working out when to explain the plot and when to leave the reader to draw their own conclusions can be tricky for even experienced writers.
Avoiding
exposition pitfalls
There are some areas in a story where you simply have to give an explanation to your reader, but there are some common mistakes and
clichés many writers resort to in order to either avoid using direct narrative exposition, or through poor planning and editing.
To plan
or not to plan
Some writing advice says forget the planning stage - just write. Others say plan, plan, plan in great detail. And there are successful authors to prove both theories. How do you work out which method is best for you?
Writing fantasy
The Fantasy genre is pure escapism. Very often the author creates an entirely new universe or world, unique to their story, in which they make the rules and determine the mechanics of existence, behaviour, and interaction.
Writing a
synopsis
Almost every publisher and literary agent requires a synopsis of your novel in a submission package. It is the major selling point of your work, so learn to write a good one.
Guidelines and
terminology on story length
What do you do if an editor asks you to cut your story to Drabble length? What's the difference between a Novel, Novella, and Novellette? Here are some guidelines.
Showing and
telling
"Show don't tell" is
a very common piece of advice given to writers of all levels, but it can
be difficult for beginner writers to grasp this concept when they first
start out.
Your
writing routine
While some writers believe
having a routine will stifle their creativity, for many there are too few
hours in the day to allow unbridled freedom. Scheduling time for writing
can make the difference between a finished novel or keeping the same idea
in your head for years.
Writing
horror
The Horror genre provides us with a safe and controlled way in which to face our fears and Halloween is a great time to think about writing some horror stories, even if it's not the genre you usually work in.
Reworking a story – learn from the V for Vendetta adaptation
The differences between the V for Vendetta graphic novel and the movie are a good way to understand how a story can be reworked and rewritten in later drafts to produce different results.
Create a multi-dimensional
character
Creating engaging, well-rounded, interesting, and believable characters your readers feel they know and understand is almost half the battle of writing a book that will sell. So how do you go about developing your perfectly imperfect protagonist?
Plotting your story - structure
The plot of a book gives reasons and explanations for some or all of the events in the book, ties up loose ends and coincidences (sometimes), and gives a story a satisfying conclusion.
Plot
versus Character - which drives the story?
Many writers are faced with the decision about whether to develop their story’s plot or the main character first, and which element to use to drive the story. There are well-established camps on both sides of the argument.
Masters
of monsters - Inspiration from dreams and fears
Most people say they read fiction for pleasure – but that doesn’t explain the immense popularity of the horror, thriller, and suspense genres. What inspires those authors who delve for stories in the world of their nightmares?
How
to write a love letter
No matter
how much time and thought you put into choosing a store-bought Valentine
card, it will always eventually find its way into storage. A
hand-written from-the-heart love-letter will be treasured forever.
Inspiration
from mythology
Mythology has helped to inspire some of today’s most popular stories including The Chronicles of
Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Trek, and Star Gate SG-1.
Exercises
for writers and other desk-slaves
Prevent
Writers' Butt - incorporate these quick and easy exercises into your day
and improve your health.
Tax
and the creative arts
Tax time is coming up in Australia, but this advice applies to anyone dealing with bureaucracy.
Keyboard
shortcuts
Save time
while you're writing by incorporating keyboard shortcuts.
How
to write better lyrics
With
Valentine's day coming up, why not write a song or poem for your loved
one? Here are a few tips to get you started...
Creativity and grief – dealing with the loss of a creative partner
Losing a loved one usually throws your creativity for a loop anyway – when that person has been a partner in your creative work, the loss can be a double blow. How do you help yourself recover without sacrificing your creativity?
Preventing
creative burnout
Find
creative middle ground between burning out and fading away, and allow
yourself to rest and recharge.
Recovering
from creative burnout
In an ideal world, we would be able to deal with burnout triggers before they get out of hand. Most of us, though, will suffer burnout at some stage, no matter how much yoga and meditation we do. Occasionally life deals us every opportunity we've ever wanted in the same month.
Moving
out of burnout defence
Burnout defence is a constant panic mode that sets in after an intense period that has caused you to burn out, and the recovery that inevitably follows.
Dealing
with the downside of professional creativity
How do you hold onto the fire when business and commerciality takes over the creative field you love?
Unblock
by writing flash fiction
Even if you’re
not a writer, flash fiction can be even better than journaling for getting
straight to the point of your block.
Basic
Proofreading Tips
Suggestions
for tackling the task of proofreading your work.
Editing
Tips Using Your Word Processing Software
Editing
your own hard-written manuscript is one of the most difficult and draining
aspects of the writing craft.
Do
I Need Writing Software?
Benefits and drawbacks
of writing software.
Understanding
the basic components of a song
Do you want to try your hand at writing a song, or putting your poetry to music? Here are some explanations of basic song structure to help you.
Writing related articles by guest
writers
Getting started by
Jennifer Stewart
Despite what you might
see in the movies, writers NEVER sit down with a pen and notepad and dash
off a best seller! It just doesn't work that way.
More articles...
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