Q : I submitted my manuscript to an agent and she said the plot was confusing and needed a lot of work. I was crushed! What should I do? A : Telling a good story is the writer's most important task. But constructing a great plot with so many ideas, characters and actions careening through your … [Read more...]
Search Results for: 7 techniques for a dynamite plot
Ask the editor: Constructing the “narrative arc”
Q:My writers group thinks I need to strengthen the narrative arc in my novel. How can I do that? A:The “narrative arc” is a fancy way of saying that every story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, you need an act one, act two, act three. Take … [Read more...]
How to grab, delight or shock your readers right from the start
"Every time mama came down on that shabby floor, the bullet lodged in my stomach felt like a hot poker." Claude Brown and I hunted through his manuscript for two days to find that moment and move it to the opening of his classic Harlem memoir Manchild in the Promised Land. We wanted to detail … [Read more...]
Ask the editor: The #1 issue for writers today
Q: There’s so much for a writer to think about: platform, query letters, agents, marketing. What’s the most important thing to focus on? A: That’s easy. Focus on the content of your book. There’s nothing more important. Content is king Before all else, keep your attention on the core … [Read more...]
Ask the editor: Help! I can’t seem to finish my book
Q : Everyone says I need to wrap up my manuscript and stop writing already. But I'm really stuck. Any advice? A : This isn't unusual. You may have taken a wrong turn early in the story as a result of poor planning. Or you may have painted yourself into a corner. Or you could be suffering from … [Read more...]