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20WaystoImproveYourStory
ByH.R.Morgan
Thise-bookisprovidedtothewritingcommunityforfree.
Visitusathttp://www.writefine.com
 ©2007
writefine.com
 
http://www.writefine.com
2
TABLEOFCONTENTS
1.
Keepopinionstoyourself………………..……….……….
3
2.
Causeandeffect………………..……….……….
4
3.
Activatethesenses………………..……….……….
4
4.
Emotionalthermometer………………..……….……….
5
5.
Verbsarefriends………………..……….……….
6
6.
Givethereadercookies………………..……….……….
7
7.
Aninteractivesetting………………..……….……….
8
8.
Organizeaparade……….……….……….……….
9
9.
Handlingexposition……….……….……….……….
9
10.
Speechtags……….……….……….……….
10
11.
Getspecific……….……….……….……….
11
12.
Simplify……….……….……….……….
11
13.
Tenseconfusion……….……….……….……….
11
14.
Characterbuilding……….……….……….……….
12
15.
Pacing……….……….……….……….
12
16.
Conflict……….……….……….……….
13
17.
Tickingclockandquests……….……….……….……….
14
18.
Scenestructure……….……….……….……….
15
19.
Firstpersoninteriormonologue……….……….……….……….
15
20.
Jackinthebox……….……….……….……….
16
ThreeFinalTips
17
AboutWritefine
18
 
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31.
Keepopinionstoyourself
Amajorpitfalloftheamateurwriteristocheatbydescribingscenerywithanopinion,whentheyshouldmakethesceneprojectthatfeelinguponthereaderwithouttellingthemhowtofeel.Unlessthenarratorisanintegralpartofyourstoryline,descriptionsinthird-personnarrationshouldnotcontainopinionatedwords.Donottellthereaderthatthedarkforestisscary,eerie,ghastlyorhorrible.Showthemthroughvividdescriptionandcharacteraction.Whenyouleavethedescriptionopentointerpretation,thereaderbecomesmoreinvolvedinthestoryprocess.Opinionatedwordsdohavetheirplace.Theyshouldbeclosedinsideofmonologueordialoguetodevelopcharacters.Showthesettingobjectivelyandthenmakeyourcharacterreacttoit.Thisway,thesceneiswrittentomakethereaderdeveloptheirownopinion.Forexample,somepeoplewouldfeelperfectlyathomeinaswamporcave.Otherswouldfinditdreadful.Itaccomplishesnothingtodescribeyourswampasa“dreadfulswamp”inthesettingdescription.Showuswhymostpeoplethinkitisdreadful.Youwillhavetoworkharderbutyoureffortswillbewell-rewarded.Conjureuptheelementsthatpeopleassociatewithdread:creepycrawlies,putridsmellsofdecay,fog,soundsandtwilight.Letthereaderusetheirimaginationandformanopinionandtheywillbemorewillingtoacceptthecharacter’sreactiontothesetting.
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