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General Fiction

Getting Started: The Fundamentals of Fiction, by Marg Gilks
Part I: "I've Got an Idea!"
Part II: Read, Read, Read!
Part III: Critique Groups and Writers' Groups
Part IV: Writers Write!
Part V: Learning How: Courses, Workshops and Tutors
Part VI: Learning the Lingo
Part VII: Being Realistic About Your Work
Part VIII: Finding Markets for Your Fiction
Part IX: Writing Etiquette
Part X: Avoid Those Beginners' Blunders

Characters and Viewpoint
Creating Memorable Characters - Lee Masterson
Creating Villains People Love to Hate - Lee Masterson
Do Werewolves Wear Shoes? Building Successful Horror Characters, by Shaunna Privratsky
Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid "Stepping Out of Character" - Marg Gilks
Finding Your Characters - Mary Cook
Handling a Cast of Thousands I: Getting to Know Your Characters - Will Greenway
Handling a Cast of Thousands II: Your Story as Your Characters (and Readers) See It - Will Greenway
Handling a Cast of Thousands III: Developing the Five-Act Scene - Will Greenway
Headhopping, Authorial Intrusion, and Shocked Expressions - Anne Marble
Motivation - Hank Quense
The Mystery of Character - Robert Wilson
The Name Game - John Robert Marlow
Plotting by Personality - Marg McAlister
A Rose by Any Other Name... - Devyani Borade
The Secrets of Characterization - Sigrid Macdonald
Targeting Enemy Words - Sandra Miller
Viewpoint, Perspective and Time - Will Greenway

Dialogue
Creating Dynamic Dialogue - Will Greenway
Dialogue in Speculative Fiction - Paula Fleming
I Love You, My Little Cabbage: Using Foreign Words in Your Fiction - Cora Bresciano
It's Not What They Say... - Mary Cook
Off with the Talking Heads! - Marg Gilks
Punctuating Dialogue - Marg Gilks
Slang and How to Sling It - Randall Platt
The Use and Abuse of Dialogue Tags - Anne Marble
Writing Romantic Dialogue - Anne Marble

Description and Setting
The Art of Description: Eight Tips to Help You Bring Your Settings to Life - Anne M. Marble
Four Ways to Bring Settings to Life - Moira Allen
Houses are People Too: The Structure of a Literary Device - Geoff Hart
Location, Location, Location! - Jim C. Hines

Story Structure
Choosing the Right Name for Your Story - John Floyd
Components of a Good Opening Scene - Joseph Bates
Dynamic Beginnings: Getting Your Story Off to a Great Start - Will Greenway
Evaluating a Novel's Plot and Scenes - Frances Beckham
Fewer Words Mean Bigger Bucks, by Shaunna Privratsky
Five Fiction Mistakes that Can Spell Rejection - Moira Allen
From Beginning to End, A Fiction Format to Your Next Sale, by Shaunna Privratsky
Plotting Your Novel - Lee Masterson
Plunge Right In... Into Your Story, That Is! - Rekha Ambardar
To Outline or Not to Outline - Tim Hallinan
Where to Begin? When, Where and How to Write a Prologue - Lital Talmor
Why Do I Need an Outline? - Cheryl Sloan Wray
Your Story Outline: What It's All About - Rekha Ambardar

Flash Fiction
The Flash Fiction Market - C.M. Saunders
Flash What? A Quick Look at Flash Fiction - Jason Gurley
Flashes of Brilliance: Writing Flash Fiction - Joan Popek
Flashes on the Meridian: Dazzled by Flash Fiction - Pamelyn Casto

General Tips
25 Unique Places to Find Story Ideas - Michelle Giles
Becoming a Fiction Aficionado, by Shaunna Privratsky
Blueprints: Building a Home for Your Characters - Elizabeth Chayne
Can I Make a Living as a Novelist? - Marilyn Henderson
The Ethics of Tragedy: Plot Victims are People Too! - Paula Fleming
A Field Guide to Genre Writers' Organizations - Catherine Lundoff
Historical Research for Fiction Writers - Catherine Lundoff
How Long Should Your Story Be? - Lee Masterson
Keeping Your Story On Track with Style Sheets - Marg Gilks
Lateral Thinking - Ahmed A. Khan
Look before You Write: Applying the Lessons of the Visual Arts - Paula Fleming
Mindplay - Peggy Bechko
Mixing It Up: Writing Across Genres - Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz
Partly Cloudy, Scattered Showers: Setting the Scene with Weather - Larissa Ione
"Prove" Your Story with Evidence - Sue Fagalde Lick
A Research Primer for Historical Fiction Writers - Erika Dreifus
Stuck in the Middle of Your Story? Try Prompts! - Alina Sandor
The Top Ten Mistakes New Fiction Authors Make - Sally Zigmond
Visualization Exercises for Writers - Holly Lisle
What Is Literary Fiction? Literary Editors Share Their Views - Moira Allen
What, Where, When and Why - Marg Gilks
Write What You Know -- Because You Know More than You Think! - Marg Gilks
Writing Experimental Fiction: Leaving the Problem Out of the Plot - Tantra Bensko

Getting Published
How to Write a Novel Synopsis - Marg Gilks
The Midlisters: Backbone of the Publishing Industry - Sean McLachlan
Research, Track and Conquer: How to Research Short Fiction Markets, Track Submissions, and Ultimately Get Published - Joseph Thomas
Small Press Magazines: Should You Bother? - Bruce Boston
Yes, You Can Make Money Writing Fiction - Patricia Fry

Victorian Advice for Modern Writers
Here are some great tips "From an Editor's Wife" that are just as true today as when they were written in 1881! Excerpted from The Girl's Own Paper. (For more Victoriana, visit Moira Allen's new website, Mostly-Victorian.com.)
Literary Work for Girls
How to Write a Story

For More Information, see also Writing-World.com's sections on:
Children's Writing
Mysteries
Romance
Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror
Getting Published - Fiction queries and synopses
Contest Database and tips on entering contests

Related Links:
Character Naming Resources
Children's Writing
Horror
Mystery
Romance
SF/Fantasy


Recommended Reading


Writer's Market


Novel & Short Story Writers' Market

Guide to Literary Agents


Writing to Win: The Colossal Guide to Writing Contests


Beginnings, Middles and Ends

Characters and Viewpoint


Creating Short Fiction

Get that Novel Written!


How to Write a Damn Good Novel

How To Write Your Best Story - Advice for Writers on Spinning an Enchanting Tale


On Writing (Stephen King)


Plot and Structure

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Copyright © 2012 by Moira Allen. All rights reserved. Copyright to individual articles held by authors.