Tag: writing tips

Need Writing Practice But Not Sure Where to Start? Try a Writing Prompt!

Andrew Michael MillerLeave a comment

Have you ever had the creative urge to write, but don't have any solid ideas at the time? One of the most difficult parts of writing is the conceptualization stage, when you start deciding what kind of story you want to write. We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be original. Often, we want to say something unique to ourselves as individuals when we write. We worry that the things we write will just be a re-hashing of the stories we've already told. We want to try something new, but all too often, we worry that we will just end up sticking to the same genres, the same themes, the same structure. How can we overcome this mental block and get back to our "zone" when writing? One way you can do it is by challenging yourself with writing prompts.

Character Dialogue: A Game of Goals

Andrew Michael MillerLeave a comment

In all forms of character writing, be it stage plays, screen plays, novels, video games or any other kind of medium where two different characters converse with one another, massive potential exists for fantastic dialogue. The act of putting two characters in the same space and seeing how they react to each other is the heart of good drama. When well-written characters who have their own histories, personalities, attitudes, strengths and weaknesses enter into a conversation with another character with a different background, there lies a great opportunity for a good scene. What makes the scene more powerful is when the characters have their own individual goals for the conversation. This is where we as writers really get to prove that we know our characters inside and out. Here are some things to consider when writing dialogue.

Why You Shouldn’t Rush Your Novel

Andrew Michael MillerLeave a comment

So you made the mistake of telling someone that you're writing a novel, and now you feel a sense of urgency to get the book finished. But why do this to yourself? How long has it been since you first started charting your course? Six months? A year? Two years? Maybe you have even written quite a bit, but you know that it's a long way from perfection. So what do you do - rush it, just to get it done? The answer should, of course, be no - not if you are passionate about what you are writing and want it to be something that makes you proud. After all, there's a lot of precedent from successful novelists, and comparing the time frames of their writing to your own could do you a lot of good to help relieve that pressure you imposed upon yourself.

Tips for Writing Your First Fantasy/Sci-Fi Novel

Andrew Michael Miller2 Comments

If you have ever wanted to write a Fantasy or Sci-Fi story, you've undoubtedly wondered when the perfect time to write the story would be. You may know the story you want to tell, but maybe you're not sure about the ins and outs of how the story will interact with the universe you hope to create. Sometimes, this can cause what some writers call "Worldbuilding Hell," a rabbit hole that many authors fall into that makes it hard to get back into the real story writing. So, how can you avoid the worldbuilding trap while still telling the story you want to tell in an appropriately designed world of your choosing? Here are some tips to consider.

Parallel Narratives in Storytelling

Andrew Michael Miller2 Comments

Often times in storytelling there are cases where two or more plots or events are linked together and play out side by side in order to add depth and additional meaning to the overall story. When this happens, it's called a parallel narrative, and there are different applications of the concept throughout the various forms of storytelling. The most common place to find parallel narratives is film and television, but it remains very common in literature as well.