Chuck Palahniuk's 2014-2015 Essays
In:
Abstracts, Character, Dialogue, Grammar, Literary Devices, Narrator, Objects, Phrases, Plot, POV, Research, Rewriting, Structure, Verbs, Voice, Word Play, Workshop
Chuck surprised us all with a new batch of essays for 2014 & 2015! There is no exact timeline on how these will roll out, so just keep an eye on the site.
Notes on the Craft
In:
Dialogue, Literary Devices
Concrete, practical methods for improving your writing.
36 Writing Essays by Chuck Palahniuk
36 exclusive craft essays on writing you won't find anywhere else online. The knowledge here is equivalent to what you'd get in an MFA program.
What Tools Do You Use to Edit Your Manuscripts?
By Cina Pelayo
In:
Grammar
Do you use any editing softwares to perfect your writing? Here is a sampling of tools available.
Storyville: Advanced Storytelling Techniques
Tips for how to execute some advanced storytelling techniques.
Welcome the Characters Who Show Up Too Early and Stay Too Late
Sometimes the most pivotal characters need to be conjured and coddled into the story, under the shadow of misstarts and dead-end plotlines.
Conflict Without Violence: How to Add More Depth To Your Fiction
Violence is fun. But finding other ways to resolve conflict can improve your writing, and turn an average story into one with depth and intrigue.
Storyville: Turning Your Obsessions Into Fiction
Some tips for turning your obsessions—good and bad—into powerful stories.
All Stories Are Existential
By Joshua Isard
The word existential may have, in some contexts, devolved into an epithet for things that seem deep or important, but that’s not really what it means.
How to use Family Dynamics to Bring Your Characters To Life
By C.S. Humble
In:
Character
For author C.S. Humble, one of the most reliable narrative materials to build a story with is family.
Storyville: Writing a Compelling Novel Synopsis
In:
Plot
Tips and trick for writing a compelling novel synopsis.
What Writers Can Learn From Watching The NFL Draft
Will this article finally bring Sports Twitter and Writer Twitter together? Will the Dolphins draft Tua? Can writers really learn writing tips from watching the NFL Draft?
Maybe: The Empathy-Building Writing Prompt
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
Want to write and live with empathy? Maybe there's a way.
Storyville: Using a Chorus in Your Fiction
In:
Literary Devices
Tips and tricks for using a chorus in your fiction.
Storyville: The Duality of Strong Emotions
In:
Character
Love vs. Hate. How to employ the duality of strong emotions to improve your fiction.
Are Functional Relationships Ever Interesting In Fiction?
By Peter Derk
In:
Character
Bumper stickers are the right place for "I love my wife." Novels are the place to tell the truth.
Writing Tips From the Don Winslow Universe
Certain writers demand to be read, and doing so is a class to all who do. Don Winslow is one of them.
2020 Hindsight: 10 Years Worth of Grammar Advice
In:
Grammar
It's a new decade! Let's look back on 10 years of giving grammar advice.
Storyville: Ending 2019 with a Bang
In:
Research
Some tips for how to end 2019 and set up 2020 for writing success.
Craft A Cozy Mystery In Three Killer Steps
Crafting a mystery series can be fraught with peril, but tackle these three questions and you’re guaranteed to unlock what lies at the heart of the terror.
Storyville: Using Your Family to Tell Dark Stories
Some tips on using the people around you to provide depth, meaning, emotion, and authority in your stories.
Her Dark Materials: Raising Inner Demons To Craft Complex Villains
In:
Character
An analysis of Mrs. Coulter in the recent TV adaptation of "His Dark Materials" shows writers how to craft complex villains.
Have you Wished Ishmael Beah a Happy Birthday Today?
In:
Voice
This is a literary name everyone should know.
Storyville: Using Rituals to Make Your Stories More Believable
In:
Research
Some tips on how to use ritual, ceremony, and witchcraft to make your story more believable.
