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    How to Write Better
    How to Write Better
    How to Write Better
    Ebook78 pages36 minutes

    How to Write Better

    By Dwayne Bearup

    ()

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    About this ebook

    The advice in this book was gleaned from four years of Writer's Digest articles, from 1998 to 2001. At that time I was incarcerated and, unable to keep the magazines with me, I took to condensing the advice onto notepaper.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDwayne Bearup
    Release dateJan 31, 2012
    ISBN9781466084735
    How to Write Better
    Author

    Dwayne Bearup

    If you love books, you should certainly check out my Goodreads page - the link is on this page. It's free, and you can post lists of all the different books you have read, including mine... {*~*}.

    Read more from Dwayne Bearup

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      Book preview

      How to Write Better - Dwayne Bearup

      HOW TO WRITE BETTER

      Published by Dwayne Albert Bearup at Smashwords

      Copyright 2012 Dwayne Albert Bearup

      SMASHWORDS EDITION LICENSE NOTES

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS:

      FINDING THE STORY:

      BURN AND BUILD

      FINDING YOUR EMOTIONAL TRUTH

      WRITING THE STORY:

      CHARACTERS:

      CRAFTING CHARACTERS

      ROMANCING YOUR CHARACTERS

      ONCE UPON A CHARACTER

      KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CHARACTERS

      DESCRIBING CHARACTERS

      DIALOG:

      DYNAMIC DIALOG

      CAN WE TALK?

      STEP UP TO STRONGER DIALOG

      HARK! I SEE A CONVERSATION

      INTERIOR MONOLOG

      FICTIONAL DIALOG

      EXPOSITION/DESCRIPTION:

      INFORMATION SLEIGHT OF HAND

      WRITING ALL THE SENSES

      SHOW VERSUS TELL

      TIPS ON NARRATION

      WEAVING DESCRIPTION INTO THE NARRATIVE

      THE FLASHBACK:

      FLASHBACKS

      FRAME STORIES

      VERB TENSES IN FLASHBACKS

      WEAVING PAST INTO PRESENT

      MISCELLANEOUS:

      A VARIETY OF VOICES

      AVOID COMMON GRAMMAR PITFALLS

      BUILD A SOLID NOVEL FOUNDATION

      CONQUERING THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE

      CROSS-GENDER WRITING

      EMOTIONAL SYMBOLISM

      FINDING THE POINT

      KEEPING IT REAL

      POETIC TECHINQUES TO STRENGTHEN PROSE

      PONDER THE PLAIN POSITIVES (On keeping it simple)

      PROPS IN FICTION

      SEND THEM HOME HAPPY

      TIME TRAPS TO AVOID

      USING WRITER'S BLOCK

      POINT OF VIEW:

      CHOOSING A POINT OF VIEW

      OMNISCIENT P.O.V.

      CONFESSIONS OF A KNOW-IT-ALL

      ALTERNATING POINT OF VIEW

      STORY ELEMENTS:

      CRAFTING SCENES

      THE HOOK

      SENSE OF PLACE

      HOW TO DRAMATIZE A SCENE

      DETAILS

      CREATING CONFLICT

      COMPELLING STORY ELEMENTS

      STORY ELEMENT PROPORTIONS

      STOP! LOOK! THINK AGAIN!

      FICTIONAL TONE

      ONE, TWO, THREE... PUSH!

      SUSPENSE

      WORD POSITION

      MAKE YOUR PLOT SING

      ENDINGS

      SURPRISES:

      WHAT A STORY!

      SURPRISES

      REWRITING THE STORY:

      REVISION

      THE FOUR STEPS OF MANUSCRIPT C.P.R.

      WEILDING THE SCALPEL

      TEN STEPS TO PLANNING YOUR SECOND DRAFT

      * * * * *

      FINDING THE STORY

      BURN AND BUILD

      To write fiction from the heart, you’ve got to come up with an explosion of ideas, then sort through the rubble.

      Eight methods:

      01) Make a list of nouns describing items from your personal past, items which resonate with emotion. Let your mind sort through the mental pictures of your past and quickly write one- or two- word reminders. Then use items from the list to brainstorm possibilities, for characterization or even stories;

      02) Find the outrage - list your pet peeves, then pick one and ask yourself what sorts of characters would care about it. Put a character on either side of the issue and let them argue about it;

      03) See it - daydream until you sense a sketchy sort of plot, then develop it on paper into a story;

      04) Hear it - listen to music that moves you and close your eyes and

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