Writing good sex scenes into your novels is about more than showing a little skin. This is a clean conversation about the craft of sex scenes. Show notes and more!
SWRT 272 | Chapter End-hooks
This week, Alida and Kathryn talk about ending chapters so that readers can’t wait to “jump the gap” and get on with the next one. What kind of end-hooks work and how? Do we instinctively know where to place our chapter breaks? Is there a formula to follow? Or maybe the story guides us? How to handle end-hooks when you change POV characters at the chapter break? When not to use an epigraph before your chapters, and more!
SWRT 34: Developing Your Supporting Characters
How do you develop supporting characters? What goes into them versus your protagonist? How do you move them from plot device to fully fleshed being? And what role should they play? Above all how do you keep them from all sounding the same?
SWRT 33: How to End Your Story
How do you know when to end your story? And how do you deliver your ending in a way that leaves readers thinking about your story and character for days? Be deliberate about what you leave unresolved, and don’t let that ending be disappointing! Above all make sure your protagonist takes center stage. And don’t be fooled by our decoy endings.
SWRT 32: Stakes & Tension
What is the difference between stakes, tension and danger, and how can we use them correctly to create a compelling story? How do you increase stakes without ending the world? And why should they be personal to your protagonist? How do you make readers really feel the tension? Use these three to craft a surprising story, no matter your genre.
SWRT 31: Action Scenes!
What is an action scene? And how should you go about building one? Why is it so important to choreograph your action? And how can you use your narrator to bring clarity? Don’t forget about your senses, using anticipation, and making sure that reader feels what you are trying to convey.
SWRT 30: Dialogue–dialects, gestures, tags, pet peeves
What are some problems that authors encounter with dialogue? Should you give your character an accent or dialect? And how should you represent that on the page? What makes for good dialogue tags and action beats? We talk pet peeves, our own dialogue tics we struggle with and Include some very entertaining examples of what not to do from Robert!
SWRT 29: Hooks-Premise & Opening
What is a hook? And what are the different functions they can serve in a novel? How do you craft an opening hook, and what things should you keep in mind as you do? And finally, don’t forget about the value that first sentence can have on your whole work.
SWRT 28: Third Person Point of View
What is the third person point of view and why is it so popular? How do you use multiple points of view in the third person? And what are the pitfalls that authors encounter? How do you know if a character has earned their point of view? And whose point of view should your next scene be written in?
SWRT 27: First Person Point of View
Continuing our conversations on point of view, we take a look at first person point of view. We delve into common misconceptions about first person point of view, and challenges that writers face with the viewpoint. How can you utilize first person to develop your characters voice? And why does young adult fiction seem to prefer the first person point of view?
SWRT 26: Introduction to Point of View
What is point of view, how do we use it, and what are the different nuances behind it? What is a narrator and how does the narrative voice effect the story? Did you pick the wrong point of view characters? And how can point of view create nuance and depth in your writing?