Below is a great infographic detailing some weak words and how to fix them.
Do you agree with this exercise or not? Do you have anything you can add to it?
Source: www.grammarcheck.net
Craft
Mastering Subtext in Fiction – Part 3
Words can lie. Actions rarely do—unless someone is a really good actor/actress. But taking that element out, there’s a reason for the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” I talked a lot about subtext in the last two posts. So, let’s dig a little deeper into the topic one more time. For example, a fictional character may say, “I’m fine.” But the tremble in her hands is in direct …
How to Write a Story That Lives – A TED-Ed Presentation
If you missed this before, spend a little time this week with this great four-minute animated video written by Nalo Hopkinson on writing great fiction. It is also helpful for the nonfiction writer because you, too, tell stories. But yours happen to be nonfiction! Once you are done watching, you can take a short quiz and even go deeper on the TED-Ed site. (Click here for the quiz.) !
Mastering Subtext in Fiction, Part 2: Subtext in Dialogue
Let’s dig a little deeper into how subtext in dialogue works and what it looks like. In the previous post, I talked about how people rarely say exactly what they mean—especially when under stress or in a sticky situation—or maybe when the truth would hurt someone’s feelings. We dodge, deflect, soften our words, or hide our true feelings behind sarcasm or politeness. Great fictional dialogue works …
How to Write Your Novel From the Middle With James Scott Bell
Are you starting your book in the wrong place? I’m not referring to giving too much backstory. I mean, are you starting your story in the wrong place? Pantsers often start at the beginning and just let the story unfold. Plotters often want to outline the entire story from beginning to end before they write the first page. But what would happen if you started writing your book from the …
Mastering Subtext in Fiction, Part 1: Saying It Without Saying It
Subtext is the hidden layer of meaning beneath the words and actions of a story. It’s what characters don’t say, what emotions they suppress, and what truths are left for the reader to infer, rather than being explicitly stated. Great writing isn’t only about what’s written; it’s also about what’s implied. Readers love engaging with stories where they have to read between the lines, piecing …
Writer’s Block Becomes Writer’s Talk
Seth Godin once wrote in a blog post: No one ever gets talker’s block. No one wakes up in the morning, discovers he has nothing to say and sits quietly, for days or weeks, until the muse hits, until the moment is right, until all the craziness in his life has died down. What a liberating concept! It reminded me of a great book by Joel Saltzman, If You Can Talk, You Can Write. Of course, …
Book Proposals I’d Love to See (What Tamela Hancock Murray Is Looking For)
(Updated 1/7/2025) I’m thankful to the Lord that I’m a literary agent working for Him in Christian publishing. I’m grateful to the readers of this blog for being part of our writing community. As for approaching me with your work, let’s see if our passions match: Christian Romantic Suspense and Suspense Readers of Christian romantic suspense and suspense are a large and devoted …
How to Become a Better Novelist With Brad Pauquette
Imposter syndrome sometimes tells you the truth. Sometimes, you really do need to get better at the task in front of you to succeed. Many gurus will tell you that you already have everything you need. You just need to pay them money so you can be successful. But in the real world, success requires the hard work of improving your craft. Now, it’s true, sometimes imposter syndrome lies; but …
Point of View #4
Last time I talked about Deep Point of View. Now, let’s jump into some practical tips for application. Eliminate “Distance” Words Eliminate “distance” words like “saw,” “heard,” “felt,” “thought,” “wondered,” “noticed,” and so on. Is there ever a time you’d use those? Of course, but for now, let’s try not to use them. I call them “distance” words because they distance the reader from …