by Suzanne Lieurance Pacing in a novel refers to the speed at which the story unfolds and how quickly the reader moves through the narrative. Effective pacing keeps readers engaged and ensures the story progresses smoothly. Here are some techniques for controlling the pace in your novel: Techniques for Pacing #1. Sentence and Paragraph Length…
by Suzanne Lieurance In fiction, point of view (POV) is the perspective from which a story is told. The main types of POV are first person, second person, and third person, each with its own advantages and limitations. Let’s take a closer look at each of these. #1. First Person Point of View Definition: When…
by Suzanne Lieurance Here are some new creative writing prompts for the first week of August. Monday’s Prompt A mysterious summer carnival arrives in your small town overnight. Write about the strange attractions and the secrets they hold. Tuesday’s Prompt During a scorching August heatwave, a hidden underground lake is discovered in your backyard. Describe…
Welcome to Week 2 – Lesson 2 of our Cooking Up a Short Story Challenge. Every Monday for 4 weeks I’ll have a new lesson and assignment here to help you write a new short story by the end of the month. Last Monday’s lesson was about all the elements or “ingredients” you need to…
by Suzanne Lieurance I’m sure you’re familiar with the fantasy genre but you might not know much about magical realism. In this post, we’ll take a look at each of these genres and then the differences between the two. So, what is fantasy? The fantasy genre is a category of speculative fiction characterized by magical…
by Suzanne Lieurance This week’s creative writing prompts are all based on the summer Olympics taking place in Paris. Enjoy! Monday’s Prompt – The Secret Keeper During the Olympics, a Parisian journalist stumbles upon a scandal involving a famous athlete. As they dig deeper, they must decide between exposing the truth or protecting the athlete’s…
by Suzanne Lieurance Speculative fiction is a broad category that covers genres pushing the boundaries of reality with imaginative and futuristic concepts. It dives into “what if” scenarios that step outside the realm of the possible. Here are some key genres within speculative fiction: Science Fiction Think futuristic tech, space adventures, time travel, aliens, and…
by Suzanne Lieurance The distinction between genre fiction and literary fiction often sparks debate among readers, writers, and critics. While both forms offer valuable contributions to the literary world, they cater to different tastes and serve distinct purposes. First, let me define genre fiction and give some examples. Genre Fiction Definition and Characteristics Genre fiction,…
by Suzanne Lieurance Note: If you haven’t read my post, What a Memoir Is and What It Isn’t, you might want to read that first. Memoirs often employ various tropes to engage readers and convey their stories effectively. Here are some common ones. You might want to consider one of these if you want to…
by Suzanne Lieurance Here are 7 creative writing prompts for the week based on summer foods, cooking, and eating out at restaurants in summer: Monday’s Prompt – Summer Feast Competition Write about a small coastal town that hosts an annual summer cooking competition. Chefs from all over gather to showcase their best summer dishes using…
by Suzanne Lieurance I’ve coached many writers to write a memoir, and sometimes they start out unsure about what a memoir actually is and what it isn’t. They tend to confuse memoir with autobiography. Here’s how I would define memoir by what it is and what it isn’t. What a Memoir Is #1. A Personal…
by Suzanne Lieurance Unreliable Narrators – Their Roles in Fiction An “unreliable narrator” in fiction refers to a character who tells the story but whose credibility has been compromised. This means the narrator’s account of events may not accurately reflect reality, either because of deliberate deception, self-deception, a flawed perspective, or some other distortion. The…
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