Transform your writing so it lingers with your readers using the tips in Ignite Your Ink’s blog articles. New posts are released Sunday mornings and cover topics from grammar to story craft to techniques working in published books.
When it comes to subtly improving your reader’s experience, nothing is more effective than strong formatting. To avoid confusion and jarring your reader and control your story’s pace, you need to transition between jumps in scene, time, and point of view. You also need to format these breaks consistently.
Read MoreWhen a reader feels too distant from your piece, they are unable to connect with your characters, plot, and story. Without a connection, they might not finish your piece or recommend it to someone else. Luckily, distance is something you control through scenes, point of view, and tension.
Read MoreIt’s easy to get lost in complex plots and world building, but not every story needs a web of ideas. Sometimes a story is about one person and their journey. Aaron Michael Ritchey focuses on a single character and plot arc in Elizabeth’s Midnight. His unique, fully developed characters and “what could be worse” plot make his novel linger with readers.
Read More“Never use adverbs” is a common writing advice cliche. It’s also wrong. Many beginning writers rely on adverbs when they should be using a fuller description or more specific words, so they are told to stop using adverbs altogether. In some situations, adverbs are the best choice. Learn when to use adverbs and when to avoid them.
Read MoreThe words of your story aren’t the only pieces of writing you might have. You might also want to include letters, notes, emails, text messages, IMs, or some other form of written communication. Learn the various formatting options you have to make it clear when your story’s written documents begin and end.
Read MoreBeginnings are challenging. If you’re searching for the best place to start your story, read the first chapter of Cinder by Marissa Meyer. You’ll learn how you can start with action without using violence and how to introduce your characters and world in a way that keeps your story moving and uses description, exposition, and dialogue.
Read MoreThe balance between exposition, description, and dialogue is essential to the success of your story. They significantly impact your pace, show interactions between your characters, immerse your reader in your scenes, and reveal time has passed. Learn when to use each of these techniques, so you can find the best balance for your story.
Read MoreUsually writers are told to show don’t tell, but if they followed that advice to the letter, stories would be filled with boring scenes to show time passing or backstory. Sometimes a direct line of exposition is the best choice. Learn when to tell don’t show.
Read MoreDescription immerses your reader in your story. Quality description focuses on showing the details that impact your story and is key to your readers’ ability to experience and picture your setting, characters, and events. If you want your readers to feel something when they read your writing, you need to use quality description.
Read MoreEvery writer becomes too close to their story to see what is actually on the page instead of what they think is there. Even though you might use beta readers and critique groups, you still need a professional editor because they will read your piece in a timely manner like a reader and have the industry knowledge and skills to elevate your book so it will linger with your readers.
Read MoreTo understand how a critique group can improve your writing, look at how 30th Street Fiction critique group impacted “The Mortician’s Assistant.” I share before and after lines from my story, so you can see how critique impacted my piece and what it can do for your writing.
Read MoreIf you’re looking for a critique group or new members, you not only need to know where to find writers, but also how to organize a critique group and what your responsibilities as the leader are.
Read MoreReceiving good feedback from fellow writers isn’t as simple as joining a critique group. Not all critique groups are healthy or right for you and your writing, so you need to know the five signs and red flags of good and bad critique groups.
Read MoreGetting feedback from other writers is one of the best things you can do for your story. They will see aspects that need improvement you are too close to see and be able to article how you can improve your writing, so I recommend all writers join a writers’ critique group.
Read MoreScenes are the building blocks of your story. If a foundation scene is weak, the whole story collapses. Use these five revision steps to ensure they are strong and impactful.
Read MoreOne way to learn how to revise your story is to look into how other writers approach revision. This article covers the techniques I used to revise my first novel. Take what is applicable to your book and leave the pieces that aren’t.
Read MoreWhen revising your story, focus on the purpose of each section. Your beginning should hook. Your middle should constantly raise the stakes, and your ending should leave an emotional impact. That’s what you bring to the forefront during revision.
Read MoreRevising a story — short or long — can quickly become overwhelming. Luckily there are three key elements to edit first. Without these, your story won’t linger with your readers and all the other parts won’t matter. Learn where and how to start your revision here.
Read MoreIf you want to make your story standout from others in your genre, you need to make the tropes and stereotypes your own. The authors of the short stories in The Dragon Book re-imagine the infamous creatures. The anthology also demonstrates how to pace and design a collection.
Read MoreAfter you’ve written an irresistible book blurb and put together a captivating cover, you still have one more piece of design: the interior of your book. Your book’s inside design disappears when done correctly and jars readers when incorrect. Interior book design is essential to your book’s success.
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