Category Archives: Story Development Tips

At the core of a story’s message is a very simple issue – whether the author is telling us it is better to be like the main character or not.  This is usually thought of as the moral of the story and … Continue reading →

When beginning a new novel, writers are often faced with one of two initial problems that hinders them right from the get go.  One – sometimes you have a story concept but can’t think of what to do with it. … Continue reading →

Although it is important to work on the particulars of your story you can lose track of the big picture in doing so exclusively. Step back from time to time to take in your story as a whole.  See it … Continue reading →

By Melanie Anne Phillips This tip is excerpted from my book, Write Your Novel Step By Step.  Click the link to read it free on my web site. In this step, we’ll  explore how to clear your mental decks to make room … Continue reading →

In psychology, Multiple Personality Disorder describes a person who has more than one complete personality. Typically, only one of those personalities will be active at any given time. This is because they usually share attributes, and so only one can … Continue reading →

Here are four useful techniques to add to  your novelist’s bag of tricks: Novels Aren’t Stories A novel can be extremely free form. Some are simply narratives about a fictional experience. Others are a collection of several stories that may … Continue reading →