Why settle for being the next MasterChef when, in just 5 tutorials, you can become a MasterWordsmith! Blend your character and setting together, until smooth. Add a hefty dose of conflict in order to give rich texture and flavour. Spoon the dialogue in carefully, ensuring none dribbles over the sides. Bake with perfect pacing et voila – très magnifique! Join novelist, Lucy Clark, to learn how to make your popular fiction manuscript burst with tension, sizzle and spice.
Character: If you don't have characters who are three dimensional, you don't have an active story. What is a Protagonist? What is a Mentor? How can secondary characters strengthen your story? Every character comes from the imagination of the writer. Learn how to harness these different personalities, making them appear as real as possible throughout your story. Wow editors and agents with well-rounded characters who drive your story forward.
Setting: The setting of your story must compliment the journey of the protagonists. Learn how to add texture to enhance the story. Can a setting provide conflict? Can a setting provide an emotional catalyst for your characters? Is it more than just a location? Will stereotyping your setting give you the edge with an editor/agent? Creating a picture of a setting with well chosen words can make all the difference in bringing your work-in-progress to life.
Conflict: Without conflict, there is no story. Learn the difference between internal and external conflict and the balance required to move the story forward. How do you keep the tension taut? Is there such a thing as too much conflict? How does effective resolution affect conflict? Desire + Danger = Drama.
Dialogue: Making the dialogue of your characters sparkle can take a lot of work. Effective dialogue is achievable through means of re-drafting, character voice and sexy punctuation! (Yes, punctuation can be sexy). Does the dialogue fit the character? How do you switch between male and female voice? What is intonation? How important is rhythmic vocabularisation? Sparkling, sexy dialogue is waiting for you!
Pacing: Writing a story is not a race. Correct pacing will ensure you don't lose your reader along the way. What is ebb and flow? How do you create a balance between description and dialogue? How do you create tension throughout the life of your story so the reader remains interested? Focusing on techniques such as sentence structure, paragraph length and format will help you attain perfect pacing.
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises or its affiliated companies, used under license.