The Importance of matching suspense to the fluctuations of plot Tension is a critical element of all stories and needs to be maintained in order to keep readers turning the pages, but how does this correspond to the fluctuations of plot? There can’t be life-threatening situations in every chapter, nor are all stories about mortal danger. So, let’s explore how you can match the fluctuations in a story’s plot to the level of tension.
JUNE OWL | Three author hacks you can try today
I don’t love the word ‘hack’—it sounds like you’re cheating. And none of the things I’m going to list below are illegal or below the belt (I know, what a shame—even though we’re writing romance).
APRIL OWL | Three Tips for More Compelling Characters by Lauren Clarke
Compelling characters are essential to every story. In this course, Lauren Clarke dives into the mechanics of what makes your characters tick and how to ensure you have characters readers love (or love to hate).
APRIL OWL | Constructive Critique by Heidi Wessman Kneale
Critiquing or beta-reading the work of others is a marvellous way of helping one another become better authors. But how do you know if you’re giving the best feedback you can?
MARCH OWL | Spell Casting: an introduction to the craft of writing with Karina Coldrick
Hindsight is 20:20 by Karina Coldrick When I decided I wanted to shift careers and become a writer, I made a big mistake. One single assumption that cost me years of thrashing around with grammar and punctuation and throttling my creativity. If I had a time-turner and could change one thing, it’d be this: become a storyteller.
MARCH OWL | Building your online author profile with Kate Larsen
It’s more important than ever for writers to think about building an online author profile – even before they’ve been published. Join literary-sector leader and social media evangelist Kate Larsen’s OWL to find out what options are available to you online, how to use them to your best advantage, and how to balance your writing time alongside the time you need to spend building your brand.
February OWL | Backstory Timing: When to Release the Past for Best Effect by Sandy Vaile
The Write Backstory with Confidence workshop is for fiction writers who want to avoid information dumps and use backstory to provide character motivation that resonates with readers!
February OWL | The Rhythm Method by Abigail Nathan
The RWA OWL: ‘The Rhythm Method’ will guide you through different techniques to tighten your text, improve your pacing and find the rhythm in your writing.
We all need to self edit… and here’s why by Sarah Gates
I wrote my first novel when I was sixteen—and I didn’t know you needed to edit. Proof reading, sure. I’d checked assignments for typos. But line editing? No. Structural editing? Also no. To make it worse, I was publishing it chapter-by-chapter on a site called Wattpad. Serialised fiction was how teenage me learned to finish a book. I built a following for my novel by promising a chapter every week and delivering. There was no ‘here’s one I prepared earlier’ type situation going on. No. I woke up and pulled my laptop into bed with me every Sunday morning and …
Five reasons to narrate your own short story by Renee Conoulty
Voice is an important part of your brand. When people hear your voice, they feel like they know you on a deeper level. This will help build their trust in you and increase their likelihood of buying from you. If you’re thinking about narrating a full-length audiobook, it’s a great idea to start off with a short story. A shorter piece will give you a chance to practice narrating, editing and mastering before you commit your time to a larger project. The process is the same, no matter the length. You can make it sound how you intended when you …