- 2 min
How do you balance prose and dialogue in your novel? How much of either is "too much"?
Writing is a balancing act. So much in life goes unsaid, and so much of what’s unsaid is important. Like most feats of balance, it helps to know what happens when we go to either extreme: all dialog and no prose, or all prose and no dialog. If done well, the extremes can be the way to go. But how often are they warranted? Seldom. Life usually comes somewhere in the middle. It’s a mixture of signals from everywhere in our environment. As humans, we have to decide which signals
- 1 min
Is it normal to lose interest in your own writing?
Most writers lose interest in their writing at some point. This is actually a good sign that it's time to challenge your own process in a new way. It can be helpful to think of an author whose writing recently excited you. Read that author’s books, then find out what books that author is reading, and read those too. A new reading list can jump start your awareness of what’s possible in a story or poem. You might be inspired by new voices or even observe techniques you’ve neve
- 2 min
What are the most common bigger picture mistakes you see when going over a manuscript?
I enjoyed searching for my answer to this question, because it allowed me to return to old author correspondence, which jostled out stories that are locked back in my mind somewhere. What I noticed popping up most often was inconsistent narrative distance and point of view. It may be tempting for the writer to share as much as possible, especially in a first draft, but telling too much, rather than just showing the essentials, can disturb the reader's sense of place. As we re
- 2 min
What are some tactics to address the dreaded, potentially flat, middle section of a manuscript?
There are countless ways for stories to fall short after a strong beginning. We aim for a sweet spot that drives the reader toward mystery, yet away from uncertainty, compelling her to continue. But how do we ensure the action is happening at the right time, in the right order, and quickly enough? To wrap your mind around the universe of your story, it’s helpful to create an outline, and if you know the level of momentum you’d like to sustain, you can identify where your stor