Questions

Does Your Theme Contain Character, Conflict, Resolution? Eight Ways To Write Better Instantly.

Creative Writing Tips – 

For a theme to work and the story, which will revolve around the theme, it has to contain three things… 

1. Character 

2. Conflict 

3. Resolution 

What’s the reason for this? 

If your theme doesn’t contain these three essential elements, then you won’t be writing a proper short story. It might turn out to be an essay instead. 

Because without… 

1) Characters 

You can’t achieve emotional depth. Readers become engrossed in stories because of the characters in them. They either become the character (sympathize), or read about an interesting person (empathize). 

Emotional depth is achieved when readers use their imagination and senses and/or experiences to live the story through the characters. 

2) Conflict 

Your story will be boring. Why? Without conflict, something to stir things up, nothing happens. And a story, in which nothing happens, is one not worth writing about. 

Your characters don’t lead carefree lives. Well, not in the instance you are writing about them. In that part of their lives they are faced with a problem. They want something and can’t get it because of the conflict, which is preventing them to do so. 

And it’s that conflict and the struggle the characters has to undergo that keeps us readers interested and in suspense. Will the character succeed or won’t he? And when is this all going to happen? And how is it all going to happen? 

3) Resolution 

Something that starts has to finish, one way or another. 

Once you have created great characters, which the reader will come to care about, and you have placed them in conflict, that conflict at the end of your story has to be resolved. The characters will achieve their goals or they won’t. 

That doesn’t matter. 

You can end your story as you please and as it suits your story – but you have to end it. Ending the story means resolving the conflict. 

Does your theme contain character, conflict, resolution? 

Eight Ways To Write Better Instantly

Is it possible to improve your writing instantly? The answer, happily, is “yes.” 

While researching a book on famous speeches and essays, I found eight easily correctable mistakes writers often make. Here they are…and how to correct them instantly. 

1. UNFOCUSED SUBJECT – Focus on a single theme only. Every sentence and paragraph should reinforce that topic. 

2. TOO LONG – Abraham Lincoln crafted his Gettysburg Address in less than 300 words. Unless I’m specifically asked to do otherwise, I try to condense my work to one double-spaced single page (about 250 words). 

3. WEAK PREMISE – Can you state the major focus of your message in 20 words or less? 

4. NO ATTENTION-GRABBER – The first sentence or two must quickly attract the reader. Two ways to do this: (a) ask a question or (b) reveal a discovery. 

5. UNLINKED PARAGRAPHS – Each paragraph should logically lead to the next. One way some writers do this: (a) quickly write several paragraphs on a subject; ((b) prioritize them; (c) present them in descending order from most important to least important; (d) conclude by restating the two or three most important points. 

6. PASSIVE VERBS – Passive verbs like is, am, was, and were simply exist. Action verbs run, jump, excite, and motivate. 

7. BORE FACTOR – Some research says the average adult attention span is only eight seconds. So it’s important to make your points convincingly, and end your paper powerfully. 

8. WEAK ENDING – Exit your report like an experienced stage performer…leave your audience wanting more. Two ways to do this: (a) use a famous quote to reinforce your conclusion, or (b) give details showing the reader where to get more information on the subject. (Examples: your phone, fax, e-mail, etc.) 


- mantosh

Does Your Theme Contain Character, Conflict, Resolution? Eight Ways To Write Better Instantly.

Creative Writing Tips –

For a theme to work and the story, which will revolve around the theme, it has to contain three things…

1. Character

2. Conflict

3. Resolution

What’s the reason for this?

If your theme doesn’t contain these three essential elements, then you won’t be writing a proper short story. It might turn out to be an essay instead.

Because without…

1) Characters

You can’t achieve emotional depth. Readers become engrossed in stories because of the characters in them. They either become the character (sympathize), or read about an interesting person (empathize).

Emotional depth is achieved when readers use their imagination and senses and/or experiences to live the story through the characters.

2) Conflict

Your story will be boring. Why? Without conflict, something to stir things up, nothing happens. And a story, in which nothing happens, is one not worth writing about.

Your characters don’t lead carefree lives. Well, not in the instance you are writing about them. In that part of their lives they are faced with a problem. They want something and can’t get it because of the conflict, which is preventing them to do so.

And it’s that conflict and the struggle the characters has to undergo that keeps us readers interested and in suspense. Will the character succeed or won’t he? And when is this all going to happen? And how is it all going to happen?

3) Resolution

Something that starts has to finish, one way or another.

Once you have created great characters, which the reader will come to care about, and you have placed them in conflict, that conflict at the end of your story has to be resolved. The characters will achieve their goals or they won’t.

That doesn’t matter.

You can end your story as you please and as it suits your story – but you have to end it. Ending the story means resolving the conflict.

Does your theme contain character, conflict, resolution?

Eight Ways To Write Better Instantly

Is it possible to improve your writing instantly? The answer, happily, is “yes.”

While researching a book on famous speeches and essays, I found eight easily correctable mistakes writers often make. Here they are…and how to correct them instantly.

1. UNFOCUSED SUBJECT – Focus on a single theme only. Every sentence and paragraph should reinforce that topic.

2. TOO LONG – Abraham Lincoln crafted his Gettysburg Address in less than 300 words. Unless I’m specifically asked to do otherwise, I try to condense my work to one double-spaced single page (about 250 words).

3. WEAK PREMISE – Can you state the major focus of your message in 20 words or less?

4. NO ATTENTION-GRABBER – The first sentence or two must quickly attract the reader. Two ways to do this: (a) ask a question or (b) reveal a discovery.

5. UNLINKED PARAGRAPHS – Each paragraph should logically lead to the next. One way some writers do this: (a) quickly write several paragraphs on a subject; ((b) prioritize them; (c) present them in descending order from most important to least important; (d) conclude by restating the two or three most important points.

6. PASSIVE VERBS – Passive verbs like is, am, was, and were simply exist. Action verbs run, jump, excite, and motivate.

7. BORE FACTOR – Some research says the average adult attention span is only eight seconds. So it’s important to make your points convincingly, and end your paper powerfully.

8. WEAK ENDING – Exit your report like an experienced stage performer…leave your audience wanting more. Two ways to do this: (a) use a famous quote to reinforce your conclusion, or (b) give details showing the reader where to get more information on the subject. (Examples: your phone, fax, e-mail, etc.)


- mantosh

I’m going away for a the weekend, and I would like to bring a couple ****?ks. I like suspense, mystery, romance, fiction ***? well ***? non-fiction. Thanks.
- OctoberGirl

How can I get rid of writer’s block and keep my stuff fresh? How can I employ suspense better?
- hitmandx1

I have authored a children’s fantasy fiction which is about 45000 words. The idea is new and fresh. I have failed to find a publisher/ agent. I don’t have much money to invest in large scale marketing. Please find the details of the story below.

The saga of Robin Scott is a 6 volume series children’s fantasy fiction through which the author unveils the chronicles of the making and evolution of a little boy into a super hero who ultimately grows up to become the guardian of the planet earth which the author coins as “The Big Blue Marble”. The story line is about the different adventures and hardships the little boy Robin has to face and the struggle he undergoes in life standing for the good and fighting against the evil which finally takes him to his destiny which proves to be a huge responsibility.

This story is also a mystery fiction as the author has taken conscious efforts to maintain an aura of suspense and mystery around the whole theme. Robin’s parents are murdered in the first book of the series. The detective who is investigating the case also gets murdered under strange circumstances. Robin’s grandfather who is an important character in the story is initially said to be missing and finally when he is found, he is in a state of coma not able to explain what has happened to him. The author is trying to create a ‘Nothing is what it seems to be’ kind of atmosphere through out the story until the real villains of the story are revealed which happens only in the third book of the series. Again there are instances where Robin is called as the ‘Guardian of the Big Blue Marble’ by certain key characters and when Robin asks the reason for he being called so, the answer he receives is ‘Time will give you the answer’.

This story is different from the rest of its genre due to the fact that Robin is born as a normal but hyper active kid and not with any supernatural powers. He is neither an alien nor does he possess any hi-tech gadgets. It is the destiny or the fate which is forcing the boy to travel through lot of events in his life. What ever he learns, experiences and acquires during this journey finally helps him solve the mysteries surrounding his family and turns him into a super hero and the guardian of planet earth. The first book in the 6 series fantasy fiction starts when Robin is just 6 years old. The story will be narrated in such a manner that Robin will be growing along with his readers to become a super hero and finally the guardian of the ‘Big Blue Marble’ at the age of 18 in the last book of the series. There is mystery, magic, super natural powers, fantasy and fiction which is capable of taking the readers to the edge of their seats and finally Robin Scott, the next door boy who will win the reader’s heart.

It is meant for children’s of the age group 8 to 12
- Eric Gordan

it can be on any idea I want, and I have no idea how to use writing techniques in a way that creates suspense.
thank you
- dot

Science fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, detective, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, spy/espionage, suspense, western?
- dodo

which section in the book store would you likely be found?
- Sexy house music

Maybe its just me, but I always spend AGES finishing one. I write, if I’m in the mood, just about as fast as I read books - and that’s about 20 pages per hour, the paperback ones, small print and small format of paper. Still, it takes me generally 3 years to finish a short story that would be about 100 pages, and 5 years to finish a manuscript that would be about 400 pages.
I put my heart and soul into those stories, and after I’ve finally finished them, despite my desire to share my fiction with the world, I decide its not good enough and needs too much correcting, and it ends up in the bin. (the short story still needs reviewing of the last part)
Many of my manuscripts have ended up in the bin like that, and while I once had a good thriller and suspense, and a couple of movie scripts to my name, I’m now left over with my most recent projects; 2 fantasy stories and a horror short story, which is finished.
I hear most writers need at most a year. What is wrong with me?
- Aya

I really want to write a horror novel,as i enjoy reading them so much. i’ve loads of ideas but i dont no where to start. the novel doesnt nessicarily have to be extremley scary as long as it’s written well and has great suspense and keeps you on edge.
if anyone has any tips on where to start, i would be really grateful. i also would like to know if there are any plots you personally would love to read more of.

thanks in advance.

And of course 10 points will be awarded for the best answer.
- Siobhan