Third-person narratives are one of the most commonly used points of view. This may give new writers the impression that it’s a fairly simple viewpoint to write. However, it’s easy to fall into pitfalls and clichés without even realizing it. Knowing the ins and outs of writing...

Maybe you’re writing a first-person narrator for the first time. Or maybe you’ve written a first-person narrative, but the voice isn’t as strong as you’d like. Whichever stage you’re at, knowing how to use first-person effectively will make the difference between a...

No one likes a liar in real life, but it can be thrilling to slide into the head of a dishonest character in fiction. Maybe they choose to embellish, hide part of the truth, or tell us a story that can’t possibly be real (or can it?).

As writers, these characters can make for narrative...

Antagonists are people, too. Soulless corporations and faceless soldiers play their part when we think of stereotypical “villains,” but the best antagonists are the ones who are just as complex as our heroes. 

It’s probably the first thing that came to mind when you...

How can you develop characters that will keep your readers glued to the pages? Their backstory plays a huge part in getting it right—characters don’t come into existence on the first page of your story. 

But don’t worry, you don’t need to chronicle your...

We’ve all read novels where the witty banter between characters is a joy to witness, or where a character surprises us every time they speak. But we’ve also read ones where conversations drag on and on, or characters’ voices all sound alike.

No one wants to read the second...

Crafting a story with multiple points of view can be one of the most fun and rewarding adventures for a writer. It gives you a chance to play with different voices and styles in the same project, and also allows you to show the same characters and events through different lenses.

But expanding...