§ Writing

Write better

• Give abstract concepts a human face
• Show, don't tell
• Marry form with function
• Ensure the trunk of a narrative is more substantial than the branches
• Use language with necessity
• Good story leads entice and inform
• Stories need action and commentary
• Good writing makes the familar new
• Good endings make a story memorable

Blogging

• ¶ Stock and Flow

Story structure

• Lester Dent's master plot for pulp fiction
• A scene comprises large-scale and small-scale structures
• Five Commandments of Storytelling

Characterization

• Core needs and psychological maneuvers give fictional characters depth
• Dialogue illustrates the nature of the character
• Elizabeth George's Character Prompt Sheet
• Place characters within a landscape
• Talking Heads Avoidance Device (Elizabeth George)

Dialogue

• Talking Heads Avoidance Device (Elizabeth George)