Story-telling problems that send authors up the nearest telephone pole — and some strategies to get back down on the ground: How much history to put in, and where to put it. How to keep the story moving steadily forward. How to move characters in time and space. How to handle the coincidences which occur in every story and which can make the reader throw the book against the wall.
Course Instructor
Boring Backstory
Characters with a shared history
Characters who have just met [Assignment]
Ponderous Pacing
Structuring scenes
Sticking to the point [Assignment]
Troublesome Transitions
Moving characters
Moving through time and space
Skipping longer times [Assignment]
Calamitous Coincidences
Why coincidences matter
Using coincidental events
Foreshadow
Simplify [Assignment]
Wrapping UP
Final thoughts [Assignment]
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