Despite having taken every single literature class I had the opportunity to take throughout high school, I was well into college before I ever heard the term “diegesis.” I can only assume this is because my high school teachers were afraid of having to explain it. I completely sympathize with this. It’s a great word… Continue reading Diegesis: breaking down the most confusing term in literature
I was perusing the Nanowrimo forums the other day and I stumbled across something absolutely magical. It’s a thread called “Find a Beta Reader, Become a Beta Reader” (it’s under the Novel Draft Aftercare and Critiques & Feedback categories if you’re looking for it). On it, users are posting calls for beta readers, as well… Continue reading Writer, you need an alpha reader
People have really strong opinions about tense. I know this because I write mostly in the present tense, which means I get to experience the full force of people ranting about how awful present tense is. I, as you might gather, respectfully disagree. I also think people get tense wrong more broadly – what it’s… Continue reading Present tense? Past tense? Here’s how to choose!
One of the most common things to hear from new writers seeking help with their work is, “My story doesn’t make sense.” Everybody has this problem at some point. Sometimes the concern rises from vague feedback. Other times, it’s a feeling you have – a strange, intuitive sense that something is just off. Sometimes the… Continue reading What to do when your story doesn’t make sense