To the collective AutoCrit mind, organization is important. Essential, even. The public might imagine writers as messy creative types, perched behind desks that overflow with coffee-stained pages, tattered sticky notes, and half-empty Starbucks containers. While there may, admittedly, be some truth in there, the fact remains that some organization is a must for a happy […]
Writing fiction is a creative activity, so why would you need to spend time doing another hobby? Won’t that suck your brain dry of creative juices for the day, leaving you staring at a blank page while mental exhaustion closes in from all sides? It’s a legitimate worry to have – but surprisingly, the evidence […]
What is a flat character? Indiana Jones. Sherlock Holmes. Juliet Capulet. None of these could be accused of being flat. The dream of every writer is to create a character that is so real – so believable – they take on a life of their own. From a commercial perspective, a great character will drive […]
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for a selection of famous novels.] Throughout our lifetime, almost every one of us will read at least one book that changes us. A book with characters so life-like, so relatable, that you don’t want the story to end. And if you’re deeply connected to these characters, a sad ending […]
When you lift the curtains on your story and welcome readers into your exciting new world, there are multiple challenges you must overcome in those initial moments. First, there’s the challenge of creating a strong first page – an instantly gripping opener that convinces the reader that yes, this seems like a journey well worth […]
Comedy… why do we like it so much? What makes it different from other genres? And how can you add some funny scenes into your story to provide a bit of light relief? Briefly, comedy is what makes people laugh – but it’s also treacherously subjective. Home videos of people falling off trampolines can have […]
Oft-quoted advice for writers is to write what you know. But what if you want to write about medieval Europe during the Black Death? Do you have to invent a time machine and pop back through the centuries with a backup supply of modern antibiotics? That might take a while – and possibly break some […]
As you may well know, just because you’re writing fiction, it doesn’t mean you make up absolutely everything. Successful fiction usually comes from the art of weaving reality with imagination. A good writer lures readers in with imaginative details, but makes them stay with believable plots and people – and a single content or contextual […]
Everybody loves to watch a good movie. The action, the characters, the setting, the special effects – they all come together in their own way to present this absorbing, extraordinary world in which everything seems possible. Like literature, most movies are designed to offer us important life lessons and to mimic and reflect on real-life […]
The results of our most recent reader poll are in, and the winner – by a mere 2% of the vote – is international sensation Diana Gabaldon’s sweeping and fantastical historical romance, Outlander! Gabaldon’s tale of time-travel, war, intrigue, and passion exploded into the popular realm following its adaptation into a Starz original TV series […]
