Tag: literary devices

Why Too Many Flashbacks Might Be a Warning of Deeper Story Problems

Today, I’d like to talk about WHY flashbacks can be red flags for me as a teacher or editor. I feel I can speak to this because when I started writing I was CLUELESS. My first novel is being used in GITMO because it is more effective than water boarding.

7 Deadly Sins of Prologues–Great Novel Beginnings Part 2

To prologue or not to prologue? That is the question. This is our second installation discussing novel beginnings…get it? Novel beginnings. Okay, I’ll stop. The problem with the prologue is it has kind of gotten a bad rap over the years, especially with agents. They generally hate them. Why? In my opinion, it is because far …

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Setting–More than a Backdrop

Keep perspective and blend. Keep conflict and character center stage and the backdrop in its place…behind the characters.