Zoe M. McCarthy's Blog, page 20

Which Person Point of View Is Best for Your Story?

  Person refers to how the point-of-view (POV) character tells the story—in first, second, or third person. I’ll explore the three options in deep POV (DPOV). First Person – Using “I”   A character invites us into his thoughts. This character could be: The protagonist A supporting character who tells the story of another character. […]

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Pointers for Writing Book Discussion Questions

Before you write your discussion questions that appear at the end of your book, keep in mind the viewpoints of book clubs and of authors/publishers. Book Club Viewpoint   Book clubs care about the following elements for discussion: Readers’ expectations Author’s presence (intrusion, world view, reason for writing book) Enjoyment (how quickly engaged, recommendable) Themes/messages […]

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Irony Wakes Up Your Reader With the Unexpected

Definition of Irony   Irony is a literary technique in which the writer sets up the reader’s expectation and then reverses it. Common Examples of Irony   Andy opens the door to a blast of snow that stings his face, then says, “Nice day.” A finicky chef comes home to his high-tech kitchen and nukes […]

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Juxtaposition Boosts Comparisons – Behind the Scene

  Definition of Juxtaposition    Combining my research: Juxtaposition is a literary technique in which the writer places two story elements side-by-side for the reader to compare and contrast. Elements can be characters, places, concepts, events, actions, or objects. The elements are related but distinct. The comparison can show irony, humor, or sadness.  Common Examples […]

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Hyperbole in Description Piques Interest As High As Pike’s Peak

Definition of Hyperbole Combining my research: Figurative language technique with visual impact that deliberately uses an extreme, fanciful, humorous, or ridiculous exaggeration (possibly applies a simile or metaphor) that makes a point about a real circumstance. Common Examples of Hyperbole Grandma is as old as Methuselah. I’m dying to go. I’ve told you a million […]

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Readers Thrive on Tension – So Make It Worse

I heard about an exercise to increase tension in which participants wrote a situation, then were told 10 times in succession to make the circumstances worse. Sometimes, we writers are too quick to be satisfied with the tension we’ve created. But the exercise showed participants—short of death—the payoff for the reader could be greater. Let’s […]

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Enliven Your Dialogue with This Easy Exercise

  What you can learn about dialogue from actual conversations is amazing. Exercise   Recall a discussion you’ve had that contained conflict. Write the dialogue down as close to what was said as you can. I had this dialogue with my husband this morning: Me: (descending the stairs) “Are you going to eat breakfast?” John: […]

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Readers Have Goals Too – Satisfy Them

In Stephen James’s article, “Tension & Release” (Writer’s Digest – January 2015), he tells us: “Readers want to wonder, worry, anticipate, and hope.” To understand this better, I’ve tested these readers’ goals against the story of “Rapunzel” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. For each turn in the story, here are the reasons I thought they satisfied […]

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7 Tips, Besides “Write, Write, Write,” to Become a Better Writer

Most writers have heard they must read, write, and rewrite often to become a better writer. True, but here are other tips to improve our writing. Subscribe to a writers’ magazine. I find the articles in Writer’s Digest supply fresh ideas and writing techniques. When I try them, I improve my writing. Obtain at least one […]

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Non-Fiction: Novel Ways to Spice It Up

I’m working on a non-fiction book based on my blog’s writing posts and more. The book’s purpose is to help writers transform their manuscripts into editor-friendly books in 32 steps. Here’s what I learned about introducing novel ideas into non-fiction books from Debbie Harmsen’s article, “Straight Up Non-fiction With a Twist” (Writer’s Digest March/April 2015). […]

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