Are You Asking--and Answering--the Right Story Questions?

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Leaving the right trail for readers to follow is a big part of writing a novel. The right story questions make that a whole lot easier.

I always set aside time to update my outline and prepare for a manuscript revision. Not only is it a good way to remember what I wrote, it helps me ensure I have everything figured out so the revision is easier.

Years ago, I was working on a novel with a lot of layers and mysteries, and I added something new to this process:

Identify the story questions in each act.

Why I hadn't done this before I have no idea, as it sounds so obvious, right? It's likely something you assume you already do (I know I did before I started doing this). But while I knew the main story question of every act, there were a lot more questions readers might ask about, and some of them I didn't do much with in the novel. These little questions were all missed opportunities to deepen my story and keep that all-important tension high.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com