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By Eamon Storer

3 Ways to Show, Don’t Tell

By Eamon on

The most rudimentary piece of advice you get as a writer is to make sure you show not tell, but what does this mean?

And how can we do it?

Showing rather than telling is giving your readers an image of the scenery rather than a shopping list of details.

Showing over telling is preferable as it creates far more immersive narratives as it uses vivid descriptions rather than listing details.

In this post, I’ll show you 3 ways to show not tell in your writing.

Understanding Show not Tell

Show, Don’t Tell is commonly attributed to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, reputed to have said;

Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass

-Anton Chekhov

This clever man established one of the very basics for beginner writers.

You want to be leading your reader into the world of the text not talking to them about it.

For the audience,

Showing is feeling,

whereas,

Telling is Listening.

So Show, Don’t Tell is a writing technique where you immerse your reader into the world of the text through vivid descriptions rather than bland statements.

To understand the difference between showing and telling here’s an example;

Telling- The forest is scary

Showing- John stared into the forest and the forest stared back. The branches of the looming giants look like gnarled hands, reaching out to take John deep inside and never let go.

It’s not a perfect example but you get the gist, there’s a clear difference between telling your reader versus showing them.

Practical Techniques for Descriptive Writing

Luckily, there are various techniques you can use to get showing into your habits, here are my 3 favorites.

1. Showing Emotions

As my example shown above, there is an extreme difference between stating someone’s emotions versus showing their physical reactions and letting the reader assume the emotion.

There are two major ways you can show emotions powerfully;

  • Actions

and

  • Dialogue

The thing is the reader’s not dumb, they know when you’re being lazy, when you hiding something.

That means when you write you are incredibly vulnerable to critique about your characters, because if your characters don’t have believable emotions then they are not relatable, if your characters aren’t relatable you likely going to lose your audience.

So to a great job of emotions NEVER say [Character] is [Emotion].

If you state an emotion in your writing more often than not you are telling not showing.

Actions of your characters are any shifts in posture or physical reactions such as throat tightening, weak legs, or rapid breathing.

Dialogue is obviously how your character audibly reacts to something.

Use dialogue and actions when you are trying to demonstrate a character’s emotion, often this is satisfactory for your readers.

2. Painting Pictures with Actions

Stories are fundamentally a reflection of real life.

Real life is made up of actions, of things acting on other things which creates ripple effects on and on.

An understanding of this truth is useful when showing, you want to make sure there is never a passive moment in your story.

You don’t want your character standing still monologuing about their evil plans, no no.

You need movement. Action.

You MUST build in your detail of characters’ nature and worldbuilding in response to actions.

To immerse your readers in your reading your characters must be immersed as well.

If you want to describe to your reader that the main character is standing upon an iced lake it’s simple enough to state;

Alex looks down and notices the ground beneath him cracking. Ice!

Yuck, too clunky.

Alex doesn’t feel like an active participant in this scenario nor does it make sense why Alex looks at the ground suddenly.

A better description includes an action and a consequence.

Alex waves off Susan, looking over his shoulder at her standing still arms crossed, scowling. The ground crackles and pops as Alex storms off. Hands in fists and arms pumping at his side, Alex stomps further into the clearing when he stops suddenly. “What was that!?”, slowly looking down the crack under Alex’s left foot crackles and pops under Alex’s weight. Ice!

This is still not perfect but you can understand what I’m saying.

Attach your descriptions to an action to immerse your readers better.

Creating Atmosphere Through Settings

Ultimately, our telling comes from wanting to desperately show our readers this amazing world we’ve dreamed of, which ends up in the rushed and desperate description of the scenery.

This type of writing WILL lose your audience, it feels unprofessional.

So instead of listing details we want to capture the essence of the scene.

What does it feel like to be a part of the environment?

What does it look like?

Smell like?

Sound like?

Taste like?

Smell and taste are often neglected in writers’ descriptions however they are greatly useful and relatable.

You want your descriptions to take your audience away, to transport them into your fantastical world.

This sort of atmospheric description is very important when writing horror.

You must understand the genre you are writing and what the audience expects to feel.

Use the senses to ground your readers in your ambiance and environments.

I want to make it clear however that sometimes it is ok to tell and not show but you should be aiming for majority of your prose to be showing not telling.

In Conclusion. . .

In the intricate dance of storytelling, the principle of “Show, Don’t Tell” emerges as a guiding light.

As we reflect on this age-old wisdom, we recognize its pivotal role in elevating narratives from mere words to immersive experiences.

By demonstrating emotions, painting pictures with actions, and creating atmospheric settings, writers unlock the door to reader engagement and unforgettable storytelling.

Crafting vivid narratives is a journey—a journey of continual growth and refinement.

Embrace the challenge of honing your descriptive skills, knowing that each word holds the potential to transport your readers to worlds of your creation.

The path may be winding, but with dedication and practice, your ability to “Show, Don’t Tell” will become a hallmark of your distinct writing voice.

Now, dear writers, it’s your turn to become part of this ongoing dialogue.

Share your experiences with “Show, Don’t Tell.”

How has this principle impacted your writing journey?

What challenges have you faced, and what breakthroughs have you celebrated?

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just embarking on your literary adventure, your insights contribute to the collective wisdom of our writing community.

Drop a comment below and let’s create a space for shared learning and inspiration. Your unique perspective might be the catalyst for someone else’s creative revelation.

Happy writing!

If you enjoyed this check out this post about how to choose what you pay attention to when writing;

Crafting Compelling Fiction: Mastering Attention in Your Writing

Crafting Compelling Fiction: Mastering Attention in Your Writing

By Eamon on

The biggest problem I face when writing fiction is that I don’t know what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

Selective attention is choosing what to tell your reader and what not to.

When your audience is reading your work it’s like they are dropped into a dark forest. They only see the blackness and you come along and give them a flashlight, which you point at things. These things come together to form a story.

The problem here is as a beginner you don’t know what’s important to point the flashlight at and what to skip over.

It is an intricate process but one that can become second nature using three key points of consideration.

In this short post, I will offer some guidance on prioritizing key elements in fiction writing.

Let’s go.

Defining the Essence of the Narrative

The ultimate end goal for telling a meaningful story is for your audience to take something away from it, for the audience to learn something.

This thing that you are trying to get across is the essence of your narrative.

Every narrative you write should have an essence or a core. If it doesn’t, find one, it will make your writing A LOT easier.

To find the essence of your narrative you ask yourself;

“What is my story REALLY about?”

Jurassic Park is about dinosaurs and humans fighting. Jurassic Park is REALLY about the way humans screw themselves with their own issues and naive technological advancements.

As you can see there are two meanings to a story and more often than not they are very different in the way they come across.

This is where symbolism and all that jazz comes in but that’s a post for another day.

Once you have the essence of your story you’ll know what to pay attention to.

For example, Jurassic Park shows us images of the dinosaurs attacking humans and whatnot but doesn’t show how the dinosaurs are fed every day or how their carer treats them. This is not shown as it’s not important to the essence of the narrative.

Find the essence of your narrative, everything stems from that.

Point the Central Conflict Through the Characters

Stories are interactions between characters.

Simple as that.

That’s why you need to pay great attention to the characterization of your narrative.

Characterization is the creation and manipulation of a fictional character. You have the power to make your character do and say anything you like.

However, a character should be given life then it should act of its own accord.

Stephen King talked about his novels as the equivalent of a little fire in the darkness that every now and then a character he created would add a piece of wood to the fire, this happens over and over until the narrative is a burning bonfire alive with conflict.

Create your characters and understand what they want and what they need.

These are two different things.

A character could want to be in a relationship with their crush but the character needs to learn how to love themself.

These two things will keep your story moving by having your characters seek what they want and give them what they need.

Once you understand this relationship between characters you can choose to pay attention to things that advance your character in the way of their NEEDS.

This is how to use characterization for attention.

Balancing Characters, Setting and Detail

The best way to drive a plot is by well-crafted characters coming alive on the page.

This is what you should be hoping for as a writer, for your characters to live and breathe on their own.

An example I can think of is Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky.

Crime and Punishment is about a man named Raskolnikov tormented by his thoughts after killing his landlady.

The story is praised as one of the best novels of all time as it has such a meaningful essence of the story, this meaning is primarily due to the characters of the novel.

The novel has very few actual events such as the murder of the lady but the book’s plot twists and shapes because of the unique characters of it, each character lives on their own and pushes the plot in one way or another.

This goes to show that a good story doesn’t necessarily point at the right things at the right time but exposes the universality of its meaning through well-written characters bumping into each other.

Balance Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is the crafting of the world of your text, such as what everyday life looks like? What are the rules? Who lives there?

This is an important part of fiction as the world you explain is the world you tell your story. If you don’t have a world you don’t have a story.

However, you mustn’t get caught up in explaining every single detail of your world, spending pages and pages of writing describing the plants and the sky and the way people hold themselves.

Worldbuilding is done in passing.

There is no better way to world-build than to tell your story and give the bear essentials for what your reader needs to know for your story to make sense.

In this way the reader does the worldbuilding.

Of course, you can and should spend time fleshing out the world of your narrative but this mustn’t be THE priority.

There needs to be a balance.

Selective Detail to Engage

Crafting a captivating narrative involves more than just telling a story—it requires a keen understanding of when to reveal and when to withhold.

The art of selective detail plays a pivotal role in keeping readers engrossed without overwhelming them with unnecessary information.

In their most essential form details are the things you shine the flashlight at. You’re just pointing your reader’s attention at them and letting them come up with its meaning.

This is why carefully choosing what you show the reader enriches the reader’s experience and contributes to the overall atmosphere of the story.

Picture this: the aroma of freshly baked bread, the feel of a cool breeze, the distant hum of city life.

Sensory details have the power to transport readers into the heart of your fictional world.

To choose what you use go back to the essence of your story and the character conflict.

It’s important to understand that not every detail deserves a spotlight.

Sometimes I get into the trap of describing and describing without anything actually happening story-wise.

The way to solve this is to understand it’s all about finding that delicate balance—enough to enthrall, not too much to overwhelm.

The best stories leave room for the reader’s imagination to flourish to feed the reader but not pander to them.

Pacing and Tension Mastery

Reader engagement and the attention of your audience is largely due to the pacing of your novel.

Often mindless descriptions will slow the pacing and bore the audience.

The goal is to keep a dance between slow and fast revealing of information.

A great way to squeeze description into your prose is to add information during a quick or tense scene.

For example;

The writhing mass of worms turns its head to face Dylan’s stare, an orange glow emanates from its lifeless eyes illuminating Dylan’s chainmail bouncing off the sharp steel strapped to his body.

In only a couple of sentences, we now understand there is a worm monster with glowing eyes in front of a steadfast soldier named Dylan.

What was only really a monster turning its head has turned into an interesting balance between pacing and detail.

A similar technique is using tension.

Especially in horror (which is what I write) tension is such an effective way of capturing and keeping attention.

Tension is not just showing a lot of scary stuff but rather paying attention to oddly unnerving details in a specific order.

So make sure to speed up, slow down, and add tension through your description to further the plot and add details without listing them.

In Conclusion. . .

As we near the finale of our exploration into the art of crafting compelling fiction, let’s revisit the three pillars that form the foundation of impactful storytelling;

  1. Identify the Essence of Your Narrative– Remember, it’s the heartbeat that propels your narrative forward and resonates with your readers.
  2. Achieve a Harmonious Balance Between Characters Setting and Detail-By understanding the significance of each element and their interplay, you pave the way for a seamless and immersive reading experience.
  3. Pacing and Tension- The rhythm of your narrative, the ebb, and flow of tension—mastering pacing is the key to keeping your readers hooked.

Now armed with insights into narrative essence, balanced elements, and pacing mastery, it’s time to wield these tools in your own writing arsenal.

Embrace the creative journey with newfound confidence, knowing that each word you pen contributes to the tapestry of your unique storytelling voice.

Challenge yourself to infuse these principles into your current projects, and watch as your narratives evolve into captivating tales that resonate long after the final page is turned.

Drop a comment, share your stories, and let’s continue this dialogue. Together, we can inspire and elevate each other on the ever-evolving journey of crafting captivating fiction.

Happy writing!

Check out how to Write Effective Horror with this Post;

Crafting Unforgettable Horror: A Three-Step Approach

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Crafting Unforgettable Horror: A Three-Step Approach

By Eamon on

Horror literature is endlessly fascinating. Scary movies and horror stories have always been an interest of mine, only recently have I begun writing my own short stories.

Crafting effective horror is one of the most rewarding ways for a writer to have a lasting impact with their writing because people forget what you said but not how you made them feel.

Writing horror is an entirely different game from enjoying horror, it’s quite a tricky genre to get just right.

Luckily, there are three main steps you can use to write your own horror that I have found valuable.

1. Mastering Fear Psychology

To write effective horror you must understand what makes someone fearful or creeped out.

Various human fears are universal such as the fear of death. Many if not all of the fears we have goes back to the idea that humans hate the unknown.

A mystery or unanswered question greatly unnerves a person.

So if you write a scenario that your audience does not know enough about there will be an unease and even a fear there already.

This idea is valuable when you’re trying to creep out your audience.

We think something is creepy when we don’t know whether it is a threat or not and thus we are unnerved.

For example, a doll with an odd expression that appeared on your bed is neither a threat nor a safe situation, so our brain defaults to creepy.

Using fear of the unknown writing horror becomes easier.

Creating Relatable Characters with Vulnerabilities

The reader feels fear for a character if they are genuinely invested in the character as a person.

Thus, you must establish your characters in your writing as relatable.

The best way to do this is to show their vulnerabilities.

Vulnerabilities in a character allow the reader to see them as a person, as a real human being going through this awful scenario.

Relatability is a key to effective horror, make your characters relatable.

Relatable characters aren’t necessarily likable either, this is important, your audience doesn’t have to believe the same things as your characters but they do have to relate to them.

Tapping into Primal Fears for Emotional Resonance

Writing is one of the hardest mediums to elicit a fear response.

You don’t have the soundtrack of scary movie jumpscares, nor the specific imagery of the film.

However, you do have the power of attention.

In a movie, the director can point at something but it’s up to the audience to interpret that thing as scary, funny, or any other emotion.

Writing is a little different.

A writer can point at an object and show you how a character responds to it which, because the character is relatable, the reader will inherently feel that fear.

The best means of scaring your audience is tapping into primal fears.

Primal fears can be seen as things that would scare the shit out of our long-dead hunter-gatherer relatives.

Those were hard folks but some things even scared them, which are still in our genes to this day.

Things like sharp teeth, unknown sounds, or being in a vulnerable position are primal fears that modern-day horror taps into.

The most obvious of which can be seen in Jurassic Park.

Jurassic Park is all about bigger predators than us with less sense for destruction then we do, which results in an extremely terrifying conflict between the unpredictability of nature with the smarts of human beings.

Tap into primal fears to really disturb your readers.

2. Building Atmospheric Intensity

The best horror stories are based on their gripping premise with unique concepts.

Having a premise that excites you just thinking about all the ways a story based on that concept could branch from is a sure-fire way to create scary stories.

Here are some interesting premises from popular horror;

  • A creature of some sort becomes present and if you look at it you kill yourself instantly. BirdBox
  • Humans have reincarnated history’s deadliest predators and put them in cages that are hacked into. Jurassic Park
  • Upon a family heading to an isolated hotel for the winter haunted by the ghosts of the hotel’s past, the father enacts the violence of the hotel’s history. The Shining

Each of these premises creates interesting stories that are bound to happen when characters become involved.

Form an exciting premise with unique concepts.

Develop Evocative Settings for Heightened Suspense

The setting of your horror story is of great importance to the ambiance of your tale.

The feeling your readers get when they imagine your setting should be a deep sense of unease.

This should be done in all of your writing, your setting NEEDS to evoke strong emotions in your audience, use it well.

Vivid Language and Pacing

The way you tell your story has a massive impact on your reader’s emotional experience.

You must be wary of the way you want to sound when your audience is reading.

Do you want them to feel as if a bard in the early 16th century is spinning a tale?

or

An advanced robot of the year 3027 speaks of the downfall of the human race?

The way you tell your story, your prose, greatly affects the vibes you give your readers.

Similarly, the rate at which you reveal information to your audience creates emotions within them as well.

Short, sharp sentences create a rushed feeling whereas long drawn-out sentences slow your reader down and unnerves them.

Be careful of how you are telling your story.

3. Innovative Techniques for Lasting Horror

There are three major techniques you can use to create your lasting horror tales;

Playing with Fear Through Effective Plot Devices Incorporating strategic plot devices adds layers to your horror narrative. Explore twists, unexpected turns, and unconventional elements to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Exploring Psychological Depths for Impact Delve into the minds of your characters, unearthing deep-seated fears and unsettling thoughts. By tapping into psychological horror, you create a more profound and lasting impact on your audience.

Crafting Unforgettable Endings for a Lingering, Haunting Experience The conclusion is crucial in horror. Craft endings that resonate, leaving readers haunted and contemplative. Whether it’s a shocking revelation or an open-ended resolution, aim for an unforgettable and lingering experience.

In Conclusion. . .

As we conclude our journey into crafting unforgettable horror, remember the core ideas:

  • Fear psychology,
  • Atmospheric intensity
  • Innovative techniques.

Reflect on the significance of characters, settings, language, and pacing in sculpting a compelling narrative that chills to the bone.

To fellow writers venturing into the realm of horror, the path is as diverse as the shadows themselves.

Embrace experimentation, explore the darker corners, and discover your unique voice. The horror genre thrives on individuality.

These narratives, etched with fear and suspense, possess a timeless allure.

A shiver-inducing tale lingers, echoing in the minds of readers, a testament to the enduring and captivating nature of the horror genre.

Happy crafting!

Check out this post about how to write tension and keep your readers interested;

Writing Suspense; How to Keep Attention

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Writing Suspense; How to Keep Attention

By Eamon on

Suspense and the art of tension is a brilliant skill to have in your toolbox as a writer. It helps you keep people’s attention, keep them turning the pages, or interested in what you have to pay.

The art of suspense is the art of holding attention.

I’ve been reading Dracula by Brahm Stoker recently, Stoker has a lot of tension just within the first 100 pages.

Throughout this post, I am going to use Dracula as an example of how to capture and keep attention.

Here we go!

The Foundation of Suspense

In literature, suspense refers to the uneasy feeling that a reader gets when they don’t know what is going to happen next.

It’s the unpredictability of the situation that grips people’s attention.

For the reader, suspense creates anticipation for the events that will happen next.

Adding suspense to your writing is making a promise to your reader that something interesting is likely to happen.

Similarly, you keep the reader engaged, fostering interaction and sympathy towards the characters in your narrative.

If a writer could harness the ability to grip the reader’s attention consistently would be the closest thing they could get to a superpower.

Therefore, suspense is ultimately the use of setting the stage of the story and giving promises to the reader of interesting things that are to happen.

The majority of the suspense you create is a result of the way you condition your readers to look at the story you’re telling them.

Establishing Atmosphere: Lessons from Dracula

Stoker released Dracula in 1897, infusing the narrative with archaic and spooky language reflective of the era’s linguistic nuances.

Which is the basis for Stoker’s excellent tension-building.

Stoker adopts the epistolary format in Dracula, constructing the narrative entirely through diary entries, telegrams, letters, and memos.

The first 100 pages or so describe how Jonathon Harker an English lawyer travels to Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania to assist him with legal business.

Mr Harker’s journey to the castle is an odd one for our current time. Gothic imagery permeates, and archaic transportation, like riding a coach pulled by four black horses to Dracula’s castle, is present in the narrative.

On the way, Harker and the coach driver have an encounter with some wolves after the escort stops the coach and travels into the forest looking for some sort of treasure.

The characters’ actions and encounters with perils, like aggressive wolves, flawlessly set the stage for a world where the fantastical and gothic are commonplace. This elegantly establishes the foundation for the suspense novel’s acclaim.

Stoker’s Dracula teaches us that to evoke suspense and unease in readers, masterful use of setting and tone is paramount.

Develop your story from the base up, the setting/ environment of your story quite literally sets up what will happen in your story from the aspects of the surroundings. Tone does the same by giving promises of the sort of events that will take place.

Make promises to your reader of what will happen with tone and setting, you’ll not regret it.

Character Development and Intrigue

Another important aspect of establishing tension in your writing is the reader has to care about the characters you’re showing them.

This means your characters NEED to be compelling.

You can make characters compelling by establishing motivations, goals, and conflicts in their lives. These three aspects make them feel more real, like an actual person.

Writing is the art of understanding.

Both you and your reader NEED to understand how the setting and tone will affect your character by comparing it with their motivations, goals, and conflicts.

Take Mr. Harker as an example of a compelling character. In his initial diary entry, he raves about the exquisite train food, planning to secure the recipe for his wife. This simple insert by Stoker establishes Mr Harker as a dedicated husband who pays attention to the little things.

The narrative structure further solidifies this personality. Being diary entries, Harker’s words are intriguing and paint a picture of the odd little things he notices about his time in Transylvania.

Harker’s compelling nature stems from our knowledge, as readers, of Dracula’s identity and the inherent fear associated with that name.

Thus we sympathise with the clueless Harker as he willingly travels to almost certain demise.

Characters such as Harker keep readers on the edge of their seats because they care about what happens to them.

Create compelling characters and expose them to the scary thing, that WILL create suspense.

Mastering Pacing For Maximum Impact

Pacing and the speed at which information is fed to the reader is another effective way to create suspense for the reader’s experience.

The way reading works is that the reader starts with a blank canvas and every word they read is a piece of information that colors some part of their mind.

This color can be bright and happy creating joy or prickly and bleak causing fear.

This is why you as the writer must point out the colours you want to show to create tension for the reader.

In writing suspense this is best done by pointing at lots of little things and the unnerving parts about them, but leave them at that.

This creates a picture for the reader of what those objects COULD mean but not necessarily what they mean.

Chekhovs Gun

Another way of explaining promises to the reader is through Chekhov’s Gun;

Chekhov’s Gun is the way the playwright Anton Chekhov repeatedly characterized writing in his letters to his fellow writers. The most famous version is the quote;

If in the first act, you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.

Anton Chekhov

This concept reveals that we need to be giving the readers promises by drip-feeding information that you eventually tell them the meaning of.

In Dracula Stoker’s pacing is excellent, he very slowly but surely builds up his gothic environment and the fears of Mr Harker being in unfamiliar territory creating great suspense.

To control the tempo of your writing you should be consciously aware of the length of your sentences.

Short sentences in succession convey a sense of speed and ease.

Carefully placed lengthy sentences slow down the reader’s feed of information. This forces them to be engaged with one piece of information for longer.

The longer you pay attention to one subject, the greater the suspense for the reader.

Use Chekhov’s Gun and pacing to imbue a sense of tension in your reader.

The Art of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is the act of a warning or indication of a future event.

Understanding how foreshadowing is used can be tricky.

Foreshadowing is things that your reader can look back at after rereading your writing that was indicative of a major plot point.

Effectively employing this technique conveys to the reader that every detail holds significance, compelling them to draw connections and conclusions from the provided information.

Several signs foreshadow Jonathan Harker’s imprisonment in Dracula’s castle and the revelation that Dracula is indeed a vampire.

The people Harker encounters on his trip to the castle repeatedly hint that something is wrong. A landlord and his wife cross themselves and look frightened when he tries to speak about Dracula, and later the landlady bids him to take a crucifix.

As he departs for the castle, he hears a crowd of people using a word that translates as “either werewolf or vampire.” Later, Harker’s traveling companions offer him additional protective tokens.

All of these aspects are quite obvious to the reader but just seem odd for Harker, this gives us readers a feeling of fear as Harker is oblivious to the signals of what Count Dracula is actually like.

Once again to effectively foreshadow use Chekhov’s Gun.

What you are foreshadowing has to have some meaning for the plot.

Furthermore, most commonly the information needs to be subtle, not too out there as to be a dead giveaway but enough to trigger the reader’s subconscious to be wary.

Timing is important as well, with your pacing under watch slip your foreshadowing into the longer parts of your pacing in subtle ways.

Use these techniques to use foreshadowing to unnerve and grip your audience.

Unveiling Secrets: The Power of Mystery

Mystery and holding things from your readers on purpose creates a sense of trickiness for the readers that they are being tricked in some way and they’re aware of it.

Secrets kept from your readers excite them to discover the answer with the information you give them, creating engagement.

Upon being welcomed into Castle Dracula Harker notices things about the Count that are odd and reason for alarm.

He notices there is no one else in the castle even though every time he goes to eat with Dracula the food is already prepared.

Dracula disappears from the Castle for long lengths of time and returns at odd hours.

Harker notices slowly that most of the doors in the castle are locked and out of access for him.

All these little nods and information feeds the mystery around Count Dracula’s true intentions and grips the reader with suspense.

Mystery is done best by balancing the revelations of the characters with your concealment.

Be careful of when and how you reveal your information, do it with great consideration and the reader will be in suspense of your mystery.

Tension Building Dialogue

Crafting tension in dialogue doesn’t always require overt mentions of unnerving elements. The art lies in subtly heightening reader tension through dialogue.

Stoker uses dialogue excellently in setting up his story.

The start of Dracula sees Harker talk to various individuals who are slightly off in some way or disturbed in others.

The use of wariness and fear in the characters of the novel activates the reader’s emotions as well.

Creating compelling dialogue can be challenging. I often grapple with it. A valuable tip: remember, dialogue differs from everyday speech.

Characters engage in a dance through dialogue, harboring truths they yearn to express. However, as a writer, direct revelation is forbidden.

This gap between characters, laden with unspoken truths, becomes fertile ground for interactions, fostering tension and intrigue for the reader.

Utilizing Cliffhangers Effectively

The art of tension is also the art of leaving readers hanging.

You should not show your readers your entire hand, there should always be pieces of the puzzle missing.

Dracula does this by mixing the doubts of Mr Harker with the events of the castle.

The gap serves as an effective cliffhanger, leaving the reader hanging in suspense as they grapple with the uncertainty of the situation.

Creating irresistible hooks for both the beginning and end of your story is a key strategy for executing effective cliffhangers.

Your beginning NEEDS to hook the reader’s attention and your end needs to raise your reader’s attention even more.

This technique leaves the reader on the edge, creating a cliffhanger by implying that the story holds more than what is revealed.

Conclusion. . .

In our exploration through the world of suspense, we’ve uncovered invaluable insights inspired by the timeless masterpiece, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Let’s quickly recap these tips;

  • Establish Atmosphere
  • Character Development and Intrigue
  • Mastering Pacing for Maximum Impact
  • The Art of Foreshadowing
  • Unveiling Secrets: The Power of Mystery
  • Tension-Building Dialogue
  • Use Cliffhangers Effectively

Please remember that these tips are not rigid rules but rather stepping stones to help you discover your unique narrative voice.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, to push the boundaries of convention, and to infuse your work with your flair. Your individuality is what will make your stories truly memorable.

In the grand tapestry of literary history, Bram Stoker’s Dracula remains an enduring beacon of suspenseful storytelling.

Its enduring influence echoes, emphasizing that keeping readers on the edge remains crucial, from the 19th century to today.

Hone your craft, drawing from masters, yet craft stories uniquely yours — destined to captivate audiences for generations.

Happy writing!

If you enjoyed check out this post about why you should focus on consistency over quality as a writer;

Consistency Over Quality to Progress as a Writer

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Consistency Over Quality to Progress as a Writer

By Eamon on

The power of consistency is a greatly undervalued skill in the productivity and self-improvement space.

Most of the time writers are told how to do more with less time, where they should be focused on being consistent and showing up every day.

Build Your Library

Being consistent is the best way to build your library of work as quick as possible.

For some people, it takes five to ten years to publish a book whereas you have legends like Stephen King pumping out something like two books a year or something crazy like that.

This achievement is not by accident.

King and others like him are consistent.

They show up every day and add to their library, they put words on the page and stories into the world.

By doing so they show the world that they can create quality content, not by the inherent talent of the writer but rather as a product of showing up every day.

They focus on quantity first and quality will come with time.

Quantity vs Quality

No matter what you are learning, you’re gonna be horrible at it.

That’s just how it is.

You’re terrible because obviously you’ve never done the thing before, and that terrible writing you do when you start writing will fade with time.

This is why you need to focus on the amount of content you make not the quality in the beginning.

The more you focus on consistency the less you focus on the quantity and vice versa.

To get good at writing you have to write.

Let me repeat that, to get good at writing you HAVE to write.

You’re not gonna be a better writer by planning and planning what you will write, you will not get better thinking about the stories you’ll write.

You get better by putting words on the page.

This means the more words you put on the page the better you will get at writing.

Therefore, it only makes sense to focus on creating and writing LOTS because you will get better at writing through your output. You will learn and you will adapt.

You CANNOT have the same sort of progress working on one project for multiple years before you even let someone look at it.

The benefit just isn’t there.

Focus on quantity NOT quality when you start writing.

Momentum is EVERYTHING

Newton’s second law of motion describes the force exerted on an object as equal to the mass of the object times by the acceleration of the exerted force.

It looks pretty tricky but it’s not that bad.

Basically, the amount of energy needed to move an object depends on how heavy the object is multiplied by the speed at which energy is given to it.

This is a valuable way of looking at momentum in writing.

Initially, when you start writing the speed at which you can progress in your writing journey is very high because the large path ahead of you equates to a large mass that needs a lot of exerted energy to move it anywhere.

However, when you repeatedly come back to your writing, not only are you shrinking the amount of writing you need to progress but also it becomes easier to accelerate/ kick into gear when writing because less force is needed to push the object the same distance.

This happens because of momentum. The speed at which an object is traveling needs a large force to stop it. The more you write, the more you engage in consistency, the more momentum you gain.

Soon, you’ll be unstoppable.

You Already Know How to Achieve Success as a Writer;

You Already Know How to Achieve Success as a Writer

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You Already Know How to Achieve Success as a Writer

By Eamon on

The entire self-help genre of content is a scam. Self-help tips for success are nothing but obvious truths wrapped in pretty packaging.

This means that what you look for in self-help and productivity content is confirmation of what you already know.

You do know what you should do to become successful with your writing, and I can show it to you.

With one single question.

The Question

“If you were to do a set of actions on a repeated basis how would you guarantee that you do not succeed as a writer”

In a YouTube video by Alex Hormozi, he shows a similar question, it’s such a simple question but easy to apply. 

This question will reveal what you really know about success, the obvious, and the truth in the obvious.

Alright, so if you were to answer the question I would say things like; 

  • Inconsistent Writing Schedule 
  • No Writing Routine 
  • Waits for Inspiration before Writing
  • Procrastinates rather than Write 
  • Make Excuses for Not Writing 
  • Don’t have clear goals in mind 

These are all pretty sure ways to make sure you’ll never succeed as a writer if you do these things consistently. 

Now, logically, if these things guarantee you won’t succeed then the inverse of these would have the opposite effect. 

So we invert. 

Flipping the actions would look something like this; 

  • Consistent and Reliable Writing Routine 
  • Writes even When Not Inspired 
  • Writes Rather Than Procrastinates 
  • Make NO Excuses 
  • Set Clear Goals and Work Towards Them 

Here we have each dot point from earlier flipped to the opposite effect. 

Now, you’ll notice that these actionable steps aren’t particularly inspired or unique, rather the opposite, you could figure that out on your own. 

But it’s the action of seeing if you were to ignore these obvious steps that will have devastating consequences. 

You know where you need to be, you know what you need to be doing so go out and do it, create, the world will be a much better place if you do so. 

Thanks 🙂 Happy Writing 

Check out this post about how you are a writer already;

You ARE a Writer. Here’s Why

You ARE a Writer. Here’s Why

By Eamon on

Everyone is a writer.

It doesn’t take a gift from God or permission to create.

All it takes to be a writer is to express yourself through writing.

This is not a particularly hard skill either, at least to begin with. It’s definitely hard to get great at writing but certainly not difficult to start writing.

Permission to Write

I thought that I needed to wait for permission to write, wait for the sky to part, and for my pen to descend from the heavens, then and only then would I write.

This is not the case.

By being born you have the permission to write, and I would even go so far as to say the obligation to do so.

It is your gift as a member of the human species that you can and should create.

Create anything, create a story, create a drawing, create a song, create a joke.

All that’s important is that you’re creating.

And by the act of creating you ARE a writer, a creator.

What is Writing?

Writing is not necessarily the act of writing words.

What you choose to create is your form of writing, creating and writing in its essence is conveying beliefs and memories of yourself through a medium.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be words on the page.

You could draw a sketch of what you are feeling in this instance, that’s a form of writing.

You create a song about your messy breakup, that’s a form of writing.

Writing for me means any sort of creative endeavor by which you demonstrate your willingness to communicate.

It’s in Your Bones

Creating is what you are.

You create relationships with others,

Find meaning in your existence,

Make a routine for yourself, and

You create moral rules that you abide by

Every. Single. Day. You are creating in one way or another, and that’s awesome.

As you create, you write, you write what your life should look like, you write what others see when they look at your life and you write your place in the world.

Every human on this planet contributes their own writing to the world every day, some more than others, it’s really a question of intentionality.

Intend to Write

If you don’t write your own rules, rules will be written for you.

It’s an uncomfortable truth that the more you look at your life the less control you actually have over it, this is a dreadful thing to think about.

Luckily, there is a way to reclaim some of that control.

That is, to write.

Write your heart out.

Write that story you’ve always wanted to.

Create that creature that’s been simmering in your mind.

Start that business you’ve been thinking about.

Taking positive steps in any direction is like stepping into the void, however, the deeper in your step the more clear the next step becomes.

That’s why if you don’t write intentionally you get stagnant, your next step is shrouded in mystery, the only way to counter this is to take that step;

Write!

Thank you so much for reading, this is a slightly different style to what I’m used to so if you liked this style of writing let me know 🙂

If you enjoy writing I’m sure you’ll enjoy this recent post about what I’ve learned from a month of writing everyday;

What I’ve Learned From a Month of Writing Everyday

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What I’ve Learned From a Month of Writing Everyday

By Eamon on

To say writing everyday has changed my mindset is a drastic understatement.

Back on November 11th, 2023, I decided that I was going to write and publish a post on my blog (eamonwrites.blog) and Medium every single day. Without fail.

This post marks my last one of the challenge.

Forcing myself to put out this much content has taught me a lot about myself and my writing.

Writing Everyday is an Outlet

Writing much like journalling is a way that you can get your thoughts out of your head and onto a medium. Like any art form doing this successfully is incredibly rewarding.

Pushing out a post every day has forced me in a way to constantly think about what I am to write next and how I’m going to do it.

This has resulted in countless hours of deep reflection about what I’m trying to do with my writing and my life as well.

Reflection on such a deep level has created an appreciation for the art of writing and an admiration for people who do it consistently.

I’ve found that after a writing session, my brain is that little bit more focused which casts ripple effects into how I go about my day.

Advice Given is Advice Taken

The thing about people asking for advice on anything is that they already know what they should be doing. For example;

How do I get my novel done? You write

How do I lose weight? You exercise and diet

How do I look better? You take pride in yourself and your care routine.

All these answers aren’t particularly glamorous so we tend to ignore them in favour of highly specific rules people have made for themselves.

Consistently writing, specifically writing about productivity tips for writers has given me the knowledge that I know more answers than I give myself credit for.

This results in moments where I need that bit of advice, say, to push through writer’s block, I just reflect on the post I wrote about that topic and use my tips.

Your writing is as much for you as it is for your audience.

Discipline Trained is Control Gained

Discipline is being able to do things you don’t necessarily want to do for a long-term benefit.

Writing is not a particularly glamorous art form and is often quite difficult.

That’s why being able to do it, being able to get words onto the page despite your unwillingness to do so feels so great.

Every time you do your writing despite your feelings at that moment it tells yourself that you are the type of person that does the things you set out to do.

Which strengthens your discipline.

Discipline is like a muscle.

The more you train it the stronger it gets.

The reverse is also true.

If you routinely do what you want to do more often than what you need to do your discipline muscle withers away and your discipline for EVERYTHING is impacted not just your productivity.

That’s why I’ve found that the more days I’ve consistently written the more discipline I have to do other hard things in my life.

Writing Everyday Adds Up

Exponential gains are something that has baffled me for the longest time.

Just the act of adding something to a pile every day will eventually lead to the pile getting so big it will run the risk of collapsing.

You do the same thing when you write.

You’re going back to that hole in the ground and drop in a grain of rice. Every day.

This only seems like a little act but after a year the amount of grains of rice in that hole is phenomenal.

Slowly adding to your record of writing pushes the needle forwards in ways that are often unseen in the present but deeply appreciated in the future.

A month is not a long time, it didn’t feel long at least.

And now I have over 30 posts to my name after just one month of writing. This is something that would take some writers 7 months to do need only take you 1.

This instills in me a sense of pride for what I have done and what I no doubt will do in another months time.

Keep adding to the pile, who knows where it will end up.

Setting a Goal is Important

If I hadn’t set myself a goal of writing 30 posts in 30 days it would have likely taken me 7-8 months to do that amount of work organically.

This speaks to the truth that if you don’t have a goal it is the same thing as shooting an arrow in a dark room hoping you get a bullseye.

It’s not gonna happen.

Setting myself a goal and creating daily stes for that goal has proven to me that if you truly stick to goals you set who knows what you can accomplish.

I honestly thought I would get to about 4 posts and give up, but having the end in mind, thinking that everyday adds up and one day, on December 11th 2023 I will be able to look at my page and have 30 articles written and published was enough to keep me going.

Set goals, who knows what you can achieve, you certaintly don’t.

Idea Generation is a Process

One of the things I struggled with the most when starting my challenge was the question of what would I write about everyday.

I knew I would be writing about writing and productivity tips for writers but I had not the faintest idea of what topics in specific I would discuss.

This lead to me creating systems in my day that maximise the chances of me coming up with an idea.

For me this was walking. Going for a walk everyday was an organic offshoot of my writing challenge that I have kept the same as my writing.

Every day for the last month I have gone for at least a 30 minute walk in nature, wether I wanted to or not.

Often writers and creators are asked “Where do you get your ideas from?” and for me ideas come from the everyday, from ideas and theories about the world around you.

The systems and attention to my thought process that were created due to writing not only gave me ideas for my blog but also ideas for creative writing, ideas for businesses and ideas for fun activities with friends.

Some people call it the law of attraction I call it paying attention but being open to ideas WILL give you ideas if you pay attention.

In Conclusion. . .

This has been a deeply meaningful and fulfilling month for me and has given me the motivation to take my writing seriously because it’s something I have become passionate about.

Thanks to all these benefits and many more writing everyday will become a regular and accepted part of my day.

In ending this post I wanted to thank every single one of you who have read any of my writing, knowing that I am able to make connections with other people through my writing is so exciting so I wanted to thank you from deep within my soul for reading my writing.

This challenge has kickstarted my passion for writing and I hope you’ll join me for wherever the future will take my writing and hopefully (and more importantly) yours.

I apprectiate you reading my work here’s another post I’ve done about upgrading your writing with short stories;

The Power of Short Stories: Crafting Compelling Narratives in Limited Space

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The Power of Short Stories: Crafting Compelling Narratives in Limited Space

By Eamon on

Short stories are everywhere. When you think about great stories you think about novels, about best-selling series.

But short stories are a huge part of literature.

This is because many writers begin with writing short stories and get better at telling stories over time so by the time the same writer has published a few novels the short stories they create are absolutely phenomenal.

Also, you have writers who just stuck with the short story and did an awesome job.

I’m talking about the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe.

I write horror short stories so these two writers have been a massive inspiration for my writing.

Short stories are oddly perceived. Because short stories are so limited in size there is a misconception that writing short stories is easy, as there is less to write.

I wouldn’t say any writing is easy. The short story format has unique challenges and opportunities like any form of writing.

In the words that follow I will show you the importance of the short story and tips and tricks for writing your own.

The Art of Short Story Writing

A short story is a piece of prose fiction that can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained story that often intends to evoke a single effect or mood.

So the short story is a limited prose that elicits a response from the reader.

The emotions you want to evoke in the reader are largely dictated by the genre of writing, and each genre has its own conventions.

The most efficient short stories are focused on brevity, conciseness, and economy of language. A compacted compact version of a story.

Impactful Elements of Short Stories

There are various tools short story writers use to elicit certain emotions from the reader.

Having a strong hook or opening to your short story is absolutely critical for the effectiveness of your story. With novels, readers are willing to give the book a few pages before deciding whether to put it down or keep reading, in short stories we don’t have this luxury.

A typical short story is between one and five pages in length.

This means you have an extremely limited time to grab the reader’s attention, this is where the hook is used.

Another efficient tool in a good short story is well-developed characters.

There are few things more annoying in any story than characters that don’t make sense.

A short story is a challenge in this way because the limited word count means you can only spend. so much time within a character’s head this is why you must develop your characters well in all of your short stories.

Lastly, a good short story will have a compelling resolution or twist.

The power of a short story is the emotions you feel after reading an absolutely awesome ending.

This feeling is such a magical thing.

To experience this emotion best I would recommend “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson an absolute masterpiece in terms of short fiction.

A compelling ending to your story will leave a lasting impression on people.

There’s a famous quote that I believe is from Maya Angelou that goes great with what I’m saying here;

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Tips for Crafting Impactful Short Narratives

Short stories, despite their brevity, have the power to leave a lasting impact. Let’s delve into practical tips for crafting short narratives that captivate and resonate with readers.

Alright, this post could be 20 minutes long but I’m just gonna rapid-fire with dotpoints to save your time.

Here we go.

Start Strong: Crafting Compelling Beginnings

In the realm of short stories, the opening lines serve as a gateway into a confined world. There are a few ways you can start the reader off in your world;

  • In Medias Res: Plunge readers into the midst of action or a pivotal moment.
  • Intriguing Questions: Pose questions that compel readers to seek answers.
  • Vivid Imagery: Paint a vivid scene that sparks curiosity and draws readers in.

For example;

  • It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. — George Orwell, 1984
  • The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door… — Frederic Brown, Knock
  • For sale: baby shoes, never worn. — Often attributed to Ernest Hemingway

Develop Characters Efficiently

Crafting characters in short stories requires precision and impact. Employ strategies such as:

  • Distinctive Traits: Highlight a few key traits that define the character.
  • Show, Don’t Tell: Use actions and dialogue to reveal character qualities.
  • Reader Imagination: Leave room for readers to fill in some character details.

You must strike a delicate balance between depth and brevity for your characters;

  • Key Moments: Showcase character depth through significant moments.
  • Symbolic Details: Use symbolic details that convey layers of meaning.
  • Character Arc: If possible, hint at or imply a character arc within the limited narrative space.

Focus on a Central Theme or Message

Short stories thrive on clarity and purpose. Ensure your narrative revolves around a clear theme:

  • Identify Core Ideas: Pinpoint the central idea or emotion you want to convey.
  • Consistency: Ensure every element in your story serves the central theme.
  • Avoid Overloading: Resist the temptation to incorporate too many themes.

Effective short stories convey profound messages without unnecessary embellishment:

  • Subtext: Use subtext and implied meanings for a nuanced approach.
  • Symbolism: Employ symbolism to convey complex ideas in a condensed form.
  • Economy of Words: Choose words wisely, conveying more with fewer words.

Build Tension and Resolution

Master the art of building tension within a confined word limit;

  • Pacing: Control the pacing to escalate suspense and anticipation.
  • Conflict: Introduce and escalate conflicts swiftly but effectively.
  • Uncertainty: Keep readers guessing by introducing elements of uncertainty.

Concluding a short story requires finesse:

  • Closure: Provide closure by resolving key plot points.
  • Open-Ended: Alternatively, leave room for reader interpretation and contemplation.
  • Revisit Themes: Reinforce the central theme in the resolution for resonance.

Be sure to experiment, refine, and let each word contribute to the potency of your narrative.

Short stories, with their brevity, hold the potential for immense impact — make every word count.

In Conclusion

Mastering the art of short story writing is akin to honing a finely crafted skill set. This mastery brings forth several invaluable benefits such as sharpened craftsmanship, enhanced creativity, and impactful storytelling.

In the intricate dance of crafting short stories, every writer becomes a storyteller, weaving tales that resonate in the hearts of readers.

As you embark on your short story adventures, may your narratives be rich, your characters vibrant, and your impact everlasting.

Happy writing, storytellers!

You will enjoy this post about how reading can benefit your writing;

Reading and Writing: Developing Your Craft Through Books

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Reading and Writing: Developing Your Craft Through Books

By Eamon on

A little-known way of improving your writing is the act of reading.

When you think about it, it doesn’t make much sense that doing something that’s not writing would improve the craft of writing.

But really, there is a symbiotic relationship between reading and writing and not a negative one in that.

You must be an avid reader to become a better writer.

How Reading Influences Writing Style and Technique

When you read as a writer there is a subconscious process by which your brain absorbs what you reading.

This is explained by the concept of you are what you eat.

In this context, you make what you consume.

If you consume content that is meaningless and shallow, you will create writing that is empty and soulless.

In this way, if you read good writing you will make good writing.

It’s as simple as that.

This is why exposing yourself to many different writing styles and genres will enhance your writing. I talked about this in my post on inspiration, but the more meaningful content you consume the greater your bank of good writing is you can refer to.

Staying Inspired: Drawing Creativity from Unlikely Sources

So to best enhance your writing style and technique expose yourself you many different writing genres and styles.

Recommended Books for Writers in Different Genres

It’s challenging to dive into a genre that you are unfamiliar with, you don’t want to pick terrible writing because you will subconsciously emulate that.

So here are some places to start for some genres and key areas to investigate;

Mystery/ Thriller: Must-reads for Suspenseful Storytelling

  • Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  • Analyzing Flynn’s use of unreliable narrators for heightened suspense.
  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
  • Examining Larsson’s mastery in creating intricate plots and unexpected twists.
  • The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
  • Unpacking the art of building tension through psychological narratives.

Fantasy: Building Imaginative Worlds Through Influential Works

  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Dissect Tolkien’s world-building techniques and rich mythology.
  • A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
  • Learn from Martin’s complex characters and sprawling, interconnected plots.
  • Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
  • Explore Rowling’s ability to create a magical world with universal themes.

Literary Fiction: Exploring Depth and Nuance in Character-Driven Stories

  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  • Analyze Lee’s exploration of social issues through compelling characters.
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Study Fitzgerald’s use of symbolism and intricate character relationships.
  • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  • Delve into Dostoevsky’s psychological depth and moral exploration.

Horror: Evoking Fear and Dread Through Exceptional Works

  • The Shining by Stephen King
  • Analyze King’s mastery of atmospheric horror and psychological terror.
  • The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
  • Explore Jackson’s skill in creating a haunting atmosphere and subtle horror.
  • Dracula by Bram Stoker
  • Delve into Stoker’s foundational work in Gothic horror and vampire lore.

By delving into these masterpieces, you’ll glean insights into the unique characteristics of each genre and discover valuable lessons that can elevate your writing.

Each book is a treasure trove of inspiration waiting to be unlocked on your writing journey.

Incorporating Reading Into Your Writing Routine

The best way to get a habit for something is to track it.

Track the time you spend reading each day for a week. You will then have a basis of where you currently stand and can now set a goal for your reading.

Say if you were to read a book every two weeks, set a goal for one a week.

Setting yourself challenges to reach with your reading will make sure reading is a regular part of your routine.

However, you mustn’t be spending significantly more time consuming than you are creating.

If you find yourself reading for most of the day and get in half an hour of writing every day, this will negatively impact your writing simply because you’re not writing.

It’s all about balance.

Building Your Own Personal Reading List

You must be reading books because you want to read them, not because it has good reviews.

Reading, like writing, should be fun. You don’t need to force yourself to read if you hate reading, because you won’t learn anything from it.

Thus, you must come up with a list of books you want to read.

A good selection of reading material should come from various cultures and perspectives.

Horror is what I write the most and I have found it endlessly interesting to read folktales and foreign tales of ghouls and monsters. This reading imbues my horror with a sense of universality, which is a valuable aspect of writing.

Expanding your reading beyond your comfort zone is endlessly beneficial.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is an incredibly difficult book for me to read, I don’t know why but I just struggled big time with that book. I’ve found though after reading that book I am better equipped to get through similarly difficult books with ease.

The challenge is the first step to growth.

You won’t learn anything worth learning in your comfort zone.

So get out there, and experience everything.

In Conclusion. . .

In the dance between reading and writing, each complements and enriches the other.

Through the pages of brilliant works, we absorb writing styles, techniques, and the subtle nuances that make storytelling an art.

The more we read, the more finely tuned our writer’s instinct becomes, leading to an ever-evolving craft.

Consider reading not just a leisurely activity but an indispensable tool for your growth as a writer.

Every book is a mentor, offering lessons in narrative structure, character development, and the delicate dance of words. Approach your reading with intention, seeking inspiration and learning from the masters of the craft.

Embrace the diversity of genres, styles, and voices, for it is in this rich tapestry that you’ll find the building blocks of your unique voice as a writer.

As you embark on your reading and writing endeavors, remember that this journey is not a linear path but a continuous loop of inspiration and creation.

Let every page you turn be a stepping stone in the evolution of your craft.

Happy reading and writing, fellow wordsmiths!

May your shelves be filled with stories that propel you forward on this literary odyssey.

If you liked this post here’s another one about how to implement play into your writing;

The Productivity of Play: Mix Fun into Your Writing Process

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