First Person Narrative Pitfalls

First-person narratives can be great. But they are also prone to a variety of problems. In this article, I address the five biggest problems that creep into First Person stories and how to avoid them.

Realism Versus Plausibility: Or Killing Your Minnows

The importance of making sure that, even if the events are not realistic, that they are plausible in the context of the story.

Possibility Versus Believability

Three questions every writer should ask about their characters actions to keep their stories grounded in the believable.

Batman V Superman and the Quest for Internal Plot Consistency

A discussion of the importance of being internally consistent in your story.

Blue Collar Accuracy

Don't ignore the realities of the working class in your fiction. 

Tagging in Dialogue

The word "said" is not your enemy. This article discusses the importance of using tags effectively for smooth dialogue.

Why Your Story Was Rejected

Check out the top 5 reasons why we rejected stories in 2016. Many of them are avoidable mistakes!

The Best Advice?

The best advice I can offer any writer is to read your story out loud. Reading the story out loud will help you identify a variety of mechanical problems, including pacing issues, cumbersome sentence structures, and bland dialogue. If possible, have someone else read the story to you so you can pay full attention to what you actually wrote.