Attractive Writing

J.J. Richardson

Sep 137 min read

Unmet Expectations

The idea that stories must have an exciting, action-packed beginning is false.

J.J. Richardson

Oct 15, 20225 min read

Subtlety—Speaking the Real Truth

Subtlety allows readers to think something else is going on, something hiding, something faintly suggested.

J.J. Richardson

Oct 10, 20228 min read

Description: Up-close and Personal

Beginning writers must learn that their readers can’t visualize what the author sees and feels unless the author tells them.

J.J. Richardson

Sep 27, 20226 min read

Obsession with Violence

What happens when opposing views come into conflict? That’s when trouble appears.

J.J. Richardson

Apr 4, 20226 min read

Sincerity

How can we impart knowledge, wisdom, and kindness to our relatives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, without sincerity?

J.J. Richardson

Mar 13, 20225 min read

The Ubiquitous I

A common problem beginning authors have when writing in first person is to overuse the word, “I.”

J.J. Richardson

Dec 29, 20215 min read

Ideal Pace

To keep a steady pace, you must keep an unsteady pace.

J.J. Richardson

Oct 7, 202111 min read

Top-10 Paragraphs

Why are there numerous sites devoted to Top-10 Movies, Top-10 Fiction Books, and Top-10 NFL players, but none for Top-10 Paragraphs?

J.J. Richardson

Jun 30, 20215 min read

Stop Asking Me Questions

It's your job as the author to answer questions, not the reader's.

J.J. Richardson

May 31, 20214 min read

How to Get My Characters to Act

Few articles are written about how to get fictional characters to act. This article explains how to do it.

J.J. Richardson

Jan 5, 20216 min read

How to Make Fiction Magical

A story that is not relatable is of little use to anyone no matter how clearly it is written.

J.J. Richardson

Dec 8, 20204 min read

Don't Make Me Ask Why

Critiquing other people’s manuscripts of fictional works is fun for me because I start off with a declaration saying, “My comments are my...

J.J. Richardson

Nov 21, 20202 min read

We've Talked About This

When I’m reading a story, and one character says to another, “We’ve talked about this,” my mind is thrown from the story.

J.J. Richardson

Feb 19, 20205 min read

Slippery Smooth Writing

If you accelerate or decelerate unevenly while driving a vehicle, your passengers will feel jerked around. Don’t jerk your passengers.

J.J. Richardson

Jan 18, 20207 min read

What is Good Fiction?

When your prose is effective, your readers will become someone else in a different time and place.

J.J. Richardson

Feb 6, 20194 min read

Internal Conflict

For years, critics kept telling me my stories didn’t have enough conflict. Reviewers would write, “Your characters have it too easy.”

J.J. Richardson

Sep 7, 20183 min read

Voice: Your Writing Style

Every author has what literary experts call voice. It took me years to realize that voice simply meant the author's unique writing style.

J.J. Richardson

Aug 9, 20185 min read

Readability

As you write every sentence of your story, read each one aloud and ask yourself, “Is this sentence easy to read, and is it enjoyable?”

J.J. Richardson

Jul 23, 20183 min read

Why Sidekicks Outshine Main Characters

I've noticed throughout my study of literature that sidekicks and supporting characters are more interesting than their main counterparts.

J.J. Richardson

Jul 5, 20182 min read

Wiggling the Spider Web

Pieces of your themes must be touched upon repeatedly—wiggled—so your readers will keep in their minds the central messages of your tale.

J.J. Richardson

Jun 23, 20183 min read

When Can I Break Rules of Fiction?

Before you can successfully break a grammatical or well-established rule of fiction, you must first master the rule.

J.J. Richardson

Dec 28, 20175 min read

Characterization

The subject of characterization has brought me stress for many years because everyone has a different idea of what characterization means.

J.J. Richardson

Jan 14, 20173 min read

Hiking and Writing Fiction

Hiking is like writing fiction. Once you agree with me on this point, your writing will improve. So will your hiking.

J.J. Richardson

Nov 29, 201610 min read

Avoid Clichés Like the Plague

Isn’t it true that many Hollywood movies lately are remakes, sequels, or based on fifty-year-old comic books?