A great pleasure in our fiction reading is coming across a dastardly villain, someone so bad and so well-described we will never forget him or her.  Hannibal Lecter.  Nurse Ratched.  Huckleberry Finn's father Pap.   How can writers create such a villain?  Here are techniques, in particular regarding the physical description of the villain.   Also discussed is how we can get unstuck in our plotting or writing.Support the Show.

Episode 74 - How to describe our villainous villain, and how to get unstuck.

Hosted by James Thayer, the podcast is a practical, step-by-step manual on how to craft a novel.  It presents a set of tools for large issues such as story development and scene construction (Kirkus Reviews said Thayer's novels are "superbly crafted') and it also examines techniques that will make your sentence-by-sentence writing shine. The New York Times Book Review has said Thayer's "writing is smooth and clear.  it wastes no words, and it has a rhythm only confident stylists achieve.

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For most of us our sentence-by-sentence writing should be a clear window to our story rather than a barrier to seeing the story.  Here are thoughts on the clear window.  Also, how George Orwell worked.Support the Show.

Episode 113 - The clear window technique.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of writing in the present tense?  And the past tense?   Also, a reminder about the importance of setting.  And I get on my high horse about writers needing persistence regarding submissions.Support the Show.

Episode 112 - Writing in the past or present tense, and making submissions.

It's hard to make a big meeting scene interesting.  Much of the time meeting scenes should be avoided.  But if we must have a meeting, showing rather than telling will make it more interesting.   Plus, how Carson McCullers worked.  And some comments from feuding writers.  Also, an interview with Maeve Binchy.Support the Show.

Episode 111 - If we have to have a big meeting, show rather than tell.

Good advice about designing your own book cover; don't.   If you self-publish your novel don't ruin it with a do-it-yourself book cover.   Here are thoughts on why you should hire a pro designer.  Also: why have we lost some enthusiasm for writing our novel, and how can we get it back?   And some of the loveliest sentences in literature.Support the Show.

Episode 110 - Book cover design, and regaining enthusiasm.

Some of us have a hard time beginning the writing of our novels or short stories.  Here are the reasons why and things we might do to overcome them.   Also, the best first sentences in literature.  And now novelist John Cheever worked.Support the Show.

Episode 74 - How to describe our villainous villain, and how to get unstuck.

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