Write Your Novel Step By Step (Part 11)

In writing my novel, I learnt a lot of things the hard way so I just wanted to put this series out there for would be writers to help them on their path to writing their own book.

Write Your Novel Step By Step (Part 10)

In writing my novel I learnt a lot of things the hard way so I just wanted to put this series out there for would be writers to help them on their path to writing their own book.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) Hero's Journey - Manipulation

The detective hero continues to make explicit to the female client that he is working for her and will protect her. In The Maltese Falcon (1939), Sam comforts O'Shaugnessey.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) Hero's Journey - Refusal

The detective hero refuses to give the treasure up easily. In The Maltese Falcon (1939), Sam goes to the meeting without the Falcon.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) Hero's Journey - Ultimate Boon

There is a race to retrieve the treasure, which the hero often takes possession of. There is much destruction here. In The Maltese Falcon (1939), Fat Man burns the boat down. Sam finds the burning boat and the statue delivered to his office.

Write Your Novel Step By Step (Part 7)

In writing my novel I learned a lot of things the hard way so I just wanted to put this series out there for would be writers to help them on their path to writing their own book.

The Curse Of Writing

To non-writers, writers are often seen as being gifted. To writers though, it often feels like a curse!

Fiction - Common Story Mistakes

True writing is revising and rewriting. Rewrites and revisions are for making the story stronger and accomplishing the writer's story goals.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): First Threshold

The hero crosses a metaphoric gateway, passes the minor threshold guardian and comes across a major threshold guardian who he must defeat. To do this he needs to learn some new tricks (magical spells), meets some pals and gains a clearer idea who his enemies are (allies and enemies). In Spartacus (1960), Spartacus enters into the gladiator training camp, meets allies and the roman senator, learns the gladiator arts and defeats Marcellus.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Conscious Decision Required

Post the meeting with the supernatural aid, the hero still isn't very sure about following the call to adventure. Something is needed to push him into it and give him a little determination. A death will do it. You killed my aunt and uncle, right I'm gonna kick your head in (Star Wars, 1977).

The Antagonist in Fiction: What Makes Him So Powerful

Drawing the character of the antagonist is an important part of fiction writing. The quality of any story is directly proportional to the quality of the antagonist.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Period of Magic Spells

The Fish out of Water is a benchmark phase that occurs in, amongst other places, the First Threshold. There are two stages - The before and the after. The before-stage demonstrates the hero in his (or her) devolved state. This is where the hero is out of his (or her) depth. The after-stage demonstrates evolution. In between, a period of training or changing must be undergone (metaphorically known as the Period of Magical Spells).

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Book of Law

It is upon entry into the first threshold that the hero is taught the book of law. These are the rules that the hero must live by to survive in this world. In Scarface (1983), Frank tells Tony what to do to survive as a doper long term.

Theme In Fiction: So Different From Non-fiction

Theme enriches and inspires the reader while saying something profound about the human condition. An experienced author does not pronounce what his theme is about inside his story.

Names: Fictitious or Not?

In his recent article What's in a Name? (Guardian Unlimited, Nov 17, 2006 –http://books.guardian.co.uk) John Sutherland explains the legal ramifications of using real names in fiction, whether intentionally or not. In his article, Sutherland tells of several high profile writers who have been sued by the ‘real’ owners of their fictitious characters, mainly because the storyline shows them in a bad light.