BUILDING A BELIEVABLE CHAIN OF EVENTS ( CONT ’ D )
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Does this scene move from cause to effect ? If not , why not ? Can I tweak the story to show the natural flow of events rather than stop after they ’ ve happened to explain why they did ? Does context dictate that I reverse the order to effect to cause ? Rendering the story this way will force readers to ask , “ Why ?” Do I want them to do so at this moment in the book ? Would lack of clarity about the character ’ s intention help readers engage with the story at this point ? If it won ’ t , how can I recast it ? What will I do to ensure that each ball rolls naturally away from the one that just hit it , both in action sequences and in dialogue ?
If you enjoyed this post , I highly recommend Steven James ’ book Troubleshooting Your Novel .
STEVEN JAMES is a national bestselling novelist whose award-winning , pulse-pounding thrillers continue to gain wide critical acclaim and a growing fan base .
Suspense Magazine , who named Steven ’ s book THE BISHOP their Book of the Year , says that he “ sets the new standard in suspense writing .” Publishers Weekly calls him a “ master storyteller at the peak of his game .” And RT Book Reviews promises , “ the nail-biting suspense will rivet you .”
Steven ’ s groundbreaking book on the art of fiction writing , STORY TRUMPS STRUCTURE , won a Storytelling World award . Widely-recognized for his story crafting expertise , he has twice served as a Master CraftFest instructor at ThrillerFest , North America ’ s premier training event for suspense writers .
WRITERS ’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016