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The Blue Garret
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How to use sensory details to ground introspection
writing Kristen Tate 2/20/23 writing Kristen Tate 2/20/23

How to use sensory details to ground introspection

Learn how to use sensory details to bring important introspective moments alive for your readers and help them identify with your point-of-view character.

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How can a single point-of-view novel include multiple voices?
novel study Kristen Tate 5/28/22 novel study Kristen Tate 5/28/22

How can a single point-of-view novel include multiple voices?

See how Casey McQuiston uses fictionalized primary materials to bring additional voices into I Kissed Shara Wheeler.

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How do you get maximum value from setting and description?
novel study Kristen Tate 3/26/22 novel study Kristen Tate 3/26/22

How do you get maximum value from setting and description?

Examples from Tana French's The Searcher show how to give your descriptions additional meaning and resonance.

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Could your secondary characters be stars?
writing Kristen Tate 9/19/21 writing Kristen Tate 9/19/21

Could your secondary characters be stars?

How to make sure your secondary characters are pulling their weight in your story.

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How to choose names for your characters
writing Kristen Tate 7/30/21 writing Kristen Tate 7/30/21

How to choose names for your characters

Practical tips from authors about how to create names for your fictional characters.

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Savage humor: Persuasion chapter 3
novel study Kristen Tate 4/19/20 novel study Kristen Tate 4/19/20

Savage humor: Persuasion chapter 3

Learn how Austen uses narrative layers to subtly savage the characters she wants readers to hate.

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How to introduce characters: Persuasion chapter 1
novel study Kristen Tate 4/5/20 novel study Kristen Tate 4/5/20

How to introduce characters: Persuasion chapter 1

Learn how Austen introduces her characters in chapter 1 of Persuasion.

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What is your character’s pathological maneuver?
writing Kristen Tate 3/8/20 writing Kristen Tate 3/8/20

What is your character’s pathological maneuver?

How characters work in the machinery of the novel.

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How to link characters and plot
writing Kristen Tate 3/1/20 writing Kristen Tate 3/1/20

How to link characters and plot

How and why your characters and plot should work together to create a book that readers can’t put down.

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Why characters are key
writing Kristen Tate 2/16/20 writing Kristen Tate 2/16/20

Why characters are key

Why crafting believable, engaging characters is central to writing a successful novel.

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Write Away, by Elizabeth George
book review Kristen Tate 9/15/19 book review Kristen Tate 9/15/19

Write Away, by Elizabeth George

Elizabeth George’s method for crafting characters, plots, and scenes.

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Write Your Novel From The Middle, by James Scott Bell
book review Kristen Tate 7/21/19 book review Kristen Tate 7/21/19

Write Your Novel From The Middle, by James Scott Bell

James Scott Bell’s advice on how you can use three key plot moments to structure your novel.

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Revising Your Novel, by Janice Hardy
book review Kristen Tate 6/2/19 book review Kristen Tate 6/2/19

Revising Your Novel, by Janice Hardy

Janice Hardy’s advice on revision, characters, and more.

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Damn Fine Story, by Chuck Wendig
book review Kristen Tate 4/21/19 book review Kristen Tate 4/21/19

Damn Fine Story, by Chuck Wendig

Chuck Wendig’s theory of storytelling

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Aspects of the Novel, by EM Forster
book review Kristen Tate 2/3/19 book review Kristen Tate 2/3/19

Aspects of the Novel, by EM Forster

What can this classic study of the novel teach twenty-first century writers?

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Wired for Story, by Lisa Cron
book review Kristen Tate 1/27/19 book review Kristen Tate 1/27/19

Wired for Story, by Lisa Cron

Lisa Cron’s Wired for Story might be the book I recommend most to clients – find out why.

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