by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
If you want to start a heated debate at your next writing group, ask if you should include a prologue in your novel. Many writers love prologues, but many readers (and therefore agents) aren’t keen on them. As with many things, there’s no right or wrong answer. Let’s take look at both sides.
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
When I was a writing student, one of my professors said, “Once you find your voice, this story will really shine.” As if, like my house keys, I’d simply misplaced my voice and would find it again somewhere I least expected it like inside the freezer or behind a...
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
If you’ve been writing for more than five minutes, you’ve heard this old saw: Show, don’t tell. There is value in this message—whether you’re writing a short story, novel or memoir. But I think the takeaway gets overpowered by the mantra....
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
How do you wrap up a 300-page novel or memoir? It can be a daunting task. In the first part of this series, we reviewed the six styles of conclusions. These apply whether you’re writing a novel, memoir or short story. No matter which option you choose, the...
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
Deciding the best way to end a story is, for me, like filing my taxes. I know I need to do it, but I put it off and put it off until I just slap something together in a mad dash at the last minute. I don’t feel good about it, and I just hope no one notices how...
by Jackie Cangro | Writing Craft
I was at a writing group recently when a fellow writer felt a few scenes in her novel were dragging. She was concerned readers would be bored. (The death knell for a novel!) The solution, she decided, was to create a bit of intrigue and drama. To do that, she is...
