LaurelLit.com

Writer, Reader, English Teacher

Writing Tips & Lessons

I'm constantly developing new lessons for my College Writing and/or my Creative Writing classes. I'll post and explain some of my favorite writing tips and lessons here.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Paved the Way for Taylor Swift

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I inhale, prepping my delivery like it’s a TED talk.  “Okay, so. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was basically Taylor Swift in the 1850s. She churned out hits. Love poems, political screeds, odes to her dog. Every single woman in England thought she spoke directly to her. Because she wrote about heartbreak and disappointment and being misunderstood by men and society, yet she still managed to make them believe in healing, marriage, and all those …

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Use the Enneagram For Awesome Character Development & Conflict

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  You’ve heard it before; the first step of writing a novel is determining your main character's wants and needs. Easy, right? Not always. Good news. If you're feeling stuck on this not-so-basic first step, there's something that can help. You can use The Enneagram to develop awesome character development and conflict. What we want and need is often determined by our personalities. For example, in The Hunger Games, both Peeta and Katniss are thrust into the same …

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What’s the Rule of Three, and How do You Use it in Your Writing?

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The number three is everywhere when it comes to fiction writing.

But what is the rule of three, and how do you use it in your writing?

No doubt, you're aware of the three-act structure. There's also the comedy rule of three, the rule of three to build suspense, the technique of grouping together three elements to emphasize a point or idea, and of course, love triangles. But what's so magical about the number three?

Three-act structure: …

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Five Rules For Writing Ghosts

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Everybody loves a good ghost story. The mystery, intrigue, and spookiness factor is sure to attract readers. Writing ghost stories is also a great opportunity for writers to let their creativity run wild.

But I believe there are five rules for writing ghosts, and I'm going to share them with you now.

Writing ghost characters can be freeing and fun, however, it can also be tricky to pull off in a way that’s both …

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Three Steps to Three Dimensional Characters

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How do you make sure that your characters–both main and supporting–are three- dimensional? It can be easier said than done, but if you follow these three steps, you’ll develop characters who are believable, relatable, and compelling. 1: Your characters need to want something. And you, the author, need to know what their motivations are. The first question you should ask yourself before you write each and every scene in …

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