LaurelLit.com

Writer, Reader, English Teacher

writing advice

Writers! Stop Worrying About Whether Your MC is “likeable.” Follow These 5 Simple Rules Instead…

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Have you ever abandoned reading a novel because you just don’t care about the main character? You’re not alone! Most readers want a likeable protagonist, but that doesn’t mean that your MC always has to be a good person. They can do bad things and still be likeable. But, how? It’s really pretty simple, and most likely, you’ve been writing your main characters this way without realizing it.

First, …

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Five Overused Tropes Writers Should Avoid

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Recently, an author friend of mine was miffed when a line from his novel got edited out: I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Sure,” I told him. “Everywhere in social media, readers hate that line. They think it’s overused and cliche.”

Another thing that’s overused? Tropes.

Authors employ them to add interest, depth, and familiarity to a story. Except, some readers see tropes as cheating – a way to quickly provide exposition without …

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Swiftature–Top Fifty Taylor Swift Songs for Fiction Writers Ranked: 10-1!!!

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  It's finally here! What we've all been waiting for--for weeks! The release of Life of a Showgirl!! Oops--no. Sorry. That's not for another day. Which is why I HAVE TO post my top ten Taylor Swift Songs for Fiction Writers today. I created my list months ago, and it's taken me this long to post it all. Who knows how the list might change though, after Life of a Showgirl is released?! If it does, I will make updates. But for now, here are the winners...

#10 thanK you …

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Swiftature — Top 50 Taylor Swift Songs for Fiction Writers Ranked: 20 -11

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OMG -- Taylor has a new album out soon, AND she's engaged!! It's the perfect time to finally resume my series about the top 50 Taylor Swift songs for fiction writers. Honestly, I never meant to take this long, but I've been hard at work on a holiday romance I hope to release in a matter of weeks, and that came first. But my WIP is currently being looked at my developmental editors & beta readers, so here we are. Taylor did me a solid by …

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Fatal Flaws in a Rom-Com? Yes, Please!

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Ever since I was a kid in high school, studying Macbeth in my British Lit class, I’ve been enamored with the idea of a fatal flaw. All of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes have one. Macbeth is too ambitious; Romeo has a bad temper; Othello is jealous and insecure. Scholars still argue about Hamlet’s fatal flaw, but I say it’s indecisiveness. If Hamlet could just get over all his angst and decide which path to take, then most of his problems would be solved. Same is …

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