Posts by Sean Glatch
Fiction vs. Nonfiction: What is the Difference Between Fiction and Nonfiction?
Works of prose are typically divided into one of two categories: fiction vs. nonfiction. A work of fiction might resemble the real world, but it certainly did not happen in real life. Nonfiction, on the other hand, should not contain any fiction, as the writer’s credibility comes from the truthfulness of the story. Any writer…
Read MoreHow to Write a Pantoum Poem
The pantoum poem is a poem of any length, sectioned in quatrains, and it has experienced a recent surge in popularity from contemporary poets. Like other forms, such as the villanelle or the ghazal, pantoum poems rely on the strategic repetition of lines whose meanings change throughout the piece. The pantoum poem originated in 15th…
Read MoreWhat is Purple Prose? The Case Against Overly Ornate Writing
Ah, purple prose: that ornate room of language: that jeweled scabbard with which the writer unsheaths their mightiest thoughts, decorated and aglitter in the light of passing eyes; so wrought with its own exigence, it twists the reader’s mind, so labyrinthine. If you didn’t understand that paragraph, I didn’t either. It’s not good writing, but…
Read MoreCreative Writing Feedback: How to Workshop Creative Writing
Writing workshops are a wonderful way to grow and expand your writing skills—provided you know how to workshop creative writing. There are different writing workshop models, both online and in person, each with their own particular ways of benefiting your writing journey. What are those models, and how do you engage in proper critique writing?…
Read MoreWriting Styles: What is Style in Writing?
Writing styles may be hard to define, but something separates Hemingway from Steinbeck, Atwood from LeGuin, or Keats from Wordsworth. Though two given writers might dwell on similar themes, every writer expresses a unique writing style, conveyed through elements like word choice, narrative structure, and the author’s own voice. But what is style in writing?…
Read MoreSestina Poetry: How to Write a Sestina Poem
The sestina poem is a centuries old poetry form with a strict format that requires the precise repetition of end words. It is a challenging form to write, as the form demands poets to adhere to a precise mathematical structure while still advancing complex ideas in language. Poets who want to challenge themselves will find…
Read MoreHow to Start Writing Fiction: The Six Core Elements of Fiction Writing
Whether you’ve been struck with a moment of inspiration or you’ve carried a story inside you for years, you’re here because you want to start writing fiction. From developing flesh-and-bone characters to worlds as real as our own, good fiction is hard to write, and getting the first words onto the blank page can be…
Read MoreThe 35 Best Gifts for Writers in Your Life
Professional authors chime in on gift ideas for writers—both during the holidays and any time of year. If you’re looking for the best gifts for writers in your life, look no further. There are lots of great gifts for creative writers—you just need to get in a writer’s head. With the help of some lovely…
Read MoreWhat is Speculative Fiction? Definition and Writing Tips
What is speculative fiction? Take a look at objective reality. Now, change something about that reality—put it on Mars, in the year 3,000, add some magical mayhem, etc. Speculative fiction is all about extraordinary circumstances, where characters have to navigate conflicts that don’t exist in our reality. Many types of genre fiction fall under the…
Read MoreCharacter Development Definition: A Look at 40 Character Traits
For any work of fiction to resemble real life, it has to portray real character development with a convincing character arc. Additionally, those characters need to have believable character traits, which evolve as the character grows. Stories are about people—even if your main character is a cat, a tree, or some other nonhuman entity. Great…
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