Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction
    You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction
    You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction
    Ebook233 pages3 hours

    You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction

    By Kelli A. Wilkins

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction

    Have you always wanted to write?

    Are you looking for an extra boost of motivation?

    Do you have a great story idea, but don’t know how to develop it?

    If you've always dreamed of writing and getting published, but have no idea where or how to start—THIS is the book for you!

    You Can Write—Really! is an easy guide designed for beginner writers who need a boost of motivation and simple instructions on how to get started.

    Award-winning author Kelli A. Wilkins takes you step-by-step through the writing process, covering the basics of plotting, editing, revising, and submitting. She explores ways to get your creativity flowing, explains where authors get ideas, and shows you how to create interesting characters for your story.

    Helpful tips and fun writing exercises throughout the book get you motivated!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKelli A. Wilkins
    Release dateFeb 8, 2016
    ISBN9781524225742
    You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction
    Author

    Kelli A. Wilkins

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels, and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories. Kelli’s Gothic historical romance, Redemption from a Dark Past was released in June 2018. Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use. Look for more romances, horror stories, and an online writing class coming later in 2018. Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor. Visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com and blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/ to learn more about all of her writings.

    Read more from Kelli A. Wilkins

    Related to You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction

    Related ebooks

    Personal & Practical Guides For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Letters

      Sep 2, 2021

      I’ve been writing novels for more than ten years but only recently decided to become a member of the Society of Authors and wish I had spent a few of the pounds it has cost blundering about getting books published on POD for my friends (and hopefully

      6 min read

    • Article

      STYLE: Dig Out Your Prose

      Apr 4, 2024

      STYLE: Dig Out Your Prose
      5 min read

    • Article

      Alex Hay

      Jul 6, 2023

      I’ve been writing nearly as long as I can remember, penning my first ‘novel’ aged six, featuring the exploits of my luminous green toy bear. The story was scrawled in an exercise book – lavishly illustrated by the author – and spawned numerous sequel

      4 min read

    • Article

      The World Of Writing

      Jun 2, 2022

      The World Of Writing
      3 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Oct 7, 2021

      In the October Writing Magazine, Piers Blofeld argues that including one’s gender identification along with one’s signature is irrelevant, a form of virtue signalling, a form of ageism, and exclusionary. As a trans-woman, I don’t have the privilege o

      5 min read

    • Article

      How To be The Best(seller)

      Feb 3, 2022

      How To be The Best(seller)
      6 min read

    • Article

      Joanna Wallace

      Sep 7, 2023

      Iremember when I was six years old, sitting on the floor at infant school, listening to the teacher tell us the most brilliant story. Full of intriguing plot twists, it was fast paced, exciting … and then the bell rang. ‘No!’ I shouted. ‘I need to kn

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Truthteller’s Toolkit

      Apr 25, 2020

      Once upon a time, a writer might contact an agent and confess their desire to publish an essay collection. And once upon a time, an agent might have resisted an urge to laugh in the writer’s face. As a form, essays had fallen out of favor, hard, and

      8 min read

    • Article

      LOUD And Clear

      Jan 7, 2021

      LOUD And Clear
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Edge Of The Beginning

      Jul 31, 2019

      You know that you’ve got the right story idea when that idea energizes you. That energy is your key to completing the marathon that is writing any full-length work. Use that energy well, and it will sustain you throughout the process. Squander it, an

      6 min read

    • Article

      The World Of Writing

      Oct 5, 2023

      The British Library is running an exhibition about fantasy literature called Realms of Imagination which starts on 27 October and runs until 25 February next year. It will feature everything from ancient texts to anime, Sir Gawain to The Sandman, fai

      4 min read

    • Article

      Shelf Life

      Apr 6, 2023

      Shelf Life
      6 min read

    • Article

      Subscribers’ News

      Apr 4, 2024

      To feature in Subscribers’ News contact: tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk My latest novel, The Creative Writing Group, chronicles the intertwined lives, loves, heartbreaks and friendships of six characters linked by their love for the written word, write

      5 min read

    • Article

      Sensory Overload: The Millions Interviews Liska Jacobs

      Jul 22, 2022

      "When you’re in the thick of writing a novel, nothing else matters." The post Sensory Overload: The Millions Interviews Liska Jacobs appeared first on The Millions.

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Brand New Chapter

      Jul 7, 2022

      A Brand New Chapter
      7 min read

    • Article

      A Brand New Chapter

      Jul 7, 2022

      A Brand New Chapter
      7 min read

    • Article

      PASSION PROJECT: How To Write A Romance

      Feb 9, 2020

      If I had a page of text for every time I’ve heard something along the lines of, “I would totally write a romance novel, if only I had a spare weekend,” I’d have a workable draft by now. It’s not that easy, of course. But like the genre itself, the li

      6 min read

    • Article

      5 Ways to Title (or Retitle) Your Novel

      Oct 10, 2022

      Maybe you’re ready to submit, but you’re still not in love with that working title typed across all your novel files. You might have even planned to change it all along, expecting the perfect title to fall in your lap one day, but those elusive words

      8 min read

    • Article

      Subscriber Spotlight

      Oct 1, 2020

      Subscriber Spotlight
      10 min read

    • Article

      Shelf Life

      Apr 4, 2024

      My current novel is Clairmont, a historical-biographical novel about Claire Clairmont, who is best known as Mary Shelley’s step-sister and some-time mistress of Byron, and the mother of his child, Allegra. I came across her when I was reviewing an ed

      5 min read

    • Article

      Sticking the Landing

      Oct 10, 2022

      Many of my students and clients spend years working on a debut novel, only to discover that to get a literary agent’s attention they need to publish something—maybe a few short stories in literary magazines. But writing a great (or even publishable)

      10 min read

    • Article

      International zine Scene

      Aug 6, 2020

      Verily is a US web journal for women. The editorial team ‘sifts through the noise of the world to elevate what is honest, real, and beautiful for the modern woman’. Columns requiring subs are Travel with a Local about the ‘hidden gems’ in your neighb

      3 min read

    • Article

      Tailoring The Classics

      May 7, 2020

      Fashion plays a big part in writing, as it does in so many walks of life. I mean literary fashion, by the way – if writing success depended on having elegant dress sense, I’d have abandoned hope long ago. The harsh reality is that if the type of stor

      6 min read

    • Article

      Truth And Consequences

      Sep 18, 2019

      Truth And Consequences
      8 min read

    • Article

      THE NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter Book Prize winners

      Apr 6, 2023

      Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered the Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize 2022. In the Chapter Book category, we had 72 entries, with all kinds of genres being represented, including fantasy, adventure, humour, spy, spooky, con

      7 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The Editor

      Oct 1, 2020

      Write to: Letters to the editor, Writing Magazine, Warners Group Publications plc, 5th Floor, 31-32 Park Row, Leeds LS1 5JD; email: letters@writersnews.co.uk. (Include your name and address when emailing letters. Ensure all letters, a maximum of 250

      5 min read

    • Article

      Postmodernism—for Kids

      Oct 23, 2014

      Postmodernism—for Kids
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      You Can Write Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction - Kelli A. Wilkins

      ABOUT KELLI A. WILKINS

      KELLI A. WILKINS is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.

      Her horror stories have appeared in several anthologies, including Moon Shadows, Wrapped in White, Mistresses of the Macabre, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, The Big Bad Anthology of Evil, The Best of the First Line, Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, Frightmares, The Four Horsemen, What If... and Haunted. She has also self-published two horror shorts: Kropsy’s Curse and Dead Til Dawn.

      Kelli’s trilogy of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was released in spring 2017.

      Loving a Wild Stranger was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.

      Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.

      In addition to her fiction, Kelli has authored four pet care guides: Cats, Quick & Easy Cat & Kitten Care, The Simple Guide to Cats, and Hermit Crabs for Dummies.

      She publishes a blog: (http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com) filled with excerpts, interviews, writing prompts, and whatever else pops into her head. She writes a monthly newsletter, Kelli's Quill, and posts on Facebook and Twitter. Kelli invites readers to visit her website, http://www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DEDICATION

      THIS BOOK WOULDN’T be possible without a little help from my friends. Special thanks go out to my writing instructors, Pat Marinelli and John Torre for their technical edits, comments, and suggestions. (I admit, I learned from the best.) Thanks to Deborah A. Bailey and Diane Goldschmidt for their editorial review and feedback. And thanks to Claudia Petrilli at Designs by Claudia (www.designbyclaudia.com) for creating my awesome cover.

      You Can Write—Really! is dedicated to everyone who has dreamt of having their story published, and to my husband, Robert, for having the patience and understanding necessary to live with a writer.

      Romances by Kelli A. Wilkins

      A DECEPTIVE MATCH*

      A Most Unusual Princess**

      A Most Intriguing Temptation**

      A Most Unfortunate Prince**

      A Secret Match*

      Beauty & the Bigfoot

      Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover

      Dangerous Indenture

      Four Days with Jack

      Killer in Wolf’s Clothing

      Lies, Love & Redemption

      Loving a Wild Stranger

      Midsummer Night’s Delights***

      Midwinter Night’s Delights***

      Trust with Hearts

      Ultimate Night’s Delights***

      The Viking’s Witch

      * A Deceptive Match and A Secret Match are related titles with shared characters. However, each novel can be read separately.

      ** These titles make up the Royal Desires series. Although connected, each book stands alone as an individual read.

      *** These novellas complete the Naughty Nobles trilogy. It is recommended that they are read in sequence.

      Kelli’s horror fiction appears in these anthologies

      THE BEST OF THE FIRST Line: The First 3 Years

      The Big Bad Anthology of Evil

      Dark Eclipse #18

      Dark Moon Digest #1

      Dark Things II: Cat Crimes

      The Four Horsemen

      Frightmares: A Fistful of Flash Fiction

      Haunted: An Anthology of the Supernatural

      Mistresses of the Macabre

      Moon Shadows

      Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #14

      What If...

      Wrapped in White

      Don’t miss Kelli’s self-published horror shorts: Kropsy’s Curse and Dead Til Dawn.

      Visit her website: www.KelliWilkins.com for additional titles as they become available.

      Table of Contents

      ABOUT KELLI A. WILKINS

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DEDICATION

      Romances by Kelli A. Wilkins

      Kelli’s horror fiction appears in these anthologies

      Introduction

      PART 1: BEFORE WE BEGIN

      Chapter 1: Meet the Muse

      The Creative Process...

      Getting in a Zone

      Writing Exercises

      Paper & Pen

      Why Write?

      What to Write?

      Chapter 2: Excuses, Excuses!

      I Want to Write, But...

      One Day, I’ll...

      Do the Work

      PART 2: THE STORY IN YOUR HEAD

      Chapter 3: Ideas

      Where Do Writers Really Get Their Ideas?

      Anytime, Anywhere

      Look Around

      What If...

      In Search of Ideas

      Let Ideas Come to You

      Chapter 4: Creating Characters

      Meet the Players...

      Know Your Characters

      Heroes and Villains

      Movements & Props

      Motivation & Reaction

      Secondary Characters

      What’s in a Name?

      Chapter 5: Point-of-View

      Me, You, and Him, Too!

      First Person POV

      Second Person POV

      Third Person POV

      Whose POV to Use?

      Chapter 6: Dialogue

      What Do You Have to Say?

      Say What?

      Talk to Me

      Chapter 7: Setting, Details & Research

      Where Are We?

      Creating a Setting

      It’s All in the Details...

      Do Your Research

      Chapter 8: Genres

      What Kind of Story Are You Writing?

      Romance

      Horror

      Mysteries

      Suspense & Thrillers

      Science Fiction & Fantasy

      PART 3: GET WRITING

      Chapter 9: Plotting

      Tell Me a Story...

      Plots

      Beginning, Middle, End

      Subplots

      Plotter, Pantser, Or Both?

      Chapter 10: Scene & Sequel

      Bring Your Story to Life...

      Scene Versus Sequel—What’s the Difference?

      Writing Scenes

      Goal, Motivation & Conflict

      Sequels

      Pacing

      Get Writing!

      Chapter 11: Editing & Revising

      Fixing Your Story...

      Start at the Beginning

      Show, Don’t Tell

      Passive Voice Versus Active Voice

      Bad Words

      Titles

      Chapter 12: Sharing with Others

      Let Your Story Be Read...

      Why You Need a Reader

      Where to Find a Reader

      Sharing With Other Writers

      After Sharing...

      PART 4: SUBMITTING & MARKETING YOUR WRITING

      Chapter 13: Submitting Your Story

      Where Do I Start?

      Markets & Guidelines

      Multiple and Simultaneous Submissions

      Cover Letters

      Payment

      Contests

      Chapter 14: Acceptance or Rejection

      The Yin and Yang...

      Acceptance

      Rejection

      Chapter 15: Marketing & Promotion

      Let Me Tell You About Myself...

      Websites

      Social Media Sites

      Blogs

      Amazon.com Author Page

      Yahoo Groups

      Conclusion

      PART 5: APPENDICES

      Sample Cover Letter

      15 Frequently Asked Questions

      Overcoming Writer’s Block

      Q&A on Horror Writing

      Creating a Rough Road to a Happily-Ever-After

      Historical Romances Are Anything But Boring!

      How Do You Write a Gay Romance?

      CATCH UP WITH KELLI

      Introduction

      WELCOME TO You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction. Before we get started, let me share a bit about myself. I’m a writer, and that means I write everything—short horror fiction, full-length romance novels, science fiction, and non-fiction. I’m often asked, How can you write in so many different genres and styles?

      It’s not really that difficult. Why? Because the basic mechanics of good storytelling are universal, no matter what genre you write. Every fiction story contains the same elements: an interesting and engaging plot, characters the reader cares about and roots for, and supporting details that draw the reader into the story.

      This book walks you through the story-creating process step-by-step: getting a great idea, meeting your characters, developing a plot, and then on to writing, revising, and submitting your work.

      Each chapter is based on my experiences as a writer, advice I’ve received over the years, and practical knowledge I’ve gained in writing classes and workshops. I’ll also answer a few questions I’m commonly asked, such as: Where do you get ideas? How do you create characters? How do I get published?

      Now that you know what the book is about, let me tell you what it isn’t about—all that stuff you learned (or were supposed to have learned) in English class. I won’t give you lessons or lectures on direct objects, past participles, or modifiers. But since you are interested in writing, I’ll presume you have a good grasp of the English language, can identify a verb, and you know how to write a sentence. From there, I’ll show you how to take your story idea and transform it into a finished product.

      Along the way, I’ve included helpful tips and fun writing exercises. These are designed to get you thinking and writing. Don’t be afraid to put down the device you’re reading this on, pick up a pen, and start writing.

      Throughout the book, I refer to whatever you are writing as your story because it is your story—and nobody else will ever tell it the way you do. And it doesn’t matter if you’re writing a short story, a novella, or a novel in any genre—the writing process is the same.

      Creative writing (whether you do it for yourself or for the goal of getting published) is a lot of fun. It’s an exciting feeling to write a story and share it with others, so if you’re ready, we’ll get started!

      PART 1: BEFORE WE BEGIN

      PART ONE IS A SHORT and sweet section designed to get you thinking about writing. (Yes, thinking!) We’ll explore the questions: What do you want to write? Why do you want to write? Why aren’t you writing?

      We’ll also take a look at how you can get into a writing zone and clear your mind to make room for the story, the characters, and the plot that will (hopefully) soon be coming your way.

      Ready? Let’s go!

      Chapter 1: Meet the Muse

      The Creative Process...

      DO YOU EVER WONDER where short stories, novels, and plays come from? Think about it for a minute. Every writer (or anyone who wants to write) starts out with a clean piece of paper in a notebook or a blank computer screen. Somehow (magically?) the writer gets words from somewhere and fills the page with exciting and fascinating stories.

      Every book (or anything, really) you’ve ever read started out from an empty space. So where did the author get the words? How did he or she make a story from nothing?

      Interviewers often ask me, Do you have a writing muse who gives you inspiration? Each time I’m asked, I envision an ethereal creature like an elf or a fairy with a wand, carrying a notebook and a pen. (I haven’t seen any of these beings around, but if magic elves want to help me edit, it would make my life easier.) I admit, no, I don’t have a muse who touches me on the shoulder with a magic wand and ZAP, I suddenly have a fantastic story and all the motivation and time in the world to write it.

      However, over the years I’ve realized there is something mysterious about the creative process. You can cultivate an atmosphere that inspires your writing—or at least gets you started.

      Getting in a Zone

      STORIES ARE CREATED from (or are harvested from) a quiet stillness. In a way, it’s almost like meditating or channeling. To get into this story creating zone you need to sit still in a comfortable place with no distractions (including people, phones, and other devices), calm your breathing, and empty your mind. Don’t think about anything in particular, like the laundry waiting to be put away, or if you fed the dog, and don’t force yourself to not think either.

      Within a few minutes, random thoughts should start coming through. Don’t try to figure them out or dismiss them as ridiculous or silly. Pay attention to them. You may think of a name for a character or see a person in your mind’s eye. Don’t worry if this sounds crazy. Clearing your mind and letting your imagination run free is a good way to prep for a writing session.

      When you do this, keep a pen and paper handy to take notes. (Or record your ideas and impressions on your phone or on a voice recorder.) Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll remember the story idea and write it down later. Trust me, these fleeting thoughts don’t stick around long. You have to capture the kernel of a story or a bit of dialogue the moment it comes through and write it down, or it will vanish into the ether again.

      After you have opened yourself to this realm you may be inspired to write a story based on an event you saw or imagined. Great! But if nothing came through, don’t worry. Keep trying. Focusing your mind takes practice if you’re used to being bombarded with distractions.

      When I sit down to write, I spend a few minutes centering myself and tuning my mind into the story by connecting with the characters. Once I’m in that world,

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1