Start Your Children's Writing Career Today

Do you want to write children's books for a living? Why not start now? Robyn Opie, author of 61 published children's books shows you how.

Start Your Fiction With a Bang!

Publishers rarely read more than the first couple of pages of a manuscript, sometimes less. How can you best start your fiction to impress publishers. Robyn Opie, author of 61 published books shows you how.

How To Write A Good Sales Copy

It can't be denied that there are a of lot boring, unimaginative texts on the internet. Most sales copies are uninteresting and self promoting but every now and then you come across a sales copy, pitch page or article that makes you want to sign up for the web owner’s newsletter, purchase the product, or click the link to their website. The authors behind such content know the techniques to get people to do what they want.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Antihero: Belly of the Whale

Heroes and antiheroes are pushed to the Belly of the Whale. The antihero, fresh from his success in the first threshold and the prize that comes with having completed the trivial task, forces a surprised shape shifter to introduce him to the demon king.

How To Make Money With Freelance Writing Opportunities

If you love to write and you want to earn money from home, then freelance writing is the ideal way to make money for you. The internet is a made of information, millions of people over the world use the internet looking for solutions to their problems and answers to their questions. If you can provide the solutions and the answers they want in 200 to 1000 words, then you can easily make money writing.

Names: Fictitious or Not?

In his recent article What's in a Name? (Guardian Unlimited, Nov 17, 2006 –http://books.guardian.co.uk) John Sutherland explains the legal ramifications of using real names in fiction, whether intentionally or not. In his article, Sutherland tells of several high profile writers who have been sued by the ‘real’ owners of their fictitious characters, mainly because the storyline shows them in a bad light.

Theme In Fiction: So Different From Non-fiction

Theme enriches and inspires the reader while saying something profound about the human condition. An experienced author does not pronounce what his theme is about inside his story.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Period of Reflection

Every hero undergoes a period of reflection. This is where his path (destiny, dharma) becomes clear to him. It is the (much shorter) equivalent of wandering through the desert for forty days and nights. In Spartacus (1963), Spartacus reflects on his past before coming up with the idea of building an army of gladiators. In The Godfather (1972), Michael sits on the bench and thinks before deciding to embark on the dark side.

The Antagonist in Fiction: What Makes Him So Powerful

Drawing the character of the antagonist is an important part of fiction writing. The quality of any story is directly proportional to the quality of the antagonist.

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Balance Lost

In every story, balance must be lost. Whether it is the antagonism stealing away the princess or the hero's inner challenge being expressed, there is imbalance that is initiated (and must ultimately be rectified). This is a very early, if not the first stage of the hero's journey and most often represents the Greater....

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Conscious Decision Required

Post the meeting with the supernatural aid, the hero still isn't very sure about following the call to adventure. Something is needed to push him into it and give him a little determination. A death will do it. You killed my aunt and uncle, right I'm gonna kick your head in (Star Wars, 1977).

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): First Threshold Warning

So the hero decides to follow his call to adventure and makes his first move. This is psychological or physical, but often involves physical movement from one location to another. It's a place he's afraid to go; he's told it's dangerous and once there, there is coming back going back. In Star Wars (1977), Ben tells Luke to watch out for this place (Mos Isley).

Writers Block - Writer's Resources to End Writer's Block

Remember, every writer experiences some form of writers block from time to time but you do not have to make a mountain out of a molehill. Working out an effective strategy to circumvent writers block when it strikes is one of the most important skills a real writer can develop.

Writing For The Web - When Your Web Site Is A Blog

You're a Web writer, so you need a way to display your Web skills so that people will hire you to write for them, and a blog is perfect for that. You can develop your own portfolio blog in almost no time.