All strong narratives need well-developed and interesting characters.

Explore the captivating world of fantasy book reviews, writing tips, and Bookstagram advice on our blog. Join L.T. Ellis on a journey through enchanted realms, where imagination knows no bounds. Discover hidden gems, sharpen your writing skills, and create stunning bookish content with L.T. Ellis Blog Posts.

Ah yes, torturing readers, your favourite hobby!

Creative Writing Worksheet – Decision Making (PDF) Your characters’ decisions will determine the course of your story. Will they make the right choice or the wrong one? And who can tell the difference? Use this worksheet to test which decisions will weave a better tale. You can find a ZIP of all of the writing worksheets…

Sometimes dialogue sounds stiff, clunky, or unnatural. Try these tricks to make your dialogue sound more natural and less written.

Slow burn romances are stories in which the romance...burns slowly. Instead of instant kissing and love ballads, it's often more of a will-they-won't-they situation.

I asked my audience which things would make them quit a novel.

The setting of a story performs the vital task of transporting the reader into the story. Download this worksheet (PDF) Story Settings The questions in this 2-page story setting worksheet can help you hone in on the details of your character’s environment. Does the scene take place indoors or out? Is the space light or…

I’m very good at coming up with story “sparks” – too good, in fact – but I always find it a trial to develop those ideas into fully-fledged stories. One technique I use is to create mind-maps. I thought I would share my genre mind maps in case they can help you in your hour…

As much as I love royals, witches, rebels and assassins, there are other jobs out there for your fantasy heroes!

I know you guys like making your readers cry, so I thought I'd enable this pattern.

A magic system is a set of rules, however strict or loose, that govern magic in a fictional world.

A few tricks to stop your character from getting annoying.

Sometimes they’re useful, but some dialogue tags are distracting or jarring. This post is a (hopefully) fun list of my least favourite.

Celestial symbolism in writing refers to the use of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars as symbols to convey deeper meanings in a literary work. Celestial symbolism has been used in literature for centuries. It can add depth and meaning to your work by conveying abstract ideas and emotions through concrete images. Symbolism helps to create a mood or atmosphere, and to reinforce themes and motifs throughout a text. The same symbol can represent a variety of things in literature depending on the context and the author's intent, which is why some examples may have more than one association.

Creative Writing Worksheet – Idea Engine (PDF) Here is a worksheet that will have you generating story ideas a dozen at a time! Fill the engine up with words and watch it work its genius. But write quickly, without second-guessing yourself! More writing worksheets to try… Things I Love About Stories Things I Love About…

Download This Worksheet (PDF) Plot Twist Worksheet Nothing makes me want to race through a story more than an idea for a great plot twist! The best twists reframe the entire narrative and leave you spluttering in disbelief; Fight Club, Ender’s Game, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Birds Fall Down, and Murder on the Orient Express…

To give your characters some texture and make them feel more realistic, consider balancing their virtues with a sprinkle of toxicity.

Not everyone has had an easy start in life or a smooth time. Some people are survivors of abuse from family members, relationships, or people at school or work, so it's important to know how to create a character who's suffered abuse so they can also be realistic. Discover how to create characters who have suffered abuse in this post! Stand Corrected Editing offers professional book editing services in the UK to aspiring authors worldwide. Book Proofreading Services | Copy Editing Services

Feeling-o-meter: A visual feeling thermometer for children to properly identify and describe their feelings of anger, frustration and disappointment.

Your students will have so much fun writing with these Roll-a-Story boards. Their creativity will be flowing after discovering which super fun character, problem and setting their story will be about. This resource is perfect in helping students write creative and interesting stories while taking the ‘stress’ out of thinking of what to write about. To use the boards, students simply choose a board and roll a die three times to discover which character, problem and setting their story will be based on. There are 9 different boards, which means there are almost 2000 different story possibilities! Includes both a USA and AUS/UK version. A version is also included where the problem and setting begins with a lowercase letter. You may also like: Roll an Activity - Literacy Centers ♥♥♥ Follow me to be the first to hear about FREEBIES and updates ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ Earn TPT Credits when you leave feedback ♥♥♥ I welcome and appreciate any feedback, comments or suggestions. You may also contact me on [email protected]

There's a lot to learn from JK Rowling's writing philosophy—and a lot to leave behind. Try these 9 principles in your writing, and let go of anything that doesn't help you.

What is POV? What are objective versus involved narrators? Learn how to use points of view well in your story with this complete guide.

Writing Worksheet – Rites & Rituals (PDF) I’ve talked of my love of Joseph Campbell before, and I would be remiss if I didn’t at least quote him at this apposite juncture: No tribal rite has yet been recorded which attempts to keep winter from descending; on the contrary: the rites all prepare the community…

Creative Writing Worksheet – History (PDF) I have another worldbuilding worksheet for you! This one has two pages; the first will prompt you to detail all of the major turning points in your world’s history, and the second will question you closely about how your peoples record, study and interpret history. The nice thing about history is…

As much as I love royals, witches, rebels and assassins, there are other jobs out there for your fantasy heroes!

Writing a romance subplot in your novel can quickly make things cringey. Love stories in storytelling require real characters that feel authentic. Let's look to Han and Leia from Star Wars to see how a fictional relationship can feel real.

TweetPin3EmailShare Writing genius characters might seem like a daunting task, and it isn’t one to be taken lightly. If you can’t realistically convey the character’s genius, then your readers might... Read more »

Creative Writing Worksheet – Fighting (PDF) Conflict is great for the plot in general, but nothing’s better than a good fight scene to increase tension and provide the perfect opportunity for a try/fail cycle. This worksheet will help you brainstorm some ideas for your fight scene, whether it’s verbal, physical or something in between. >…

Writing Worksheet – Creating Mood (PDF) I think of mood as being the expression of a setting’s personality. Depending on the narration style, mood will often be created through a character’s experiences with the setting, but it can also remain unmediated. Some of the moodiest creations have deep layers of emotion and richly-detailed and slightly sinister backdrops; Gormenghast and House of Leaves…

Writer Worksheet – Writing Mastermind (PDF) If you could get all of your favourite authors (living or dead) around a table and ask them for advice, what would they tell you? Let’s find out! :)

Writers Write is your one-stop writing resource and in this post, we share the hero's journey for Star Wars and The Princess Diaries.

Writing Worksheet – Geography (PDF) This 4-page worksheet will be most useful to science-fiction and fantasy writers, but even if you’re writing within the confines of “our” world, it’s worth giving geography some thought. Most of history and politics is influenced by people’s need to gather and guard the natural resources that they collect from the earth,…

Know how to write a book. This is a comprehensive guide for all beginners to become writers and authors, either through traditional or self-publishing.

Looking for a fun and engaging way to inspire your students' creativity and imagination? Our one-page creative writing worksheet is just what you need! This worksheet is designed to be used with a toy die, making it a playful and interactive activity that will capture your students' attention and help them get excited about writing. The worksheet is divided into three main sections: Character, Setting, and Problem. Under the Character section, you'll find a range of pictures and phrases that your students can use to inspire the creation of a unique and interesting character. From a bold and daring superhero to a shy and introverted artist, the possibilities are endless! The Setting section includes a variety of pictures and phrases that will help your students bring their story to life by creating a vivid and engaging setting. Whether they choose to set their story in a futuristic metropolis or a quaint and charming countryside town, the options are endless! Finally, the Problem section provides a range of pictures and phrases that will inspire your students to create a compelling and engaging problem for their story. From a daring rescue mission to a difficult moral dilemma, your students will have the freedom to choose the type of problem that suits their unique creative vision. With this worksheet, your students will be able to use a toy die to randomly select one option from each section, and use those options to create a unique and engaging story. This activity is perfect for students who struggle with writer's block, or who are looking for a fun and creative way to explore their writing skills. So why wait? Download our one-page creative writing worksheet today and give your students the tools they need to unlock their creative potential and unleash their imaginations! This is a printable pdf, you will not receive a physical product in the post, but a file you can download either in your Etsy purchases or through an email you will receive from Etsy. You download this on a mobile phone.

Sometimes it’s difficult to decide where to begin telling a story, and “begin at the beginning” isn’t always the best advice. Click here to download this writing worksheet (PDF) The beginning of your story need not take place in your opening scene! The opening scene can be used to… Capture the reader’s attention with an…

Creative Writing Worksheet – Quick Character Creator (PDF) The fact is, you can fill in every 100-item questionnaire about character creation in exhaustive detail and still end up with a character who is unsuitable for the story you’re trying to tell, who isn’t interesting, and who doesn’t feel real. Here’s what Aaron Sorkin (creator of…

Creative Writer Worksheet: Private Symbols (PDF) Lately (probably spurred by my study of the Rider-Waite Tarot), I’ve been fascinated by the idea of developing my own private catalogue of symbols. Combining private connotations (memories, experiences, studies), with public denotations (definitions, myths, shared fictions) and exploring all those storeys of meaning in my writing. Of course,…

In this blog post, read about my best teaching strategies to teach writing narrative endings. Grab all the freebies to help you teach.

Creative Writing Worksheet – Scene Writing (PDF) Here is a worksheet I needed to write for myself this week! Often when you create an outline, you know what needs to happen when, but not necessarily how the action should unfold, or in what way you should relate it. This worksheet will help you brainstorm some…

There’s nothing quite like a really memorable villain to add drama to a story! Who can forget Count Fosco, or Moriarty, or Sauron? Use this worksheet to craft the perfect villain. Click Here to Download This Worksheet (PDF) If you’d like a more well-rounded villain, you might consider plotting their character arc. You can also…