While James is not wrong, what about when the fiction itself is dull?
Today, I pulled out a piece I wrote several months ago. It's just the first draft of one scene, but it isn't nearly as brilliant as I remember it being. I'm sure this happens to every writer. After all, how often have we felt like the picture to the left?
The trouble is: it's a first draft and I still need to flesh it out. Too many writers give up because they don't want to work, or they feel like they can't do the work, or worse yet - the work isn't worth the effort.
If you've ever felt like you didn't know where to go with your story, try one of the below aids to help you flesh out your story. After all, you must have plenty of life in a story before you can remove those dull bits.
Planning - http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-steps-to-creating-a-flexible-outline-for-any-story
Hook - http://writeitsideways.com/6-ways-to-hook-your-readers-from-the-very-first-line/
Characterization - http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html
Dialogue - http://creativewritingguild.com/tips-tricks/9-tricks-for-writing-organic-dialogue/
Page-Turner - http://marcykennedy.com/2013/02/four-tips-to-keep-readers-turning-pages/
Middle - http://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/sagging-middle.html
Ending - http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-structure-a-killer-novel-ending
What helps you flesh out your story and then remove the dull bits? Any favorite quotes on the subject?
