Well, it’s come to this once more: My topic list for the Being a Better Writer posts has exactly one topic left on it. Which means after next Monday, barring my brain coming up with some new topics during the week, the list will be empty!
Obviously this cannot be. Being a Better Writer is one of the core pieces of my Monday schedule, and between my two blogs, still turns out more weekly readers than anything else I’ve ever posted (except for stuff on the Hugos, but most of those didn’t stick around; they were looking for firestorms, not content). That and I clearly don’t want to stop working on it. BaBW is well on its way to being a sizable writers resource for young writers and experienced writers alike. It’s got a purpose. It’s also free (though hopefully the book release will have a nice return on it, because I don’t like living in a cardboard box).
Okay, okay, you get the point. That point, anyway, which isn’t the point of the post. No, the point of the post is this:
Readers: I desire topics! What do you want me to write about? What facets of writing would you like me to explore? What concepts and ideas are you looking to see discussed?
Post away and let’s fill up this topic list!
Unusual Things 
How do I stay motivated when writing a longer book?
When writing a plot, is it better to write it out chapter by chapter, or does that confine you?
How do you now if your idea is original or copying off of another popular book?
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Hm… some things I’d like to see your take on…
Unreliable narrator
Romance (and if you’re willing to do it, erotica)
How to choose which tense and POV is right for your story
Story/chapter length (and maybe ‘how to make your story longer without making it worse)
Planning vs. Pantsing, and how which one works best might depend on the particular story you’re writing
Naming a character and/or naming your story
Motivation and writing schedules
I’m writing in a close 3rd person POV, but keep accidentally switching into 1st person. Does that mean I should do the whole thing in 1st? That the story *wants* to be in 1st?
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Topics would like to see:
1.Making sure your main character is likable when they start out a little hard to love
2. Making a fun antagonist
3. Romance (I know someone else already said it but, I’m just trying to add more wood to the fire so to speak).
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*Topics I would like to see*
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Ideas from me for topics!
– Comedy Relief Sidekicks
– Mentor characters (like Obi-Wan from Star Wars)
– The relationship between writing fanfiction and writing original work
– Why are some authors OK with fanfics of their work while other authors go ballistic over such fanfiction? (the idea inspired by an author I actually saw go ballistic on FB when they found a single fanfic of their work)
– Figuring out which fantastic creatures your fantasy story actually needs
– Magic systems – how to create them, how to figure out what your story needs (maybe even bringing in Sanderson’s laws?)
– Tips for writing a good mystery
– How to set up a mystery story well
– Differentiating the author’s morals from the character’s morals
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What about how to write a war? Not individual battles and the chaos of combat, but the war as a whole. Shifting front lines, what each battle means to the overall picture, things like that.
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That is, on creating fictional wars, not retelling real ones.
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