James Scott Bell famous quotes

04-17-2025

In fact, one could argue that the skill of the fiction writer boils down to the ability to exploit intensity.
-- James Scott Bell

#Skills #Fiction #Facts
The thing I do at the beginning is a "voice journal," a free form doc that is the character speaking to me. I just work on it until I start to hear different from my own, or the other characters.
-- James Scott Bell

#Character #Voice #Different
Think of it as the Doorway of No Return. The feeling must be that your lead character, once she passes through, cannot go home again until the major problem of the plot is solved.
-- James Scott Bell

#Home #Character #Thinking
There's a perilous word fiction writers need to watch out for. The word is 'had.'
-- James Scott Bell

#Watches #Needs #Fiction
Every hour you spend writing is an hour you don't spend worrying about your writing.
-- James Scott Bell

#Writing #Worry #Hours
Structure is translation software for your imagination.
-- James Scott Bell

#Imagination #Structure #Software
The most important rule: Do not, I repeat, do not censor yourself in any way. Leave your editorial mind out of the loop. Just let the ideas come pouring out in any way, shape, or form they want to. Do not judge anything.
-- James Scott Bell

#Ideas #Judging #Mind
Characters who are absolutely sure about what they do, who plunge ahead without fear, are not that interesting. We donâ€™t go through life that way. In reality, we have doubts just like everyone else. Bringing your Leadâ€™s doubts to the surface in your plot pulls the reader deeper into the story, and this is an excellent way to coax the reader to lose himself in the story world youâ€™re about to create.
-- James Scott Bell

#Character #Reality #Interesting
A writing teacher once told me that the most successful movies and books were simple plots about complex characters. You should be able to articulate your concept in a couple of lines.
-- James Scott Bell

#Teacher #Couple #Book
Many writers struggle with exposition in their novels. Often they heap it on in large chunks of straight narrative. Back story â€“ what happens before the novel opens â€“ is especially troublesome. How can we give the essentials and avoid a mere information drop? Use dialogue. First, create a tension-filled scene, usually between two characters. Get them arguing, confronting each other. Then you can have the information appear in the natural course of things.
-- James Scott Bell

#Struggle #Character #Two
The semi-colon is a burp, a hiccup. It's a drunk staggering out of the saloon at 2 a.m., grabbing your lapels on the way and asking you to listen to one more story.
-- James Scott Bell

#Drunk #Asking #Stories
Write like you're in love. Edit like you're in charge.
-- James Scott Bell

#Writing #Like You
Superb historical romance, with a spiritual theme woven seamlessly throughout. I much enjoyed The Covered Deep and look forward to more from its author!
-- James Scott Bell

#Spiritual #Romance #Historical

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