Tag: novel writing

How to Create a Great Prologue and Epilogue for Your Story

How to Create a Great Prologue and Epilogue for Your Story

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In addition to the many narrative techniques and characters we have discussed in bibisco blog, there is one fundamental aspect of any narrative. Create a great prologue and epilogue. What is the difference between these two? There are specific characteristics they should have. Let us look at the details of the prologue and epilogue together.

Create great prologue and epilogue: differences between them

Before speaking about how to create a great prologue and epilogue, we have to clarify what they really are. First of all, the prologue is the antecedent, it is the introduction to the narrative. In fiction, the prologue may have the function of introducing the action or anticipating it. It can also act as an initial explanation or even, in some cases, anticipate the ending of the story.

The epilogue, on the contrary, is the ending of a novel. This is also the moment when the reader leaves the imaginary world created by the writer and returns to the real world.

Create great prologue and epilogue: characteristics and roles

Many authors recommend writing the prologue at the end of the writing process when you have a clear idea of the novel. Others, however, believe that the prologue should be written earlier because it helps the author in writing the story.
In any case, it is good to remember that the prologue must add something to the narrative. It must not be superfluous or repeat elements that are already contained in the narrative. As we have anticipated, its purpose is to interest the reader and anticipate the narrative.

Concerning epilogues, to write good endings, you can recall images, details, and symbols that you have previously included in the story so that the prologue, development, and epilogue compose a solid and homogeneous structure. An author can, as Tarantino did in Pulp Fiction, end by linking back to the opening scene.

Why create a great prologue and epilogue for your story

The prologue, when present, has specific purposes. It must immediately interest the reader and anticipate the story.
It is, therefore, a very useful element, especially when the story is very complex, has many facets, or if the author uses a complex narrative technique such as one that requires the use of several time plans, or many characters.

The epilogue, on the other hand, which corresponds to the ending of the narrative, should surprise the reader. It must aim to leave the reader satisfied, and melancholic at the departure of the story and the characters. It must be unexpected, but in the end, the only possible ending.

Some examples of the prologue

There are in fact, two types of prologue: one that is part of the story and one that is external to the narrative and has an autonomous function.

An example of a prologue used very often, also in the world of cinema, is the flashforward. This consists of anticipating an important event that occurs later in the story. Usually, after inserting this type of prologue, the story should begin with the words ‘tot. hours before’ or ‘tot. years before’.

Another very frequent example is the ‘zero point‘ of the story. That is the explanation of the triggering event. Usually, this prologue involves secondary characters or characters who do not play a significant role in the story.
After inserting this prologue, the story begins with the words ‘tot. hours/years later’.

Some examples of the epilogue

There are different types of epilogues. On one side, the closed epilogue answers all the questions that were posed in the plot, and every character finds its square. Everything is explained by a cause. On the other side, the open epilogue leaves certain doubts in the mind of the reader, who will be forced to guess based on the events and clues in the plot. It is suitable if a sequel to the story is planned.

The author can use other two types of epilogue. The circular one takes the reader back to the starting point. It ends the novel with the same concept, image, or words used at the beginning. Finally, there is the In media res epilogue.

This is increasingly adopted today. The novel ends when the story is not yet finished, for instance, with a gesture, a description, or a dialogue. There is the feeling of a suspended, ambiguous ending, which is meant to give the impression that the story is much longer (it starts earlier and ends later) and we are only spectators of a segment.

The key to the ending of any story lies in giving the audience what they want, but not in the way they expect.

William Goldman

Use bibisco to create a great prologue and epilogue for your story

The prologue and the epilogue have two particular roles, as we have explained. However, they are not easy elements to write and create from scratch because they can lead to confusion, in the case of the epilogue, or fall into the infodump (overabundance of information) in the case of the prologue. Take advantage of bibisco‘s story planning software to write your narration, prologue, and epilogue.

bibisco allows you to keep track of any element, note, and characteristic. You won’t leave anything to chance, and you won’t risk repeating information. You will then have fantastic help!

bibisco's chapters' section - How to Create a Great Prologue and Epilogue
bibisco’s chapters’ section
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Conclusions

How to create a great prologue and epilogue for your story? The prologue and the epilogue are two fundamental elements of narration. But it is not as easy to write them, as it may seem. They have specific characteristics and roles in narration, and they have to be written with attention to be a great prologue and epilogue.

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling

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Have you ever noticed that Disney-Pixar cartoons also have a narrative pattern, just like the narratives we have discussed in previous articles? Indeed, there is a recurring pattern. Rules compose the way Pixar tells the story to its viewers. This is our Dramaturgy series with Pixar’s 22 rules of storytelling.

What are Pixar’s 22 rules of storytelling?

Pixar’s 22 rules of storytelling can be a useful outline to follow in constructing your own narrative.

Storytelling, or the science of storytelling, is a methodology that uses narrative as a means created by the mind to frame events in reality and explains them according to a logic of meaning.

It differs from simple storytelling, however, because it starts with the purpose of achieving a communication goal. It is not limited to a simple chronology of events (chronicle), but its goal is to lead users to empathize, feeling the story as their own. In doing so, the message pierces all barriers because it becomes the viewer’s personal narrative.

Beginning with the first film produced by Disney and Pixar in 1995, Toy Story, the elements of storytelling that Pixar has often followed can be grouped into a list of 22 rules.

Pixar’s rules of storytelling

  1. The viewer admires a character for trying more than success: a character who makes attempts and fails, showing that they are able to improve themself and turn the situation around, is an honest and sincere character to whom one becomes attached.
  2. You have to think with the viewer’s head and create a narrative that entertains the audience, not just the writer of the story.
  3. Starting with a theme is essential, but the most important and interesting part of the story develops only at the end of the narrative. Once you get to the ending, reread the story and rewrite it.
  4. There are structures that are repeated in Pixar storytelling. Expressions that are also part of the world of fairy tales such as “Once upon a time there was…”, “One day…”, “Because of that…”, and “Until finally…”.
  5. Less is more. Simplify the characters, make them interact with each other, and avoid any kind of digression that is unnecessary. A story with few elements is much better than one with too many details, which is confusing.
  6. Think about the character you created and what they are good at. Don’t make them feel in their comfort zone. Otherwise, they won’t have a chance to make mistakes and make the audience fall in love. Put your character to the test.
  7. Don’t get caught up in the narrative, not knowing what the ending of the story will be. That is the most important part, the part that will have a moral and that will stick with the audience. The advice is to think about the narrative and already the ending, then to write aiming for the ending you have in mind.
  8. Perfection is difficult to achieve and is often not the goal of good storytelling. There are imperfect narratives, however, that are beautiful and remain in memories.
  9. Writer’s block happens to everyone and is something that can stop a narrative. In this case, make a list of things that would not happen in your storytelling. Often inspiration comes from just something you would have never initially considered.
  10. Read a lot and take inspiration from many stories. Make what you like your own and think about how to bring it back into your narrative.
  11. Think of as many ideas as you can think of and write them down. Seeing your inspirations in black and white will help you not to forget them and incorporate them more easily into the storytelling.
  12. As we have said, little is always better. Once the narrative is written, start eliminating one thing, then a second, a third, and so on, until you arrive at a basic but essential narrative.
  13. The audience likes characters who have their own opinion and character. Indifferent and impassive characters, on the other hand, bore and appeal to no one.
  14. For what reason are you telling this story? What is the reason you started writing it and want to make it public? Express it.
  15. Think about your characters. How would you behave if you were in their place? Put a little bit of you into the narrative.
  16. As mentioned, the audience likes to see the attempts rather than the successes of the characters. However, it is necessary to make it clear what is at stake, and the purpose of the attempts; otherwise, the viewer may feel lost.
  17. If you get stuck at a standstill, don’t push it. Move on; think of something else. It may be that what you wrote down that stuck you initially will come in handy later.
  18. Writing a story is a test of oneself. Often hidden sides of a writer come out that one did not know. Sometimes they don’t even fit into the story and don’t make it perfect. Don’t think that, in this case, your narrative needs to be rewritten–storytelling tests a writer and allows him or her to get to know themselves more deeply.
  19. Write about coincidences that test your characters. These are the elements that make a narrative interesting. Those, however, that get them out of trouble are much less interesting.
  20. In item 11, we suggested writing down the ideas. Similarly, try to think of a movie you did not like and write down why. Take these elements you didn’t like, fix them and make them interesting in your storytelling.
  21. After thinking about your character and whether you would behave the same way, also try to explain why. Provide explanations for your characters’ behaviors.
  22. By now, you must have realized that the more essential a story is, the better. However, try to convey what is the heart of the narrative and its essence. The elements that surround it are outlined.

If the conflict in your story merely allows your character to show their skills, or to stretch them, you’re only halfway there. Try cranking up the discomfort, forcing your characters to dispense with whatever baggage is hindering them, and build themselves anew, to deal with the threats you’ve created.

Dean Movshovitz- Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar’s Greatest Films

bibisco and the rules of storytelling

Using bibisco’s novel writing software can provide several benefits for writers who want to apply Pixar’s 22 rules of storytelling. Here are a few ways in which bibisco can help:

  1. Organization: keeping track of the 22 rules of storytelling and the basic elements of storytelling can be overwhelming. However, bibisco’s software provides a structured framework for writers to organize their ideas and notes in a way that makes sense.
  2. Planning: bibisco’s software includes tools for outlining and planning a story. This can help writers to apply Pixar’s storytelling rules in a deliberate and strategic way, ensuring that each element of the story contributes to the overall narrative.
  3. Character Development: Pixar’s rules emphasize the importance of well-developed characters. Bibisco’s software includes features for creating detailed character profiles, allowing writers to flesh out their characters and ensure that they are consistent throughout the story.
  4. Revision: one of Pixar’s storytelling rules is to “simplify and focus.” Bibisco’s software can help writers to identify areas where their story may be too complex or unfocused, allowing them to revise and refine their work.
Pixar's 22 rules of storytelling- bibisco's chapters section - bibisco blog | useful resources by your novel writing software
bibisco’s chapters section

Overall, using bibisco’s novel writing software can be a valuable tool for writers who want to apply Pixar’s 22 rules of storytelling. By providing a structured framework for organization, planning, character development, and revision, bibisco can help writers to create more compelling and effective stories.

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Conclusions

Each narrative is different and should not reproduce the same elements as the previous one. These rules, however, are a great starting point from which to begin building storytelling that captures the audience and allows you to create characters that the viewer will fall in love with.

When the Characters Become People and Doing Things We Don’t Expect

When the Characters Become People and Doing Things We Don’t Expect

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When we read a story and start getting to know the characters, we think we know how they will behave. We also believe what their thoughts are.
What happens, however, when the characters start behaving like people and doing things we don’t expect?
What are the consequences on the reader of this “twist” regarding the characters’ behavior? Let’s find out together.

When characters become people (and do things you don’t expect)?

And then, there are the “rounded” characters. This concept was also taken up by the British writer E.M.Forster. His essay “Aspects of the Novel” also discussed this particular characteristic.
These types of characters are multifaceted and complex.

Sometimes they are contradictory and unpredictable (positively or negatively), and they amaze the reader with their moves.

They are usually the main characters in a story because they occupy the scene longer, and the author can enrich them with details and nuances.

Why do characters have to become people?

Indeed, characters, especially the main ones, should never be monolithic and should not always remain the same from beginning to end.

If it is a short text, such as a short story, usually the main character is represented with precise characteristics that are confirmed until the end of the story, but in more extended writing, such as a novel, it is essential that they evolve: the vicissitudes they go through cannot leave them indifferent.

A successful character grows throughout the story and, on this journey, takes the reader with them.

The unexpected character change is a magical element that causes amazement and acts as a catalyst for the reader.

In this way, a new element is created that leads the reader to continue reading to find out how many more surprises the characters in the narrative have in store for us or even simply to understand who that character really is.

How should you act when a character does something unexpected?

Simply get out of the way. You should let go of the imagination and let the character express themself freely.
A writer cannot completely control a character. Nor can they make them always act correctly and impeccably or according to their own ideals.

We may divide characters into flat and rounded.

E.M.Forster

Create your unexpected character thanks to bibisco

Think you can get help creating your characters. It would be nice to have a tool that helps you keep track of your characters and their characteristics and allows you to have at your fingertips the essential elements that you can use to create that twist as characters begin to become people and do unexpected things.
But wait–this tool is there! bibisco, thanks to its innovative writing software, can help you with this challenging task.
Try it. You will feel you have a valuable ally while writing your novel.

When the Characters Start Behaving Like People and Doing Things We Don't Expect - bibisco character's Timeline - bibisco blog | useful resources by your novel writing software
bibisco character’s timeline
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Conclusions

In certain situations, the narrative leads a character to behave unexpectedly. Let them do that; let their imagination run wild. That is the beauty of storytelling and an element of surprise that will play in your favor with the reader.

Are You Struggling Because You Don’t Know How To Turn Your Idea Into A Novel?

Are You Struggling Because You Don’t Know How To Turn Your Idea Into A Novel?

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So you’re a writer and have an idea for a story. But now you’re struggling because you don’t know how to turn it into a novel. Do you know this sense of frustration?

It’s perfectly normal. When a writer has an idea for a novel but doesn’t know where to start, they may feel confused and uncertain. They may have a general idea of what they want to write about, but they may not know how to turn that idea into a full-fledged story. They may also struggle with developing their characters, creating a believable plot, and building a coherent world for their story to take place in.

Writer’s block

This uncertainty can be overwhelming and lead to writer’s block and a lack of motivation. You, as a writer, may feel like you don’t have the skills or knowledge to turn your idea into a finished product. They may also feel like they are stuck in a rut and don’t know how to move forward.

In addition to these feelings, you may also experience a sense of fear and doubt. You may be afraid that your idea is not good enough or that you will not be able to execute it correctly. You may also doubt your abilities as a writer and wonder if you are truly capable of writing a novel.

Writing a book is a long, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.

George Orwell

Turn your idea into a finished novel with the right tools and good writing habit

It’s important to note that this feeling of confusion, uncertainty, fear and doubt is normal, and it happens to many writers, even the most successful ones. But with the right tools, such as bibisco, and a good writing habit, you can overcome these obstacles and turn your idea into a finished novel.

bibisco is a powerful and user-friendly software that is designed to help writers of all levels create and organize their novels. With bibisco, you can easily create characters, locations, and scenes, and then organize them in a way that makes sense for your story.

You can also use the software to create an outline, so you can see the structure of your novel before you begin writing. This can be especially helpful for those who have a great idea for a story but are unsure of how to turn it into a full-fledged novel.

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Character development

One of the best features of bibisco is its ability to help you with character development. It is a game-changer when it comes to creating believable characters with meaningful relationships. It allows us to develop our characters in a way that readers can connect with, giving them a unique and interesting set of attributes.

With bibisco, you’ll have easy access to all the information you need about each character – from physical features to motivations and goals. Using this feature is incredibly helpful when it comes to writing dialogue and building relationships between characters.

bibisco character's sheet - Are You Struggling Because You Don't Know How To Turn Your Idea Into A Novel?
bibisco character’s sheet

When you know your characters well, it’s easier to come up with lines reflecting their personalities and motivations, making your story more immersive and believable. And by knowing each character’s background, you’ll be able to create meaningful connections and tension between them.

No matter what kind of story you’re trying to tell, character development is key, and bibisco makes it incredibly easy to do. With this powerful tool in your arsenal, you can easily create compelling characters with depth and meaning.

World-building

Another great feature of bibisco is its ability to help you with world-building. bibisco enables you to create vivid and detailed descriptions of the locations in your story, and it also allows you to attach photos for further visualization.

This feature can be incredibly helpful when writing fantasy or science fiction stories, as it helps bring the world you have created to life. It provides an extra level of depth and realism to the narrative that readers will appreciate. With Bibisco, you can ensure that your readers are immersed in the world you have crafted for them.

bibisco location's image - Are You Struggling Because You Don't Know How To Turn Your Idea Into A Novel?
bibisco location’s image

Furthermore, the ability to track locations is an incredibly useful feature of bibisco. You can keep track of where your characters have been, as well as where they’re going next. It’s a great way to stay organized while creating a complex and vibrant story world. With this feature, you don’t need to worry about forgetting any details or missing any important plot points. You can just focus on crafting an engaging narrative with all the pieces in place!

World-building is essential to writing a gripping and believable story, and bibisco makes it easier than ever.

Track your progress

Writing a novel is an incredibly rewarding experience. It requires a lot of focus, dedication, and hard work to create something that you can be proud of. With bibisco, staying focused and motivated while working on your project is easier than ever.

You can set writing goals and track your word count as you make progress. This will help you stay on schedule and measure the success of your work. Additionally, you can set deadlines for yourself so that you have an extra push if needed.

bibisco writing history stats - Are You Struggling Because You Don't Know How To Turn Your Idea Into A Novel?
bibisco writing history stats

Writing goals are incredibly important when it comes to producing a high-quality novel. With bibisco, setting and tracking those goals has never been easier. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to enjoy the process of writing instead of worrying about meeting deadlines or staying motivated.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you have an idea for a novel but don’t know where to start, bibisco novel writing software can be a great help. It will help you organize your thoughts, create detailed characters, locations, and scenes, and track your progress as you write.

With bibisco, you will be able to bring your story to life in a way that is both efficient and enjoyable. As Stephen King said, having a clear and structured plan for your novel is essential; bibisco can help you to achieve that in a user-friendly way.

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Your characters don’t always tell the truth

Your characters don’t always tell the truth

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In a narrative, we know that there are essential elements such as story, scenario, and characters. There can be main and secondary characters. But should we always trust what characters think and tell us? What are the situations in which your characters don’t always tell the truth?

Why do your characters not always tell the truth?

When a reader reads a novel, they tend to trust the protagonist and the main characters right away. They read about their feelings, emotions, thoughts, and follow their experiences and adventures, and everything seems to coincide with the truth.

But have you ever wondered if your characters should always tell the truth? Think of a character who purposely wants to hide a part of their past. Or someone who lies, not knowing they are really lying, unaware of what their reality is. Making it so that your characters, main or otherwise, can partly hide the truth can make the narrative more exciting and keep the reader glued to reading.

Why a character who does not tell the truth is interesting?

Among all types of characters, there are also kinetic and static. The former, the kinetic ones, are the characters who undergo evolution (either positively or negatively) during the story and thus undergo even radical behavioral transformation.

Static ones, on the other hand, are the characters who, while the story undergoes, no change and whose characteristics remain unchanged from beginning to end. Kinetic characters are an excellent example to use for characters who do not tell the truth.

One can think of telling the story of a character who lies because of a particular personal event that has so scarred them that they prefer to lie about the truth. Finally, tell their story, their change, and how they become a better character. That is why when characters lie, it can also be interesting from a psychological and human perspective.

The reader will appreciate the character’s growth and change for the better.

Some examples of characters that don’t always tell the truth

Think of the short story “Ten Little Indians” by Agatha Christie. Over the course of the narrative, the reader begins to realize that one of the main characters is necessarily lying and becomes increasingly curious about who among them is not telling the truth and is the culprit.

A writer’s skill when using a technique like this is in introducing the protagonists to the reader, talking in depth about who they are so that the reader can become attached to each of them. Then, the twist. Someone lies. But who? Why? About what? Lorenzo Ostuni’s book “The Cage” is another masterful example of this technique, though used in reverse.

The reader understands the situation from the very first pages. A lonely boy, locked in a cell illuminated by a dim, inconstant light, constantly turning on and off. He remembers nothing, perhaps his name; he does not know how he ended up there or who took him there.

He knows he wants to get out as soon as possible. And his wish is granted. A message warns him that there are other boys outside the cell, one of them is lying, and they have only 60 hours to escape and get to safety. Then the door opens, and the game begins.

“Don’t lies eventually lead to the truth? And don’t all my stories, true or false, tend toward the same conclusion? Don’t they all have the same meaning? So what does it matter whether they are true or false if, in both cases, they are significant of what I have been and what I am? Sometimes it is easier to see clearly into the liar than into the man who tells the truth. Truth, like light, blinds. Falsehood, on the contrary, is a beautiful twilight that enhances every object.”

Albert Camus, The Fall

bibisco helps your character not to tell the truth

We are not saying that bibisco has magical lying software that can help you figure out what kind of lies your characters are hiding. But bibisco does come with innovative writing software, which is very useful for learning how to write a narrative and keep track of your characters. Specifically, with bibisco, you can build characters, track their thoughts and thus structure a lie that will surprise the reader while reading the story.

Characters Series: Your characters don’t always tell the truth- bibisco's Timeline - bibisco blog | useful resources by your novel writing software
bibisco character sheet

Conclusions

The search for truth is something that has always intrigued anyone and makes a reader keep reading a story, all in one go. Although the reader generally tends to trust many of the characters they encounter in the course of a story, especially the main characters, they do not necessarily have to tell the truth.

On the contrary, this constitutes precisely that element of surprise that keeps the reader in suspense until the truth is discovered.

Why bibisco is the Best Choice for Novelists: an Overview of its Features and Benefits

Why bibisco is the Best Choice for Novelists: an Overview of its Features and Benefits

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Writing a novel is an arduous task, requiring time, dedication, and the right tools.

Many problems can arise during the writing of your book:

  • you have an idea, but you don’t know how to start
  • you start writing, but then you get stuck
  • your characters are two-dimensional and boring
  • you spend a lot of time trying to organize your book’s data scattered in multiple documents
  • you have difficulty setting your writing goals and tracking your progress
  • the software you are using is overly complex.

To address and solve these issues, you can count on bibisco!

bibisco is a comprehensive novel-writing software designed to help you in all stages of creating your novel: research, planning, designing, and writing.

Overview of bibisco

bibisco is an application that assists writers in the development of their books. It can help them organize their concepts, build the plot of their narrative, and make their stories come alive. With bibisco, you can write more efficiently and improve your creative process.

The distraction-free editor, comprehensive novel analysis, and world-building features make it easy to craft an intriguing story from beginning to end. With bibisco novel writing software, you can arrange your work and complete your novel! It’s the ideal instrument to support you in constructing, designing, and writing with confidence.

bibisco is not an artificial intelligence tool that will write your story. bibisco will help you generate and develop ideas, structure your novel, and edit your work easily, but it’s up to you to create the story with your work and talent.

bibisco is a desktop application compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. bibisco is available in 14 languages: Czech, Dutch, French, German, English, Italian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, and Turkish.

Why bibisco Is The Best Choice for Novelists: An Overview of Its Features and Benefits - bibisco chapters section
bibisco chapters section

Benefits of bibisco

As a powerful novel-writing software, bibisco offers many benefits to authors.

  • All that you need to write. Utilizing bibisco, you can organize chapters and scenes and arrange them with drag ‘n drop. You can manage revisions and export your novel in pdf, docx, and epub. You have at your disposal a fully-featured text editor in distraction-free mode.
  • Organize Your Ideas. The first step in the writing process is to organize your ideas. You can use bibisco to create a novel structure and define the premise, fabula, and plots. You can use mind maps to determine relations between story elements.
  • Bring your characters to life. The integrated character profile tool lets you create detailed character profiles. You can choose your character’s gender, age, place of origin, occupation, and more. Character profiles help you understand your characters more, making your story more realistic and compelling.
  • Timeline. bibisco lets you visualize your story in a timeline, so you can have an overview of how events are connected and how they fit together to form the whole story. This will help you identify any issues with pacing or conflicts within your story.
  • Novel Analysis. Analyzing the chapters’ length, the use of points of view, time, and locations in which characters appear can help you better understand the story and pinpoint any inconsistencies in character development or plot holes.
  • Track Your Progress. The goal-setting and progress-tracking tools are excellent ways to stay motivated and finish your novel. You can set your own goals and track your word count, view the completion percentage of your work, and your remaining writing time.
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Why bibisco Is The Best Choice for Novelists: An Overview of Its Features and Benefits - bibisco timeline
bibisco timeline

Character profile tools

When writing a novel, it’s important to get to know your characters as well as you can. The more you know about them, the more realistic and compelling they will be.

The character profile tool lets you create detailed profiles for each of your characters. You can choose their gender, age, place of origin, psychology, occupation, and much more in an innovative and funny way: an interview!

Utilizing bibisco, you can comprehend the multifaceted nature of your characters: their features, flaws, and inconsistencies. Moreover, a credible and compelling character arc, which is the alteration or development a character goes through during the narrative, makes a novel unforgettable.

Why bibisco Is The Best Choice for Novelists: An Overview of Its Features and Benefits - bibisco main character section
bibisco main character section

bibisco is the most user-friendly novel writing software

The production of a novel is a complicated task, so the software used for its writing does not have to be complicated.

When you choose bibisco, you get access to the tools and features a novelist needs without an overwhelming learning curve.

With bibisco, you can bring your characters to life, determine the setting, devise the storyline, set writing objectives, manage chapters, and more with its user-friendly interface.

Instead of worrying about the writing program, you can focus on mastering the structure of your novel.

Why bibisco Is The Best Choice for Novelists: An Overview of Its Features and Benefits - bibisco writing tips
bibisco writing tips

Resources and support offered by bibisco

The best way to learn about bibisco is through the official tutorial. The tutorial is divided into chapters to make it easier to go deeper into the individual topics.

Another source of information is official documentation. You can find answers to the most common questions, such as how to install and update bibisco or upgrade from the Community version to the Supporters version.

In any case, you can contact the bibisco team directly by emailing info@bibisco.com.

Why bibisco is the best choice for novelists

Have you ever considered using a novel-writing platform?

The truth is that writing a novel is not as simple as you think.

It requires great preparation and organization; sometimes, the process can seem overwhelming. But bibisco can make your life easier by providing you with all the tools you need to complete your novel. It can help you create an outline, organize your ideas, write your book, and track your progress.

Furthermore, if you’re worried about the quality of your work, help is at hand! The novel analysis features can highlight inconsistencies and potential plot holes, while the timeline tool can help you visualize your story, so you can identify any inconsistencies.

Finally, the character profile tool can help you better understand your characters, so you can make their stories come alive and make your novel unforgettable.

And remember, even if you feel like you don’t know how to start writing your novel, don’t give up! bibisco can be your writing partner throughout the entire process.

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How To Craft A Perfect Scene For Your Story

How To Craft A Perfect Scene For Your Story

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When you come up with a new story to write, what is the first element you start with? Maybe the characters, maybe the setting, and almost certainly also the story.
However, when does the moment come when you start to create the scene? Read our guide to find out how to create a perfect scene.

What is a perfect scene?

A story consists of a set of scenes. Each scene represents an element in itself, which must be conclusive in its own way. The scene, with the fabula and the plot, are among the building blocks of a narrative.
You can divide any literary production into scenes (descriptive, dialogue, introductory, and so on).

Dividing the novel into scenes can help to draw up the outline of the work and accompany the author in both the writing and revision stages.

One can also decide to write the whole story in chronological order and then move some scenes earlier or later, thus creating more movement in the narrative rhythm.

Be careful, however, not to write superfluous scenes. These not only disperse the rhythm of the narrative but also risk confusing and boring the reader.

How to create a perfect scene: suggestions

There are 8 different steps to create a perfect scene. Here is the list:

  1. Purpose
  2. Climax
  3. Conflict
  4. Change
  5. Point of view
  6. Structure
  7. Beginning and End
  8. Details

Let’s now see every single step in detail:

Purpose: Everything must hinge on the concept of action-process-decision-new action. Reflecting on this concept is what we unconsciously do in our daily lives. It is, therefore, important that each scene captures this concept, even if only with a few lines.

The purpose of the scene is then crucial because it shows what the author wants to express. If the intention is to show a part of the character of the protagonist, this is the right time to devote a space to him and think that the purpose of the scene is just that.

Climax: A scene must have a peak moment, a moment of maximum tension. We speak of climax in narration. It is the moment in which the scene reveals its true intention.

Conflict: Each scene must convey tension to the reader to capture his attention and keep him glued to the book. Writing about conflict is the key. The author can think of a conflict between two characters or an inner conflict of the protagonist. As long as one understands what is at stake.

Change: The characters change in the course of the narrative. They learn, face situations that challenge them, and change their attitudes. Another characteristic of a perfect scene is to show character change.

Point of view: A scene can be seen from the point of view of the reader, another character, the author themself, or the character experiencing the described scene. This is generally referred to as the point of view. This step is to be defined while thinking about the first step, that of the purpose of the scene.

Structure: Every single scene consists of a structure. If the author starts describing the scene from an accurate but too long description of the environment, there is a risk of losing the reader’s attention and some basic elements of the scene (such as the climax).

A good suggestion is to start from the middle of the scene or from the end, creating a reversal of events.

Beginning and End: We have said how important it is to start a scene well. Equally crucial is the conclusion. A scene must conclude and have an end so that it is not left hanging. If it ends with a special event or a punchline, even better.

Details: Now that we have sketched the scene, we need to spice it up with details. A scene without any description, without details, would be bare. So think of meaningful details that can enrich the scene.

This is the squalid, or moving, part of the story, and the scene changes. The people change, too. I’m still around, but from here on in, for reasons I’m not at liberty to disclose, I’ve disguised myself so cunningly that even the cleverest reader will fail to recognize me.

J.D. Salinger, Nine Stories

Need some help to craft a perfect scene for your story? There’s bibisco!

Have you read the list above to create a perfect scene but are afraid of getting lost in some detail? No fear! bibisco comes with this innovative writing software that helps you keep track of everything. You can enter your characters, their physical and character traits.

You can write the scenes, insert the objects of your story, decide the chronology of events.
With bibisco you will not miss a thing and you will have a valuable helper when writing your narrative.

how to craft a perfect scene for your story- bibisco's chapter' section - bibisco blog | useful resources by your novel writing software
bibisco’s chapter section

Conclusions

Scene construction is fundamental to the structure of the narrative. It is not something that can be easily invented but there are elements that must be taken into account.

In this guide you learn how to craft a perfect scene for your story.

How To Apply Time Travel Theories In Your Novel

How To Apply Time Travel Theories In Your Novel

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There are many novels about traveling through time, into the past, or projected into an imaginary future.
What, however, lies behind these theories of time travel? We explain that in this new article on our bibisco’s blog.

What are time travel theories?

Time travel theories directly link to quantum physics.
According to scientists, time travel is possible because men have created the concept of past and future, but no one has ever scientifically proved it.
In fact, if we go and check Newton‘s studies, we find nothing about this. Even in Einstein‘s Theory of Relativity, we find no laws of quantum physics that deny the possibility of time travel.

Therefore, the most recent discoveries in physics show that time travel, at least at the subatomic level, is already happening.
Think of the time anomalies that researchers periodically discover all over the world. We had already read reports of scientists discovering objects or skeletal remains of men and women millions of years old before humanity evolved on the planet.
How could objects, or people, who did not even exist at that time, have ended up there?

Time travel: why it attracts the reader?

Time travel is a theme that has inspired the imagination of many writers. Indeed, the possibility of traveling into the past and future opens up endless opportunities for the characters in a book, such as changing the course of events, becoming part of history, or exploring past and future eras to interpret them with the mindsets of another period.

Books about time travel have also entered the imagination for their ability to take readers of all ages out of the present world for a few moments, involving them in a compelling story, and then take them out again through one or more time jumps.

When you want to get away from the present moment, reading a book about time travel can be a great way to relax.

Few rules about time travel narration

Like every other narrative technique, there is always a downside.

Time travel is a strong attraction, as we have written. However, it is also challenging to set up precisely because it consists of a jump within the timeline.

You have to organize the narrative and the characters well and avoid indulging in too much time travel. The risk is to confuse the reader, not to relax him. Instead, the main aim is to make them feel so much a part of the narrative that they cannot stop reading.

Time travel narration: some examples

Writers started telling stories about time travel as early as the 1300s. They were also already writing about magical objects capable of time travel, wizards, and spells.

Many examples of books and films base their narrative on time travel.
One of the most recent and famous is “Tenet” by Christopher Nolan. Also, in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban“, time is traveled using a magical element, the time wheel, which Dumbledore gives to Hermione at the beginning of the school year.

Then let’s not forget a Christmas classic, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, where the three ghosts of the past, present, and future visit the rich protagonist Scrooge on Christmas Eve.
Finally, we cannot fail to mention the film “Back to the Future“, where the two protagonists, Marty McFly and Doc, travel through time aboard a special Delorean-DMC12.

bibisco and the time travel theories

Do you want to write a story about time travel? It is always better in these cases to have the support of good software that can help you maintain a logical thread to avoid getting lost in the narrative as you travel between the past, present, and future.
Thanks to bibisco writing software, you can create an imaginative narrative without fear of confusing your reader. You can keep everything under control with this powerful and helpful tool.

bibisco's timeline - How To Apply Time Travel Theories In Your Novel
bibisco’s timeline

Conclusions

Do you want to write a story about time travel? It is always better in these cases to have the support of good software that can help you maintain a logical thread to avoid getting lost in the narrative as you travel between the past, present, and future.
Thanks to bibisco’s innovative writing software, you can create an imaginative narrative without fear of confusing your reader. You can keep everything under control with this powerful and helpful tool.

This is Why Objects Can Play a Fundamental Role in Your Story

This is Why Objects Can Play a Fundamental Role in Your Story

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Objects in a story have fundamental importance. Sometimes they can be magical objects, other objects that resolve a situation, or objects that bring back a memory.

In general, objects can help you to develop your novel. We are talking about these objects and their role in this new post.

Why can Objects develop your novel?

Objects help the writer develop the narrative and are often essential to the story.
A storyteller can tell about magical objects, such as a wand. They can also introduce into the story a map, from which the whole narrative starts, a gun or a watch.

Many stories have started with a simple object. Think of Michael Ende‘s The Neverending Story. The book, read by Bastian, a ten-year-old boy, is the engine of the whole story.
In the “Harry Potter” saga by J.K. Rowling, the magic wand is just as important. It is the wand that allows the wizards of the Hogwarts world to do magic and the same wand is also the element that leads to the conclusion of the entire story.

Are objects ‘only’ objects?

Objects are never just objects. They are a door that opens to free our emotions. They are material things that contain the memories of a part, even a tiny part, of us and our experiences.

Objects tell stories. They can hide tales of hate and love, encounters, and experiences. Objects open up rooms of our memory. When you choose an object to tell a fragment of your personal story or character, you are already making a preliminary selection. Often you pick objects that you like to insert into the narrative.

Which objects can develop your novel?

It all depends on the type of story. If it is a story with magical elements, you can choose an object evocative of the supernatural world, such as a wand, a jewel, or a compass.

If, on the other hand, you are telling an adventure story, a map or a book is the right thing for you.
Don’t discard objects you don’t like or have never used. They also tell something about you as an author and can be helpful to know about the characters in the story and give more detail to the narrative.

bibisco helps to keep track of all the objects

The difficult part seems to be choosing the objects to be included in a narrative. On the contrary, this is the easiest. The tricky part is keeping track of all the objects inserted to give each one a role and its importance.
No object must be forgotten during the narrative. The risk is to confuse the reader or to leave something unfinished.
Thanks to bibisco and its innovative writing software, you can keep track of all the objects you include in your narrative. You will then have a clearer idea of which objects to include, how many, at what point in the story, and what role to give to that particular object.

bibisco's objects section | This is Why Objects Can Play a Fundamental Role in Your Story
bibisco’s objects section

Conclusions

Objects are material things that allow the writer to start a narrative, evoke memories, or even conclude a story thanks to the critical role of one or more objects. This is why objects can play a fundamental role in your story.
You have to pay attention to what you decide to insert and the order in which you do it, and not lose track of the objects while the narrative.

Do You Know The Difference Between Fabula And Plot?

Do You Know The Difference Between Fabula And Plot?

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Two fundamental elements of any story are the fabula and the plot.
Without these two elements, it is not possible to create a narrative. It is from here, therefore, that every writer starts to construct their narrative.

What are the Fabula and Plot?

The fabula is the narration of the events in the order of their logical-temporal sequence.

It is, therefore, clear that the fabula is a fact; it represents what happens (and things happen in chronological order, causes before effects).

An example of a fabula is the Divine Comedy. Dante‘s journey is essentially linear. Each stage is necessary to access the next scenario and set the events in the correct chronological order.

On the other side, there is the plot. The plot is when the author can establish how the individual events of the story are to take place. In other words, it is the mode we choose to narrate the facts.

The author is, therefore, free to choose which way to tell the facts.

There are different types of plot

  • resolution plot: the transformative action concludes a concrete crisis (a meeting, a marriage, …);
  • revelation plot: the characters carry out a revelation process, increasing their knowledge or consciousness.
  • unified plot: in which the plot unfolds over successive, closely connected episodes;
  • episodic plot: individual episodes present weak links to one another while carrying a single narrative corpus.

Plot and fabula: where to start?

Some writers prefer to start and define the fabula and then concentrate on the plot. This allows them first to define the events and then think about how to present them to the reader.

In other cases, on the contrary, fabula and plot do not coincide. To make stories more compelling and exciting, authors often disregard the chronological order of the fabula and construct the plot of their texts with time lags.

Two narrative techniques allow you to reverse the story’s events: analepsis and prolepsis.

  • The analepsis (or flashback or retrospection) consists of a jump back in time, whereby what happened previously is recounted.
  • The prolepsis (or flashforward or anticipation) is the opposite technique to flashback, which consists of a leap forward in time, whereby one anticipates what will happen in the future.

When the plot does not coincide with the fabula, it is up to the reader to reconstruct the chronological order of events after reading through an operation of personal abstraction. By reading the story, they will mentally put the pieces back together, restoring their logical-chronological succession.

bibisco can help you to choose the fabula and the plot

As anticipated, the fabula and the plot are among the two main elements to think about before creating a narrative.
However, the writer has the choice of whether to create a coherence of events or not.
bibisco, thanks to its innovative writing software, helps you in this difficult choice and to identify the events of the fabula so that you can present them in the plot without the risk of forgetting something or confusing the reader.

Dramaturgy Series #6: Fabula and plot- bibisco's architecture of the novel & narrative strands - bibisco blog | useful resources by your novel writing software

Conclusions

When you want to start writing a novel, you should avoid writing without an outline, not knowing the events you want to include in the narrative.

Each author has the freedom to choose the order to present the events narrated in their text: they can describe the events scrupulously following their chronological order, or they can decide to anticipate certain future events or explain past events.

In short, he can organize the succession of their narrative by playing with fabula and plot.