The Fiction Writer's Workshop
sponsored by The Deepening, ISSN 1559-7733,
& taught by the founder of zentao7 novel writers critique group

Fiction Writing Lessons with zentao
for novelists & short story writers
brought to you by The Deepening and taught by the 1997 founder of zentao7 novel writers workshop (z7)

LATEST WRITING LESSON RELEASES

Accomplished Fiction Writing Building Blocks of Fiction Yield Author Tools NEW Change and Growth in Characters: Is It Mandatory? A Critique is a Review by a Knowledgeable, Limited Audience Dealing with Problem Novel Manuscripts Don't Contrive The End Begets the Beginning which Begets the Story Itself NEW The Epic Series, How to Plan and Write One, part 1 The Epic Series, How to Plan and Write One, part 2 Don't Listen to Dummies Facing the Reality: You are a Writer Fast Novel Manuscript Preparation When You're in a Panic The Fiction Writer's Life Finding Plot, Theme, and Story Through Character Finding Your True Voice and Style Having Lost the Thread of Your Story, Finding Your Story Again How to Write a Two-Page Novel Synopsis A Novelist's Program for Success Out of Chaos, a Novel is Born A Short Story Writer's Program for Success Stop with the Rules NEW Story Catalyst Verses Book Beginning NEW To Get Published, Compel Your Reader What is a Chapter? What is a four space skip, and what is the difference between the four space skip and a section break in a fiction manuscript? What is Showing in Fiction? Suggestion, Inference, Evidence. Writing Real Write What You Know

Stupid Question on Pronunciation... 8 40 What the heck is a theme, anyway? 8 52 Amazon's Newest Money-Maker 4 41 Ancillary 4 20 [ Poll ] Art vs Craft 13 78 Writing novels, a waste of time 6 42 Composting & Research 4 29 Fiction Wiritng Lessons: A Critique is a Review [ Goto page: 1, 2 ] 23 126 Magazines not putting out what readers want [ Goto page: 1, 2 ] 25 126 [ Poll ] Do you subscribe to fiction magazines? 12 83 lesson--Writing Real 4 32 Stinkers 8 48 To use a pseudonym, that is the question 8 45 Writing short stories--a waste of time... 6 34 Said bookisms--styles, opinions 12 56 So called rules... 9 36

Learn fiction writing from a master of the craft, the editor, teacher, and published author who in 1997 founded the z7 novel writer's workshop. Lessons on fiction writing include subjects applicable to all fiction writing, as well as lessons specifically taylored to novel writing or to short story writing. Each week more lessons, essays, and articles are added, so check back often. You can also sign up for our newsletter so you can be notified when new lessons and articles become available.

Please respect our copyright and neither share, copy, nor distribute the information and articles you access on this site.

Lessons presently available include articles in the following categories:

• General Fiction Writing Lessons,
• Novelist's Lessons,
• Short Story Writer's Lessons,

ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS:

“How many lessons will be added a week?”

At least one to three new general fiction writing, novel writing, and/or short story writing lessons will be added a week.

“What lessons are planned to be released next?”

We never know what zen- will write about. His new lessons are as much a mystery to us as they are to you. The list of upcoming lessons provided below shows you a few of the articles and lessons on fiction writing, both for novelists and short story writers, that we've already pulled from the archives and are awaiting editing, approval, or permissions.

“Can members submit works for editors to critique?”

Zen- tells us that you can submit specific questions about fiction writing, and he will allow short excerpts of your work to be presented that illustrate your specific question concerning technique. For more comprehensive critiques from an editor, see the critique option at the bottom of the page.

“How long will the introductory membership price of $49.95 per year instead of $60 per year be available?”

We don't know. Perhaps till Spring.

“Where's the login?”

Click the big logo image of the gold pen at the top of any public page.

“How many lessons will be free?”

We'll continue to add free writing lessons, but have not determined number or frequency.

To keep abreast of new lesson releases, both free and for members only, you can sign up for our opt-in newsletter.

FICTION WRITING LESSONS

• Accomplished Fiction Writing
• Change and Growth in Characters: Is It Mandatory?
• A Critique is a Review by a Knowledgeable, Limited Audience
• Don't Contrive
• Don't Listen to Dummies
• Facing the Reality: You are a Writer
• The Fiction Writer's Life
• Finding Plot, Theme, and Story Through Character
• Finding Your True Voice and Style
• To Get Published, Compel Your Reader
• Stop with the Rules NEW
• What is a four space skip, and what is the difference between the four space skip and a section break in a fiction manuscript?
• What is Showing in Fiction? Suggestion, Inference, Evidence.
• Writing Real
• Write What You Know

UPCOMING FICTION WRITING LESSONS

• Substantial Basis Means Credibility Coupled with Logic & Cohesion
• POV, What Is It and How to Pick the Right One for Your Book or Story
• Believe in Your Own Dream
• Passion, the Critical Ingredient
• Fiction Has To Be Truer Than Life
• If You Insist on Contriving, Do It Right
• Is it a Book or a Short Story: How to Know
• Critical Transitions
• Passive and Active
• Theme, Plot, Story
• Character and Setting
• Successful Use of Omniscient POV
• Head-Hopping How-To
• Multiple POV's
• Multiple Plots
• Simultaneous Story
• Interlocking Elements
• CYOA Books
• Complications, What They Are and How to Build & Use Them
• Using Symbolism
• Like-a-Like-a-Like-a-NOT
• Shorter than a Novel, Longer Than a Short
• Writing it Your Way

NOVELIST'S WRITING LESSONS

• Building Blocks of Fiction Yield Author Tools NEW
• Dealing with Problem Novel Manuscripts
• The End Begets the Beginning which Begets the Story Itself NEW
• The Epic Series, How to Plan and Write One, part 1
• The Epic Series, How to Plan and Write One, part 2
• Fast Novel Manuscript Preparation When You're in a Panic
• Having Lost the Thread of Your Story, Finding Your Story Again
• How to Write a Two-Page Novel Synopsis
• A Novelist's Program for Success
• Out of Chaos, a Novel is Born
• Story Catalyst Verses Book Beginning NEW
• What is a Chapter?

UPCOMING NOVELIST'S WRITING LESSONS

• Plot Mapping
• Basic Novel Plot Mapping
• Plotting the Novel: Creating the Detailed Plot Map
• Scene Maps & Synopses
• Outline It
• The Prologue
• The Epilogue
• Epic Series & How to Plan and Write One
• Writing the Epic Series, Part 3
• Writing the Epic Series, Part 4
• Writing the Epic Series, Part 5
• Writing a Series, How to Set It Up Right From the Start
• How to Write an Episodic Novel
• Every Book's a Series Starter
• How to Write a Blurb
• The Scene-by-Scene Synopsis
• The Chapter-by-Chapter Synopsis or Book Outline
• Writing The Novel
• The Draft
• The Rewrite, Second Draft, and Edit
• When You Get Stuck
• Finalling Your Manuscript
• Getting Feedback on Your Novel and What To Do With It

SHORT STORY WRITER'S LESSONS

• A Short Story Writer's Program for Success

UPCOMING SHORT STORY LESSONS

• Born of Inspiration, Fueled by Energy
• Taking a Scene from a Book and Selling It as a Short Story
• Every Story Has a Book Inside It
• How to Write an Episodic Anthology of Short Stories
• Getting Feedback on Your Short Story and What To Do With It

AVAILABLE NOW BECAUSE WE KEEP GETTING EMAIL REQUESTS FOR THE SERVICE:

The Fiction Writer's Workshop presents
Editors Critique You
sponsored by The Deepening, ISSN 1559-7733,

It's been decided. The introductory special ends February 28th, 2007

Benefits of Joining

• access all the fiction writing lessons, not just the FREE ones
  (updated weekly)
  
  
• pose questions to two different fiction editors

For your convenience, the workshop also provides you with your own protected archive, critique environments that preserve first rights by the most stict interpretations of the rule, and a writer's community where you may safely interact with other fiction writers and published authors.

Join Now & Save

Right now, for a limited time, we offer a special introductory membership fee of only $49.95 per year, regularly $60. Save over 16% on your subscription for life by signing up now to get that introductory price “grandfathered in,” — locked in for as long as you remain a subscriber.

OR

Get access by the month for only $4.99 for as long as you continue your subscription, regularly $6.99.

Who is this guy?

You've probably submitted a story to him.

You may have had a story accepted or rejected by him.

Now you can learn from him right here, right now, just like the members of his private, professional writers and authors group, z7...only you don't have to know somebody to get in or pass a test. Here, any fiction writer is free to learn at his or her own pace.

Who is he? He's a master of the craft, a teacher, an editor, a published author, and the founder of z7, an online professional fiction authors workshop that's been a presence on the World Wide Web since 1997.

"If we were to take a writer's course through say...Writer's Online, or Writers' Digest, I know for a fact that the cheapest reputable one you can get is over $350. And that's just the fundamentals! Also, those courses usually leave you needing to take the next one, and they don't offer even a quarter of what we get here.... You have created for us a course that's indefinite."

Tami S.

...Without this fantastic group...I would be lost.

Clyde A.

I have learned and expanded myself more than I ever believed I could,.... I couldn't have believed I was good enough if 'someone' hadn't told me I was good and wanted to HELP me be better. zen is the one who took a chance on me... .

Linda S.

I've already had more support and help than I got from any of the crits from xx.org. I also feel that my critiques are taken more seriously, which is important to me because I spend a lot of time on the critiques. I'm learning far more here than I did at xx.org, because people are more likely to explain things here.

BJ M.

"The quality of the writing and critiquing in Z7 has spoiled me and made me demand more of myself and others. I love and respect this group, and feel my time spent here is of immense value."

Ty P.

FICTION WRITER'S RESOURCES

FWW editors critique you

AAR Literary Agents

Preditors & Editors

Ms. Snark

SlushPile.net

The Editorial Department ($2/pg) & will fix your mss

20 Worst Agencies

ONLINE FICTION

The Atlantic Monthly

The Deepening

The New Yorker