Writing a Manuscript
Suggestions for writers interested in all forms and genres
We assume you have stumbled upon our website for one reason: you are interested in writing. These pages address the writing processes, which vary by form and genre. A novel, a play, a software manual, and a screenplay are different; they require different approaches creatively and mechanically.
Throughout the writing process, mechanics and audience expectations are important. A great play might be a rather dull movie, while car chases are a bit difficult to produce on a stage. Novels can span decades or centuries, while a short story must quickly develop characters and tell a story. No two forms of writing are the same, and few writers are good at multiple forms.
Writing for General Audiences
The following guides address writing for general audiences, not academic or specialized audiences. Academic writing has its own standards, and those vary by discipline.
General
- Tips for Better Writing: Advice Based on Our Experiences
- Helpful Habits: Reader Like a Writer, and Write for Readers
- The Writing Process: Getting Words on the Page (or Screen) (incomplete)
- A Writer’s Lexicon: Writing Terms
The Elements of Narratives
- Form and Genre: Selecting the Right Form
- Plot and Story: Events Drive Stories
- Conflict: Compelling Conflicts
- Theme: Unifying with a Message (incomplete)
- Characters: Knowing the Players
- Point of View: Matters of Perspective
- Dialogue: How Characters Speak
- Setting: A Place, a Time (incomplete)
- Scene: Moments in Time (not started)
- Description: Show (and Tell)
Mass-Market Nonfiction Genres
- Biographies
- Autobiography and Memoir
Stage and Screen
- Scripts for Stage and Screen
- Stage
- Screenwriting
- Film Industry Jargon
- Books on Screenwriting
Business and Technical Writing
- General Business Writing
- Résumés
- Cover Letters
- Memos and E-Mail
- Technical Writing: The Five Cs and More
- Instructions
Teaching Writing
We have created additional pages for teachers of writing within the Teaching section of this website. There is also a Workshop section for writers interested in various creative writing exercises.