Nicholas Sparks: 10 Secrets to Writing a Great Novel … or Movie - Beliefnet

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Be emotional

"One of the things I do when I write a story like The Lucky One is: I try to move the reader through all the emotions of life," says novelist Nicholas Sparks, author of more than a dozen bestselling books -- many which have been turned into blockbuster movies such as "The Lucky One," "A Walk to Remember," "Message in a Bottle" and "The Notebook."

"In my books," he writes, "there’s always a love story and there’s anger, betrayal, jealousy and a struggle. You’ve got to have all of these and, of course, sadness. If you lack one of these, the story feels incomplete – like a fairytale."

Here are nine more tips that he offers to fellow writers:

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