The Writer's Software Companion covers the
following  topics
in-depth:
- Abstract vs. concrete prose and
description
- Adjectives and adverbs
- Arranging scene order
- Avoiding digressions
- Avoiding padded prose
- Basing fictional characters on
real people
- Building setting
- Building suspense
- Characters' attitudes
- Characters' dreams
- Characters' feelings
- Characters' thoughts
- Choosing a structure for your novel
- Choosing an effective point of
view
- Choosing the best writing class
- Choosing the right tense
- Controlling authorial distance
- Creating tension through contrast
- Creating unsympathetic characters
- Creating villains
- Creating vivid characters
- Deepening description
- Editing your prose
- Everything you need on point of
view
- Finding the right job for your
character
- Finding the time to write
- Fixing broken dialogue
- Generating story ideas
- Getting and keeping the right tone
- Getting story logic right
- Handling melodrama
- Handling sex, violence, and strong
language
- How to keep an editor reading
- Improving when not actually writing
- Jump-starting your fiction
- Line-editing your manuscript
- Making characters change
- Making your story work
- Meaning and depth
- Middles: getting unstuck
- Motifs: using extended symbols
- Motivating characters
- Moving your story toward a sale
- Naming characters
- Naming your story
- Picking up the pace
- Plotting
- Point of view: number and consistency
- Preparing for the ending
- Revising your work
- Showing vs. telling
- Strong opening scenes
- Ten commandments for writers
- The dramatic question
- The right ending for your story
- Turning dull exposition into lively
action
- Using brand names
- Using dialogue well
- Using flashbacks
- Using imitation
- Using setting to devise plot
- What is a 'good' story?
- When to break the rules
- Working with critics and critiques
- Working with theme
- Workshops and writers' groups
- Writing credible prose
- Writing detail
- Writing 'Everyman'
- Writing good sentences
- Writing heightened prose
- Writing in complete scenes
- Writing smooth transitions
- Writing that second scene
- Writing with economy
- Writing with style
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