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As we work on a novel-in-progress, we can lose sight of the stakes our character faces in order to achieve a goal. Writing Tip for Today: What are some ways to increase a novel’s stakes? Why it Matters Your character’s motivation for pursuing a goal (and your logic for writing it in story form) depends […]
As we get back to our projects, novelists always face the same dilemma: How much should my character “lose” in the story? Writing Tip for Today: Let’s examine some ways that making your character lose is a winning strategy. Your Alter Ego Many of us give our characters the qualities we ourselves have or wish […]
Today I’m looking back–my husband and I would have been married for forty-seven years. But time marches forward. For a lot of writers, the new year brings on vows to reenergize and recommit to the writing life. Writing Tip for Today: Writing is a little like acting—you step away for ten minutes and the fans […]
Effective scene writing weaves nearly a dozen elements together to tell the story: everything from a purpose, lots of sensory details and most importantly a character at a specific time and place. Even when the place setting is spelled out at the opening, readers will need reminders to keep imagining the scene. Writing Tip for […]
I’ve posted about how to manage your writing schedule during holidays. Today, let’s talk about writing ABOUT the holidays. Writing Tip for Today: What are some tips for writing about different holidays? Christmas in July If you write for any periodicals, you may already know that lead times are usually six months or more. This […]
To all my wonderful writers and followers: Yesterday, December ninth, 2024, my husband Brad of nearly 47 years passed away of a massive stroke. He was a courageous Marine to the end. Today, I’m repeating an oldie but goodie for all who write stories, long or short. Fiction is a little like knitting: most people […]
As we jump feet first into the holiday season, the many tasks and traditions often interrupt our writing commitments. Writing Tip for Today: Here are tips to help you keep writing during the busy holiday season. BIC Still Works If you’ve set yourself a writing schedule, the holidays can disrupt your good intentions. […]
As we approach the conclusion of NaNoWriMo 2024, those who’ve stuck with their goal are likely nearing the end of their stories. Writing Tip for Today: Here are a few tips for novel endings: Your All-is-lost Moment As you get to the last scenes of Act II in the classic story structure, you’ll want your […]
A few years ago, I began teaching my fiction students to write scenes in a cinematic way—that is, to visualize each scene as if it’s a movie. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss cinematic scene writing and scene visualization. Who’s on First? One common mistake that writers make is not visualizing their scenes. Or they […]
We know that stories are about conflict and tension and how characters resolve or overcome it to achieve a goal. How you write those scenes matters. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s look at how to build scenes that grow tension up to the climax scene. Start Passionately In your opening scenes, the Main Character must […]