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In any effective story writing emotional moments are what carry readers forward. Writing Tip for Today: Here are some tips for writing high emotion scenes: Foreshadow Readers can’t feel the emotions of the character if they don’t understand the motives and background. When you write that high emotion scene, be sure that you’ve laid the […]
We who keep writing even when it’s still not profitable run a gauntlet of writing rules. Those writing rules reign like grouchy royalty over our every endeavor. But can you break the rules and still succeed? Writing Tip for Today: Let’s take a look at rules that can be occasionally broken without penalty: Which Rule? […]
For the last few posts we’ve been discussing characters, their emotions and how they play into the overall story as well as the reader’s reactions. A reader today asks, “But how can I write those emotions?” Writing Tip for Today: Talking about the underpinnings of story is good, but as you write your scenes, you’ll […]
My writing students are, on the whole, obedient sorts who implement my suggestions. They hear the standard show, don’t tell, avoid passive language, don’t head-hop and a lot of other “rules.” Many writers insist that rules are made to be broken. So what about those pesky “LY” words? Writing Tip for Today: Is it ever […]
The revision process, new writers tell me, is confusing, long and really really difficult. Think of it this way: when you rewrite, you’re in essence taking that lump of clay (in this case, a finished draft) and shaping it into the story it needs to be. Yet many writers have trouble with this part of […]
Rules. They’re everywhere in writing. As you attempt to refine your craft, it’s easy to feel flummoxed by the rules and the writers who enforce them.Writing Tip for Today: Don’t use ly words, always use action beats instead of attributions, don’t describe a POV character observing something–just observe it. These and other writing “rules” can feel […]
A writer friend once told me that at a writing conference where Ray Bradbury was the keynoter, the legendary sci-fi writer told the “newbies” that he never revised. Furthermore, if these new writers had to alter even a word of their draft they weren’t meant for writing and should pick another field. Backstage, my friend […]
What’s a modifier? An adjective or adverb. Your fourth grade teacher tried to get you to use them, lots of them, to make your writing “descriptive.” Trouble is, descriptive writing like that usually winds up cluttered with a bunch of words that don’t “buy” the author much. especially adverbs, which are not our friends. Instead […]