The first thing that comes to mind, when someone says 'world-building', is science fiction and fantasy. A galaxy far, far away or Hogwarts School of Magic. But world-building starts more basic than that, and applies to all genres. The main character. Your main character, your hero, your protagonist anchors your…
Every genre of writing has its own rules and requirements. Here's what you need to write a best-selling thriller: Start with a common fear or desire. Something the audience can easily and quickly identify with. Thrillers are about isolation and paranoia. A clue is dropped in every scene. The thing…
April 16, 2023 I paint and take pictures when I'm not writing. Stephen King does jigsaw puzzles, plays guitar, and bowls. I used to bowl, but I threw too many gutter balls. Although it was fun. If you did some research, you could probably find at least a couple solid…
For me, this was the hardest part of writing. Copy writing. I've taken courses, read books, and done everything I could to learn to write a better blurb. Here's what I've learned: The purpose of the blurb is to deepen interest and desire in the book. It's a tagline, something…
You can find a hundred articles telling you what to read to improve your craft of writing. I certainly have my favorite books that helped me through the process of becoming a professional author. But that's not what I'm talking about now. Stephen King said, "If you want to be…
Legend has it, if you stand at the crossroads of your life, embrace the Desert Rose and ask for enlightenment, you will be shown your true path and the gifts waiting there for you.
Success and happiness are only a wish away.
But beware, wishes often require sacrifice.
What do newbie, unseasoned writers do that give away their inexperience? They overwrite. They use too many adjectives and adverbs. Their writing is inconsistent. They don't put the time they need into characterization and plotting. Things feel confusing. They depend too much on editors. While an editor can polish and…
Be aware of the length of #books in your #genre. Different genres have different expectations. #Pacing. A #suspense #thriller will have shorter scenes and sentences to speed up the pace. But a literary novel will slow it down. #Dialogue. Make it authentic. Use the character's voice, not yours. #Openings. Open…
5 Tools of #Anticipation We all know that Alfred #Hitchcock was the master of #suspense. He once said, "There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it." Anticipation provides a forward momentum for your story. The main elements of a good plot are curiosity (what will happen), tension (whether it will happen or not), hope (looking…
The new year is right around the corner. Are you ready? Do you have goals for the next 12 months? I'm not a big fan of resolutions, but there are times when we need to edit, make changes, update and evaluate our writing. What can you do in the next…