Category: writing

4 Building blocks for world-building

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…

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Why every writer needs a hobby

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…

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Writing a Book Blurb

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…

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What writers learn from reading

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…

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Writing a Clean Copy

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.

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Writing mistakes authors make and how to fix them.

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…

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Top 10 Checklist for your Story

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…

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Anticipation…

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…

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