I’d be a pretty rotten curator of writing craft advice if I didn’t leap at the opportunity to share some writing craft wisdom that kicked my own butt. Amy Stewart’s […]
Why thinking outside the box is hurting your creativity Read More »
One of the quickest ways to make an editor, agent, or publisher not want to work with you is to send them an NDA before you’ll discuss the project. Please,
Do you need an NDA or copyright to send your manuscript to an editor? Read More »
In any discussion of story structure, the three-act model inevitably dominates the conversation. Even as plotting methods such as Save the Cat, the Hero’s Journey, and the Snowflake Method gain
The Midpoint Complication: The missing link in three-act structure Read More »
My entire household of creatives has been glued to the screen for Hulu’s The Bear for a very specific reason: its unflinching exploration of what it feels like to pursue a creative
Making art and life with “The Bear” Read More »
This week’s post at The Writes of Fiction explores a topic I’ve been exploring from a writer and book coach’s point of view for some time now: the archetypal world
Unlock character arcs with the archetypes of the tarot Read More »
It’s easy to surmise that propelling readers from one scene to the next relies upon a dramatic closing hook, the evocative or provocative impression at the very end of the
Scene endings that make readers turn pages Read More »
Most people think they know what a scene is until they try writing one. (Isn’t that the way of most things involved in writing a novel?) So many first drafts
Listen In: Scene technique at The Editing Podcast Read More »
New writers often arrive at my editorial doorstep with the same burning question: “Is my writing worth developing, or should I trash the whole project and call it quits?” I
Writer’s Doubt: Should you keep working on this manuscript? Read More »
The scene structure of goal-driven scenes is akin to the classic joke setup, “A _____ and a _____ walk into a bar …” A _____ and a _____ walk into
Scene Structure: Common Goal-Driven Scene Pitfalls Read More »
Skillful scene openings involve more than a provocative opening hook. A smooth opening ushers readers into the scene without immersion-breaking confusion or disorientation. The first technique helps you judge the
Skillful scene openings for fiction Read More »
