Writing Emotionally Powerful Scenes
It is in the individual scenes where I believe that a story’s magic is made. In my opinion, scenes are the building blocks of a story. If you think of individual scenes as Lego blocks, stack the scenes together and you get something unique.…
Creating Compelling Villains and Antagonists
Crafting a strong and well-rounded antagonist is just as important as creating a great main character. Some would argue, me included, that it is even more important as it creates several key ingredients for a compelling story. So, why is it…
My Stages of Writing and Editing
What are the different stages of writing and editing that my manuscripts go through before they're finally published? That’s a great question. I discussed in a podcast titled, First Drafts, many of the processes I use when writing a first…
Creating Character Names
How to come up with character names?
I discussed in a podcast titled, How to Start Writing, how I come up with names for my characters. Sometimes it takes time to come up with the right name and the right physique to match the character I…
How to Ground Readers in a Story
How do you “ground” readers into your story and pull them in?
I use three different but successful methods. The first method is the all important "hook". Through the course of the opening sentence, paragraph, or scene of your book, a…
Put Yourself into the Head of Your Character
As I discussed in a podcast titled, Book Bible, I write a detailed character profile for each of my cast members in what’s called a book Bible. When I need to write in the POV of a specific character or maybe reference how they may respond…
The Most Interesting Research
In today's post, I'll be discussing the most interesting information found during the research phase of a book.
When I was writing The Bone Maiden, I knew very little about the Crescent City. Although I had actually been to New Orleans twice…
Become Your Character as You Write
In today's post, I'll be discussing how to put yourself into the head of your character to write stronger characters.
As I discussed in a podcast titled, Book Bible, I write a detailed character profile for each of my cast members in what’s…
How to Draw Readers Into Your Story
The big question for today is how do you “ground” readers into your story and pull them in?
How I ground readers into my story and pull them in are through with three different but successful methods. The first method is the all important…
Top 10 Writing Obstacles
Here is my Top 10 Most Common Writing Obstacles Every Writer Faces...
Time
Finding the right time to write can be challenging. As I illustrated in my podcast titled, How to Start Writing, I discuss ways around this obstacle. Because I have…