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Writing Craft

Need to Get a Stubborn Character Moving? Use an Amplifier

July 16, 2024

Need to Get a Stubborn Character Moving? Use an Amplifier

July 16, 2024

If you’ve researched story structure at all, you know there are many models out there, and they’re all slightly different. The most popular forms tend to follow the three-act structure,…

Unlock Your Funny Bone: Writing Humor Is Easier Than You Think!

July 11, 2024

Unlock Your Funny Bone: Writing Humor Is Easier Than You Think!

July 11, 2024

I’ve rarely attempted to be funny in my writing. There are a couple of reasons for that. One, my stories tend to lean toward the serious side. The characters deal…

Could a Raptor Play the Protagonist Role?

July 9, 2024

Could a Raptor Play the Protagonist Role?

July 9, 2024

Raptors are some of the most successful predators on the planet. From owls, eagles, and vultures to hawks, falcons, and other birds of prey, raptors are skilled hunters with incredible…

Using Clothes to Characterize

July 4, 2024

Using Clothes to Characterize

July 4, 2024

“Fashion is a language that creates itself in clothes to interpret reality.” This quote by Karl Lagerfeld is pretty heady. I’m still chewing on it, but what I gather is…

Three Emotion Problems to Avoid in Your Story Opening

July 2, 2024

Three Emotion Problems to Avoid in Your Story Opening

July 2, 2024

As I’m sure you’ve heard roughly a gajillion times, your story’s first pages are very important. Editors and agents typically request just a portion of your story’s opening, and potential…

A Mother Lode of Resources on Emotion Amplifiers

June 27, 2024

A Mother Lode of Resources on Emotion Amplifiers

June 27, 2024

Angela and I have been busy bees the past few months, creating as much content as we could surrounding emotion amplifiers—a little-known storytelling element that’s great for elevating a character’s…

How Are Character Archetypes Different from Tropes?

June 25, 2024

How Are Character Archetypes Different from Tropes?

June 25, 2024

What exactly is a character archetype? How many are there? And how are they different from character tropes? These are the questions that were keeping me up at night as…

Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

June 20, 2024

Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

June 20, 2024

Hey, wonderfulwriterly people! It’s time for Phenomenal First Pages, our monthly critique contest. So, if you need help with the beginning of your novel, today’s the day to enter for…

Top 10 Tips On Writing A Fantasy Novel

June 18, 2024

Top 10 Tips On Writing A Fantasy Novel

June 18, 2024

What Makes Up Fantasy As A Genre? If you want to write a fantasy novel, it pays to understand what goes into this fascinating genre. Fantasy conventions can vary widely,…

The Secret to Page-Turning Scene Endings

June 13, 2024

The Secret to Page-Turning Scene Endings

June 13, 2024

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…