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Writing Craft

The Six Stages of Your Hero’s Character Arc

August 2, 2018

The Six Stages of Your Hero’s Character Arc

August 2, 2018

By C.S. Lakin As a writer, you’re probably familiar with the term “character arc,” but what does a character arc entail? How do you structure this arc? And what informs…

Writers, Taking a Break This Summer? Here’s How To Be Productive, Too

July 31, 2018

Writers, Taking a Break This Summer? Here’s How To Be Productive, Too

July 31, 2018

Ah, summer. Freshly mowed grass, sunshine, grilling kabobs on the barbecue, a pitcher of mojitos…does it get any better than this? Some of you have likely decided to take time…

Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Massage Therapist

July 28, 2018

Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Massage Therapist

July 28, 2018

Jobs are as important for our characters as they are for real people. A character’s career might be their dream job or one they’ve chosen due to necessity. In your…

Need to Add Depth to a Character? Consider A Quirk

July 26, 2018

Need to Add Depth to a Character? Consider A Quirk

July 26, 2018

We talk a lot here at the blog about strong, unforgettable characters. Which ones do I most vividly remember? What makes them so unforgettable? One of the common denominators is…

Tools for the Visual-Spatial Writer (and the Rest of Us)

July 24, 2018

Tools for the Visual-Spatial Writer (and the Rest of Us)

July 24, 2018

One of the most important things I learned as a teacher was that children learn differently, and the best approach for reaching them all included a variety of methods. I…

Occupation Thesaurus: Landscape Designer

July 21, 2018

Occupation Thesaurus: Landscape Designer

July 21, 2018

Jobs are as important for our characters as they are for real people. A character’s career might be their dream job or one they’ve chosen due to necessity. In your…

Character Vulnerability: There Will Be Blood

July 17, 2018

Character Vulnerability: There Will Be Blood

July 17, 2018

This is something I say to almost every writer: Make no mistake, there WILL be blood! No, I’m not referring to the movie. Or even to literal blood. But to…

Occupation Thesaurus: Bouncer

July 14, 2018

Occupation Thesaurus: Bouncer

July 14, 2018

Jobs are as important for our characters as they are for real people. A character’s career might be their dream job or one they’ve chosen due to necessity. In your…

Spy Novels: How to Nail The Character of an Espionage Hero

July 12, 2018

Spy Novels: How to Nail The Character of an Espionage Hero

July 12, 2018

Great treat for you today–Piper Bayard (of Bayard & Holmes) is digging into what an espionage character should look like. And she should know, because her co-author, Jay Holmes…well, read…

How Do You Lead Readers to Your Theme?

July 10, 2018

How Do You Lead Readers to Your Theme?

July 10, 2018

Theme & Symbolism Database A good book, once finished, often leaves you with that feeling of something more. I like to think of it as the book’s essence. It kind…