Category Archives: Show Don’t Tell
Three Ways The Setting Can Steer Your Story’s Plot
The setting is a powerful force. Not only does it evoke mood, create tension and conflict, allow you to share critical backstory in a non-dumpy way, and draw readers deeper into the story through powerful sensory detail…it can also steer … Continue reading
Want Memorable Characters? Focus on the Little Things
I love building characters. In fact, “building” is apt, because for me, they come a piece at a time. A brick or two might lock into place as I wrestle with that hateful night demon, Insomnia. Another may manifest with … Continue reading
Overcoming an Emotional Wound (Character Arc Help)
Of all the pieces of backstory we should understand as authors, none are more important than our protagonist’s Emotional Wound. A powerful statement, but here’s why. Think about your own life for a moment. The experiences you had in your … Continue reading
How To Write Characters With PTSD
So excited to have Lisa Hall-Wilson here today to share some insight on how to write PTSD realistically… Hey hey! *mittened fist-bump* 😊 Thanks so much for having me! Writers are always looking for ways to add authenticity to their … Continue reading
Making Characters Stuck in the Background Pop Out
Maybe you have had some of the experiences I’ve had when writing a manuscript, one of which is finding yourself with a character–could be a side character, a secondary character, or even a viewpoint character–who seems to be sort of … Continue reading
No Shortcuts, Please: Myths and Misconceptions of Villains & Mental Health
I love the internet–I get to meet all sorts of wonderful people. Today I’m happy to welcome Sacha Black, who knows a heck of a lot about the baddie in your story…someone more important than some writers may realize. This … Continue reading
Keep It Fresh: 10 Ways To Show Your Character’s Emotions
Years ago, Becca and I grumbled about how our characters always expressed emotion the same way. My big thing? Frowning. Did my characters EVER know how to frown. They were savage at it. Becca’s characters? Smilers, all of them. SO … Continue reading
Introducing One Stop For Writers’ Worldbuilding Tool
We’ve all read amazing fiction where the world itself captivated us as much as the characters did. And let’s all admit it, when we hit the last page of the final book in the series, a little piece of our … Continue reading
The Secret of a Successful Mystery: Making the Reader a Participator
A lot of great stories have a mystery in them. The mystery may not be the primary focus; it might be the secondary, or the mystery might be so minor it lasts only a few chapters. But whatever the case, … Continue reading
How To Accurately Write About Your Character’s Pain
The best thing about this online world of ours is you never know who you are going to meet. I don’t know about you, but one of the areas I struggle with is writing a character’s pain in a way … Continue reading