So last week, Tim Raveling was here to let us know the what, where, and why of writing residencies. There are definitely a lot of options, but imo, one of the best destination writing retreats to attend is one where Angela Ackerman is speaking. I know, I know. Sounds like a pipe dream. But…Ange is … [Read more...] about Why You Should Never, Ever Go On a Destination Writing Retreat
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Three More Lesser Known Archetypes
Back in January, Jonathan Vars was here to talk about some lesser-known archetypes and how utilizing them can bring a sense of freshness to our stories. Because of the positive feedback on that post, he's back with three MORE archetypes you might not be so familiar with. As I mentioned in my … [Read more...] about Three More Lesser Known Archetypes
Character Motivation Thesaurus: Discovering One’s True Self
What does your character want? This is an important question to answer because it determines what your protagonist hopes to achieve by the story's end. If the goal, or outer motivation, is written well, readers will identify fairly quickly what the overall story goal's going to be and they'll know … [Read more...] about Character Motivation Thesaurus: Discovering One’s True Self
Using Real-World Locations to Ground Your Story’s Setting
Last month I went on a writing retreat in Iceland. (Yes, Iceland! In fact, you can learn more about the annual Iceland Writers Retreat here.) It sounds like a remote location for a writing event; and when I first told people I was going, some said, “Um... why Iceland? Why not someplace closer to … [Read more...] about Using Real-World Locations to Ground Your Story’s Setting
Character Motivation Thesaurus: Caring for an Aging Parent
What does your character want? This is an important question to answer because it determines what your protagonist hopes to achieve by the story's end. If the goal, or outer motivation, is written well, readers will identify fairly quickly what the overall story goal's going to be and they'll know … [Read more...] about Character Motivation Thesaurus: Caring for an Aging Parent
A Cheat’s Guide to Writing a Synopsis
Does the word "Synopsis" make you want to put a screwdriver into your ear? You aren't alone. Luckily for all of us, we have Sarah Juckes of Agent Hunter here with us, and she's got a neat how-to system for writing synopses to share! A few months ago, I sat down to condense my 70,000 word novel … [Read more...] about A Cheat’s Guide to Writing a Synopsis
Character Motivation Thesaurus: Being the Best at Something
What does your character want? This is an important question to answer because it determines what your protagonist hopes to achieve by the story's end. If the goal, or outer motivation, is written well, readers will identify fairly quickly what the overall story goal's going to be and they'll know … [Read more...] about Character Motivation Thesaurus: Being the Best at Something
Character Motivation Thesaurus: Overcoming Addiction
What does your character want? This is an important question to answer because it determines what your protagonist hopes to achieve by the story's end. If the goal, or outer motivation, is written well, readers will identify fairly quickly what the overall story goal's going to be and they'll know … [Read more...] about Character Motivation Thesaurus: Overcoming Addiction
Angela’s Fantastic Finds for Writers
People who follow me in social spaces know I curate A LOT of content--enough to supply 3 twitter accounts, 3 facebook pages, one personal FB profile and then of course, a massive database on Pinterest. And...I find a lot of neat stuff. I have a feature in our WHW newsletter called Angela's … [Read more...] about Angela’s Fantastic Finds for Writers
Character Motivation Entry: Escaping Invaders
What does your character want? This is an important question to answer because it determines what your protagonist hopes to achieve by the story's end. If the goal, or outer motivation, is written well, readers will identify fairly quickly what the overall story goal's going to be and … [Read more...] about Character Motivation Entry: Escaping Invaders
The Efficient Writer: Using Timelines to Organize Story Details
FACT: when we sit down to write a novel, most of us already have almost a book's worth of notes tucked away in computer files, stored in writing apps, scribbled on notepads, or stuffed into the coffee-glazed ridges of our brain. And honesty? This is my jam. I love the brainstorming stage because … [Read more...] about The Efficient Writer: Using Timelines to Organize Story Details
Want to Write Romance? Layer Your Scenes for Success
When I began considering writing a romance novel, I asked some of my romance author friends about structure. I had no idea that romance novels, across the board, followed a basic structure that differed in many ways from traditional novel structure. I was glad, then, to be introduced to Michael … [Read more...] about Want to Write Romance? Layer Your Scenes for Success