Side writing: Any exploratory piece of writing that helps a writer get to know elements of their story but isn't intended to make its way into a draft in its entirety. Examples include journaling from a character's perspective, writing a scene from an alternate point of view, or creating … [Read more...] about Why You Should Side-Write Your Protagonist’s Origin Scene
Search Results for: what killed it for me
Conflict Thesaurus Entry: A Competitor Showing Up
Conflict is very often the magic sauce for generating tension and turning a ho-hum story into one that rivets readers. As such, every scene should contain a struggle of some kind. Maybe it's an internal tug-of-war having to do with difficult decisions, morals, or temptations. Or it possibly could … [Read more...] about Conflict Thesaurus Entry: A Competitor Showing Up
Improve Your Fiction by Studying the Brothers Grimm
We all know how important it is to read within our genre. Doing so shows us what elements make those books successful (and also what overdone tropes to avoid). But reading outside of our genre can be just as helpful. It's always a good idea to examine what works and why, so we can apply those … [Read more...] about Improve Your Fiction by Studying the Brothers Grimm
Joining Forces: Harnessing the Power of Coauthoring
I always knew coauthoring had benefits – half the workload, and twice the platform to launch from are the obvious bonuses. Sure, you have to split your royalties, but you also share the costs. But I had reservations (how do you allocate who writes what? What if you don’t like each other’s ideas or … [Read more...] about Joining Forces: Harnessing the Power of Coauthoring
The Character-Building Detail Writers Shouldn’t Overlook
The farther I get into this writing and coaching career, the more I find myself talking about details and how important it is to get them right. Whether we're figuring out which backstory information to include or are writing characterization, settings, and physical descriptions, there's SO much we … [Read more...] about The Character-Building Detail Writers Shouldn’t Overlook
Maximize Productivity with Speech-To-Text Software
I think we're all looking for ways to be more productive these days. COVID19 has thrown our schedules into chaos and, if we're lucky enough to still be working, it's changed the way we do it. So I was excited to see this post from Rafal Reyzer about speech-to-text software and how it can help … [Read more...] about Maximize Productivity with Speech-To-Text Software
How a Career Can Reveal Your Character’s Deeper Layers
Did you know that before Becca became an author and writing coach, she was a teacher? It's true. And if you know her, you're probably thinking, I can see that. It makes sense. Why? Because when you think of a teacher, certain associations come to mind. A teacher is someone who... ...is … [Read more...] about How a Career Can Reveal Your Character’s Deeper Layers
How to Build Powerful Character Relationships
Character relationships are, in many ways, the glue that holds a story together. Almost every tale has at least one relationship at the heart of it, often more. Rarely can a character sustain a story on their own; they need others: friends, family, mentors, lovers, enemies, strangers, pets, … [Read more...] about How to Build Powerful Character Relationships
How to Make a Book Trailer that Speaks to Readers
Book Trailers can be a great way to market your story, and we've got the perfect person to provide insight on the process. Victor Blasco from Yum Yum videos has got some great tips on how to structure your trailer to maximize viewer impact. So, you did the math and realized that your brand-new … [Read more...] about How to Make a Book Trailer that Speaks to Readers
Identifying your Character’s Fatal Flaw
Good characters are often broken characters. They’ve been wounded, and the last thing they want is to be hurt in that particular way again, so they adopt new behaviors—emotional shielding—that are meant to protect them. They believe this shielding will keep them from harm, but these new habits … [Read more...] about Identifying your Character’s Fatal Flaw
Story Feedback: Free and Paid Options for Writers
It's a sad fact, but most writers don't have a basement full of money, meaning the word BUDGET is kind of a big deal. We want to publish but to do it, we have to think carefully about where we spend our money and why. Investing in our career is smart, when we can afford it. There are infinite … [Read more...] about Story Feedback: Free and Paid Options for Writers
Conflict Thesaurus Entry: A Car Accident
Conflict is very often the magic sauce for generating tension and turning a ho-hum story into one that rivets readers. As such, every scene should contain a struggle of some kind. Maybe it's an internal tug-of-war having to do with difficult decisions, morals, or temptations. Or it possibly could … [Read more...] about Conflict Thesaurus Entry: A Car Accident