Does your story contain a romantic subplot? They can be tricky to write well while not allowing them to take over the main plot line. Savannah Cordova is back with some tips on how to whip them into shape. As a reader and writer, one of my favorite story elements is the romantic subplot: a … [Read more...] about 5 Tips for Writing Stellar Romantic Subplots
Search Results for: conflict in every scene
7 Ways Deep POV Creates Emotional Connections With Readers
Deep POV (point of view) is a popular (and lately, divisive) writing style to employ. Many blogs about deep pov will list out the same four or six foundational tools as though any newbie could pick this up and run with it from these meagre explanations. Deep POV is complex and involves many tools … [Read more...] about 7 Ways Deep POV Creates Emotional Connections With Readers
Relationship Thesaurus Entry: Host and Guest
Successful stories are driven by authentic and interesting characters, so it's important to craft them carefully. But characters don't usually exist in a vacuum; throughout the course of your story, they'll live, work, play, and fight with other cast members. Some of those relationships are positive … [Read more...] about Relationship Thesaurus Entry: Host and Guest
4 Ways to Fix a Boring Story
Is your story boring? Would you know or acknowledge it if it was? No one wants to admit that their story is slow, lackluster, or zzzzz. But hey, that's what critique partners and editors are for. If recent feedback makes you suspect that your story may need livening up, Gilbert Bassey has some ideas … [Read more...] about 4 Ways to Fix a Boring Story
Introducing…The Relationship Thesaurus!
Human beings are social creatures. We’re made to be with others, meaning, our lives are built on a series of interwoven relationships. Deep or superficial, good or bad, these relationships are incredibly important. They contribute to our feelings about ourselves, influence our decisions and actions, … [Read more...] about Introducing…The Relationship Thesaurus!
The Emotional Roller Coaster all Writers Experience
Welcoming Martha Alderson (The Plot Whisperer) today, who is brilliant at digging down to the deepest layers of a story. Martha's new book, Boundless Creativity: A Spiritual Workbook for Overcoming Self-Doubt, Emotional Traps, and Other Creative Blocks (affiliate link) tackles the inner journey of … [Read more...] about The Emotional Roller Coaster all Writers Experience
How to Describe a Location You’ve Never Visited
One of the big decisions writers make is whether to choose a real location for the backdrop of their overall story or create one of their own imaginings. Crafting a world from scratch can be a lot of work (requiring a deep understanding of society, infrastructure, rules, governmental influence, and … [Read more...] about How to Describe a Location You’ve Never Visited
What Is Emotional Context And Why Does Your Story Need It?
Have you ever had an editor or critique partner say “go deeper”? And you throw up your hands and glare at the screen because you DID go deeper. Deep point of view is a writing technique that aims to create an emotional connection for readers by immersing them in real time in the character’s … [Read more...] about What Is Emotional Context And Why Does Your Story Need It?
5 Methods for Writing A Novel
Let's face it: the current state of events has thrown all of us into a tailspin. Some of us are juggling lots of new responsibilities while others are struggling to figure out what to do with our time. As hard as it is for the former group to fathom, this situation has provided an actual opportunity … [Read more...] about 5 Methods for Writing A Novel
Storytelling Decisions: What’s the Right Pace for Your Story?
As we learn to write, we often hear about the need to create a strong pace in our story. Many seem to think that a strong pace requires a fast pace. However, that’s not what’s meant by strong. So what is a story's pace and why is it important? Pacing is not the same as the speed that a story … [Read more...] about Storytelling Decisions: What’s the Right Pace for Your Story?
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
Fall in Love with Your Second Act
I love me some Billy Joel. I especially love this song. Granted, it’s a song that deals with a serious issue in a gentle way, but I do think that, on another, lighter level, it can also be applied to our writing journey. You better believe there will be times in your lifeWhen you'll … [Read more...] about Fall in Love with Your Second Act