Last Chance to Grab the Phobias & Triggers Mini Guide
Last Chance to Grab the Phobias & Triggers Mini Guide
Have you ever read a story where a phobia is a plot device for why a character can’t do something (say, travel by boat), or conveys comedic irony (a building…
Read more…How to Amp Up a “Boring” Story Setting
How to Amp Up a “Boring” Story Setting
Taking the time to choose the right setting for each scene is one of the best ways to ensure our writing has impact. Why? Because the setting touches everything. It…
Read more…Making the Most of Your Word Processing Tools
Making the Most of Your Word Processing Tools
Standard Manuscript Format for Writers Last month, I shared my tips for How to Use Scrivener (Without Anxiety). But as I mentioned in that post, the industry standard for publishing…
Read more…How to Twist Office Romance Into Fresh Conflict
How to Twist Office Romance Into Fresh Conflict
Have you ever gone to a new restaurant, ordered a burger, and discovered it has some sort of luscious, zippy sauce that elevates the entire meal into the ecstasy zone?…
Read more…The Emotion Thesaurus is Amazon’s Daily Kindle Deal (1.49) + a Discount on Character Thesaurus eBooks
The Emotion Thesaurus is Amazon’s Daily Kindle Deal (1.49) + a Discount on Character Thesaurus eBooks
Great characters aren’t built from a single element. They’re shaped by emotions, personality traits, fears, past wounds, goals, and the roles they play in their world. That’s why our character-focused…
Read more…How Are Writers like Holly Bushes?
How Are Writers like Holly Bushes?
I learned something fascinating about holly this week (besides that it can be a bush or a tree). What I learned is specific to the leaves. Apparently, holly leaves don’t…
Read more…How Universal Fears Pull Readers into the Story
How Universal Fears Pull Readers into the Story
No matter what genre you write or who your audience is, one thing is certain: Everyone experiences fear. It shapes how people think, the choices they make, and influences how…
Read more…A Mother Lode of Resources on Character Fear
A Mother Lode of Resources on Character Fear
Writing The Fear Thesaurus taught us so much about the psychology of fear and how that translates for our characters. The difference between minor and deep fears, the role fear…
Read more…Fears vs. Phobias: What Writers Need to Know
Fears vs. Phobias: What Writers Need to Know
When we think about phobias, extreme fear comes to mind. But phobias are actually considered a class of anxiety disorder, and they hijack the body’s alarm system. Understanding how this…
Read more…How to Write Authentic Emotion
How to Write Authentic Emotion
In the real world, no two people are alike, which means each of us expresses emotion in our own way. Some people find it natural to share what they feel…
Read more…The Fear Thesaurus Is Here! (Early Release at Writers Helping Writers)
The Fear Thesaurus Is Here! (Early Release at Writers Helping Writers)
Update: The Fear Thesaurus is now available everywhere books are sold!Find the links for these stores below or visit the official Fear Thesaurus page for more information on formats, retailer…
Read more…How Does Fear Play Into Character Arc? Part One
How Does Fear Play Into Character Arc? Part One
It’s hard to overstate the importance a character’s greatest fear plays in their life. As a key motivator, it informs decision-making, spawns new habits and tendencies, and pushes them to…
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