First off, if you’re a fanatical pantser you should probably skip this article and go stare at a blank page for a couple hours regretting your life choices. However, if you have even a little urge to learn the miracles of writing with direction, stick around and try the clam dip. It’s an old family…
Tag: Goal
Deep POV Lesson 11 – MRUs
MRUs? Huh? An MRU is a Motivation Reaction Unit. It’s a term coined by the inestimable Dwight Swain, and it’s a magic key to keep your reader immersed deep in the story. It may not be DEEP POV, but it’s closely related. So, I’ll just give you a taste and send you off to Google…
Short Story Craft, Part 1: Plot
Short stories are a whole different animal from novels. Many writers (including me, a few years ago) shy away from short stories because they can be so difficult and frustrating. But once you get the hang of them, they’re an excellent way to hone your writing skills, play with new techniques, and get your name…
Character Building with the Enneagram
A few weeks ago, I attended a workshop on the Enneagram, a method for analyzing personalities. Although the Enneagram is intended to help you understand yourself and the people around you, it also makes a great character-building tool for writers. Here are a few steps to get started using it. 1. Determine your character’s primary…
Create Better Characters in Six Easy Steps
Readers may be intrigued by a good plot. But if your characters are interesting, readers will remember them long after they close the book. It can be tough to create fully fleshed-out, three-dimensional characters. But it’s much easier when you use the PERSON acronym: P is for Personality E is for Experiences R is for…