Finding Magic in the Mundane
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Marjorie (M.M.) DeLuca
Beginner - Story starts with an idea, a germ of inspiration that eventually grows into something magical. But this isn't a passive process. You have to actively go out and seek ideas. So where do you find them and how do you nurture them into something enticing enough for a novel?
Soldiers of Fortune
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Jacob Schriver
Beginner - Writing character that are private military/mercenary can be difficult when that world itself is a world of shadows. I want to give a look at what kind of person would be accepted into that world. What kind of work these groups do to include executive protection and body guards.
All Great Characters are Unreliable (even your complex and relatable protagonists)
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Karen Lin
Intermediate - Characters need secret weaknesses or bad intentions. Unreliable/unpredictable players create twists/suspense/tension. All seven main characters in The Wizard of Oz are unreliable: the WELL-INTENTIONED protagonists and the GUILTY antagonists. And sometimes THE AUTHOR IS THE UNRELIABLE CHARACTER!
Make a Scene
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Sharon Mignerey
Intermediate - Scenes, a specific unit of story that is time bound with a beginning, middle, and end, need to propel the plot forward and reveal character, which is the concern of writers. Characters don't care about that and may rebel with, "Just let me do my thing." What is a schizophrenic writer to do?