Every novel needs conflict and the best way to do that is by creating a unique real-life antagonist, a flesh-and-blood character who stands in direct opposition to your protagonist and has to be conquered before your hero can achieve his goal. If you’re not sure how to create an antagonist that’s compelling and well-developed, here…
Writing a compelling opening for your novel isn’t optional, it’s essential. That initial half-page of Chapter One is the first impression agents, publishers, and most important, readers get of your writing style and skill and often determines whether they’ll purchase your book or not. The good news is most people will give you a few…
I thought I’d prepared myself. I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong. My novel, Truth and Other Lies, released into the world in early March. It had been a labor of love for four long years. I’d lived through fifty agent rejections before signing with a small press which then proceeded to…
You encounter your new next-door neighbor when you’re out walking the dog and they tell you how the movers still haven’t showed up, which means they spent their first night in an unfamiliar house sleeping in their clothes on the floor, huddled together in their sleeping bags. Then the two of you talk about how…
Have you caught the Wordle bug yet? Each morning The New York Times posts a new Wordle puzzle up on the internet and you have one day to solve it. The answer is a five-letter word and you get six tries. Each guess must be a valid five-letter word. After you type in your guess…