You’ve heard the advice that characters should have both strengths and weaknesses to make them appear more “rounded” and multi-dimensional. It’s easy to think of those as very different aspects of a character’s personality. But what if their strength is also their weakness? Any strength can become a weakness, depending on the situation. That simple…
Still searching for the perfect holiday gift for the writer in your life? Never fear, my annual list of holiday gifts for writers is here! Whether you’re looking for inspirational gifts, workspace upgrades, or pure indulgences, there’s surely something on this list that will tickle your writer’s holiday fancy. Home Office/Workspace Upgrades and Tools Indulgences…
Your main character—let’s call him Archie—has a problem. He’s trying to find something lost in the woods (a criminal’s hideout, perhaps, or a missing child, or a jungle-covered Mayan ruin). Suddenly, Archie knows what he needs: a drone! Now you, the author, have a problem. You’ve never flown a drone. What does it feel like…
Happy Friday the 13th! ‘Tis the season for spooks, frights, haunts, and treats. ‘Tis also a particularly fun season for crafting Halloween-worthy stories, poems, or creative nonfiction. Here are 10 writing prompts to get your spine-chilling creative juices sparking (a la Dr. Frankenstein’s lightning bolts). Enjoy! [Photo by Marko Blažević on Unsplash]
We often fall into ruts. We drive the same route to work. We go to the same restaurants when we can’t face another night of our own cooking. We return to the same stores. We even vacation in the same locales year after year. There’s nothing wrong with a good rut or two. After all,…