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…
I’ve reached the point of desperation in my efforts to start and maintain a writing schedule. With the new year, I had hoped to begin writing for a few hours during the early morning, like 8:00 am to 10:30 am, before telemarketers, postmen, emails, and neighbors filled my day. In December, I told myself I…
When a reader picks up a book they are already gearing up for the story inside. They are soaking in knowledge before they even pull it off the shelf. The color, the height, the genre, and then when they do pull it off the shelves, that’s when the fun begins. Once that book is in…
I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a grump about the whole New Year thing. I’m a skeptic, too, when it comes to making and keeping resolutions. The whole January 1st date feels random to me. I mean, who decided? Why isn’t it July? Or February? And why do we have to do these things…
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…