Maybe. Maybe it’s boring. Getting an idea for a story is the straightforward part. Developing that idea into a satisfying plot that keeps the reader turning the pages is where the challenge of novel writing begins. Above at: https://writingcooperative.com/a-beginners-guide-to-structuring-your-novel-don-t-use-a-plot-template-58b4b1ddf848 Most stories “fit” into one of seven plots. (That said, this morning, let’s focus on 6…
I’ve had this myth debunked over and over, yet still slip into the trap of believing I can have/do it all, or that I’m the only one not able to balance all of life’s competing demands all the time. When this happens, I pause to remind myself of a bit of wisdom I received from…
Once upon a time, I taught cartooning and storybook illustration to elementary school children. At our first class meeting, I came prepared with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and inanimate objects like a stapler, a bottle, and a cup. I lined these objects up on a raised box and invited the children to tell me…
It’s a common lament among writers: Why is genre important? Can’t I just write whatever I want and let the marketplace figure out how to classify it? Or perhaps: My work is a mix of genres. I don’t want to be pinned down. I like to mix it up. Let’s look at why genre is…
I would very much like to finish, edit, and publish a novel in the coming year. In between writing and publishing flash stories, short stories, creative nonfiction, and teaching modules, I’ve been working on two novel-length stories. Truth be told, ‘working on them’ is a misnomer as I have continued to edit or expound upon…