A short story or a novel is built from a series of scenes linked together. Each scene acts as the heartbeat of your narrative—a distinct unit: where an event or action unfolds within a unified setting and timeframe. Whether you’re … Continue reading 6 Essential Elements of Engaging Story Scenes
Have you ever read a description of a character doing something in a story and felt like something was a bit off? Human beings are not only very sensitized to how other humans behave, but the way our sensory system … Continue reading Crafting Authentic Character Reactions with the Stimulus-Reaction Sequence
Snap. Crackle. Pop. Often, we expect a creative idea to burst into our heads instantly. Creativity doesn’t work that way. Sure, sometimes when we are deep in a story, and our words just pour out onto the paper, a wonderful … Continue reading The Power of Incubation: Unlocking Creative Ideas
What are Rhetorical Devices? We all know the literary devices of metaphor and simile. Rhetorical devices are a little different. Instead of comparisons, rhetorical devices are used to add emphasis to one’s words. Most often used in oral speeches, some … Continue reading Spice It Up with Rhetorical Devices
January 18 is National Thesaurus Day. So it seems a perfect moment to honor the most important writing tool an author can have: The Thesaurus. The thesaurus is a type of dictionary that focuses on synonyms for the words listed. … Continue reading The Thesaurus: An Author’s Best Friend
5 ways to use setting to add depth, emotion, and character development to any story Continue reading 5 Ways to Make Your Setting Work for You
Both fine art and writing require creativity and hard work. They also require an understanding of structure and principles. Surprisingly, the same principles used by an artist can inspire excellent writing as well. Continue reading What Can a Writer Learn from the Principles of Art and Design?
Working within limitations actually forces our brains to solve problems more creatively. Continue reading A Creative Focus for 2021
Three revision tips based on what I learned doing NaNoWri. Continue reading 3 Revision Tips and a New Book
