Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
In the predawn light we commit them. We are breathless from a looming deadline, or perhaps blinded to our mistakes by pride. We might try to hide them. We dress them in setting and disguise them with witty dialogue. We pray no one will notice our blunder. Yet the error remains, a viper coiled within …
Continue reading “S is for Sins”
If you’re a plotter, or if you read Heather’s O is for Outlines post, you know about tentpoles. These are crucial events in every story that give the plot a shape. Pinch points act like the secondary flanking poles on your tent. They prop up the story structure between the first plotpoint and the midpoint, …
Continue reading “P is for Pinch Points”
Narrative is a story’s fuel, and just like rocket fuel, if you use the right amount you head for the stars in style. Add too little, and you get no lift off. Add too much, and we know what happens, and it’s not good. To make matters more complicated, narrative is a compound – POV, …
Continue reading “N is for Narrative”
If you’re a plotter like Heather and I are, you should know about the importance of the midpoint event. It’s one of those important story structure tentpoles Heather will be telling you all about in her O is for Outlining post. The midpoint is when critical new information is introduced to the story and it …
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A few weeks ago I posted on how to use juxtaposition in a setting, as character development and in prose to enhance a scene. Juxtaposition is: [important]The arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or …
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Although every protagonist is the hero of their own story, the hero is a step above the typical character. The hero is the fearless leader of the space mission. Creating a hero every reader will bond with and root for can make for some memorable fiction, the kind of story where the hero walks off …
Continue reading “H is for Heroes”
Many writers are so overwhelmed by the number of fiction genres and subgenres they can’t decide where their story fits. If you want to land an agent or self publish, picking the right genre is crucial because it helps your book connect with buyers. Being between genres might sound exciting, like you’re breaking new literary ground. However, …
Continue reading “G is for Genre”
Welcome to day four of the Write On Sisters Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Today we BLASTOFF with D is for Dialogue. This is ground control, come in Space Station! Repeat! Come in Space Station! … Communication link disabled … We don’t think much about how we talk to others until it’s gone. If you’ve …
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Welcome to day two of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Yesterday we started the Write On Sisters 3, 2, 1 … BLASTOFF to Stellar Writing series with A for Antagonists. Today we reverse course and take hold of that sometimes wildly out of control comet, backstory. Consider backstory the preparation time before the launch. Countless …
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Welcome to day one of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Cue the cheering! Heather and I are so excited to be participating again. Today we start the Write On Sisters 3, 2, 1 … BLASTOFF to Stellar Writing series with A for Antagonist. Much like space travel, writing the antagonist is venturing into the …
Continue reading “A is for Antagonist”