Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
Last week I shared Ten Questions To Ask Your Characters to make sure the supporting cast is as well-rounded as the protagonist. But that’s just step one to developing a novel’s cast. Now that we know who everyone is, what they want, and what their role is in the story, it’s time to figure out …
Continue reading “Character Development: The Interaction Chart”
A week before NaNoWriMo began, I realized I didn’t know my supporting characters. Whoops! I had spent so much time figuring out my plot based on my heroine’s goal that I had neglected all the other characters, of which there are many because I’m writing a horror and a body count is required! But I …
Continue reading “Top Ten Things Writers Should Ask Their Characters”
Sometimes when I’m reading a book, a scene takes me right out of the story because I don’t “buy” it. It’s not that what is taking place is completely implausible, it’s that the writer has not convinced me of its truth. I have faith that a skilled writer can make a reader believe anything. The …
Continue reading “Reading for Writers 101: Resolving a Disconnect Between Show & Tell”
I’ve just signed up for NaNoWriMo for the first time EVER. Here’s proof: As a hardcore plotter, I’ve never felt ready to participate. I can’t even fathom writing 50,000 words of prose without a solid outline. Plus, I’m not a fast writer. My inner editor and I are a team, not enemies, and I like …
Continue reading “A Slow Writer’s Scheme to Win #NaNoWriMo”
The fish-out-of-water character is one of my favorites. It is remarkably versatile and there are so many story situations it works perfectly for (18 according to TV Tropes). I’m currently writing a fish-out-of-water character, which should not be confused with using a fish-out-of-water plot device. A fish-out-of-water character adds comedy, or gives depth and diversity …
Continue reading “Writing Fish-Out-of-Water Characters”
I confess I’m having trouble with my Act I. This is unusual for me. Typically I find setting up the story the easy part compared to Act II & III. So what’s wrong? After picking my first half dozen scenes apart and rewriting them multiple times, the problem finally became clear: The Inciting Incident lacks …
Continue reading “The Inciting Incident: Problem vs Opportunity”
We are nearing the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, and one of the things I put on my 2015 goals list was to support the creation of quality Latin American characters. Today, I’m tackling three common stereotypes and misconceptions. [important]I am of Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Venezuelan and Canary Island decent. I have indigenous ancestors …
Continue reading “Writing Diverse Characters & Stereotypes”
I began the “Reading For Writers 101” blog series (for a full summary of posts, click here) because I believe writers can learn so much from reading books. Well, the same goes for watching television shows or films. Hence, a new series: Welcome! Today we’re going to learn how to effectively use flash forwards. A …
Continue reading “Watching for Writers 101: Flash Forwards”
Today’s Guest Post is by Rose B. Fischer. We first met Rose about a year ago and were instantly impressed with her creativity and willingness to lend a hand to her fellow writers and bloggers. Her kindness is teamed with a great sense of humor, making her a delightful person to know and a fun …
Continue reading “How Local Culture Inspires Worldbuilding”
September is always a busy month for me, and this year is no exception. Today I’m doing a super fast and fun YouTube post. I got the idea from a guest post I did last week for Comparative Geeks. For those of you that don’t know, YouTube is positively bursting with great stuff for writers. …
Continue reading “Watch Writers Talk Writing”