3 Signs To Shelve A Story
Many people dedicate this time of year to spring cleaning, tidying things up around the house and doing all the things they put off...
top of page
Search
- Dec 11, 2022
- 8 min
Why I Haven't Blogged About My Books
This week marks the fourth anniversary of launching the blog. Firstly, to all of my readers, new and old, whether you’ve dropped in only...
- Dec 4, 2022
- 6 min
It's A Living | Why I Gravitate Towards Workaholic Characters
As different each of my WIPs is from the next, there are quite a few common threads woven between them. Nearly all of my stories feature...
- Nov 27, 2022
- 4 min
The Parlor Trick | Rediscovering My Narrative Voice
Narration is something I have almost always struggled with. Up until fairly recently, my stories were stiff. Stodgy. Hard to engage with...
- Nov 20, 2022
- 6 min
Family And Friends In Fiction
There is a strong focus on family this time of year. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and others, the holiday season...
- Nov 6, 2022
- 7 min
Dearly Beloved Wedding Tropes
Weddings can happen at any time of the year, but there is a noticeable surge around late spring that runs through October. Given the...
- Oct 23, 2022
- 6 min
Halloween Tropes I Love In Romance
If it hasn't become obvious with last week's post on candy corn and virtually every other Tweet on my profile having something to do with...
- Oct 16, 2022
- 5 min
On Niches And Candy Corn
There seem to be two seasonal candies in the world that are surprisingly divisive. The first is Peeps. Those little marshmallow bunnies...
- Oct 9, 2022
- 5 min
Inanimate Antagonists
Every story needs conflict. Internal or external, it's this crucial element that sets everything into motion. A problem the protagonist...
- Oct 2, 2022
- 4 min
What Makes An Antagonist A Villain?
Cast sizes vary in fiction. Some stories have multiple protagonists backed by a large ensemble of side characters. Others keep it to just...
- Sep 25, 2022
- 6 min
Why I Write In Third-Person, Past Tense
Choosing a POV for your WIP can be a decision made in a matter of moments, subconsciously in the instant our pen touches paper or our...
- Sep 18, 2022
- 3 min
The Here And Now | Pros And Cons Of Present Tense
Tense is one of several elements writers need to consider as they craft their stories. Although it can be an inherent thing that happens...
- Sep 11, 2022
- 5 min
It's All In The Past | Pros And Cons Of Past Tense
Tense is one of several elements writers need to consider as they craft their stories. Although it can be an inherent thing that happens...
- Sep 4, 2022
- 5 min
Getting Tense | On Choosing Tenses In Fiction
Writers have plenty of choices to make when settling into a new story. Among the first is the tense your story will be written in. Tense...
- Aug 14, 2022
- 5 min
What Is The Inciting Incident?
This past May, I ran a series on prologues and epilogues, and one term that popped up multiple times was the "inciting incident." I gave...
- Jul 31, 2022
- 5 min
Flowers, Wood, And Musk | The Writer's Fascination With Fragrance
Romance novels are known for lavish character descriptions. Flowing and highly detailed, many writers love pointing out the smallest and...
- Jul 10, 2022
- 6 min
The FYI of DNF | Four Reasons Readers Stop Reading
DNF. Three letters writers dread when the reviews start rolling in. DNF indicates the person writing a review did not finish reading, and...
- May 29, 2022
- 4 min
As You Know...
In some instances, you'll find yourself needing to catch readers up to speed. We see this often in worldbuilding, which might involve...
- May 22, 2022
- 5 min
Do I Need An Epilogue?
Last week, we went over the pros and cons of epilogues, which is in essence a bonus chapter or scene found at the end of a book that...
- May 15, 2022
- 3 min
Epilogue Pros And Cons
For some writers, the end of their story isn't the last chapter. Instead, the curtain falls with an epilogue. Epilogues are a bonus final...
bottom of page