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Treating Chapters As Tiny Stories With A Beginning-Middle-End Structure
Among the first rules you'll hear about writing is that every story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. You can go a little more in-depth or into genre-specific element requisites, for example the "Refusal of the Call" in a hero's journey arc , but virtually every plot point can be sorted into one of the three key categories. The exact shape and structure of your story depends on its genre and the age group it is intended for, but chances are it will follow the begin
Jun 4, 20233 min read
In Defense Of Unknowingly Held Breaths
As a writer, your individual style develops as you explore the craft, always evolving. And along the way, you might also develop quirks that pop up in your WIPs on a regular basis and often without the realization that a pattern has formed until someone else points it out. Maybe your rough drafts rely heavily on telling rather than showing or the first thing your protagonists notice about their respective love interests is the color of their eyes—which are in turn frequently
May 28, 20234 min read
What Is New Adult Fiction?
Agents, reviewers, and readers alike tend to look for similar bits of information when deciding whether or not to pick up an author's work. This may include the elevator pitch (a brief overview of the story and its characters), length, genre, and category. Genres and categories are often used interchangeably, but doing so is mishandling these terms. One is not a substitute for the other. A book's genre pertains to the type of story it is, such as mystery or fantasy, whereas t
May 21, 20236 min read
A Colorful Approach | Why I Use Colored Pens In My Editing
Just as each writer has their own methods and techniques for drafting a new story, we all have our own ways of tackling edits. Some like to jump into revisions as soon as that initial draft is finished, whereas others set the project aside for a bit. You might seek and destroy crutch words before anything else, do a pass solely looking for any plot inconsistencies, or plan to give more attention to that side character who unexpectedly became your favorite. Strategies vary fr
May 14, 20234 min read
Someone Else's Skin | Pretending With Pen Names
It's said that the most convincing actor is the four-year-old running around in a Batman cape because, as far as he's concerned, he is in fact, Batman. It's also said that you need to dress for the job you want. In recent weeks, I've seen clips circulating across my feeds of people donning Renaissance faire garb and other costumes when tackling housework. The basic idea is that if you hate cleaning, you can pretend to be someone else who doesn't mind it so much. A common exam
May 7, 20234 min read
Eve Chavasse | Bound To The Heart Character Profile
In January, this series of character introductions kicked off with a bio of Zach Thayer, one of the protagonists in my Regency Era bookshop romance titled Bound to the Heart. Set in London, it's full of wintertime coziness, an emphasis on platonic relationships, exploration of grief, and finding your own definition of love. This quarter, it's time to introduce the other main character of Bound to the Heart: Eve Chavasse. By the way, this character rendering was created using
Apr 30, 20233 min read
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