I was intending to write on Scene Setting this week but was distracted by a productivity question over the weekend. The question was something to the effect of, \”I can\’t seem to finish my draft. Can you help me?\” This is one of those questions that generate a bazillion How-to posts like you\’ve seen everywhere on the … Read more
I received an email last week from a writer who felt her pages were flat. This writer (and her critique group) felt that she didn’t seem to generate much depth of emotion for her readers. I asked for a few pages of her current work in progress and saw that this writer, who was working … Read more
After last week’s post on POV, I’ve been thinking about POV rules. I was contacted by someone asking about the particular POV they must use to write a story in a particular genre. It irked me. Not the person asking the question, but the whole POV rule concept. There are some out there in internet … Read more
Point of View I was at Colorado Gold Writer’s Conference last weekend, and I honestly do believe it is the best writer\’s conference in the United States. The workshops were spectacular, so much so that even NYT best-selling author Jeffery Deaver sat in workshops and took notes. It reminds me that there is always more … Read more
What is a scene? A scene is a sequence of continuous action that takes place at a specific location and time in your story. There will probably be multiple scenes per chapter though there are writers who write one scene and sequel per chapter. The structure will probably be determined by the genre you are … Read more
Typically, when writers think Character Arc they think of the main character’s inner transformation. In other words, the lead character starts with a specific point of view, but because of the need to change their beliefs in order to address the conflicts that arise, the main character is a different person by the end of … Read more
GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) is essential for character development and is a major component of all well-written books that readers love. But what is GMC? Goal = I want The Goal is what the character wants, or thinks he/she wants. The goal is so important to the character they can\’t let it go, even if the … Read more
There are thousands of character creation tools available in books and on the internet. If you need a worksheet or other tool to help you create your characters, just Google the topic. You will find bazillions of listings for how-to’s, spreadsheets, charts, videos, documents to print out and fill in, name generators, character wheels, and … Read more
I received a question last week about character development. A writer wasn’t sure if they should work out the plot first, or the characters first. My only response can be that every writer is different, and unique, and special, which means every writer’s process is different, unique, and special. Some writers start with the plot. … Read more
The purpose of complications as a part of plot structure in fiction is to make life harder for your characters. It is as simple as that. Complications add surprises, twists, problems, impossible situations, tension, and conflicts. The story complications make your story more dynamic and your characters more lifelike. Ultimately, all stories are about solving … Read more