Relationships, Character, and the Unexpressed Longing
Unspoken desires are so often at the root of what may seem like arguments, misunderstandings, and conflict—and it’s a powerful…
Writing craft
Understanding Evil Characters (and Writing Them Real)
So many stories in some way deal with the conflict between good and evil. As authors we’re urged to find…
How to Foreshadow with Finesse
The finesse of foreshadowing is knowing how much to use, and when. Too much and you’re hitting readers over the…
Push-button Publishing in a Fast-fiction World
A publishing company recently made a splash in publishing industry news by announcing that they hope to “disrupt” the book…
How to Create Tension without Overt Conflict
If you’d like to receive my blog in your in-box each week, click here. I have a confession to make: I…
How Specifics Make Your Stories Universal
One of the observations I most frequently make with authors’ manuscripts in my editing work is that key elements may…
4 Questions to Ask When Writing Flashbacks
If you’d like to receive my blog in your in-box each week, click here. Two commonly misinterpreted canons of story can…
Bring Scenes to Life with Nonverbals
If you’d like to receive my blog in your in-box each week, click here. Imagine, for each of the below statements,…
There’s No Happily Ever After and the Good Guys Never Win
One of the many little mantras I often repeat about story is that smooth sailing is narrative dead space. As…
Analysis: How Storytelling Makes the Story
If you’d like to receive my blog in your in-box each week, click here. My roommate when I lived in New…