A subplot is a plot within your main plot, one that affects the secondary character(s). Here are four basic points to keep in mind when creating a subplot: Is the character […]
creative writing
Happy New Year
As 2015 begins, we as writers should take stock of our writing lives and make a few resolutions for our craft. Not the sort we don’t intend to keep, […]
Writing Basics: The Main Idea
Theme is a big problem for a lot of writers. Many of them even say their stories don’t have a theme at all. Theme is the main idea of your […]
Stay Active
No, I don’t mean exercise – though that’s always helpful to get your brain focused and increase your creativity! I’m talking about active writing. Active writing starts with voice. Passive […]
Short-Shorts: Tighten Your Writing
HERE’S a good article by Where Writers Win – tighten your writing!
5 Steps to a Great Book Blurb
Amanda Patterson writes a mean blog over at Writers Write! Here’s her method of writing a great book blurb. She calls it SCOPE: S=Setting. Detail where and when the story takes […]
Find Your Voice
Voice is a hard one for many beginning writers. What exactly is a writer’s voice, and how do you get that unique one that all of the agents and editors […]
The Basics: Setting
Setting is another area where beginning writers have trouble. They may not fully understand the concept, or they might not have completely thought out their particular setting. Setting is not […]
5 Tips for a Great Opening Chapter
How are you going to grab that agent’s or editor’s attention and make them want to request your entire manuscript? Here are some tips. Make your characters three-dimensional – have […]
Proper English
One of the things most people take for granted is that a writer will be able to use proper English. Yet, especially today – when anyone can spend the money […]