Plot, Character and Second Sight
Why take the easy route when you can smash together plot, character and Second Sight? My fantasy series centers on […]
Writing
Posts on the craft of writing
How Many Drafts?
How many drafts does it take to finish a book? Is there an ideal number? And what counts as a
It’s All in the Edit
That old adage, ‘it’s all in the edit;’ it’s totally true. As book four of my loosely connected series nears
Every Scene a Story
Perhaps the most valuable writing lesson I’ve learned: make every scene a story. That means purpose, shape and structure.
Murphy’s Twenty-four Chapters
Derek Murphy’s twenty-four chapters hold all my novels all together. Of all the story structures from the seven key scenes
Three foundations of plot: Promises, Progress and Payoffs
Three foundations of plot: Promises, Progress and Payoffs. These are Brandon Sanderson’s three P’s from his 2020 BYU writing course
Can the Protagonist Walk Away?
Are the events of the story inescapable: or can the protagonist walk away? The answer tells you whether the story
Recursive Story MICE on a Budget
It’s the ultimate in story-building technique: recursive story MICE on a budget. It all stems from Mary Robinette Kowal’s guest
Ten Fantasy Mentor-Apprentice Tropes
The mentor-apprentice relationship fills the pages of fantasy more than any other genre, so here are ten fantasy mentor-apprentice tropes.
Outline or Discovery?
What makes for a better story, an outline or discovery? Plotting or ‘pantsing?’ Writers fall into two types: the plotter