What’s My Core Story?
The central question for a panel at the C2E2 convention this year: what’s my core story? The core story within […]
Writing
Posts on the craft of writing
Ten-step Empire-builders’ Checklist
My ten-step empire-builders’ checklist is just the beginning for creating a credible fantasy empire. More than just the ruling class,
Five elements of Universal Story
There are five elements of Universal Story that are the foundation of every successful novel. So says writer and coach
Seven More Must-Have YA Tropes
I may have accidentally included seven more must-have YA tropes in my new novel. All genre fiction works through tropes,
The Midpoint of Freytag’s Pyramid
I accidentally hit the midpoint of Freytag’s pyramid. It sounds like a plane crash, but it’s a story-telling device that
Reveal Character through Objects
More than descriptions of how they look, or what they say, stories can also reveal character through objects.
When sidekicks and bit-players take over
What happens to a book plan when sidekicks and bit players take over from the main characters? My fantasy series
Learning to Embrace Imperfection
I’m immersed in the edit of the next novel and learning to embrace imperfection.
Ask Questions in the Edit
No draft of creative writing comes out perfect, you have to ask questions in the edit. I go through several
Worst Tropes of YA Heroines
The tricky part of writing a YA fantasy is dealing with the worst tropes of YA heroines. We’re talking all