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 […]
Writing
Posts on the craft of writing
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
Pride and Prejudice as a YA novel
Consider Pride and Prejudice as a YA novel. Not only the archetypal romance, but the mother of Young Adult fiction,
Nesting Sub-Plots in Parentheses
Nesting sub-plots in parentheses: it’s a way to ensure all the plot threads are tied off in the course of
Worst Protagonist for the Plot
In order to write a successful story, you need the worst protagonist for the plot. Hear me out: the main
Don’t mess up the ending
No matter how well you write your beginning and middle, don’t mess up the ending. The end of a story
Campfire Character Building
There’s a well-established trope I call campfire character building. This is a scene where characters sit around a campfire and
Not the Chosen One?
What if the protagonist of your fantasy story is not the Chosen One? A well-worn trope of fantasy fiction is