What’s my logline?
What’s my logline? What is the single, core problem statement that encapsulates the plot of my novel? The detailed mechanics […]
how-to
Driving by Headlights at Night
Writing a novel is often like driving by headlights at night. You can’t see the whole journey, you can’t see
Developing a Fiction Series
What are the essential steps in developing a fiction series? Plot, theme, character arcs? Precisely those I didn’t take while
A Blank Page of Infinite Possibility
What do you see in the whiteness; a blank page of emptiness and terror, a blank page of infinite possibility?
Delivering on a Series Plan
Four years on, I’m finally delivering on a series plan. When I took up the challenge to write a fantasy
Seven Traits of Sympathetic Characters
According to writing coach Joe Bunting, there are seven traits of sympathetic characters. While they apply to any character, these
Competence Tempered by Flaws
The key to an appealing, relatable protagonist: competence tempered by flaws. Without flaws, you get a Mary-Sue paragon of virtue.
Fourteen Questions About Setting
If writing fiction is all about answering questions, then there are fourteen questions about setting you better have the answers
The Dictionary Trap
Ever had to dig yourself out of the Dictionary Trap? Top writing coaches want to to vary your vocabulary, to
Big Plot versus little plot
Sanderson’s lecture series makes much of Big Plot versus little plot. What’s the difference and why does it matter?