Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, colors and creeds. They don’t all look, talk or act alike. However, they do have a characteristic journey. They also share certain qualities. Marcus Aurelius, in the title quote, calls for deeds not idle discussion of what makes a man good. Nevertheless, for the purposes of getting your […]
You want your characters to face realistic obstacles. You want them to encounter challenges and meet adversity. These obstacles create the conflict you need for your story to progress. Since I write mainly romance, the central conflict will always be between the hero and heroine. They will have different motivations and want different things. The […]
Passive voice: when someone (or thing) is acted upon (P = passive) by someone (or thing). The man is pushed (P) off the cliff by the Finger in the Sky. The man is the recipient of the action. Active voice: when someone (or thing) acts on (A = active) something else. The Finger in the Sky pushes (A) the […]
If you write paranormal, fantasy or speculative fiction, you create universes. Universe creating is fun … and challenging. Title image: PBS Nova. I’m about to start the second novel in my shapeshifter Buy Me Love trilogy, so world-building is on my mind. I established the world of the trilogy in the short story, The Alpha’s […]
Yes, this is a post on creating a distinctive character voice. But first, take a good look at this: A friend sent me this page from the Amazon 365 New Words-a-Year desk calendar her mother gave her for Christmas. At first I was bewildered to receive such a weird thing until I read it and got […]
We’re delighted that Maria Kuznetsova is participating the Five Questions series. She is a talented writer with an exciting debut novel, Oksana, Behave! Maria Kuznetsova: Penguin Books (Random House) is publishing your first novel, Oksana, Behave!, this month. What do you want readers to know about the story? I’d want them to know that the […]
Writing is an aerobic activity. To be in writing shape you have to write. You don’t decide to run a 10K then tie on a pair of running shoes and expect to make it to the finish line. You have to train for it. Creativity is a muscle. You have to exercise it. Moving through […]
A beginning writer recently asked me how to create compelling openings, thus prompting this blog. I have chosen to explain what I did to write Chapter One of John Carter’s Conundrum. I chose it because my editor noted at the end of the first chapter: “You’re writing to all your strengths here.” So, now I […]
Writing burnout. It happens. Burnout is beyond block. Writer’s block occurs when a blank wall descends in your brain, and you can’t think of anything to say or write. If there is such a condition, it is a mild one. I’ve gone so far to say that it does not exist. See: Writing as an […]
Chick-lit Heroine: Her Profile The chick-lit heroine has a recognizable profile. She either possesses a fashion sense. Or she has a bestie who can trick her out when the need arises, namely for a Big Date. She is either serially unlucky in love. Or she has divorced (probably recently) a cheating scum-bag. She either already […]