What Makes a Story Event a “Turning Point”?
Our stories are filled with scenes where (hopefully) things happen, but only some of those events are turning points and belong on a beat sheet. So how can we identify our story structure?
Pin ItAsk Jami: Where to Find Beta Readers
Need a beta reader? Check this mega-list of resources. For beta readers, we’re not necessarily looking for writing craft experts but for people we connect with, people who will follow through on promises, and people who can read with awareness and push us and our story to be better.
Pin ItWhy Story Structure Matters
Story structure isn’t just about the “rules” of story beats. It lies at the core of our ability to tell a story. Let’s take a look at what that means.
Pin ItHow to Strengthen Emotions in Our Writing
Want to avoid flat, unemotional writing? We have to match our characters’ emotional reactions to the stimulus, whether big or small.
Pin ItFix 4 Common Writing Problems with “The Emotion Thesaurus”
A couple of weeks ago, Becca Puglisi, one of the co-authors of the fantastic Thesaurus books, shared her tips for using the new The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus books. Her advice can help us develop our characters at all stages of planning, drafting, and editing. But the […]
Pin ItNaNo Wrap-Up: Beat Sheets 101
Not familiar with beat sheets or spreadsheet programs? Learn what the different columns and rows mean and how we can update the details for our unique story.
Pin It7 Tips for Using the Trait Thesauri — Guest: Becca Puglisi
I have a special treat for everyone today! I’ve mentioned many times that I love The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi (of The Bookshelf Muse/Writers Helping Writers fame) for expanding my “showing vocabulary” when it comes to character emotions. A few weeks ago, I shared how their new books, The Positive […]
Pin ItDoes Your Writing Have Rhythm?
We’re probably all familiar with the idea that poetry, music, and song lyrics can have rhythm. But prose writing—our normal, everyday writing with sentences and paragraphs rather than lines, stanzas, and verses—can have a rhythm too. I’d occasionally heard a rhythm in my head while reading stories but never paid much attention. […]
Pin ItDoes Fast Drafting Create Editing Nightmares?
Last week, we discussed how we can plan our story and avoid writing a “hot mess.” With NaNoWriMo almost upon us, now is the time to think about basic planning for plot and character arcs so we end up with a coherent story. But what about the writing quality itself? NaNo […]
Pin It4 Tips to Solve 99% of Your Writing Problems — Guest: Janice Hardy
I’ve gushed many times about the awesomeness of Janice Hardy’s blog—for good reason. Her writing tips are clear and insightful. She discusses topics more thoroughly than most. And it’s a rare thing when I can’t find an answer to a writing question there. She’s also a super-fantastic person (I’ve met […]
Pin It
