How is the Question by Beth Barany
As a young twenty-something, I went through an intense WHY phase. It didn’t seem to get me anywhere, just generated more guesses and more stories. A boyfriend told me that that asking WHY was...
Writer's Fun Zone by Beth Barany
We may be wired for story, but do we know how stories are structured? by Beth Barany
We may be wired for story, but we often don’t understand its structure or how a story is put together. The good news is story lives in us unconsciously. The other good news is...
Evoke Reader Emotions by Kay Keppler
Figuring out how you want your readers to feel can improve your plotting. Everything you include in your plot should lead to emotions in some way.
Help! I Bought Scrivener (Now What?) with Vanessa Kier
When I first wanted to learn Scrivener, I blocked off about 4 hours to pour over the tutorial, and figure out how I wanted to use the powerful writing tool. I did finally figure...
Getting the Author Off the Page by Alice Gaines
“Getting the Author Off the Page” by Alice Gaines was originally published in Writing Romance: The Ultimate Guide on Craft, Creation and Industry Connections. *** There I was, about halfway through writing my first...
Nothing else does more to make a reader love the characters (Training)
“Nothing else does more to make a reader love the characters or to allow her to share in the characters’ emotions.” — Alice Gaines *** I’m passionate about point of view and work hard...
Writing As… (You Fill in the Blank) by Beth Barany
“Writing As…” metaphors… Many writers wind themselves into knots, thinking writing has be done a certain way, or else they are a failure. But what if writing could be anything you wanted it to...
Take Risks, Take It To The Edge by Beth Barany
Edge. On the edge. At the edge. Edgy. What’s over the cliff? Can you poke your nose over and see the depths of the potential fall? Being a creative isn’t about playing it safe;...
Put Some Spring in That Step By Nevada McPherson
The last day of classes before spring break I wanted to send my creative writing class off to enjoy the time away from school with a burst of creative inspiration for the next project.
Writing Resistance: We Can Overcome! By Catharine Bramkamp
A student was finding it difficult to journal. She didn’t have the time. There is a great deal behind the simple phrase, I don’t have time. We say this in answer to many projects that ironically, we desperately want to do: our journals, our books, our art, our education.
Why I Write, Or Why Am I Doing This? By Beth Barany
For many years I wanted to be a writer, from a young age in fact. At age 19, one summer, there I was journal writing in earnest 20 minutes every day before my student...
Finding My Own “Why?” by Carol Malone
This month, I’m writing about my trial and error in determining my own “Why.” This is one of the toughest mental experiences of my life – identifying “Why” I do what I do.
10 Power Techniques for Starting Your Scenes
I’m excited to announce an upcoming free live webinar with award-winning author and writing teacher, Bonnie Johnston, about scenes and specifically scene openings. Scenes are the building blocks of story; and if you can...
We are all a work in progress by Beth Barany
I am a WIP. You are too. We novelists use “WIP” to mean “Work in progress.”
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