Whether you’re doing Nanowrimo or not, this is one of the most important scenes of the Act One of any story. We first see the hero/ine of a story in what mythologist Joseph Campbell called the Ordinary World. That world gives us a lot of essential information about...
So, Nanowrimo, Week 1! (Or for those of use NOT doing Nano, just another fabulous day doing the best job in the world….) I was thinking about what I could post today that would be of the most use. The best thing about doing Nano is that you write so fast you don’t get...
Yeah, yeah, I know. Some writers freeze at the very word, “structure.” But it’s the easiest, fastest way I know to easier, faster, and more salable writing.So in this Nanowrimo/NO Nano series, of all my Top Tricks to Get Yourself Writing Again, my Trick #1 is: ...
Today, we're going to embrace the business side of writing as part of the idea-finding process. In Part I I was talking especially to the beginning writer. In the beginning, the most important thing is to find an idea that you can finish. But -If you’ve already...
It’s an important question. Because “Write what you feel like writing!” is a great idea if you’re calm, relaxed, and sure. But maybe not so great if you’re approaching it from a state of panic. And let’s face it. If you want to make money at writing, there are...
It's October and you know what that means....It's Nanowrimo PREP month!I always do a brainstorming and story structure review series in for Preptober, and continue throughout November with prompts and encouragement, based on my Screenwriting Tricks for...
I don’t think it’s said often enough that you CAN write a novel (or a script, or a TV pilot....) in whatever time you have. Even if that’s only five minutes a day. If you have kids, if you have the day job from hell, if you are clinically depressed, if there’s a...
When people ask, “Where do you get your ideas?”, authors tend to clam up or worse, get sarcastic - because the only real answer to that is, “Where DON’T I get ideas?” or even more to the point, “How do I turn these ideas OFF?” The thing is, “Where do you get your...
I hope you’ve been feeling your creative brain focusing on the story you want to tell, and that scenes and characters and dialogue have started to bubble up all through your day (and in your dreams). The thing is, a lot of what we call writing gets done in that quiet...
Aaah, Fall! Doesn’t it just make you want to—write a book or something? Well, let’s do it! Here are three absolutely essential questions that will help crystallize what you're writing: What does your protagonist WANT? What is their PLAN to get it? Who and what is...
