I’ve been feeling stuck with my editing. You know the feeling. Like no matter how hard you try, how many editing passes you make on your novel, it’s just not getting any better. All the momentum I had after NaNo seemed to have vanished with the smell of fresh-baked Christmas cookies, long since eaten. So …
Now that I’m starting to write fiction, I’m obsessed with writing a great story. Just what makes a story great? What separates mediocre from good to unforgettable? Most of the writing guides I’ve looked at focus on mechanics: show versus tell, active versus passive voice, grammar and the like. All of these help writers string …
Learning how to develop characters is vital for any novelist. Well drawn, consistent, likable characters combined with a compelling plot engage the reader’s attention and keep her turning the pages. While inspiration for characters can come from almost anywhere, the process of developing them takes some work. Start by naming the person. Think about whether …