From Rick: Three weeks ago, Scott talked about choosing a title for your book, and last week I talked about the importance of making sure your title and cover complement each other. Before I get into this week’s topic, I
Read MoreFrom Rick: In a past article, I dealt with the topic of backstory in your writing. I discussed where to place it and how much to use, and I linked to a couple of examples. First, check out that previous
Read MoreFrom Rick: If you ask ten authors what the hardest part of writing a novel is, you may get ten different answers, but I suspect that many of those answers will be some variant of getting it organized (and a
Read MoreFrom Scott: When it comes to opening a business, I’ve heard it said that the key to success is “location, location, location.” A similar axiom can be applied to writing a novel, but the catch phrase is “research, research, research.”
Read MoreFrom Rick: This past week, I came across an excellent article from Anne Allen (whose blog I have linked to before) that points out ten things that will flag you as a beginner because they represent poor or weak writing
Read MoreGUEST POST BY KELLEE KRANENDONK From Kellee: Sometimes minor details are just that. But sometimes little things have a way of becoming big things. So how do you know what details to include in your story and what to omit?
Read MoreFrom Scott: For writers of science fiction and fantasy, a special challenge arises. Unless you have specifically set the milieu for your project on the Earth, in a set time and place, you will need to create a lot of
Read Moreguest post by Kellee Kranendonk I was watching an episode of an old show from the ’70s the other day. As a writer, I find it difficult to watch a show without noting its flaws or to read a book
Read MorePROPER USE OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN FICTION From Scott: After an extended (and unintentional) blogging absence, I’ve returned with a series on criminal legal processes. These entries will offer some guidance to writers who wish to include criminal proceedings
Read MoreFrom Rick: The best good description should be as transparent to the reader as possible, meaning it should blend with the story, not stand out from it. Well-written description can be so compelling that the reader experiences rather than sees
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