Metaphors are fun. They may be one of my favorite things in writing. Of course, they aren’t the only thing in writing. Writing is a complex thing. Many different things go in to make writing happen, and good writing not only takes into account how the language works, but it also takes into account your […]
The Uniqueness of Metaphor Read More »
I used to think that logic was at the center of our thinking. This does not seem to be the case when you look at people, because people often do things illogically. But as I looked at people and saw them respond to events, it seemed to be the case that though they did not
The Story is at the Center of Thinking Read More »
I think almost every single author I have run into says the same thing about finishing their book: though they have the book in a completed state, they could go on working on that book until the end of time. I am sure I could do this as well. There is a little gremlin in
If I were to ask the question, “What should you put in each chapter of your book?” you might look at me sideways. Finding out what to put in each of your chapters is easy to most writers. But this question is important. When you write a work of fiction, you start with nothing. Though
What to Put in Your Chapters Read More »
I enjoy writing the first draft of my book. It is an opportunity to dive into something new. It is an opportunity to explore the thing that I have been daydreaming about in me head for the last few months (and in some cases, years). First drafts are fun to me. One of the reasons
Editing is Writing Read More »
Story structure is important. Each story must follow the structure of a story. To understand what stories are, people have developed story structures that we can use to understand and develop stories. You have probably heard about the three act story. You have probably heard about the five act story. It is less likely that
Seven Point Story Structure Read More »
There are a lot of different ways you can go about planning a story. Some people are pantsers. Some people are plotters. If you are a pantser, I would encourage you to do some plotting. When we go about planning, we have several different ways to go about planning. People have set up several different
The Five Act Story Structure Read More »
The protagonist of the story creates the core of a story. You look through that character’s eyes to write. You watch as that character acts in the world. The way that character moves through the world and how it ends up is what we are watching. It is that which makes up the story that
Writing Side Characters Read More »
We have talked about how to start the book. We have talked about the different parts of the book. Some people will point to one of these two aspects as the most important part of a story. I do not know if I would go so far. I am not a person who tends to
Knowing How to End Read More »
I love dialogue. It is one of my favorite things to write. I am not sure of the entire reason behind that. I think part of it is because all fiction writing seems to direct itself toward dialogue, meaning that it is usually some sort of dialogue that creates the climax of the story. Another
A New Way to Look at Dialogue Read More »
