Editing | Coaching | Instruction
That’s me, isn’t it? People who don’t write don’t get it. They often assume that the stories I write — the stories all writers write — are taken entirely from real life. That our characters are just people we’ve met transcribed to paper under the guise of another name and a different hair color. I’ve […]
Ok kiddos, it’s time for another writing exercise [cheering] This is a new one that I’ve only just come up with (like maybe just a minute ago), so I’m not sure how well it will work. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me it’s terrible. It’ll help build my thick writer’s skin. Yep. […]
What do you think of when I say “Fanfic”? Neville Longbottom acting out stories about himself at the Fringe, perhaps? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtJAqSbzyKw No? Maybe you think of the ridiculous success that Fifty Shades of Grey turned into after starting as a humble fanfic for another surprising best-seller? What am I getting at here? Fanfic doesn’t have […]
Sometimes, the most telling details are found in unlikely places I was introduced to this exercise at Bekki Hill‘s workshop “It’s Not Just What You Say” at the Winchester Writer’s Festival back in June (used with her permission). Explore your character by exploring his or her hands. Think about it: what do your hands look […]
Where do you come up with this stuff?? Anyone who has ever told someone they’re a writer has been asked the question: where do you come up with your ideas? For me, stories are driven by characters, and characters are everywhere. Think about all the people with whom you interact on a daily basis: other […]
Many people don’t realize how much “behind the scenes” work goes into writing a story or a novel or other work, and many writers are loath to write something that won’t be “used” in the body of the text. But, truth be told, this “unused” work is some of the most important information you will […]
What’s a Mind Map? One of my favorite ways to brainstorm a story or a character is Mind Mapping. I actually learned this method in elementary school. To prove that we’d read a book, we had to map out the main characters and ideas in a cloud-like structure for the teacher to check over. This works […]