I’m reading Writing The Cozy Mystery by Nancy Cohen. Here’s a reminder she gives to writers using the first person or a close third: Avoid out-of-body experiences, such as “If I knew what was going to happen, I’d never have walked through that door.” Who has knowledge of the future? The Author, that’s who. CertainlyContinue reading “What does the viewpoint character know?”
Tag Archives: writingtips
I can help you fix your story.
I love being involved with books in their early stages. Developmental support lets me help writers see what’s working, what isn’t, and how to fix it—so their stories become clearer, stronger, and more satisfying for readers.
Every Writer Needs a Support System
Writing a book isn’t a solo journey. If you’ve ever read an author’s acknowledgements, you’ll know how many people quietly help bring a story to life. Editors, coaches, beta readers, agents: they’re all part of the village.
Writing Tips: When Actions Overlap
What is false simultaneity and how do I avoid it in my writing?
What a first draft can teach you that a published book can’t. (A writing coaching win!)
Discover how using an unedited manuscript in a writing coaching session helped a client spot craft techniques and grow as a fantasy writer.
Dialogue tags versus action beats
Learn the difference between dialogue tags and action beats and how to punctuate them.
Recognize ideas “when they show up”.
From Stephen King’s On Writing. Let’s get one thing clear right now, shall we? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and makeContinue reading “Recognize ideas “when they show up”.”
What’s the difference between a scene and a summary?
What a Scene Isn’t. This excerpt is from James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure: [Start of quote —] Summarizing is when the author tells us what has happened “off scene.” Think of this as the stuff that is not unfolding for the reader in linear time, beat by beat. A scene is like this: JohnContinue reading “What’s the difference between a scene and a summary?”
What Are Your Characters Made Of? Fay Weldon’s Take on Character Creation
Do you build detailed character profiles, or let your characters grow as the story unfolds? Fay Weldon shares her unconventional approach.
‘We remember not the art but the impact’ – advice for fiction writers from Donald Maass
How many of you own or have read The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass? Today I’m interested in these ideas: “How many novels have moved you to tears, rage, and a resolution to live differently? How many have left a permanent mark, branding you with a story that you will never forget? TheContinue reading “‘We remember not the art but the impact’ – advice for fiction writers from Donald Maass”
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