Research is one of the most important things a writer can do as part of its writing process. The reason for it is obvious for non-fiction writers, but fiction writers need to do their share as well. They just don’t…
Research is one of the most important things a writer can do as part of its writing process. The reason for it is obvious for non-fiction writers, but fiction writers need to do their share as well. They just don’t…
Genre is a category of artistic composition. The word applies to literature and music. It means works similar in form, style, or subject matter. I’ll be talking about the literary genres. Some people say there are four main ones, drama,…
Starting a writing project takes many forms. I generally start with a premise. I give it a working title and begin expanding the premise. I create characters, settings, and plot. I also consider how long the piece should be. I…
When you are writing, how do you visualize the words? Do they flow or come without effort? Or do you struggle with each one? Either way, you aren’t alone. I’ve strained over writing a piece, agonizing over each word. I’ve…
Every so often, I get a blast of laziness and I just don’t feel like writing. When that happens, the words don’t flow with ease, and I either struggle on or don’t write at all. Either is a reasonable response…
What is a chapter? The dictionary says it is the main division of a book. That’s true as far as it goes. In nonfiction, it holds a particular subtopic of the work. It’s a logical thing in that case. In…
All stories take place somewhere. The action needs some place to happen which is where the setting comes in. Your basic horror story always takes place in remote places because it wouldn’t work anywhere else. For example, The Shining takes…
A plot is a road map which is the simple way to explain it. No matter how convoluted a story-line may get with twists and turns like driving through a mountain range, each scene leads the reader to the denouement.…
If you’re like me, you have multiple books in progress at once. I have two novels I am revising. Another two which are almost ready to publish, and two in development. This is in addition to my daily journal where…