Taking it Up a Notch
Each of us is always struggling to reach new plateaus. I am, you are. So when you get that nagging comment, here are some areas that you might look at:
Dealing with Writer’s Block, Part Two
Every story is different and may require the author to grow or stretch in new ways, even old pros can find themselves blocked when writing.
Dealing with Writer’s Block
“When you get writer’s block, if you will go back in your story to what you wrote the day before and check your work very carefully, you’ll find that you wrote something that your subconscious mind recognizes as being utter baloney, a lie. So you have to find out where you went astray, and start writing from that point forward.”
I really think that this needs to be expanded upon, for those who feel stuck.
The Shiver Test
When you’re brainstorming a new story, how do you know that it will be good?
Writing for Lonely Readers
have you ever noticed how most of these tremendously popular books answer a protagonist’s need for companionship?
Writing Long
When first writing a scene, let your conversations go a little long. Let your characters repeat ideas. Spend some time over-describing your scene.
Single-draft Shakespeare
Some authors advocate writing only a single draft of a work, and then moving on. With concentration and training, some writers do learn to do that beautifully, but most never become first-rank authors. The most blatant exception of course was William Shakespeare.
Getting Great “Word of Mouth” Advertising
as authors, all of us want to get great word of mouth advertising. It is easily the least expensive form of advertising—since it costs you nothing—and the most productive form of advertising, since it comes in the form of testimonials from people that you know, and trust, and who are more or less a lot like you.
To Grow or Not to Grow
In literary fiction, it is often said that the characters should merely “change,” not grow. But it is not nearly so enjoyable watching the demise of a protagonist as it is to watch one succeed. Change may intrigue, but growth inspires. Indeed, here’s a key not only to understanding characters, but to understanding people: look at anyone who is feeling anger, depression, or sadness.
What’s the (plot) point?
When we write a story, we are interested in the things that change in a person’s life. So any time that something significant changes, then we have a new “plot point” that we need to put on our plotting chart.