Now Back to the Story
What defines “good” writing when it comes to a story? That’s a question that I have to ask time and again as I’m judging contest entries. You see, there are different kinds of “good,” and there are different levels of “goodness.” One writer has a gift for plotting, another a gift for pithy metaphors. So […]
The Power of Being a Fan
On May 9, 1977, I became a Star Wars fan. My brother-in-law had seen the film in April (I believe it was) of that year at a special pre-screening and had told me that I had to go see it. So I got a seat (after failing to get into the theatre on a couple […]
Making Your Writing Future Bright
Back in the 1960s, basketball coaches learned that if a player imagined himself practicing free-throws over and over—it greatly raised the percentage of shots that the player made in real games. The brain actually “practices” the moves that the body must make in a precise order. This technique for perfecting performance has been shown to […]
Writing for the Holidays
The midwinter is actually my favorite time of the year to write. There aren’t many conventions or writing workshops in January and February, since organizers know that their customers are busy with family affairs, so I like to focus on work. But there are some things that you should know as a writer. First, this […]
Writer Beware: the High Cost of Author Visits
As a new author, you will undoubtedly be asked to make author visits to various functions. You may be asked to speak at libraries, visit schools, go to conventions, teach workshops, and so on. It’s very easy to become so popular that you bankrupt yourself, and I see new authors who do it all of […]
Investing in Your Writing
As a young writer, I used to set a rather simple writing goal: spend at least $500 per year to grow my skills as a writer. In the early days, at the age of 17, I bought my first used typewriter, purchased some writing books from the university, and then got a subscription to some […]
Books to Movies
There are four major platforms for taking a fictional story big. You can launch it as a book (either traditional or comic), or film (either movies or television), or as a videogame. But in the last couple of years, we’ve also seen toy franchises breaking out as platforms for movies with things like Transformers, Battleship, […]
Happy Holidays! Workshop Sale
From now until Monday, November 30th, you can get 25% off any or all live and online workshops at MyStoryDoctor.com when you use code “Holidays”. Treat yourself to a workshop or get it as a holiday gift for a writer you care about. Check out the online workshops here. Check out the live workshops here.
Becoming a Writing Junkie
Writing is fun, so fun, that some people think that it’s addictive. Like exercise or alcohol, you can come to crave it. Years ago, a writer named Charlie Brown wrote dozens of novels. One day he realized that he wasn’t making a lot of money at it, and yet he loved writing, so he started […]
Taking it Slow
A couple of years ago, I read that over a quarter of a million people participate in NaNoWriMo each year, yet it seems to me that the program has a questionable record. How many good novels come out of it? The answer I think is, “Far fewer than there should be.” Don’t get me wrong. […]