The Real Costs of Writing a Book
If you’ve been “bitten by the writing bug” then you are exceedingly aware of the pull to write — even if it isn’t an everyday activity yet. You may be working on a particular story, something that’s been yanking on your imagination for years. Or feeling the pendulum shift from exuberance from creating to the […]
Reeling in Your Reader: The Power of Writing Hooks
Captivating your reader’s attention and submerging them deep inside the story world is one of the universal goals for writing hooks. We want our readers to experience the heart hammering, gasping for breath, sitting at their seat’s edge wondering how in the midnight sky their beloved character is going to escape an impossible conundrum. And […]
Considering Crucibles in Writing
Crucibles in writing force characters together, which can strengthen your story’s conflicts. In everyday life, a crucible is a container used to hold metal or liquid as it boils. For example, to melt gold, one takes a heavy bowl made from steel and sets it in a fire. The steel, which can withstand higher temperatures […]
What Does Your Accomplishment Stories?
As a judge, I’ve just finished my second pass through the Writers of the Future contest accomplishment stories for the first quarter, and several times I have been reminded of something: Your story needs to accomplish a lot. Let me explain. Very often I get good stories that are told pretty well. With beginning authors, […]
Seductions and Promises – Writing Openings
The sweetest thing writers can hear is that our readers missed their bedtime because they couldn’t put our book down. The words on the page seduce the reader to continue flipping and it’s obvious this engagement begins at the story’s Writing Openings and continues. So the question I’m exploring today is what openings do we […]
5 Helps to Get Your Writing Session Started
Get your writing session started, even when you don’t feel like writing, with these five approaches. Sometimes you’re not in the mood to write, but you know that you should. Maybe you’ve set a goal and hope to reach it, or you’re on a deadline. Here are a few strategies that you can use to […]
Dream up Strong Story Ideas
Strong story ideas make strong stories. Is the idea for your story worth writing about? As a storyteller, I make my living as a tour guide of sorts, escorting my audience through vivid dreams. As a guide, I create the setting, with its landscape, history and its wonders. I may suggest entire cultures with imaginary […]
Writing the RIGHT Details
Writing the right details will help you craft more immersive, meaningful, and layered stories. If you’ve been writing very long, you’ll know the importance of mentioning details in your writing. Appealing to the senses and attention to detail is what will ground your reader and bring your story to life. Details often make it so […]
A Checklist for Writing Your Story
Use this checklist for writing your story, and you will write even stronger stories. David Farland was a best-selling author and contest judge for the world’s largest short story competition. When I used to write for competitions, I would make lists of ways that judges might look at my work in order to grade it. […]
Why Editors Reject Your Story?
As many of you know, I judge stories for the Writers of the Future contest. Today I want to talk about those stories that get an Honorable Mention. On my computer, I have a story up. I’ve read the first two pages, and although I’m a little soft on the opening paragraph, the rest of […]
