I think a prompt can be helpful in getting us warmed up or breaking us out of a rut. But I hadn’t looked at them from Smith’s perspective, and while I don’t agree entirely, I do think she has a point.
Read moreStarbucks in Westeros and Suspension of Disbelief
This is a world where nobody ever drinks anything besides wine and beer. Where the only dishes are metal and the only paper are the scrolls used to send messages via raven. There are no stores, no restaurants, no coffee meetings to discuss battle strategies. Caffeine, disposable dishware, to-go food and drink? Nonexistent.
Read moreWhy Hire a Writing Coach?
We think of writing as a solitary activity. Sure, there are writing groups and, once a book is finished, there are editors, but when you get down to brass tacks, the relationship is between the author and her word document. Sometimes it’s beautiful, and sometimes it’s a battle, but it’s always one-on-one. Well, here’s a secret: it doesn’t have to be that way.
Read moreIs Your Protagonist Wearing Too Much Plot Armor?
Whether you call it plot armor or deus ex machina or crazy random happenstance, the result is the same: a character is saved from a tough spot thanks to an inexplicable and all-too-convenient coincidence.
Read moreOn My Nightstand: January 2019
As far as reading is concerned, the year is off to a great start. Here’s what I read to wrap up 2018 and kick off 2019.
Read moreReview: Blanca & Roja
In Blanca & Roja, Anna-Marie McLemore blends familiar fairytales The Swan Princess and Snow White and Rose Red into a rich, luxurious story of friendship, love and self-acceptance that is told with her signature style of magical realism.
Read moreReview: A Heart in a Body in the World
Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, Deb Caletti’s A Heart in a Body in the World reads like a battle cry for young women in the #MeToo era.
Read moreFilling Out Your Cast of Characters
Every member of your supporting cast brings a lifetime’s worth of experiences, values, quirks, and perspectives to the table, and the more you can honor that by fully developing every character, the richer your story will become.
Read moreTo Overcome Writer’s Block, Paint (or Draw or Sculpt or Sing) Instead
Maybe it’s about a new perspective or using a different part of your brain. Maybe it really is just about opening yourself up to play—after all, when we take our work too seriously, we can quickly give ourselves tunnel vision.
Read more10 Essential Elements of Gothic Literature
As we head into fall, there’s no better time to visit the Gothic genre.
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