Today’s blog post is going to be a little different from what I usually do in my final post of the month. However, I came to a decision a month or two ago regarding a specific writing project of mine. That is, I decided to stop working on it for the time being, and focus … More Knowing When to Quit
In previous blog posts, I’ve discussed how you can use characters to generate plot. Naturally, you can also use known plot points to determine essential character traits that will need to be incorporated. If you know there will be a scene where your character will have to decide to trust someone, then, until that point, … More A Web of Stories
So we are one week into NaNoWriMo, and I hope things are going well for all of the participants. But, if things are already starting to slow, I thought I’d spend a few minutes today talking about how to decide where to send your plot. A story’s plot is one of those things where you … More Turning Characters Into Plot
It starts next week, guys. The big 50k challenge is right around the corner. I hope at this point that you have a pretty good grasp on your project, whatever it is. But if you’re otherwise finished with plotting and characters, then take advantage of the last week of prepping to flesh out your world … More NaNoWriMo 2019: Setting
I’m maybe over halfway done with my plotting at this point, and it’s honestly such a good thing that I’m getting a feel for my characters in the process. I don’t think I’d otherwise have had much time to sit down and get to know them all personally before November strikes. We’re already halfway through … More NaNoWriMo 2019: Characters
A little less than a week ago, I made myself sit down and think about what it was I wanted to do for this year’s NaNoWriMo challenge. There were a few different options. One: I could use it as an opportunity to explore another major story that is happening in the world of my main … More NaNoWriMo 2019: Story Planning
Reading and writing are two completely different beasts. When writing a novel, every element feels like it needs to fall into place accordingly. Everything from the big stuff, like plot points, to the smaller things, like a character’s name. However, the things we focus on as writers tend not to be the things people focus … More Power in a Name
Every once in a while, I like to go back to older stories. As the genres change with the passing of time, always in pursuit of originality while fleeing the cliche, it’s important to remember the history of the genre itself, whatever that genre might be. That is, in large part, why I returned to … More July Reading Reflections
As I’ve been working on the (hopefully) final revision of my work in progress, I’ve tried to figure out which components made it easier to write each scene. So whether you’re a bit new to this writing business and you’re still looking for some tips, or you’re just looking for ideas to make this whole … More So You’re Ready to Write a Scene
Last month, I discussed writing a book’s abstract, a sort of premature “book blurb” to help you keep both interested and focused on the most important aspect of any novel project: the plot. For many of us, however, the plot is one of the hardest things to develop, and so is best cultivated by exploring … More Drafting Character Sketches: Building Your Plot pt. 2
