by Melissa Tydell |
Good stories and strong writing can transport us to another world. We see the characters and setting, visualizing every detail as if the words on the page have become a picture in our minds.
On the other hand, as writers, we encounter the challenge of putting words together—the right words in the right way—so our story can come alive in our readers’ imaginations.
How do you create something that goes beyond simply telling a story? How do you write something that has the power to show in such a way that readers can visualize the story just as you are imagining it?
by Melissa Tydell |
We’ve heard it over and over: write what you know. But we can challenge our imaginations and think differently by writing what we don’t know.
If you want to break out of a writing rut, take a look at your past and present work. Do you typically write about the same type of character? Do you set all of your stories in the same location or time period? Are the plotlines fairly similar?
I often find myself writing about characters like me: 20-something women living in the Midwest in the present time. Most of the plotlines deal with relationships, either romantic or family-focused. There’s nothing wrong with that, but by getting outside my comfort zone, I open myself up to discover something new and fresh and fun.
