No Writing Allowed
STOP!
Put your pencil down.
Step away from the computer. (But not so far away that you can’t read this).
There will be no word-crafting today. I repeat: there will be no word-crafting today!
Sorry.
Geeks and Freaks Make Better Characters
Let me tell you a secret: Universal characters are boring. Everyday characters are dull. Trying to create universal characters doesn’t work.
Rather, the opposite: the more unique you make your characters and their surroundings, the more universal your story becomes. Janet Burroway calls this the universal paradox.
So how do you make your characters more unique and less generic?
Unproductivity Fuels Productivity
The assignment was clear. I knew exactly what I wanted to accomplish. The research was done. Ideas and content were plentiful. I had everything I needed to complete the writing project except the words.
So I did the most logical thing I knew to do…
Family Fudge
“Family is like fudge: mostly sweet with a few nuts.” – Anonymous
The challenge is: how do you capture those nutty relations in writing?
Crowd scenes are the hardest to write. Throw together a crowd with years of shared memories, emotions, and tensions and you might as well just give up now.
Wait!
