Use This Tip to Test if You’re Showing or Telling
We’ve all heard a variation of the advice: Show, Don’t Tell. In other words, don’t tell us what happened, show us. But how do you know you’ve succeeded?
Read Memoirs to Understand Character Motivation
Memoirs and autobiographies or even television interviews are great ways to understand why people do the things they do, and why people are the way they are.
The First 90 Days to Your Writing Success
Recently I started a new (day) job. I was really excited, so in anticipation of the new position, I read The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins. The book basically outlines a set of strategies to ensure the reader is on the track to success from day one.
I read it, and I realized—despite its corporate/management focus, some of these tips are applicable to writing projects as well!
Do You Need A Writing Partner?
Most of us push through our writing projects alone. But have we got it all wrong? Should be we be writing with someone else?
Today’s Practice: Write a Sentence
A couple of times I’ve mentioned The Snowflake Method, a technique to organize a novel before diving into the first draft. Some of the steps include creating a scene list and interviewing characters. I personally used this approach and, without it, I don’t know if I ever could have gotten my novel started.
The very first step of the Snowflake Method is to describe the plot of your novel in one sentence.
