Five Simple Words to Start a Conversation Today
Life is full of inspiring conversations waiting to happen! String together five simple words to elicit information and jumpstart learning, connection and discovery.
Is Your Dialogue Just Characters Talking?
The last couple of weeks I have been thinking about dialogue in fiction. A friend of mine told me that some agents will flip to a random section of a manuscript and make a judgment based solely on the dialogue!
This is How to Efficiently Evoke the Setting of a Novel
How do you evoke a full sense of the time and setting of a novel? One way to quickly make sure your readers know exactly where they are (and when) is to write about the news.
7 Tools to Hook Your Reader
Looking to master “the hook”? Check out these seven tips from an author who has published over 40 books.
The Love Triangle
Sunday was one of those rare days in Denver where it rained all day long, which completely justified my decision to lay on the couch, order takeout, and watch Netflix all day. My roommate and I finished the evening with a viewing of I Love You, Man, which I had never seen and am so glad I watched. Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are America’s boyfriends.
The main three relationships of the movie are a twist on a classic rom-com trope called the love triangle, with Paul Rudd trying to become friends with Jason Segel while planning his wedding to Rashida Jones. It’s highly entertaining, but it made me think about other plays on the classic three-character relationship models.
Maleficent, Elphaba, and You: The Secret to Writing Villains
Maleficent. Elphaba. Regina. There’s a reason these new spins on classic stories are so popular. These stories make for an intriguing new look at something old and familiar—one that forces us to reconsider the villain. We can all take a lesson from this villain-as-hero trend.
How do you create rich, compelling villainous character? The answer is easy: Empathy.
