‘Craft’ Archives
Finish the Damn Book
Finish the damn book. You’ve all heard that phrase, right? I bet among the members of this chapter, we could compile a million words from unfinished stories. Shoot…I could probably scrap together two hundred thousand all by myself! But I find myself facing an interesting situation and wondered if I’m weird—wait, I mean unique, if I’m [...]
Point of View – II
Last month, we discussed how I see POV by levels, each one on a little deeper level than the previous. If you missed that post, you might want to go back and read what I said before going on. This month, let’s talk about getting into the character’s head, actually becoming your character. In some ways, it’s a lot like being an actor. You [...]
Finding the Right Mood
It’s midnight before Easter as I write this. That’s probably cheating for a blog due on Monday but, unfortunately, the days all run together and if I hadn’t had this on my calendar, I would have completely forgotten I had it coming due. Today was one of those days that quite simply did not stop. Up at Target by 830 for shoes and dresses [...]
Point of View – It’s Not Just A Camera Lens
Hi RWA-WF World! I’m Cynthia D’Alba and I’ll be here every fourth Monday of the month. Remember that anything I write during my blogging time is my opinion. Feel free to point out the errors of my ways. This month and next, I’m tackling one of the hardest concepts for new writers to grasp – Point of View. I’ve heard POV described [...]
CORRECTION TO JOYCE WELL’S blog dated January 29, 2010
CORRECTION, in Joyce's blog dated January 29, 2010 , WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE STUCK ON PLOTTING, Donald Maass should be credited as the author of WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL and the material quoted from it: "What is one thing that the protagonist would never do?" Blog contributor, Joyce Wells, apologizes for the mixup, and blames her faulty [...]
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE STUCK ON PLOTTING?
After I volunteered to write on the subject of plotting, I wondered whatever made me think I could write anything useful about the subject. Then I took a few deep breaths and realized that I’d finished eight novel manuscripts, published two, and taught Fundamentals of Fiction for Writers Digest Online Workshops for nine years. Okay, you’d [...]
So you want to start a group blog?
Good morning, fellow writers! I am thrilled to be here today to talk about Romance University (www.RomanceUniversity.org). For those unfamiliar with this group blog, our tagline is “Empower Writers. Entertain Readers. Understand Men.” That’s a tall order and not a venture Kelsey Browning, Tracey Devlyn and I undertook lightly. We [...]
’Tis the Season for Giving, er… Conflict
Conflict on the page is so very different from conflict in real life. We need believable conflict between what our characters want and what they must do to achieve it. Yet, I struggle to throw the obstacles, the challenges, the crises at my characters. Mind you, I know why – I don’t like conflict in real life. Sure, I understand its important [...]
Craft – 3-D Action Scenes – Teresa Bodwell
Writing a novel is like a juggling act and not the easy kind with squishy-soft balls—no. Authors are trying to keep a broad sword, piccolo, chain saw and feather in the air all at the same time. When the action kicks up all those objects can come crashing down turning what should be one of the most exciting scenes in the book into a [...]
Characterization: The Cornerstone of Women’s Fiction
Barbara Samuel's article on characterization in this month's newsletter prompted some questions for discussion: What tricks and tips do you have for creating depth of character? Who are some characters in fiction you have loved reading, and can you pinpoint why you love them so much? Take a crack at these questions, or ask your own!
