It’s been a while! I am hard at work prepping for the release of Not by Sight: The Story of Joseph, but in the meantime, I’m exited to share that a new category is coming to The Writers’ Room portion of my website – Author Interviews! These interviews will be with published authors of allContinue reading “Coming Soon – Author Interviews!”
Tag Archives: writing craft
Plotting the Dreaded Middle
Bridging the Gap Between Beginning and End By Claire Tucker Reading a good novel is like taking a road trip. The road winds between hills and forests and anticipation for the end of the journey is palpable in the vehicle. Then all at once the hills and forests fall away as you drive onto aContinue reading “Plotting the Dreaded Middle”
Read Like a Writer
By Claire Tucker If you’ve been a writer for any length of time, then doubtless you’ve come across Stephen King’s advice: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, noContinue reading “Read Like a Writer”
How to Pick Character Names
Photo by Nighthawk Shoots on Unsplash By Lana Christian I get such a kick out of picking character names for my novels! It’s like going on a treasure hunt. And when you find a name with a hidden meaning to it, you get to decide whether you’ll ever reveal that tidbit to your readership. It’sContinue reading “How to Pick Character Names”
Writing From Life’s Lessons
By Stephanie Jaye We’ve all heard the phrase “write what you know”. And while some debate the legitimacy of that idea, I’ve found in writing that reaching beyond that simple concept into something a bit more heartfelt can make for a passionate work of fiction. No one likes trials (can I get an amen?). Yet,Continue reading “Writing From Life’s Lessons”
A Publisher’s Thoughts on Writing
Image courtesy of bigstock By Ferrel D. Moore I am often asked by writers, what is the one thing that they can do to improve their stories. Can they make more interesting plots? Did their plots fail because they failed to exploit the character’s strengths and show their weaknesses? Are their plots not intricate enough,Continue reading “A Publisher’s Thoughts on Writing”
How Much Research is Enough?
Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash By Lana Christian Sooner or later, novelists ask, “How much research is enough?” Good question. That begs a more basic question: why do research? We research so we can write plausible, realistic stories that exceed the limits of our experience. That applies equally to historical and contemporary novels. ResearchContinue reading “How Much Research is Enough?”
Writer’s Block: Fact or Fiction? … And What to do About It
By Elizabeth Jacobson If you go to a search engine and type in something along the lines of “tips for beating writer’s block,” you are going to find something you may not have expected. Mainly, you will find a lot of people saying that writer’s block is a myth. Or, even more inflammatorily, that writer’sContinue reading “Writer’s Block: Fact or Fiction? … And What to do About It”
Why Selecting the Right Beta Readers is Important
By Elizabeth Jacobson When I first started writing, it seemed like every person in the online-universe-of-writing was saying that your beta readers should not be friends or family members. Now, off the bat, this seems strange. So you’re saying I need strangers to critique my writing? And honestly, this is what it sounded like toContinue reading “Why Selecting the Right Beta Readers is Important”
Warning: Even Your Umpteenth Draft May Stink (i.e. Why you need beta readers)
By Elizabeth Jacobson Warning: You might stink. No, not you the author. I’m talking to your draft. “What?!” you shriek. Perhaps you’re clutching your pearls. “My draft?? My baby?! Yes, your draft. Your third, fourth, nineteenth draft. Yes, your baby that you have worked on for approximately 1,528,996 hours. To be fair, it’s not yourContinue reading “Warning: Even Your Umpteenth Draft May Stink (i.e. Why you need beta readers)”
Elizabeth Jacobson 