Author, Compulsively Readable Thrillers
The villains in your stories need to be almost as fleshed out as the protagonists. An evil character has to be more than a two-dimensional stereotyped criminal, sociopath, or mobster. Readers don’t necessarily have to like him/her, but they need to understand their motivation; perhaps even why they’re the way they are. It helps to … Read more
As some of you know, I just came back from Europe. It was the trip I’d hoped to take last year, but life got in the way. Happily, I was able to go this year to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, and Berlin. What a trip! If you’re a history lover, particularly of the two World Wars … Read more
In most instances, it’s a waste of words (and boring as hell) to have a character reply with “yes” or “no.” Instead, have them explain their reaction. Example: “Did you have a good evening with Bill?” “Yes.” “Did you have a good evening with Bill?” “It was spectacular. He took me to the top of … Read more
Well, Memorial Day Weekend is here, and it’s time to think about beach—er—bitch reads, right? I thought so. Actually, this is a reprint of a blog I wrote last year around this time. Right now I’m in Europe (the trip I wanted to take last year but didn’t have the money), so I hope you … Read more
I learned most of the craft of fiction in my writing group. I’ve been in the same one for almost 18 years. During that time almost every member of the group has been published. But it takes some serious thought. It’s NOT a social group. We meet once a week and we read out loud. … Read more
POV is sometimes called “head-hopping,” and it’s probably the most common mistake new writers make. It means you can only be in one person’s head during a scene. Sometimes that means just a subtle difference, but it’s important.If you do it incorrectly too many times, it will stop a reader and take them out of the … Read more
The Rouses were the model suburban family. Father Bruce, a self-made man who built his fortune starting with a couple of gas stations and expanded into cable TV and real estate, built a 13 room mansion in Libertyville, an affluent suburb on Chicago’s North Shore. Wife Darlene was a member of all the right clubs … Read more
That first sentence (or two) is critical. They must make the reader keep reading because they HAVE to know what’s going on. That means starting “in media res,” in the middle of things. Like these: “The man with ten minutes to live was laughing.” The Fist of God by Frederick Forsyth “The small boys came … Read more
One of my favorite writing books is Annie LaMotte’s Bird By Bird. And one of my favorite chapters is “Shitty First Drafts.” Read it. Welcome it. Write as horrible a first draft as you can. But get it down. Only then will you be able to revise and make it better.
People don’t speak with perfect grammar (except for your fourth grade teacher). So feel free to make your dialogue as colloquial as the character’s education and background dictates. Narrative, however, should always follow the rules. You might wonder whether that includes a character’s thought process (ie his/her internalizing or thinking, but not dialogue). The answer … Read more