Author, Compulsively Readable Thrillers
When you pick up a book for the first time, and the first line grabs you by the—er– throat, you know you’re in for a great ride. As a reader there’s nothing quite as exciting as a line that makes the hairs on your neck rise, or makes you laugh unexpectedly, or intrigues you so … Read more
Happy Thanksgiving, all. Hope it was a good one. The last Writing Lite Video tip is a little longer than the others; then again, I’m explaining a terrific system you can use to structure your chapters. It was developed by Author Nancy Pickard, whose thriller THE VIRGIN OF SMALL PLAINS is one of my … Read more
We’re almost at the end of the Writing Lite tips for Nanowrimo. But I couldn’t ignore a topic that I not only enjoy but think is really important. And that’s the rhythm of language. Listen in.
Okay. What does “less is more” mean? With some novels weighing in at 800 pages or more, how can that be true? Listen up.
In Writing Lite #9, I talk about the power of language and recommend a book that will help you write more consciously.
You’ve heard it ever since you started writing. Show, Don’t Tell. You know what it means. You really do. But do you? Learn more.
All your characters — major and minor — need their own arc. I explain why.
What happens when your characters do something that’s not in their nature? How do you know? What do you do to get them back on track? Find out in Writing Lite #6.
There are many exercises and techniques with which you can experiment to develop your characters, but this is my favorite. I use it all the time with important characters, and once I get into it, I’m always surprised to learn who a character really is, what shaped them, what motivates them, and how they’re going … Read more
In Writing Lite #2 we talked about opening sentences. Now in Writing Lite #4 we go to the other end of the chapter.