Your Favorite First Line

You crack open a new book or click on the first page of an ebook. You’re greeted by that all-important first line. Does it make your heart sink or soar? As every author knows, that first sentence gives you the opportunity to hook your readers. Provided you’ve crafted the sentence the reader knows something is … Read more

Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #12: CASTS

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

Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #11: The Rhythm of Language

      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.      

Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #5: Character Backstories

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

Nanowrimo Writing Lite Video Tip #2 — Beginnings

Welcome to WRITING LITE #2. I’m still talking about suspense, but this time I’m starting at the beginning. I talk about the power of that first line, how to approach it, and give you some of my all-time favorite examples. It is a little longer than I anticipated (at three and a half minutes) but … Read more