When I was compiling a list of 100 character quirks for my Master Lists for Writers book, I threw a few superstitions in there. I think they’re fascinating, so I put together a list of them to share here. I believe many of these are European superstitions. If I’ve come across the origin of a superstition, I’ve noted it, but I
In the month of November, hundreds of thousands of people will participate in National Novel Writing Month, in which they attempt to write fifty thousand words of a novel. And like every year, people will write blog posts and columns about why they hate NaNoWriMo. To be clear, NaNoWriMo is not for every writer. Not everyone likes to write fast –
I’m so excited to announce the launch of my reference book for writers! Master Lists for Writers grew out of some popular posts on my blog, but most of the content is new. Whether you’re getting ideas for a brand new story, developing your characters, or searching for the right words as you write, I think it’s going to be a great resource.
Hey y’all! Today I am blogging over at Fiction University about a terrible condition that afflicted my early stories. (It still plagues my first drafts, to be honest.) Check it out!
Recently, someone I don’t know well in one of my (many, I’m afraid) private online groups vented about the guy she was seeing: a not-quite-boyfriend. She was most often the one to make plans, and he cancelled at the last minute about a third of the time. She was asking the group how to get him to back out less often
Fall is the perfect season for reading… but then, I kind of think that with every new season. This month I read a few of the books everybody was reading, and then some. Take a look!
This is one of my favorite tips for how to write good dialogue… Give your characters something to do while they talk! The wonderful movie Warrior has a great lesson in how to write good dialogue. In one scene, a science teacher who moonlights as a fighter talks with his wife late at night while he repairs his girls’ dollhouse