I’ve been meaning to read Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat for years now, so after I finally read it over the weekend, I was kicking myself for not getting to it sooner. I’ve discovered that books on screenwriting help me tremendously when I’m struggling with plot, and the way Snyder explains structure really clicked with [...]
Nancy Lamb has a great chapter on plot in The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children which I use with my writing classes. As I was re-reading the chapter last night, something new stood out to me. (I find that often happens when I reread craft books–something jumps out at me that’s relevant to [...]
A while back I mentioned a screenwriting book by Peter Dunne called Emotional Structure. Since I finished it, I’ve been singing its praises to everyone I know, so now it’s your turn. Let me tell you about this helpful little book. Like many screenwriting books, this one talks about three-act structure. Unlike other books, however, [...]
When I first started querying agents about three years ago, I had one manuscript that I thought was ready to go. But as I kept querying (and getting rejected) I was working on a couple other manuscripts which I also completed during that time. Then I had to decide which one was my best hope [...]
I’m almost finished reading The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass, and I think his chapter on tension is one every writer should read. Tension is what keeps us turning the pages. It can come from a variety of things, but as Maass points out, one of the most effective ways of creating tension is [...]
Now that WriteOnCon is over, my Google Reader is stuffed full of starred items! If you missed the conference, here’s a handy WriteOnCon roundup from the lovely ladies at Adventures in Children’s Publishing. And if your mind hasn’t already exploded from information overload, here are some other writing links you might find useful: -The Spectacle [...]
Some characters seem to come fully formed and ready to tell their stories, but some are a little more reserved and mysterious. I usually get to know my characters by putting them in various situations and seeing how they react, but my current WIP contains a character who just won’t let me in on her [...]
Thank you to everyone who’s entered my 100 Followers Contest so far. I’ve gotten tons of great book suggestions (as if my reading list needs to be any longer). But the internet has been hopping with more than book giveaways this week. Here are a few helpful writing links I came across recently. “How to [...]
Just when I thought I was done revising one of my WIPs, the darn thing yanked me right back in. I know the new revisions will make the manuscript stronger, but I must admit I’ve been going a bit cross-eyed. That’s why it was so comforting to read this bit about revision in Annie Dillard’s [...]
I’m back to share some more wisdom from James Scott Bell’s fantastical little book, The Art of War for Writers. While Bell gives several helpful exercises to develop your writing, he also shares insight into the art of storytelling in general. Last night I read this gem: They [people] read to worry. They read because [...]
