Juxtaposing opposite concepts often leads us into new territory. Opposites both attract and repel. Built-in tension! Learning to use opposing concepts to delineate and define the themes in our writing lifts our stories to a higher level. Write Over the … Continue reading
Certain phrases are iconic. They can unlock the child in us and free our imagination to go just about anywhere. When that happens, amazing things emerge from our subconscious minds. Here’s one of the most iconic phrase to start you … Continue reading
As writers, we want our characters and our settings to be memorable and unique. This isn’t always easy to accomplish. They key is to look at your characters and settings as something other than what they actually are. That way, … Continue reading
Off-the-wall concepts can often jump-start our creativity because they are so ridiculous from the outset that our conscious logic goes out the window. We are able to set aside pre-conceived notions about how things are supposed to be and simply … Continue reading
I love to learn new words when I’m reading a book. And I’m especially pleased when a writer uses the new-to-me word in a way that allows me to figure out its meaning from the context alone. That way I … Continue reading
Disparate concepts make us stretch and twist to make logical connections. Unlike in life, things in fiction have to make sense, no matter how disconnected they seem to be. Trust your subconscious to find the logical links. Try this and … Continue reading
Phrases we overhear can be fantastic starting points for stories and scenes, because we have to fill in the numerous blanks to make sense of what we’ve heard. Our creative imaginings go into overdrive. It’s a great idea to keep … Continue reading
Random events that happen can often be used to reveal character in our writing. Whether our characters are happy about it, sad, angry or indifferent, their response to these events lets the reader understand them a little better. (And if … Continue reading
Sometimes an overheard comment or stray concept can trigger amazing results if we let our subconscious loose on it. Let this one start your creative juices flowing. Write Over the Hump Write about this for 10 minutes: “It was the … Continue reading
When I was a little girl, I was always pretending to be someone else – especially when I went to the doctor for a shot! We all have fantasies about being someone other than who we are. These fantasies help … Continue reading