Tension (aka suspense) is vital no matter what genre we write. Without tension, our writing feels flat and boring, even if the prose is beautiful. Those who write in the mystery/suspense/thriller genres have a bit easier row to hoe, since … 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
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
Most of us would be quite surprised to hear what other people really think of us. Now’s your chance to play with what you think others might say about you if they had the chance… It’s fun to do for … Continue reading
Who we hang out with, or would if we could be with anyone in the world, shows a lot about who we are. Same with our characters. The more we know about them, the easier it will be to write … Continue reading
What our characters do can’t surprise us if we really know who they are. That starts with knowing their background. Here’s a twist on the usual school-family-work snapshot. Write Over the Hump How well do you know your character? Write … Continue reading