Tactical Tuesday: Advice for Self-Editing

Deep point of view (DPOV) is the new trend in fiction. This is not to say that all authors will want to use this style, however, I don’t know why they would not want to at least infuse a bit of this element into their storytelling. It takes point of view (POV) to a higher level for the reader. This...

Tactical Tuesday: Advice for Self-Editing

This week, I had a budding author ask me about the latest release by a bestselling novelist. She has read previous offerings from this author, and she had never noticed the problems she found in his current work. She has been studying the elements of storytelling, she has been getting advice from...

Make-A-Story™ - Monday's Writing Prompt

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term.  It means writing what the publisher wants.  Can you do it?  In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements.  The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have...

Tactical Tuesdays: Advice for Self-Editing

Clichés. We’ve all heard about them. Most writers cringe when an editor or critique partner points out a cliché line like “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Sometimes it’s best to delete a cliché from a manuscript, but sometimes just the right line will allow an author to amp up the cliché and...

Make-A-Story™ - Monday's Writing Prompt

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term.  It means writing what the publisher wants.  Can you do it?  In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements.  The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have...

Tactical Tuesday: Advice for Self-Editing

Conflict-conflict-conflict. If you plan to write a scene without it, stop. We avoid conflict in real life. In fiction, conflict is the one element that has your readers turning the pages of a novel. Some authors mistakenly believe that conflict has to be physical. There are other kinds of conflict,...

Make-A-Story™ - Monday's Writing Prompt

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term.  It means writing what the publisher wants.  Can you do it?  In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements.  The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have...

Tactical Tuesday: Advice for Self-Editing

You’ve read the stories where the characters have repetitive actions. They’re described in different ways, but in the end, they mean the same. Harold glanced at Audrey. “Are you okay?” Audrey peered through the darkness at him. “Scared is all? Harold narrowed his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid...

Make-A-Story™ - Monday's Prompt

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term.  It means writing what the publisher wants.  Can you do it?  In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements.  The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have...