A question was recently posed to me about a creative way to insert facts and information from the past into a story. Readers don’t want an information dump, so how does a writer provide the pertinent details without a lot of backstory? After I offered up a few suggestions (I hope they helped!), I thought some might be worth sharing. Invite a Character From the Past When you invite a character from the past into your story, they will naturally … Read More »

You did it! You completed an amazing writing journey, and you’ve got something you’re proud of and excited about—a novel, short story, memoir, etc. After long (endless?) hours of writing, tears of frustration, and feelings of self-doubt, you finally typed those last, two word: The End. Before you whisk it off to your editor, consider these suggestions to put it in the best possible shape before handing it off. The Hiding Obvious You’ve done the spell/grammar check that comes with … Read More »

I happened across this photo of a stone wall project I completed a few years ago, and it made me think about how I might compare it to the construction of a story. Tools, materials, planning, and brain power translates to creating a wall (or a story) that will stand the test of time. I thought it might be fun to break apart this project into story-building elements. Plan for the End Result Before you head out to the landscape … Read More »

Free is great, right? Who doesn’t love free? It’s especially fabulous when you are gearing up to write your first (or next) story. Settings, characters, and other story elements are free for the taking — in unlimited quantities! So forget about TP, grab your cart, and let’s shop ’till we drop! Your Genre Aisle This may be an aisle you’re already familiar with. You may have already written a story here, you’re continuing a series, or it may be a … Read More »

Denouement is a a French word, literally meaning, “untie the knot.” In the structure of a story, it’s the point near the end where the conflicts, entanglements, and challenges are resolved (untied and smoothed out, according to the French), bringing the plot to a satisfying and read-worthy conclusion. Choose Your Definition Some writers use the literal definition of the word as they resolve all of the turmoil they have to create in their work. I tend to use the term … Read More »

You did the hard work. You dreamed, plotted, wrote, and edited the story within you that needed to be told. Then you did more hard work — writing that query letter. Some think it’s more of a challenge than writing the book itself! I’m inclined to agree. Query letters and blurbs will be the death of me, but that’s a topic for another blog. So, the carefully researched queries go out. Then what? Crickets These can be the most disheartening … Read More »