Authors who go the extra mile in research tend to become bestsellers—Patricia Cornwell, Michael Crichton, Dave Berry, Creston Mapes, James A. Michener, David Morrell, Ridley Pearson, Amy Tan, and Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Herman Wouk to name a few. Some authors start out as experts, such as: Tess Gerritsen (a physician who writes crime stories featuring a coroner) Linda Fairstein (a former Manhattan Assistant DA who writes crime novels) Timothy Browne, M.D. (a missionary physician who writes inspirational medical thrillers) Frank Zafiro … Read More »

Let’s get back to those quirky, fun books that writers of all ages tend to love. And what’s not to love—tight plots, precise characterization, emotional impact—all within a very controlled 32 pages and, nowadays, often with less than 700 words. They’re not easy to write, and to get right. In fact, as the author of three novels, many poems, magazine article, and 13 picture books, I find that a good picture book is the most difficult thing I write. (Maybe … Read More »

You (hotly): You’re kidding, right? Of course my novel has a plot! Me: It probably does, because that’s the kind of tightly-put-together story we prefer nowadays. But some novels really/almost/actually don’t. They’re episodic, quest-like. And that’s OK, if you intend them to be that way. Just don’t let it happen by accident, as I once almost did. Perhaps a little reflection up front can stave off some panicked rewrites later. The Classic Quest The great English classic Pilgrim’s Progress is … Read More »

Chapters are the stepping stones that guide a reader from the beginning to the end of your story. A chapter can be a mini-story in itself, with its own arc and exciting stuff happening in a little, literary package. When it comes time for the chapter to end, what do you do? What is a chapter ending supposed to accomplish within the bigger context of a story? Let’s explore some possibilities. Wrap Up A chapter ending can wrap up that … Read More »

Not many things in real life are more annoying than a slow leak of the faucet. That plop-plop-plop from the bathroom is guaranteed to drive a writer (who’s probably hoping for a distraction anyway) craaazy. But in your writing, those slow leaks can be an effective way to build tension and lead the reader along clue by clue to a surprise ending. This is supremely important with mysteries and thrillers, but any book with any tension is going to have … Read More »

You want to know how bad a writer I am? I used “by the time” twenty-one times in my current manuscript. I used it twice on the same page. That’s how bad a writer I am. You may not find “by the time” on any list of crutch words, but it appears to be a crutch of mine. I also used “just” two hundred and fifty-two times. “Then” two hundred times. “Turn,” “so,” “right,” and “looked” each more than a … Read More »