Antagonists are such a pain. Why should a writer bother with one, or more? All they do is cause trouble! Exactly! A story needs to have opposing forces, conflict, and struggle. Otherwise, it won’t be a story worth writing–or reading. Creating your protagonist (main character) and sending him on his merry way might be the easy part. Pitting someone or something against him (the antagonist) is another matter. Now that you know you need one, let’s explore some options. And … Read More »

Much of my writing is about Florida’s natural world – its waters, birds, trees, even clouds. When my first book, The Young Naturalist’s Guide to Florida, was accepted, the editor sent every chapter to a different expert in that subject, and on one expert’s advice, the editor asked me to rewrite a short paragraph.  She read it to me over the phone. I thought a moment and changed the wording to incorporate the correction, to which the editor replied, “That’s … Read More »

When characters say exactly what they mean, such as when a character testifies at a trial or answers questions from police during an investigation, there is no subtext. Children, drunks, and those under the influence of sodium pentothal say exactly what’s on their minds without filter or forethought. If characters only say exactly what they mean in every scene, then the dialogue is flat, or on-the-nose. It can be boring and artificial because such directness and honesty ignores human complexity. … Read More »

If you want to start a column or have been invited to do so, realize what you’ve taken on. You may envision tossing off at pizza fests or cocktail parties, eyes modestly lowered, “Oh, I’m a regular columnist for Extreme Quilting.” But … A quality column takes consistent effort, thought, and rewriting. Here are seven important considerations from my own column-writing and the advice of several column writers I interviewed. 1. Produce on Schedule The editor counts on you to … Read More »

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m in love with thesauri (or thesauruses) and interesting lexicons. My husband knows, but he’s not the jealous type. In fact, he gifted me my first thesaurus—an ancient Soule’s—before we were married. It’s a treasured relic I still have almost fifty years later. (And him.) In the meantime, I’ve collected some interesting others over the years. (Not husbands.) And the internet has exploded with many you can have at your fingertips when looking for … Read More »

As a writer, you send your main character out the door, down the path, and into the world of your story. But wait? Can they succeed if they go it alone? Frodo wouldn’t have gotten far without Sam as The Lord of the Rings fans know all too well. Your story needs someone to join the hero on his/her journey. That’s where secondary characters get their chance to shine. What Are Secondary Characters Secondary characters play a significant role in … Read More »