Category: character

  • Friday’s Findings: Where Are You With Your Writing Goals?

    Friday’s Findings: Where Are You With Your Writing Goals?

    It’s hard to believe it’s June already. Where are you with your writing goals for this year? Fiction University: Choose the Setting for Your Short Story: Location, Weather, Atmosphere (janicehardy.com)provides guidance on selecting the right setting elements to enhance the overall impact of your short story. When to Use Semicolons: 4 Rules and Examples (reedsy.com)offers…

  • Friday’s Findings: Do We Really Need Story Structure?

    Friday’s Findings: Do We Really Need Story Structure?

    I just finished Stephen King’s On Writing. Once again. I’m still flabbergasted that one of the best-selling authors in American history doesn’t endorse story structure. And I also just listened to a fiction writing seminar with Lisa Cron. In it, she reiterated what she says in her book, Story Genius, to begin with the story.…

  • Friday’s Findings: Plot and Story

    Friday’s Findings: Plot and Story

    I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the concepts of the difference between plot and story. The simplest, bare-bones definitions is this: plot is what happens on the surface and story is what happens on the inside. Plot is the physical action and events. Story is the internal thoughts, themes and conflicts of the…

  • Friday’s Findings: Can AI Write a Novel?

    Friday’s Findings: Can AI Write a Novel?

    Apparently, Artificial Intelligence can write a novel. The question is: can AI write a good novel? To me, good novels require human emotions. Characters need to make decisions in their fictional exploits. And decisions, even those based on just the facts, require emotions to be made. Can AI make decisions as complex as humans? Can…

  • Friday’s Findings: The Perfect Story?

    Friday’s Findings: The Perfect Story?

    This week, I came across some articles that go over the basics of fiction: story elements, types of characters and the three act story structure. I also came across Writer’s Digest’s 50 best websites for writers in 2023. Elements of Fiction: A Quick Guide to Writing the Perfect Story – Kotobee Blog A refresher on…

  • Friday’s Findings: Vision Boards and Facial Cues

    Friday’s Findings: Vision Boards and Facial Cues

    My Seven writing rules – JMJ Williamson Not so much ‘rules’ as they are ‘preferences.’ How to Write a Good Villain: 6 Scenes Your Story Needs (thewritepractice.com) Some good suggestions for scenes to make your antagonist more real to the reader. Fiction University: Give Your Story Meaning with Inner Conflict and Theme (janicehardy.com) Some good…

  • Friday’s Findings: Storytelling Tips and Techniques

    Friday’s Findings: Storytelling Tips and Techniques

    Got an extra Audible credit you want to use? Looking to take a creative writing class? Then I recommend Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques. This is part of The Great Courses Series on Audible. James Hynes, a writing professor and novelist, narrates this 24 lecture course on writing novels and short stories. I…

  • Friday’s Findings: Discovering Flannery O’Connor

    Friday’s Findings: Discovering Flannery O’Connor

    A couple months ago, my supervisor came into the office excited about a movie being filmed in town. Ethan Hawke had been spotted by the local paper at various locations: the zoo, Old Louisville, and nearby small towns. “He’s filming and directing a movie about Flannery O’Connor,” my boss exclaimed. She loves O’Connor’s short stories.…

  • NaNoWriMo Day 22: Starting with dialogue

    NaNoWriMo Day 22: Starting with dialogue

    When I start a scene, if I’m not sure what to write to start things off, I go to my default: dialogue. Then I add in some physical actions followed by interior thoughts and emotions. Then I layer in some description – I make sure the reader knows what the characters look like as close…