13 Writing Clichés That Will Kick Your Ass

One of the best pieces of writing advice I’ve ever heard – or repeated – is to forget much of what your high school and even college creative writing teacher told you about storytelling. No, you do not need a three page description of the setting of every scene prior to beginning any action or […]

A Writer’s Prayer

Welcome to the half of you who weren’t scared away by the word “prayer.” Not the usual Storyfix fare, I’ll grant you.  But I bet you’ve uttered a quiet prayer or two – even if that’s not the label you put on it – where your writing dream is concerned.  I know I have. Like, […]

What Just Might Get You Published. What Probably Won’t.

A few tough truths for the new and truly committed. The following presumes you’ve actually written a publishable story.  A manuscript that stands ready to compete against proven professionals and talented first-timers with a story that’s every bit as compelling as yours. How to write such a story and how to publish one are very different […]

The Most Important Question(s) in Storytelling and the Ensuing Two Questions That Allow You to Answer

Is it okay if I admit that I love today’s post?  Because I do. Maybe because I’ve been tinkering with it for weeks.  I write about things that lurk in all corners of the writing room, some hidden and lurking in the darkest corners, others sitting on desk begging for attention.  Sometimes they’re subtle.  This one […]

Finding Enlightenment Behind The Scenes

Not quite a two-parter. By that I mean, what began as one big honkin’ post quickly evolved into two.  When the intro/set-up — how I came to the stuff I’ll talk about in the forthcoming not-quite-Part 2 — started to outgrow itself, when it became a separate yet valid topic for discussion, I made the executive decision to double […]

Motivation: The Success Story of a Self-Published Author

Yeah, it really does happen. In a few weeks I’m giving two workshops at the annual Willamette Writers Conference, one of the biggest and best out there.  Because of that, I receive email updates from the nice folks who run it, and what you see below is one of them. Great news for all of […]

Beware the Seductive Side Trip

All this talk about pantsing versus planning…or, in reference to Tim Baker’s recent guest post, the hybrid method now known as plantsing… it’s easy to get confused. Confused about what the difference is, or what it even means. Confused about the risks and potential rewards of each. And confused about what I’m really saying about this polarizing […]

30 Seconds of Pure Creative Genius

You may have seen this.  It’s gone viral, and the star of this piece is already being limoed around New York to all the national morning talk shows after being nominated for an Emmy. And Emmy for what, precisely? For Best Actor in a Television Commercial.  Really.  I didn’t know they had that category, either.  But […]

Can the First Plot Point Happen Without the Hero Knowing?

A Storyfix reader recently asked me this intriguing question.  At first I thought, no way.  Then I thought, maybe.  Then I wasn’t so sure. I’m still not so sure.  But I do know this — you still need “a” first plot point, even if you manage to pull it off. Below is my response, buffed up […]

Guest Post: Pantsing the Planners or Planting the Pansies

A guest post from Tim Baker Author of “Living the Dream” Now available at Amazon.com www.blindoggbooks.com Being a subscriber to your emails for quite some time now, I have followed the “debate” on pantsing vs. planning with keen interest. Mainly because I don’t know into which category I fall. Your articles have caused me to […]