The Case For – Okay, Against – Dual Protagonists

This one comes up a lot, in the form of a question seeking to validate its own intention.  Far more frequently, in fact, than the number of times I’ve ever seen it done in a published piece of work. Dual protagonists… not a good idea.  In the category of jumping out of an airplane… butt naked.  […]

Give Thanks… You Are A Writer

My wife is an artist.  She’s also a really good writer, but even in her most self-aware moments she won’t cop to it.  But the thing is, the same is true for her art.  Writing gives her no pleasure.  It’s work for her.  She thinks what I do is… cool and inaccessible.  In contrast, her […]

127 Hours… To A Better Story: What Kills Fleas on Dogs Instantly? Long Term treatments

Fleas happen. It is a fact of life for any pet owner. You are not a bad pet parent if your dog gets fleas, but knowing what kills fleas on dogs instantly can be beneficial. Some remedies are quick and easy, while others are more hands-on and labor-intensive. After using any product that kills fleas […]

Know what “No” Really Means

“Nobody knows anything.” – William Goldman, Oscar-winning screenwriter and novelist   You are a writer.  Which means you will hear the word “no.”  Frequently.  Cruelly.  Usually without explanation.  Often without reason. They will tell you no.  And it will suck. You may not hear anything at all.  When that happens… it means no. You are […]

How to S.W.O.T. Your Story Over the Fence

Those among us who have spent any time in a cubicle in a Groundhog’s Day-like corporate existence know what this means.  At least the first part, the S.W.O.T. part.  One has to be even just a little acquainted with the game of baseball to wrap your head around the latter colloquial analogy. Assuming the second […]

An Homage to Pantsing

Pansting — just another way to find your story. Without headlights or a map.  Hopefully with a clue, but even that’s one of the options — starting a story without the slightest notion where it’s heading, or why — for those who like to make it up as they go along. That’s fingerpainting.  When was the […]

NaNoWriMo Rescue

A Strategy for Finishing Strong You’re a quarter of the way there.  Calendar-wise.  If that’s all NaNoWriMo means to you, stop reading here.  I wish you well on this project. And by the way, you’re missing the point. If you are using NaNoWriMo to jump start your novel, get off the procrastination dime or otherwise […]

Storytelling in Chunks: a NaNoWriMo Tip

Story structure is really just breaking your story down in chunks.  Chunks that appear in a certain sequence, building on each other as they go. Chunks, by the way, that have very specific purposes, missions and separate contexts.  Chunks that don’t just happen, but rather, are planned and executed by their author. Experienced, successful authors […]