A Tip — and a Short Case Study — for Writing “Voice” Authenticity

Coaching the writing voice — the narrative tone and style and essences that become the telling of the story in sentences and paragraphs and scenes and chapters — is the toughest realm of “talent” to access.   And for many, to improve upon. Thing is, sometimes it’s that very thing – your voice – that is […]

Writing Lessons from the BBQ Pit

A guest post by Art Holcomb One of the great things about being a writer is that you can find inspiration anywhere. The world around us and the vibrant nature of our daily lives can give you great insight into your art if you can just see the connections that exist everywhere. As it’s been […]

The Road to Nowhere: One Writer’s Journey Toward Craft

A guest post by Curt Fouts Before you hop in the car for that cool literary road trip you have planned, check your route and your reason for going. I-70 through Kansas? Not exciting, even if you plan on hitting all the tourist traps offering two-headed cows and 500 pound chicken eggs. Larry’s recent posts […]

Nine Billion Reasons You Need to Opt-in to This Webinar

A crazy, outrageous title, I get that. But it’s literal. It’s a math thing, but it should get your attention. I’m presenting a webinar this Thursday, May 22, through Writers Digest University (1:00 EDT). It’s billed as an encore presentation, but it’s actually an enhanced version of a previous webinar I did with WD, called […]

Story Structure… for Television

I’m doubting that many of us write for television.  But I’m betting that most of us watch it. As students of story architecture and story physics — that is you, right? — we tend to look for evidence of the principles in play in all of the fiction we consume, a large percentage of which […]

Writing A Publishable Novel: What “Finally Getting It” Really Means

Three Things You Must “Get” Before You Really Get It Writing a great story can be so easy to mess up. Take one thing for granted, miss one step or fail to nail one necessary dramatic essence, and the story will likely be stillborn. Sure, it looks easy enough when you sit down with the […]

A Short, Questionnaire-free Case Study: The Awaiting Epiphany When Craft Suddenly Clarifies…

… a moment that sometimes waits until after a synopsis comes together – or even the writing of an entire manuscript – to announce itself to you. Which can feel like awakening to the realization that, while you set out to drive to Florida, you’re instead in a boat heading for Havana, and the guys […]