Category: Fundamentals
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Getting Over Your Humps
We talk a lot about writer’s block. About barriers. Walls. Brick-and-mortar barricades that loom in front of us until we either smash through them or give up entirely. Most of the time? It’s not a wall you’re facing. It’s a hump. A hump is smaller than a wall. It’s awkward. Uncomfortable. Sometimes ugly. But it’s not…
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Stop Fixing; Start Finishing
There’s a writing community I’m part of that has a rule. Rule #1. Finish The Freaking Draft. (Respect to Hobo Dan who came up with this rule.) To be honest, the word used there isn’t “Freaking”… I’m sure you get the gist. It sounds obvious. Simple. Even a little bossy. But it’s the single most…
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How Do I… (You Do The Work)
A lot of writers get stuck waiting for someone to give them the right tip, the perfect answer that will fix their story instantly. That doesn’t exist.
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Involve (all) the Senses
Your readers live in their bodies, just like your characters do. If you want your story to feel real, you need to give us more than just what we can see. The creak of floorboards. The prickle of sweat. The tang of salt in the air. The feel of fabric under fingertips. The stinging burn…
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Your Idea Isn’t Worth Anything (Until You Tell the Story)
This topic arises frequently in writing communities, especially among those just starting out. “I have this amazing idea. Do you think it’s good?” “Would you read a story where…?” “Is this too cliché?” And, my personal favourite: “Has this been done before?” (Answer: Probably. But not like you’d do it) Here’s the truth: Your idea…
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Writing When You’re Not Writing
Your brain doesn’t stop just because your fingers aren’t on the keyboard.
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World Building is NOT Writing
How much world building is too much? The annoying answer is… probably most of it. The story is what matters. Write the story.
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Perspectives – Variations on a Theme
Delving into some of the nuances within the broad types of perspective. Third person vs. third person omniscient, dual POV vs. single, or multiple.
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The Limitations of “Write What You Know”
Not all knowledge, has to be first hand. Knowing something well enough to write it doesn’t mean you have to have lived it.
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Perspective and Tense: Who and When?
First person? Third? Where’s the second? Tense? I’m getting tense just thinking about all this!