“Where do you get ideas?” Every writer has been asked that question at some point in their career. Sometimes it seems like new story ideas appear as if by magic. Other times it can feel like pulling teeth. So, how do we as writers get new story ideas? Let me give you a window into… Read more »
One of the techniques I talk about most often is the Angst Jar. This is a tool I use to help myself get through creative failure and persevere, even when writing becomes difficult (which, inevitably, it does). The Angst Jar is designed to give you an outlet for creative pain, allowing you to channel it… Read more »
The Star Wars franchise is one of my favorites of all time, and while Rogue One and The Empire Strikes Back are at the top of my list, I have a special place in my heart for Episode IV: A New Hope. We’ve done a bunch of 3-act analyses over the past few months, and… Read more »
I’ve been thinking a lot about all the writing resources that are out there on the web—both free and not free. This got me wondering: “How do we manage it all? How do we tell what’s good from what’s not? And how do we know our time and money will be well spent?” In other… Read more »
Over the past few months, I’ve shared some 3-Act analyses of various different movies, books, and stories. These analyses have included things like the book Pride and Prejudice, the movie Die Hard, and Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.” It can be useful to look at examples of the three-act structure in action, but… Read more »
For the last few months, we’ve been doing three-act analyses of various books and films. We examined Pride and Prejudice, the movie Die Hard, and Kate Chopin’s fabulous story “The Story of an Hour.” Today I thought I’d do an analysis of one of my favorite books: The Hunger Games. This book (along with Pride… Read more »
“Where do you get your ideas?” People are always curious how writers can come up with unique new stories, especially when those writers are producing books at a fast clip. This is especially true when writing genre fiction, where tropes and genre conventions are prevalent. How do you keep from repeating yourself? How do you… Read more »
If you’re like me—and many writers—you might sometimes feel like you’re writing in a vacuum. Sure, we might love to envision ourselves huddled away in a cabin in the woods penning the next big bestseller, but the reality is that we need to connect with a greater writing community if we want to build a… Read more »
One of my favorite short stories is Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”, which is probably one of the most tightly plotted narratives of all time. Barely two pages long, this story incorporates all three acts, plus the pivot points, midpoint, climax, and denouement. It doesn’t miss a single beat and it does all… Read more »
Whether you’re brand new to writing or have been working at it for quite some time, you know how important it is to craft a compelling main character who propels the story forward. I’ve been working with writers for well over a decade and over that time I’ve seen again and again just how crucial… Read more »
