A logline and a tag line are two different things, but they both serve to get people interested in your story. One talks about the story plot; the other reveals its tone. Yet both should hook a reader to want more. Let’s look into each of these lines and how Read more
I recently came across this idea of vagueness and ambiguity in stories through September C. Fawkes, and I was so impressed by it that I searched for more information on the topic. To my surprise, there was none. It’s not a topic most writers are discussing. So, I’m adding this Read more
When writing a story, the protagonist has to have a goal. There needs to be something specific the character is working towards so he has a sense of agency. What you often don’t hear, though, is that your protagonist needs more than one goal. Today, we’re going to look at Read more
When talking with agents, editors, and even other writers, you often hear the question: What are your comps? Comparison (comp) titles are books that are similar to your manuscript. These comps help the other person quickly identify the type of book you have written. Comps can be very important for Read more
Has anyone ever told you that your story is falling flat and you need to raise the stakes? What they mean is you need more escalation in your plot, but not in the way most would think. Last week we discussed how to put stakes into your novel, and this Read more
A story is a character trying to overcome obstacles to achieve a goal, but the reader won’t care unless there are significant stakes involved. Something has to be at risk in order for the story to have an impact. It was really hard to find concrete information on what stakes Read more
Today is another entry in the Character Under A Microscope series where I dig deeper into character development to help you make your characters realistic. This time we will examine why your characters talk. Seems simple, right? They talk to communicate with others. While communication is the overarching goal of Read more
Today I want to discuss writing a synopsis for literary agents and editors. A synopsis is a summary of the story’s plot, like an outline but more concise and in paragraph form instead of bullet points. This will probably be harder for you than writing your book. I know it Read more
I’ve done an overview of character interiority, and last week we talked about interiority and its subconscious aspects you can use to ground your readers in your character’s viewpoint. Today, I want to move on to the conscious side of character interiority. This is the part that shows how characters Read more
Last year, I did a post on interiority and how it gives readers access to the POV character’s thoughts and feelings throughout a story. If you missed that lesson or need a refresher, you can read my post on interiority before we dig deeper into the topic today. I found Read more