There are two ways to get in front of agents and editors about your book: a query or a pitch. I’ve already discussed query letters so today we’re going to focus on pitches. Let’s start with what a pitch entails, and then go into how to prepare for one and Read more
Some terms I got mixed up when I first started studying writing were the phrases plot reveal and plot twist. They both mean new information is given, and they generally shock or awe the audience. But what exactly is a reveal or a twist, and how do writers pull them Read more
It’s time for another post in my Character Under a Microscope series where I discuss the nitty gritty details of character development. Today, I want to focus in on something that everyone experiences—stress! In a good story, your characters are going to face trials, and that will undoubtedly lead to Read more
Throughout the last few years, I kept hearing the about Deep Point of View, otherwise called Immersive POV. This has nothing to do with first, second, or third person pronouns in your narration. It’s the idea that you write so readers feel like they experience the world as if the Read more
I recently had the opportunity to be on a podcast (more about that at the end). Now, I’m a typical introverted writer who doesn’t talk much so I did a massive amount of research on how to be a good podcast guest. Since I went through all the effort, I Read more
A while back I wrote a post on the two functions of scenes: action and reaction. Since writing that post, I found the origin on this concept called Scene-Sequel. It was developed by Dwight V. Swain in his book Techniques of the Selling Writer. Today I want to elaborate on Read more
The other day, I was flipping through one of my notebooks where I’ve written down author tips. I came across a page that made me stop and go, “Wow, this is awesome!” Which is probably what I thought when I first found the tip and wrote it down. Unfortunately, I Read more
After I changed your thinking about plot last week by stating it is NOT story structure, I want to discuss how to merge the two. Plot isn’t like story structures where you know basically where things should happen, like the inciting incident happens around the 10% mark of the book. Read more
Most people agree that stories are created with three key elements: character, setting, and plot. While there are endless resources on character and setting (worldbuilding), I’ve found that most sources skim over plot. I know, you’re probably saying, “But you did a whole bunch of posts on plot with the Read more
Every author has a support system full of professional and personal connections. When first starting out, writers often feel they have enough support with their friends and family and maybe their editor or agent. Then they finish their first book and feel underwhelmed. The book is out there, but it’s Read more