No time to write? Psh. Ok, look, it’s a fact: we live in a world of distractions, and trying to write in the middle of it is no mean feat. Last month was case in point. Family will be there in twenty. Your email’s pinging over a podcast, kids are screaming, sauce is erupting all… Read more »
You have an idea for a story. Maybe you’ve been kicking it around for years, or it hit you yesterday, but you’re unsure where to begin. Here are five steps to help you develop your story from idea to drafting your novel. Before diving in, examine why you want to write this book. Why are… Read more »
I’m going to admit it: I fell hard for Pixar. It was the original Toy Story that punched me in the heart first; the nostalgia and sweet characters, blended with a lifelike style of animation I’d never seen before. I then dove headfirst into their collection of short movies, many of which I showed over… Read more »
I posted previously about how a writing friend and I made a script from a short story for a Halloween film contest. Today’s post is a little more in-depth on the process of taking a short story and turning it into a film. Our short film ultimately took second place in the contest. You can… Read more »
For many writers, beginnings are easy. An image floats in your head for months or an idea marinates for years during the commute to your day job or a line comes fully formed into your mind while cooking dinner. When you finally sit down to honor this image, idea, or line, the story pours out…. Read more »
It was six months into the COVID pandemic that I made one of the biggest career decisions of my life. I had spent over 20 years in the tech industry, mostly as a founder, or early employee, at Silicon Valley tech startups. I had just decided to shut down my latest venture and was feeling… Read more »
I’ve been a classic film fan all my life. I’ve always loved backstage or meta stories, and the ultra-meta-aspect of writers writing about writers. In movies, there are few scenes that show writers writing, for the simple fact that watching someone write for 90 minutes isn’t entertainment. The focus is generally on how life influences… Read more »
I’m a stickler for detail, as all writers should be. When I read about an event, a film, a song, or a place I’m familiar with, I’ll do a quick internet search to see if the writer has done their homework. When I find an error, it makes me question the reliability of the author,… Read more »
Hullo, word nerds! The festivities have begun! Holiday season is upon us, and Black Friday is only a week away. If you’re anything like me, I’m willing to bet that you’re comfortably avoiding those herds of shoppers who hath ventured forth into the bleak midwinter’s darkness, determined to get deals. Still, just because you’re not… Read more »
Fiction isn’t journalism, of course. You don’t need to cram all five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) into the opening paragraph of your novel or short story. Still, if you’re writing mainstream fiction, your readers ought to be able to establish some bearings early in the narrative. You need to set the scene. … Read more »
