The first all-woman spacewalk took place on October 18, 2019, and it was historic for a number of reasons. For those writing speculative fiction set in space, many have assumed the presence of women in their novels, and this is a good thing. Whether the purpose is exploration, settlement, or pure adventure, women must be… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! For the past several articles, we’ve discussed the concept of a Storytelling Superpower, and how we all can find ours. The secret is the heart of every story–the character. There are four main character archetypes, and discovering which one resonates more with you can help you unlock your own storytelling superpower…. Read more »
In my last Be Well, Write Well post, I launched a 3-part series designed to help busy writers find their rhythm. In our first post, we focused on finding our WHY, the purpose behind everything we do. We created purpose statements that brought the elements of our working, family and inner self pieces into a… Read more »
When it comes to writing historical fiction, there are all sorts of subgenres. Right now, I myself am exploring magical realism, legends, and myths. With legends come legendary characters, so I’ve had to think about different ways to incorporate well-known characters, real-life historical figures, and otherwise well-known personages into my fiction. I’ve tried all of… Read more »
Hey word nerds! We’re continuing my series on your Storytelling Superpower today by digging into the first two of four character archetypes. But first a quick recap: In my first post, we talked about how character, more than plot, world or any other story element, drives a story forward. If your reader doesn’t care about… Read more »
Over the last ten months, as I’ve been on this journey of one full year of fiction writing, I’ve gone through a multitude of creative highs and lows. When I’ve been in a good place with my writing and imagination, I’ve managed to finish creative projects way ahead of schedule. (For example, I had planned… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Megan McDonald, the author behind the popular Judy Moody series. Megan grew up the youngest of five sisters, so knows a thing or two about speaking up for herself. Before she became a writer, she worked in museums, libraries, and bookstores; she has also… Read more »
On November 26th, the latest opus from Bernard Cornwell – Sword of Kings – will be available in bookstores in the US. If you’re already a fan of The Last Kingdom Series, then you’re no doubt as eager as I am for the newest volume. If you haven’t yet explored Cornwell’s work, then don’t wait… Read more »
In my last post, we discussed how a protagonist is the driving force behind every story. And there are four distinct types of protagonists, and different writers are drawn to different ones. They all exist on a spectrum, between what a character wants and his or her personality. Which do you gravitate towards? Let’s take… Read more »
Most people are familiar with Hemingway’s writing advice encouraging storytellers to, “Write what you know.” But what most of us “know” comes from first not knowing — from daring to journey toward understanding. Writing fiction well requires we provoke our reader’s curiosity and wonder; but how can we as writers feel either curious or wonder-filled… Read more »
