This post is a blast from the past. I posted the original over 3 years ago. When I came across it, I thought it would be helpful to repost it. If you are running into plotting problems, below are 4 ways to fix troublesome plot points. As you work through a story, you may be… Continue Reading →
Writing Action Scenes
I find writing action scenes one of the most difficult and rewarding scenes to write. They’re difficult because all the elements of a story–character, setting, and plot–have to be in correct balance so readers can be carried away with the action, living the scene with the main character. It ruins the scene if the reader… Continue Reading →
First Steps in Plotting a Novel
As we continue to follow “The Journey of a Book” this year, we are making a stop this month at plot. A story is just a report without it. Merriam-Webster.com states defines plot as “the plan or main story” of “a movie or literary work.” So if the plot is the plan, how do authors… Continue Reading →
Kick off the Plot at the Beginning
As many new writers learn, the job of the first page of the story is to hook the reader. There are many cheap ways to do that–like a dream or the reader finds out that the first thrilling five pages are part of the a story the main character is reading. But if you can… Continue Reading →
Plots Points for NaNoWriMo
Need plot points for NaNoWriMo? Now that NaNoWriMo is more than half over, you may be running out of inspiration, especially when it comes to plot. For me, keeping a plot fresh is the hardest part of writing. Below are some suggestions to reignite inspiration as you head toward your goal for NaNoWriMo. Let settings… Continue Reading →