Come for the Mysteries. Stay for the Characters.
While writing my YA mystery, I noticed that my characters seemed to hold a lot of conversations in vehicles. Since the book is set in a rural county in Ohio, driving is an integral part of the lives of my characters. But I didn’t want to bore my readers. So I changed one scene from… Continue Reading →
As you tackle your novel for NaNoWriMo, you may run into writer’s block. One way to overcome it is to find fresh settings. Setting as a source of inspiration is often overlooked. But a new setting can provide the spark for new characters and fresh plot twists. Let’s say your city police detective needs to… Continue Reading →
My prompt today is to encourage you to visit a real-world setting and write your impressions. This is what I mean by tune into a setting. Be still and gather impressions through the five senses. Don’t think too much about them. Just dot down what first comes to your mind as you watch, listen, feel,… Continue Reading →
I took this photo on a hike this year. Although I know what the structures were used for, there’s something fantastic about them. If you don’t know what they are, what story could you write about this setting? If you do know, let your imagination wander and come up with a story that gives a… Continue Reading →
And now I’ll reveal what the mystery structure is from last week … a furnace used for separating iron from the rock it was found in. My kids and I are pictured beside Hope Furnace, found at a trailhead in Lake Hope State Park. A poster on IG knew what these were. Can you imagine… Continue Reading →
JPC Allen Writes