I’m always on the lookout for a new fun toy for Sean and Addi, the pair of tuxedo kittens we adopted. (Yes, they do both look like smaller versions of Ruffles, the cat that occasionally shows up in my Bean to Bar Mysteries.) Example items are from Amazon, and these are affiliate links. Crochet […]
My Bean to Bar Mysteries are set on Galveston Island. How could I celebrate that setting without having a list of everything I like to bring for a perfect beach day. (Of course, there’s so much to do at the beach, there’s no way I could cover everyone’s perfect day. Just mine.) Example items are […]
A scene is a unit of conflict experienced by the characters. It can cover a whole chapter, or several scenes can be strung together to make a chapter. It can sometimes be difficult to figure out where scenes and chapters in your fiction should start and stop. It can help to structure them around scenes and […]
Jake collects playing cards. We always buy a deck when we travel. Sometimes that’s easier said than done – especially when most of a trip is planned out with other folks, or if we’re on a cruise stop for just an afternoon. He’s also collected interesting playing cards at thrift shops and game stores. Sometimes […]
I got a change to talk with fellow Angry Robot author Anna Kashina about (among other things) balancing point of view when working with a large cast of characters. She also touched on how to introduce characters and make sure they have distinctive voices. How do you balance multiple POVs so that everyone gets the […]
In real life, we resist change. But our characters get pushed to change by the plot. Some characters embrace change, and are more than ready to undertake a hero’s journey. Typically, though, protagonists don’t like change – especially difficult, painful change — any more than you do. But you have to ignore their protests and […]
I know you guys are very interested in managing time and fitting a regular writing practice into your lives. So it is only fitting that my first ever guest blogger will be talking about how her passion for writing helps her get to THE END. Patrice just had a book come out from the same publisher as me (Fog Season from Angry Robot). If you scan through her bio, you will see she is a prolific writer and a good person to learn from. So here’s what I asked Patrice: What advice would you give to a new writer who wants to write a novel, and may […]
Check out this list of titles Free Chocolate shares company with on the Reviews and Robots Best of 2018 list.
One of my favorite books from the Children’s Lit classes I took in college was Treasure Island. Stevenson stuck with me as an example I wanted to emulate, because nothing in that book is wasted. Every piece of foreshadowing pays off, every bit of character development comes into play by the end, and the father-son […]
We’ve been talking character arcs at SNW, so I wanted to bring out once special kind of arc: the villain arc. A good villain can really elevate your story, so take the time to fully develop all sides of your antagonist. And then think about what makes him dynamic. The Backstory Arc Usually, the main […]
