As I write this, the class of 2020 is marching single-file, social distanced, onto the Plain at West Point where their chairs are set far
The publishing business makes little logical sense. That’s because it’s part of the “entertainment business.” The first word, entertainment refers to emotion, while business refers
While we usually want to avoid conflict in real life, in fiction, it is what drives the characters and story forward toward the climactic scene.
I’m in the process of updating all my slideshows on writing the novel and got the first four done: Idea, Conflict, Plot and Point of
There was a young girl who wanted to be a violinist. She practiced hard for many years. Finally, when she was a teenager, her hero,
The two are somewhat different. There are lots of writing books out there. It seems after a certain number of years writing, each author tries
November is when many writers go into hyper speed and participate in Nanowrimo. It stands for National Novel Writing Month. It doesn’t mean you have
Yes, there was a time when we lived in caves, ate rocks and didn’t have an internet. Well, DARPA did, but the first Internet message
I heard that this weekend at the Writers of the Flathead Conference in Kalispell, Montana. I remember David Morrell saying the same thing at Thrillerfest
Product, Platform, Promotion. We all rate differently on those three, therefore any writing advice we get has to be factored through our own personal situation.
What’s your favorite book? What do you remember about it that makes it your favorite? Was it the plot? Or was it character? One of
Honestly, this is the hardest topic to discuss or teach. For example, I wrote New York Minute in omniscient, translucent, single character. Right. Got it?
This morning I read another story about the ten keys to success as an indie writer. I read articles about the essential things a writer
It all starts with an idea. Which is not story. The two are different. Story can change. Idea can’t. Every idea has been done; but
I’ve seen a number of posts lately with writers dismayed at the state of the industry and their careers. Which actually, I’ve been hearing ever
The Hot Zone was a #1 bestseller when it came out in 1995. It also got me thinking. When we deployed overseas one of the
Since every idea has been done, a job of the writer is to absorb as much idea and story from the world around them. Not
We hear that all the time. Since I was abducted by aliens, I wrote the Area 51 series to describe the mothership and what they
Substitute the word ‘books’ and you’ve got it. Early in my career, which has now spanned three decades, while I was living in a one-room
I mentioned in a previous post about ideas that title is important and how my first book published, Eyes of the Hammer, failed in that
Great title, eh? I listened to Mary Higgins Clark speak one day and she said a title must invite the reader into the book. It
I often see writers who are concerned about someone stealing their idea. The problem with that is that every idea has been done. I know
Writers tend to be insecure people. Don’t believe me? I don’t think you do. Why not? Seriously? Geez. But we can learn to be better.
