Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Writing Tips”
The Bible provides a wealth of villains, some more memorable than others (Satan), but most commit heinous acts of destruction. One such antagonist is Haman, the Agagite. He follows the classic traits from raising up the ranks of power, plotting not only the destruction of one righteous man but a whole ethnic group. But, like many classic stories, his bloodlust …
What if what an antagonist wants causes them to lose everything truly important? This narrative is explored in The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Her antagonist, Andrea Smith, is obsessed with living in the Dutch House, owned by Cyril Conroy. She’s a single mother of two young daughters, and you get an impression she’s lower middle class. She’s younger than …
What if you’ve returned from a two-week business trip in London, England (pre-Covid), and your live-in girlfriend has moved out, only leaving a note? Would you feel betrayed? Angry? Hurt? All of the above? Reading about this scenario, do you feel angry or sorry for this ex-boyfriend? Wondering how his ex could be so callous, as to only leave a …
Last month we explored what a protagonist wants, and this month, we’ll dive into the mentality of an antagonist. While I enjoy reading an antagonist who’s sole focus in life is to destroy the protagonist’s life, I’d prefer to read how external and internal forces affect their conflict. For instance, what happens when… Characters compete for the same desire but …
What happens when a character’s desire conflicts with a moral code, personal need, or lofter cause? You’ve got the potential for an intriguing story! Going in a slightly different direction, I’m doing a case study of the movie Casablanca instead of a novel. The main protagonist, Rick Blaine, owns a thriving nightclub in Casablanca, during World War II. The city …
Ever been ghosted? I have a few times. It hurts. Continuing our November series, What our Characters Want, the short story, “A Telephone Call,” by Dorothy Parker, has us follow the monologue from an unnamed protagonist as she tries to convince herself she’s not been ghosted. What does she desire the most? It hits us immediately in the opening line: …
How as storytellers do we tackle the issue of brokenness? Can we tell a story without giving absolutes and solutions to every tragedy or unknown? It’s tempting to provide answers to every philosophical and even spiritual questions our story poses, but is that the author’s responsibility? Or is art showing life in its true form? Art is what is, even what …
This past July, I got married at my childhood farm in Northern Michigan. This region of the country is riddled with one stoplight towns, thick woods, crystal clear fresh lakes, and rolling hills. Tourism is a major industry in my hometown and the surrounding areas. My husband and I tied the knot in the same field I ran through as …
NOTE: Today’s guest post is from fiction author, Kathleen Bailey. She’s guest posted here before, sharing about her historic novel, Westward Hope. Today, she’s instructing on how to effectively weave character and setting into your fictional work. I enjoyed this post since she uses a variety of literary works that appeal to different readers. Also, she is generously offering three …
NOTE: Today’s guest post is with Brenda Wilson, Ed.D. I met Brenda virtually through email when I was editing a medical coffee table book. She was one of the writers I’d correspond with. A few years later, I met her in person at a B2B networking group and now, we run in similar circles. Recently, she attended the Author Showcase …
