Why Do We Write?
Why do we write? There is nothing logical about wanting to be a writer. The lives of artists can be awful, despairing, […]
How Do You Identify the Dilemma in Your Story?
At the heart of every story lies a dilemma from which all tensions and conflicts arise. How do you identify the dilemma […]
The Difference Between Journaling and Storytelling
The difference between journaling and storytelling is context. Journaling is simply documenting what happened. Storytelling involves illustrating the meaning of what happened. […]
What is Genius?
What is genius? I don’t like it when people use the term genius, primarily because I think they misuse the word. I […]
Setting a Daily Word Count
Here’s some advice for first time writers on setting a daily word count. Consistency is the key. Set a writing goal. Can […]
The 90-Day Memoir – Intimacy Hangover
In the first day of The 90-Day Memoir workshop the writers often have some major insights and revelations. But it is the second day […]
Begin Your Story
There are as many ways to begin your story as there are ways to procrastinate. Beginning to write your book or screenplay […]
How I Got Married
This week, Mary-Beth and I celebrated our fourteenth wedding anniversary. Getting married was a terrifying leap for me; you might call it […]
Using Your Credo to Create Story Conflict
(Image from And Justice for All, 1979) You can’t have story without conflict. As writers, it is important to investigate and become […]
Make it Dramatic
“Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” – Alfred Hitchcock Story moves as the result of complications that arise, not […]
Everything You Need to Know is Within
“If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.” – Billy Wilder The purpose […]
Act One: Maintaining Tension
“A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the need to […]
The End of the Story Informs the Beginning
In Steven Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he states: “Begin with the end in mind.” For first-time writers, […]
3 Secrets for Getting Started on Writing Your First Novel
Every writer struggles with getting the story from imagination to the page. The first-time novelist confronts the special challenge of having never […]
Shedding the Idea for Truth in Writing
It’s not just first-time novelists or screenwriters that struggle with getting their story from the imagination to the page. Every writer struggles […]
Writing for Your Ideal Reader
Good storytelling is about having at least a somewhat conscious relationship to your ideal reader. It is about understanding the most effective […]
Writing Act Three: Our Hero Accepts the Reality of Their Situation
It can be frightening and exhilarating to realize that our story is bigger than we are, that in fact, it does not […]
Writing Despite Fear of Criticism
In 2017, Gustavo Dudamel became the youngest conductor of a major orchestra of his time. I remember an L.A. Times journalist urged […]
