Literary Devices: A Writer’s Palette
Literary devices are the various techniques writers employ to create stylistic effects, convey deeper meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the overall impact […]
Never Give Up
I was a half decent 800-meter runner in high school, not great, but I ran with a lot of heart, and sometimes […]
The Value of an Outline
What’s the point of an outline? Whether consciously or not, every writer is in search of a process. A lot of writers […]
How Do I Begin?
“How do I begin?” The process of story creation is mysterious. Where do your story ideas come from? From where do your […]
“Why Do I Get Stuck?”
When writers come to a dead stop there can be a tendency to panic. It’s important to remember that your idea of […]
The Internet: A Writer’s Worst Distraction
Sometimes the deeper we get into our story, the more we seek distraction. The internet will suck the life out of any […]
First-Time Novelists: Dealing with Fear
Many authors share a similar fear: “What will people think?” It looks slightly different for each writer. What will my parents think when […]
Plot versus Theme
Any writer can experience that moment where you suddenly realize that your “idea” of the story isn’t going to get you to […]
Stay Out of the Result
For any writer, here’s a question to ask yourself: “Why do I want to write this?” A student told me recently that […]
“Write What You Know” Can Be Misunderstood
Every writer hears the old song: “Write what you know.” This can be misunderstood. The fact is, we don’t write what we […]
Writing When You Have Nothing to Lose
Have you ever experienced great loss? Whether it was a parent, spouse, or friend, the experience pulls you sharply into the present […]
Discovering Your Process
Finding Your Way As you write each day, you discover your own process. You begin to see there is no “right way” […]
Trusting the Process
Be open to possibilities When I wrote my first novel Diamond Dogs, I had the idea that my hero, a high school senior, […]
Take Risks – Advice for First-Time Writers
“In order to share one’s true brilliance one initially has to risk looking like a fool.” – Criss Jami Writing your first […]
Developing Your Writing Technique
Technique develops over time. By reading and writing, we absorb a sense of story structure, cadence, and rhythm. We learn how […]
What Happens Next?
The first step in creating a fully alive story is imagining the world. This simply means envisioning your characters in relation to […]
Writing Without Distraction
You’ve begun working in earnest. The story is alive, your cylinders are firing. You’re getting up every morning and putting in the […]
Creativity is Your Birthright
Creativity is your birthright. We live in a culture that is invested in our believing otherwise. I frequently hear folks talk of […]
