On Certainty in Writing
There is a particular comfort that comes from being certain. We can shut out the world, with all of its noise and […]
Humor Is Not About Writing Funny
Humor connects us. It makes us care. I don’t mean one-liners. Humor is not about jokes, but it is about human behavior. […]
Tell Your Truth
“A book must start somewhere. One brave letter must volunteer to go first, laying itself on the line in an act of faith, […]
How to Master Storytelling: Ask the Right Questions
“It is a parable of art that, to be universal, you must be specific. Otherwise, you are just talking about an abstraction. […]
Who is My Protagonist?
Some of you may be writing ensemble screenplays with multiple storylines and scratching your head wondering who your protagonist is. The key […]
Myths that Prevent You from Writing
There are myths that prevent you from not only completing your story, but keep you from even getting started. Some of these […]
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” […]
Permission to Write Your Truth
What is the Truth of your story? OK, you’ve outlined your story and you’re getting ready to write your first draft. But […]
But That’s What Really Happened
“I’ve given my memoirs far more thought than any of my marriages. You can’t divorce a book.“—Gloria Swanson Sticking to “What Really […]
Asking “Why?”
Always keep your ideal reader close by in your mind asking “Why?” Our subconscious is perfectly designed for this process. It already […]
Why Writers Get Stuck
Einstein says, “You cannot solve a problem at the same level of consciousness that created the problem.” Writers often get stuck because […]
One Thing Readers Hate
One thing readers hate are coincidences. Sure, coincidences occur in our lives every day, but in a story, they are generally a […]
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 […]
Outlining: The Dramatic Question
Your characters are a function of the plot, archetypes that constellate around the dramatic question. Story is essentially an argument with the […]
Blind Spots in Your Story
It is human to have blind spots, and often convenient to be in denial about certain aspects of ourselves. This is natural, […]
On Writing Dialogue
“If you have a good ear for dialogue, you just can’t help thinking about the way people talk. You’re drawn to it. […]
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 […]
Playing on the Page
When there is a story problem you can’t solve, or there appears to be no way out for your characters, remember one […]
