Working on a novel is never easy. NEVER. Parts will trick you and come like a breeze. Maybe for some, itâs easier than others, but for most of us, there is a lot of head-banging. Iâm surprised my walls arenât… Read More ›
Writers’ Tool Box
Tricks From the Writing Trade
How To Develop Characters and Worldbuild: Free-Flow Writing, Interviews, Oracle Cards
The Snips (aka free-flow writing/stream of conscious writing) I started writing snips set in my novel world a few years back. Every main story player received a snip â a piece of free-flow writing written in the first person. My… Read More ›
Writer’s Block: Character Playlists
Somehow, I landed on another writing hiatus. Thanks life, much appreciated. The clouds of life eventually cleared and the will to be creative returned. However, The Muse did not. She didnât get the memo. Revisiting the story world… cold. Re-reading… Read More ›
Hyphens, En Dash, Em Dash â Oh My!
Hyphen, en dash and em dash â oh my! I mentioned these to my writing group over the weekend and was surprised no one was the full bottle. I shouldnât have been surprised because I only investigated dashes a couple… Read More ›
Story Basics 101: Show Don’t Tell
The golden writing rule âshow, donât tellâ is etched in every writerâs mind, and if youâre new to the wonderful world of writing, it will become ingrained. Pretty much all of us start out writing as âtellingâ stories rather than… Read More ›
Story Basics 101: Passive Writing vs Active Writing
Introduction Often I read stories written by aspiring writers â the plot is great, characters are relatable, the message is powerful⌠but the narration is weak. Passive writing strikes again. The notion of active writing vs passive writing is a… Read More ›
Story Basics 101: The Third Person
Introduction The third person is the stock standard perspective for fiction writing. Traditionally, most novels were written in the third person and the trend continues today. It should be noted, in modern times, the first-person narrative is growing in popularity,… Read More ›
Story Basics 101: The Second Person
Quick note:When crafting a story, a writer must choose between one of three perspectives to narrate through; first person, second person, or third person. This post dives into the second-person perspective. *~* The second-person perspective is all about “you”. The… Read More ›
Story Basics 101: The First Person
Quick note:When crafting a story, a writer must choose between one of three perspectives to narrate through; first person, second person, or third person. This post shines the light on the first-person perspective. *~* The first-person perspective is all about… Read More ›
Story Basics 101: What Story Isn’t
Contents IntroductionVignettesJournals/Diaries/Letters/DocumentsDescriptionsTimeline of EventsConclusionExercise Introduction For a decade, I have facilitated local writing groups. Iâve read and heard a lot of âstoriesâ over the years. Most people know on some level what a story is but canât identify what story… Read More ›
THE WRITING ASYLUM 