In my mind, my characters are alive and real. I can see them in conversation, walking through a scene. But once I put fingers to keyboard, that very personable character …
Doctors Notes: Stakes vs. Challenges: Driving a story.
I watched a movie this weekend, one of the best thrillers out there for continually raising stakes and forcing the viewer at the end of her seat: Cellular. In a …
Ask the Doctor: How do I determine my character’s Noble Cause?
I talk a lot about the Noble Cause, or purpose of a character as a key to discovering their motivations behind their actions. A Noble Cause is that one thing …
Picks: Straight Up by Lisa Samson
One thing we talk about as authors is reading. To be a great writer, you must be a great reader. In fact, it’s probably the primo craft study: reading. Craft …
Prescriptions: Listen To Me!
There you are, you’ve got a blank computer screen, and the smallest tickle of an idea, something you’ve read, or seen, some question you think might be interesting tackled in …