Intermission: Blending Interior and Exterior Storytelling

You may have noticed that the prior two posts on conflict focused on plots which deal primarily with the inner battles fought by the protagonists. There are several reasons for this, the first and foremost being that even the story which focuses primarily on physical action will require inner strength from your hero or protagonist. …

Forms of Conflict, Part 1: Man vs. Society

Previously, we discussed conflict – its definition and how to build it in a story. This article and the following ones will delve into types of conflict, an idea that was prompted by a discussion I had with Foxfier in the comments here. It brought to mind the idea that the kinds of conflict which …

Reposted: Writing Realistic Romance

I'm taking a brief break this Monday, readers, as last week wiped me out. In addition to this article, please consider the pieces here, here, here, and here as well. Hopefully I'll be back next week with my own Vocational Vivications. Until then, check out this Story Embers article: WRITING REALISTIC ROMANCE December 31, 2018 …

Conflict – Defining and Building It in Your Fiction

I have written on conflict before. The focus there was on choreographing a fight, as well as understanding hand-to-hand and other types of combat as well as how it is applied, with the aim of making the action in a scene and story flow better. This is important for a writer to know if they …

Love and Friendship – Critiquing Modern Tropes While Practicing One’s Craft

It has been a while, but some time ago, I read an older copy of Jane Austen’s Love and Friendship. For those who do not know, Love and Friendship* is not a full-blown novel. Nor was it published during the authoress’ lifetime. She probably would have been highly embarrassed to see it in print. Love …

Reposted: Cast and Character

Take a look at this excellent piece from Cedar Sanderson over at the Mad Genius' Club, readers! Cast and Character I’d asked in the spiky book club server what topics they’d like to see me touch on in posts, and the first response was to ask about fleshing out supporting characters. Which is a good …

Reposted – Business Musings: Direct: The Year in Review Part 8

Worth considering, readers: Business Musings: Direct: The Year in Review Part 8 On January 6, 2023, Michael W. Lucas made a rather important announcement on his blog. He wrote, in all caps: AMAZON IS NO LONGER MY BIGGEST INCOME SOURCE. It’s not that he added a consulting business to his writing income, or started doing in-person …

Reposted: 2 Skills You Can Learn From Writing in a Different Genre

Take a look at this interesting piece from Story Embers, readers! 2 SKILLS YOU CAN LEARN FROM WRITING IN A DIFFERENT GENRE January 9, 2023 Allison Raymond Everyone has favorite genres that they fill shelf after shelf and hour after hour with. One of mine is contemporary fantasy. Yours might be romance and historical fiction. …

Reposted: Oh John! Oh Marsha! Oh boy, is it a Romance?

Check out this excellent piece from the Mad Genius' Club, readers! Alma T. C. Boykin So, having failed to learn my lesson, today’s topic is romance as a genre. That is, keeping in mind that genre is about marketing. Romance as a term goes back to before romance as a genre, and romances used to …

Reposted: Comparison Isn’t Your Biggest Problem (And Other Ways Envy Makes Writing Miserable)

An interesting piece, readers: COMPARISON ISN’T YOUR BIGGEST PROBLEM (AND OTHER WAYS ENVY MAKES WRITING MISERABLE) January 2, 2023 Gabrielle Pollack The most helpful writing advice I learned this year came from the letters of a demon. C. S. Lewis published The Screwtape Letters serially in a newspaper called The Guardian. Eight decades later, I listened to the rumbling voice …