Your Character’s Journey – Home from the Dentist

Earlier this year, I had a moment of writing illumination as I read a science fiction novel. A character in this novel had taken a trip and was about to return by hovercar to the human settlement on his planet. As a reader, I was subconsciously prepared for a description of the journey back. I …

Less is More

Less is more.   Shorter                                                                          is                           …

Do Your Characters Talk to You? Should They?

Have you ever heard a writer talk about her characters as if… they were real? Like, as if the writer were not entirely in control of her own work? It used to be my pet peeve to hear writers say “my main character told me _____,” or in more ludicrous scenarios, “my main character refused …

Take Critique Like A Pro

Feedback is critical for a writer. It's also tricky. Good feedback can help you unlock parts of your story and discover new possibilities, whereas bad feedback can set you back, send you down a wrong path, and even derail the necessary confidence. The dividing line between the two is often thin. So how do you navigate …