Monthly Archives: November 2017

Well, November is almost at an end. Have you finished your novel? If you’re still smoothing out the rough patches on your characters (hopefully the next generation of Harry Potters), here are few tools to help you: A – C … Continue reading →

We all know that the “N” word is a no-no, but did you know the “E” word is equally offensive? “E” being, Eskimo. I must admit I didn’t, until I caught a recent episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, … Continue reading →

Will your story’s villain learn the error of his or her ways or will he or she remain unrepentant to the end? This can be determined largely by how much impact his or her reformation will have on the main … Continue reading →

Your hero or heroine has a fatal flaw. Maybe it’s an overdrawn estimate of his or her personal charms, a predilection to impulse shopping, or a short fuse. Sooner or later (preferably sooner), this flaw is going to lead to … Continue reading →

Ideally, your story should be set ENTIRELY in the present, because what’s happening now is always infinitely more interesting than what happened yesterday, last week, two years ago, or even in infancy. But there are times when backstory is useful. … Continue reading →