One thing readers hate are coincidences. Sure, coincidences occur in our lives every day, but in a story, they are generally a problem. Readers lose interest when coincidence leans in the protagonist's favor because coincidence or convenience does not convey meaning. It is only through conflict that character is revealed....
3 Comments | Posted October 11, 2011 | 12:17 PM
Many novelists resist the idea of three-act structure because they understandably fear it will limit their creativity and lead to formulaic writing. This misconception is sometimes the result of structure's being taught by story analysts whose gifts lean more toward an ability to deconstruct the anatomy of an existing work,...
8 Comments | Posted August 26, 2011 | 5:26 PM
Some writers struggle for years to complete the first draft of their book. You work on it for a while, get stuck, put it in a drawer, fish it out a few years later, and this goes on indefinitely. It becomes like a scab that you pick at in the...
12 Comments | Posted August 10, 2011 | 11:06 AM
Creativity is our birthright. This is not just for some people; it's for everyone. We often get stuck in our routine, and when we even bother to think about that book we plan to write "some day," we tend to find excuses that prevent us from taking the first step.
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1 Comments | Posted October 31, 2011 | 6:39 PM