Writing Ideas Category
Writing Romance 101––Part III
Posted on September 27, 2017 1 Comment
Crafting the Heroine. The heroine is the key to any romance. Yes, we women also want a great guy for her to end up with, and we’ll talk about crafting him, too, at a later date. The romantic heroine is the reader’s alter ego. She controls everything the reader feels. Click to Tweet #amwriting #writingromance101 […]
Writing Romance 101––Part I
Posted on August 16, 2017 3 Comments
So, you think you want to write a romance? It’s a great genre. We all love fairy tales where the prince and the princess live happily ever after, right? That’s probably where romance got its start. A story with a happy ending, where guy meets girl. They get together. Live happy. Click to Tweet #amwriting […]
Keeping the Middle Moving––Part VI
Posted on July 26, 2017 Leave a Comment
Choose your scenes wisely. But which to choose? There are certain types of scenes that, if utilized, can ramp up your action, create tension, and keep your middle from bogging down. There is one scene type you won’t want to use. We’ll cover that next week. Use the chase, the fight, and the romance, to […]
Keeping the Middle Moving––Part IV
Posted on July 12, 2017 Leave a Comment
What kinds of horrendous happenings can you throw in? Oftentimes, the middle gets bogged down because you’re slowly setting up for the climax, but the middle needs it’s own climax to keep it going. Disasters are great for keeping the middle moving. Weather, natural, or manmade disasters can spur on action and help develop depth […]
Creating Suspense––Part V
Posted on October 19, 2016 Leave a Comment
Damsels in distress, the clock is ticking, someone’s about to go over the edge. The Perils of Pauline, where she would be put in a dangerous situation, especially hanging off a cliff to keep from falling many feet below to her death. Would she escape? The term “cliff-hanger” comes from the silent film era. Click […]
Creating Suspense––Part IV
Posted on October 12, 2016 3 Comments
Every genre can utilize these suspense techniques to create tension and generate a page turner. We’re looking at different suspense threads. Last week, we looked at Macro and Scene suspense. This week, we’ll look at Hypersuspense and Paragraph Suspense. What drives suspense? It’s that question: What will happen next? Click to Tweet #amwriting #creatingsuspense
Creating Suspense––Part III
Posted on October 5, 2016 Leave a Comment
I’m a story guzzler. I love historical, but I also love suspense, mysteries, and at times, thrillers. But not so much sci-fi or fantasy. We’re looking at suspense, and how to create it. Did you know there are different strands to suspense? Different strands of suspense work together to support the whole. Click to Tweet […]
Researching Your Story—Part II
Posted on September 23, 2015 Leave a Comment
My first post a few months ago was called “Research—Imperative for Writers.” That’s a given. I gave a couple examples of what I’d researched for “Meghan’s Choice” and how I used them. I’m going to dig a little deeper and give you some research resources today. Click to Tweet. #storyresearch #storyworld #amwriting
Plot Patterns—Part I
Posted on August 5, 2015 1 Comment
Today I’ll be using two resources to talk about plot patterns. One is James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure. The other is DiAnn Mills’ Dance of Character & Plot. I’m using both, because even though what they say is similar, the way they say is different. Both perspectives can broaden your understanding of plotting. Click […]
Writing Unforgettable Fiction—Part II
Posted on July 8, 2015 Leave a Comment
Last week, I talked about making promises to readers from Chapter 11 of Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules, by Steven James. Today, I’m going to talk about plot twists.
Donna L.H. Smith 