Characters, (you remember that we’re talking about characters this month, right?) are a complex creation. They must walk like real people, talk like real people, behave. This all takes time and hours of study. You must learn about psychology, language, and behavioral patterns. History doesn’t hurt either, along with a working knowledge of insert theContinue reading “The Writing Life- Keeping a Sketchbook.”
Category Archives: The Writing Life
The Writers Life- The writing bag
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclaimer, here. There is just no way to get around it. If you’re a writer, you need a writing bag. I mean, in a perfect world, we could always write at home, with all of our wonderful tools around us. But this is not a perfectContinue reading “The Writers Life- The writing bag”
The Writing Life- People Watching
What are characters? Your cast, your actors, the most important parts of your story? Well, yes, that’s all very true. But there’s a more basic answer than that. Characters are people. Or at least, they are the way we either wish people were, or secretly think people are. To learn to write great characters, youContinue reading “The Writing Life- People Watching”
The writers Life- Research Pt 2, Now that you’ve got it.
Assuming you went ahead and did a ton of research after reading part one, you’ve got a pile of facts and figures now. The question is, what do you do with it all? Part 2.1- Organizing your research. First you need to organize it in a way that makes it a quick reference. Nothing isContinue reading “The writers Life- Research Pt 2, Now that you’ve got it.”
The Writing Life- Research, Part One
Research is a part of any editing process, no matter what kind of book you’re writing. Unless you’re writing a story about your own home town and a person who does exactly what you do or used to do. This isn’t a good idea, because you’re going to be bored writing it. Even if you’veContinue reading “The Writing Life- Research, Part One”
The Writing Life- The useful desk
As I write this, I am sitting in my armchair, with my tablet on a lap desk. I am the poster child for not sitting at a desk when I write. Really, I sit at a desk all day at my dayjob, and the desk I have at home is not a great one. WhichContinue reading “The Writing Life- The useful desk”
The Writing Life- Editing Shopping List
Editing Shopping List- Don’t lie, you’re going to love this part even if you hate editing. I’ve never met a writer that didn’t walk into Staples and hear the Halleluiah chorus in their head.
The Writing Life- The Writer’s Planner
Do you have a planner? It’s the start of a new year, so you might have just gotten a new one. If you haven’t, you’ve at least seen them all over the damn place. Planners are either something basic that everyone needs, or a really unhealthy scrap booking obsession, depending on your outlook on life.Continue reading “The Writing Life- The Writer’s Planner”
Paper Beats World 