What are some of the most classic story openers of all time? “It was a dark and stormy night.” –Edward Buwler-Lytton “It was the best of…
A few years ago, I was asked to contribute to a horror anthology. The only problem – I had written one horror story in my entire…
Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Brown…chances are you may have started your career as a writer by becoming a lover of reading…
Whenever the writing bug gets you motivated to work a new novel, chances are you have clear inspiration for the way your story begins and the…
Creating a dynamic action scene can improve the pacing and excitement level in your story. However, there are a few common mistakes you might want to…
Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, when a new idea strikes you for a novel, it’s likely there are three things you think about first:…
Not all Urban Fantasy novels are set in a city. Several elements help define the genre beyond just the setting. Are you versed in those elements?…
I’ve been thinking a lot about setting lately. Perhaps it’s because my own surroundings — necessarily constant thanks to pandemic stay-at-home orders — offer so little…
Settings fall into three rough categories: a fantasy world (The Witcher series), a specific place and time in our own world (The Girl with the Dragon…
This is the second part of the two-part series to help you build your own Story Bible. If you plan on writing a novel, at your…