Most authors do not begin as excellent writers. It's a life-long process. Here are some tips to help you improve: Writing takes practice. To get in the habit of doing it, follow tips one and two: Find your writing space. Have a comfortable space without distractions that’s conducive to writing. Create a writing ritual. Set aside a specific time each day or week that is used only for writing. Learn from others. Tips 3 through [...]
The writer's nightmare, a blank page. Where do you start your story? How do you start it? Description? Dialogue? A dream? No, not a dream, but how, and with who, and where? It doesn't matter because you'll probably change it later anyway. Just start writing and get the words flowing.
We're excited to bring you a guest post by the fabulous Christina Farley! Christina is the author of the bestselling Gilded series and THE PRINCESS AND THE PAGE. Prior to that, she worked as an international teacher and at a top-secret job for Disney where she was known to scatter pixie dust before the sun rose. Take it away, Christina! The setting of your story is one of the power players in your novel. It [...]
Our own Mafia member, Lisa Lewis Tyre, is holding a short-story contest called The Bertie for students 10-13 years old. The Middle-Grade Mafia will serve as judges and will be posting writing tips for students in the weeks leading up to the contest. Today's topic is: The Setting, by L.S. Bridgers. What is setting? Is it place or something more? I think it’s something more. It’s what drives your story. It is the only place [...]
Writers have weird habits. Did you know that Mark Twain and George Orwell liked to write lying down? Ernest Hemingway wrote 500 words a day, always in the morning. Edgar Allan Poe wrote drafts on separate pieces of paper that he sealed together into a scroll. James Joyce wrote with a blue pencil. The list goes on and on. Why do writers have such weird habits? The answer is simple: they work. Are you struggling [...]
Writing convincing emotions is essential to creating rich, authentic characters and scenes. It’s what adds depth to your story. Showing emotion on the movie screen is easy, but finding the right words to convey emotions in a real way can be a challenge. One resource on my reference shelf is called Creating Character Emotions by Ann Hood and was first published in 1998. The Introduction in the book explains it best. Ann Hood “. . . explores the ranges [...]
