The heart of any truly gripping story isn’t just in those big, dramatic moments, but in the invisible threads that weave them together: fantastic scene transitions. Think about it – these aren’t just paragraph breaks; they’re actually sophisticated narrative tools that keep you completely immersed, control the story’s pace, and really draw you in. A … Read more
So, I want to talk about something crucial to writing, something that can really bring your stories to life: natural dialogue. It’s not just about getting words on a page; it’s about making it sound like real people are actually talking, with all their quirks, their stumbles, and their unique ways of speaking. My goal … Read more
So, I’ve been thinking a lot about dialogue lately. You know, those conversations characters have in stories. It really is the heart of everything we write, isn’t it? It’s what shows us who our characters are, pushes the story along, and even hints at the big ideas we’re exploring. But, and I’ve certainly struggled with … Read more
So, I’ve got something really important to talk about today: dialogue. Not just any dialogue, because let’s be honest, that can be a snooze-fest. I’m talking about dialogue that just sings. It’s not just words on the page, is it? It’s like the actual heartbeat of your story, giving you this direct, unfiltered peek into … Read more
My thoughts today are all about how to make our stories come alive with dialogue that really feels real. It’s what gives our characters their voices and helps push the whole story forward. But so often, I see — and have written myself! — dialogue that just… lays there. It’s a way to get information … Read more
Memoir isn’t just about what happened; it’s about how it felt, who was there, and how those interactions shaped me. At the heart of those interactions lies dialogue – the very breath of my memoir characters. Generic, clunky, or indistinguishable dialogue is the death knell of a vivid narrative. My challenge, and my opportunity, is … Read more
The page trembles with the unspoken potential of conflict. A character stands at a precipice, a decision echoing, or a fist clenches, poised to strike. But here’s the thing: a lot of us, myself included when I first started, struggle to get that internal energy onto the page as a truly engaging external spectacle. We … Read more
Writing action scenes… it’s a topic many of us writers grapple with. Sometimes, they feel like a necessary evil, a hurdle we need to jump before getting back to the “real” story. You know, a quick scuffle to move things along. But the scenes that truly stick with you – the ones that make your … Read more
The cornerstone of truly captivating fiction isn’t about wild plot twists or incredible world-building – it’s about people. I mean, real, complex, delightfully flawed people who truly breathe on the page and then just stick with you, lingering in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page. A character-driven novel isn’t just one with … Read more
I’m going to share something that I think every aspiring songwriter wants to know: how to write a chorus that drills its way into someone’s brain, making them hum it without even realizing it. This is the hook, the absolute core of your song, and honestly, it’s what makes a song stick. It’s not just … Read more