As someone whose job is to write things, it may seem odd that I’m offering this list. However, I’m not the type of person who looks for the negative in everything. It always seems to find me, though. When you first start out, you have to carefully consider your goals with the story. What are…
“Light” is an important word to describe. Light is often an integral part of what you are describing; this is particularly true when describing colors or lighting effects. So, when writing about light, it is vital to use the word accurately. There is an infographic floating around, and I’ve included it in text form because…
As a writer, I spend a lot of time describing things, and I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to do it. Through my research and experimentation, I have found that narrating sounds can be a powerful tool to describe a scene or set the tone of a work. Narrating sounds is the easiest…
Happy New Year’s! I hope 2022 is better for all of us. Guilliean Adding – or deleting – a paragraph to a manuscript is an important question to ask. Some passages are deemed more important than others and some argue that removing a paragraph could change the entire tone of a novel, while a short…
Happy Christmas to those who celebrate! Guilliean The hero’s journey, as a theme, is a well-known trope in literature and film, typically dealing with a protagonist’s struggle with a given goal. The hero’s journey typically starts with a call to adventure, a call to save a fellow being from a dire situation. The hero chooses…
You don’t want to reveal too much about your character in the first chapter. However, I am of the firm belief that if you write an excellent first chapter, the rest of the story will fall into place. Then, when you get into chapter two, you can delve into a character’s background and give little…
A synopsis, or pitch, is a summary of your story. It’s a quick, straightforward, and easy way to show editors and agents what your book is about and why they should care. It helps them assess your writing, storytelling, and character development skills. Finally, it’s an excellent way to get a meaningful look at an…
If you’ve completed a draft of a written work, you’ve experienced the first stage of editing. The first pass removes the obvious errors (which are easy to catch) and makes the text flow better. The second stage of editing is the meat of the job, where you’re going to work to make the text more…
There is a lot of advice out there to help writers improve their craft and become better writers. Some of this advice is good, some tips are wonderful, and some are downright awful. The Artist’s Way is a tool, not a system; it’s a book to help you find what works best for you. This…