Obsessed Much? How to Write a Character With (Very) Strong Desires
For your story to have any focus and drive, your characters need to want something. Under the right circumstances, you might even want them...
Writing Unlikeable Characters
During an interview with DIY MFA, Rob Hart (The Paradox Hotel) discusses:
Why naming characters is important and where he found the names for...
How Do You Write Subtext?
Like actors, writers rely on subtext to show what their characters are thinking and feeling. Unlike actors, writers can't rely on visual cues for...
Story Structure as a Map
In their latest podcast, the Writing Excuses hosts continue exploring sub- and micro-structures. This week, they discuss how a story can be structured around...
Time to Unlearn What You Know About Sex Scenes
In a post on Lit Hub excerpted from her book Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative, Melissa Febos offers advice for writing sex scenes. "When...
Some Basic Settings for Worldbuilding
In a post on DIY MFA, Angela Yeh offers advice on worldbuilding that doesn't drive you nuts. As with research, worldbuilding can go on...
Your Setting is More Than a Place
In a post on Writers Helping Writers, Angela Ackerman discusses the importance of describing your setting with evocative, emotional language.
"The setting tied to each...
Runaway Plot? Try These Fixes
In a post on the Killzone blog, James Scott Bell offers advice for wrangling a plot that's starting to get away from you. "What do...
Act Out Your Combat Scenes (Safely)
In a post on DIY MFA, Kris Hill says a round of Dungeons and Dragons can help you create exciting combat scenes. "What makes Dungeons...
The Challenge of Using Art in Your Art
In an essay for Lit Hub, Joe Mungo Reed offers advice for using real works of art in your fiction. "Often, a piece of...
