M.I.C.E. Quotient, After the Fact
In their eighth and final episode discussing the M.I.C.E. quotient, the Writing Excuses hosts explore using M.I.C.E. as a diagnostic tool. For example, if...
What Happens When You Hunt Where You Eat
The Carter G. Woodson Houses in New York became famous for a tragic reason: a serial killer stalked the housing project's residents and the...
Prompt, Spark, Idea, Inspiration
During his interview with the Write the Book podcast, Donald Antrim suggests a writing exercise based on an excerpt from his book, One Friday...
Use Dialogue to Convey Subtext
Subtext is easier to spot in visual storytelling. It's body language and facial expression. It's the way an actor's voice catches when they speak...
How to Research Your Book
This editor hasn't done any serious literary research since college (Wiki-holes don't count). But, those old term paper skills do come in handy when...
7 Movies About Creepy Cults (And What They Can Teach You About Writing Horror)
Having been raised in a creepy cult from birth through high school (I won't say which!), this editor finds movies featuring fringe religions or...
How to Switch from Brainstorming to Detailed Revisions
Much is made of the difference between plotters and pantsers - the writers who create from an outline and those who jump in and...
“That’s Not Writing, That’s Typing.”
Word count goals. NaNoWriMo. Writing sprints. Everywhere you turn, writers are told to ignore their inner editor, shut the thesaurus, tune out the world,...
Don’t Forget to Bring Your Brain to a Knife Fight
In a guest post on Kristen Lamb's blog, writer Piper Bayard offers advice on writing kick-ass fight scenes. "We all have our favorite ways...
How Far is Too Far? How Narrative Distance Affects Telling
Beginning writers are often confounded by narrative distance. Point of view - first person, third person - is easier to grasp, but bringing your...
