The Skeleton of a Novel
© 2018 Laura L. Drumb Each aspect of a novel fits together as the bones of a skeleton to allow the whole to function properly. If any piece is missing…
Building a Story: First Discover Your Character’s Desire
© 2018 Brandilyn Collins Often authors build stories solely on conflict. But conflict means opposition to something desired. So first ask: What is the protagonist’s Desire that will drive choices…
Divine Grace and Human Imperfection
© 2018 Jon Woodhams I tell people that one of my claims to fame is that I was the proofreader for Jan Karon’s first Mitford book. It’s true—back in the…
The High Concept Novel
© 2018 DiAnn Mills Are you a novelist striving for a high concept story? Have you heard the term and not fully understood what it means? Worse yet, has an…
How to Build Your Own Fantasy World
© 2017 Logan Petty When people find out that I’m a fantasy writer, one of the first questions I hear is “How do you think it up?” Sometimes the question…
How to Create a One Sheet
© 2017 Bethany Jett When I first heard that I had to take a one sheet to a writers conference, I thought, “A one sheet of what?” My book was…
Putting on My Research Hat
© 2017 Cara Putman Several years ago when my writing bud Nicole O’Dell asked me if I wanted to be part of a novella collection with her, my initial reaction…
Plumbing the Depths
© 2016 Beth White Occasionally I get stuck. I realize nobody else has this problem. But on the off-chance that one or two of my fellow writers find themselves saddled…
Stay Current: Keep Italics Out of Your Fiction
© 2016 Angela Hunt Kathy watched as Tom entered the room and circled the punch bowl. He hasn’t changed a bit...and that’s why my heart is pounding! Kathy watched as…
Picture Books and the Protagonist
© 2016 Alice Faye Duncan I write pictures books. It is the genre that has chosen me. My first book was published in 1995 when I was a young adult…