Category: The Blog

Over the years, I’ve realized that I never write about a place I’ve never seen. This may make those who know me scratch their heads. I write a lot of fantasy, after all. How have I seen fantastical worlds? But here’s why even the most outlandish fiction can benefit from real-world settings.

I love the quote by Ernest Hemingway that says, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” I think this is especially true when it comes to non-fiction. Non-fiction is inherently vulnerable because it’s honest and true.

Not all protagonists are heroes. Though we love the innate goodness that beloved heroes have, sometimes our stories call for the morally gray or even evil characters to take the lead.

Get the gang together! Today we’re going to look at how you tell your story from multiple character viewpoints—in other words, an ensemble cast.

I’m sure you’ve read many books, blog posts, and articles about how to make your characters come to life. I’d like to take a different spin on that. What if an object told your character’s story?

In the writing world, you get mixed answers about writing backstories. Some people advise you to write pages and pages of background on your character, from the moment he was born until the moment your story starts. Others will tell you to keep backstory minimal. How can you reconcile these two ends of the spectrum?