In fiction, we seek to provoke, to compel, to—more than anything else—make the reader feel. But how? Focusing too much on external action can make a scene land flat, a cardboard cutout of what’s in our mind’s eye. But focus too much on thoughts, feelings and backstory, and the story […]
Listening to all those writing advice podcasts last month during my road trip to North Carolina made me realize I should submit more of my fiction to short story podcasts, not just traditional print and online magazines. So, I spent this morning scouring the internet for new places to send […]
Summer is always a great time for road trips. To help the miles and hours fly by, here’s a list of podcasts and audio files dedicated to writing speculative fiction. Happy Travels! Writing Excuses: Short, focused, practical writing advice from smart, award-winning SF/F writers. This is my go-to podcast. […]
I’ve always admired stand-up comics for their quick wit and confidence, but I never thought I had much to learn from them because I don’t consider myself a comedic writer. In fact, in my experience, the harder I’ve tried to make people laugh, the harder I’ve failed. Then, as I […]
Watching a character go through meaningful change is one of the most satisfying experiences of fiction. That’s also why one of the most useful writing techniques I’ve ever learned outlines the steps involved in effective character arcs, helping ensure these stages appear clearly in your story. The tool is called […]
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