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Blog Posts


A Podcast. Three narrative devices: the MacGuffin, Red Herring and Cuttlefish.
This is a rerelease podcast that I recorded to explain the three narrative devices often used in thrillers.
Jun 13, 20241 min read


Wondering how to start your book? Try medias res!
Medias res is a Latin term meaning "in the middle of things." In writing, starting a story in medias res means beginning the narrative in...
Jun 6, 20242 min read


The Blurb: Tips to Captivate Readers - A Video
What exactly is a blurb? Its purpose?
How do you write an effective blurb for the back of your book cover? Watch this video for answers
Jun 5, 20241 min read


To epilogue or not to epilogue?
An epilogue is a section at the end of a novel that provides closure to the story beyond the main narrative.
Jun 4, 20243 min read


Tone: creating mood and influencing readers.
Tone is the writer's attitude towards the subject matter or audience conveyed through their style, language, and overall approach.
Jun 1, 20243 min read


Understanding Backstory: Prep for Character Development
Character's backstory si the foundational element that shapes his or her identity, motivations, and actions throughout your story.
May 26, 20242 min read


A Writer’s Life: A Setting Surprise
I remembered visiting a lovely tiny village on the Eastern Shore of Virginia quite a few times in early 2000. This was it! My setting!
May 24, 20243 min read


Music for Writing: Attention, Creativity, Motivation, and more.
Music has been found to prompt enhanced activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, a region associated with imagination….
May 16, 20241 min read


Proust’s Questionnaire – 35 Questions All Your Characters Should Answer
Use Marcel Proust's 35 point questionnaire to develop well-rounded and complex characters for novels.
May 14, 20242 min read


I LOVE "ING" WORDS - How was I to know they were BAD?
"Ing" words, also known as present participles or gerunds, are words that end in "-ing" and are used to convey continuous or ongoing actions
May 11, 20242 min read


Writer's Block and What To Do about it.
On of the greatest challenges for all novelists is writer’s block. If you are a writer, you probably have experienced this one time or...
Apr 30, 20242 min read


Unveiling the Art of Subtext in Dialogue
Subtext in writing dialogue refers to the underlying meanings, implications, or emotions conveyed indirectly through the spoken words....
Apr 22, 20241 min read


North Street Book Prize: Grand Prize $10,000
Winning Writers will award a grand prize of $10,000 in the 10th annual North Street competition for self-published and hybrid-published book
Apr 14, 20241 min read


Internalization: What is it, why use it, and how to write it.
Internalization is what the character is thinking…his/her internal thoughts and feelings. Internalization adds texture and life....
Apr 12, 20244 min read


How Master the Art of Showing vs. Telling in Your Writing: 5 Best Practices.
dive into a most crucial aspect of storytelling: showing versus telling. It's all about using words that appeal to the five senses.
Apr 11, 20243 min read
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