POV Stranglehold

  In this week’s Word Essential 60 Second Writing Tip, Alida discusses a common problem writers have with point of view. She calls it the POV stranglehold. It happens when the POV chokes off the narrative voice. Alida shows you how they should work...
Action Scenes: Clarity vs. Pacing

Action Scenes: Clarity vs. Pacing

There is a special balancing act to be accomplished when writing action scenes. Think of a teeter-totter and put Clarity on one seat and Pacing on the other. Generally speaking, the faster the action occurs, the more you have to slow it down to make it work on the...

The 3-Act Structure

Do you really need a 3-act structure to tell a story? Why? What is each act about, anyway? Those are the questions I address in this 10-minute video tutorial. Enjoy! If you have questions or comments, please post them...
Halloween Approaches

Halloween Approaches

It must be time for Halloween. Found this on Twitter today: Storm Cellar ‏@stormcellar Bears, bears, and bears, oh my! http://bit.ly/1rgAQbw from SC 2.3, brief & #bloody #fiction by @alidawintern That would be my short story, “Wild Animal,” being...

Scrivener, You’re Losing Me!

Right now, one of the projects I’m juggling is the layout and design of The Murder in Skoghall. Last week, a reader of my Word Essential Writers newsletter (sign up to the right) asked me what I do about layout, and I helpfully reported that I do my interior design in...

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