Slowing Down Action for Effect
The point that if you want your reader to really engage with your character in any kind of action scene, from running along a trail to the intense action of your climax, you need to slow down and do two things: show and...SWRT 29: Hooks-Premise & Opening
What is a hook? And what are the different functions they can serve in a novel? How do you craft an opening hook, and what things should you keep in mind as you do? And finally, don’t forget about the value that first sentence can have on your whole work.
Flash Tip: Typecasting Minor Characters
Today, I discuss the benefits of using types when you need to fill a minor character’s role. Those characters who don’t need much development, because they don’t garner much ink on the page, beg the question, how do I make them colorful, fun,...SWRT 25: Trouble
What is trouble? How does it contribute to both character and plot arcs? How do you have to pay off trouble? And do you have to get it into every scene? We enjoy making a character struggle with a speeding ticket, and talk about how it can contribute to hooks both between chapters and books.
I'm Alida
I help people express their gifts to the world.
I do not believe in formulas. I believe that the stories we are compelled to tell the world make demands on us, and it is our privilege to meet those demands in order to reach the most people in the most authentic and compelling way possible.
