What exactly is a subplot? When do you need them? Who should they revolve around? And can they really alleviate the soggy middle syndrome? And please don’t forget your characters have lives too! Don’t make them live entirely in the main plot line.
What is a premise and how elaborate does it need to be? Does a premise limit your imagination or story? How do you know if you have a full premise, or just a piece of the story? And how long should you work on that premise?
We’ve all heard the advice to rest your manuscripts before you revise, but how much is that really necessary? When is it a beneficial tool, and when should you dive right into your revision passes? What are some tools we can use to better look at our manuscripts? And how can you change your perspective in order to uncover more flaws in your writing?
How should you use layers of emotion? And at what point in the writing process should you focus on getting them on the page? How should your character express their emotions and when can you tell if you are throttling them? Remember that not everything has to be big to be powerful and that each emotional moment for your character will have an emotional tail.
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.
