A Scene with Purpose

A Scene with Purpose

Why did you just write that scene? You know the one I mean, the one where nothing really happens, but it was nice, or it connected two other scenes where stuff does happen? Or maybe you don’t know why you wrote the scene, it was just what happened next in the story....
An Author’s Learning Is Never Done

An Author’s Learning Is Never Done

There’s a concept that once you’ve done something for 10,000 hours you are proficient at it. After being a professional author for over fifteen years, I’m pretty sure I’ve reached that many hours but am I proficient? Do I know how to write? Well, yes, and no. I still...
When do you need to show?

When do you need to show?

The more I read the more convinced I am that what makes a great book is all in the show and tell. Knowing when to show, when to tell can really be an art form all in itself. But how do you know? First, let’s define the terms: Showing is having an entire scene,...
Supporting Characters

Supporting Characters

How many characters are too many? I always wonder that when I’m writing. I love to fill my books with people. The fact that I write party scenes where there are supposed to be hundreds of people give me lots of opportunity to fill my books with secondary and tertiary...
Your description can do so much more

Your description can do so much more

Description in a novel is more than just explaining to your reader where your characters are. Yes, it’s incredibly important to do so. No reader likes to be in a metaphorical black box listening to people speak. This is where they are if you don’t give any sort of...