Some Thoughts for Pantsers

Some Thoughts for Pantsers

You’re a pantser. I get that. Life would be boring if you knew the ending of your story before you wrote it. Your characters need some space to grow and develop on the page as they’re doing in your mind. The story is unfolding under your very fingertips, you write as...
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,...