Writing Outside In

Writing Outside In

I’m in the plotting phase of my next book. Being a plotter I develop my characters and plan out a good number of my scenes before I even put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Being a conscientious, professional writer and well as someone who teaches writing craft,...
Sequels

Sequels

It’s my daughter’s birthday today (Friday, as I write this)—she’s turned 27—and she’s given me an hour to get this blog written before I take her out. We’re going to engage in two of her favorite pastimes—sitting at a café with a cup of coffee and a pastry (something...
Beyond the three act structure

Beyond the three act structure

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that one of my passions is story structure. But, why? I hear you cry with incredulity in your voice. Well, for a number of reasons, actually. First, a well structured story is easier to follow for the reader....
Stepping back for a broader view

Stepping back for a broader view

It’s never too late to analyze your book. In fact, despite the fact that I’m a die-hard plotter, I find it incredibly useful to plot out the story structure and character arcs of a book after it’s finished. It doesn’t matter how detailed my plot it, when I actually...