Villains are people too. And the very best villains are the ones that we, the reader, kind of, secretly like. Oh, it’s horrible, isn’t it? We see these bad boys running around shooting up banks, taking hostages, and demanding ransom. Wearing their cool jackets (usually). All the while were thinking: Continue Reading
John
How to Write a MacGuffin
What is a MacGuffin? Well, Wikipedia defines MacGuffin as… Just kidding. When you hear the word MacGuffin think motivation. That’s all MacGuffins are. A thing for your characters to chase after. A plot device, usually in the form of an object, that propels the action of your story. MacGuffins are Continue Reading
How To Structure a Scene
Writing your first novel is freaking hard. Actually, that’s an understatement. Sixty-thousand words. Hundreds upon hundreds of pages of story. A pure creative effort that can stand on its own. How does that even happen? Think of all the things that go into a good story. Intriguing characters, a gripping Continue Reading
What to do with your Inciting Incident
Learn what an inciting incident is, and the five story essentials that your inciting incident must address to set off an effective conflict for your plot.
Best Short Stories for Halloween
Do you love Halloween? I know I do, and I’ve noticed that there are plenty of lists compiling great movies to watch during this spookiest of seasons. But, I’m here to tell you that there is some seriously good literature to read this time of year, as well. So, if Continue Reading
How to Build Suspense
I’m a night owl. Most evenings I stay up to the way, way past my bedtime. Some nights I sit on the couch scrolling through Youtube, nothing but the blue glow of the TV to keep me company. Others, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling fan whirling around, Continue Reading
How to Conquer Writer’s Block!
Take a look at the last post on my blog, and you may notice something. The date it was published- June 16th. It’s been over two months since I’ve posted. To be honest it’s been months since I’ve written much of anything. I’ve had plenty of time, too. Enough time Continue Reading
Crafting a Classic Hero
In today’s popular culture we are awash with anti-heroes. You have your Walter White, your Tony Soprano, Dexter, Tyrion and Jaime, Bond, Bourne, Holmes, and Solo. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an anti-hero. Now, I’m not complaining. I’ve espoused my love for anti-heroes on this very blog. Continue Reading
Outlining Your Story
Learn how to outline your story using the four act structure!
Creating a Character
Do you know what one of my greatest challenges as a writer is? Creating good, believable characters. When I began my writing journey, creating characters seemed simple enough. Make up a name. With me it was usually something stupid like “Deacon Devlin.” Then, tell the reader what this person looks Continue Reading