Tag: writing tips
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The Trap of the Published Author
Many of us aspiring fiction writers hope to be the next Stephen King or J. R. R. Tolkien. While achieving this comes with great prestige and power, there’s also a cost. Attending the RealmMakers conference helped this sink in. The panelists at the conference spoke about the issues of being a published author. It isn’t […]
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Query Letters
When it comes to querying, some writers dread the process. Unlike a manuscript, query letters are business. Similar to writing a cover letter for a job interview, this is a first impression to an agent or editor. Below are my notes from a recent RealmMakers webinar and some past research. Thanks to Alice Fugat for […]
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Loglines for Fiction
I recently listened to a podcast with authors from Realm Makers. They’re a close-knit group of professionals, mainly Christians, who have a great community to help writers. Anyway, in the podcast, loglines were mentioned. I had briefly researched the topic, but never in-depth. My logline was underdeveloped, especially with new revisions on the way. But […]
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False Starts and Introductions to Novels: Too Cliché or A Forgotten Skill?
“At dawn, the sun either shines itself or hides behind clouds, promising what the day will bring. So it is with introductions in stories.” —anonymous Most agents and editors would balk at the suggestion of a false start intro. On its own, there’s nothing wrong with an exciting beginning, so long as it’s done well. […]
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On Naming Fictional Characters
Good names help both writers and readers move through a story smoothly.” — Dan Schmidt Naming characters in a fictional universe may seem like a simple task, but it can stump some authors. How do we approach this issue? Is there a method to naming characters? In this post, I’ll describe how I go about it, […]
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The Hero’s Journey in Fiction
Years ago, I read a fantastic book named The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. In it, the author details the Hero’s Journey. This is a powerful story element that every writer, artist, or spiritual seeker should understand. It illustrates a protagonist’s adventures, from a safe haven to the darkest dungeon—be they literal or figurative. The […]
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Describing Sounds in Writing
When we think of the word sound, the last thing we may associate it with are words and phrases. However, sound and writing go hand-in-hand. Recently, I learned from a writing class how important sounds can be for strengthening prose—what a shocker! In this article, I’ll discuss the various definitions and techniques that are often […]
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POV in Prose and Writing
Points of View POV (point of view) in prose is a vital storytelling element, likened to the camera of the reader. Imagine looking through the eyes of one person for the entire story. In that camera, there’s a degree of trust, faith that the reader holds in the storyteller. Maybe it switches to another character […]
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Life and Death in a Fantasy Universe
Within fiction, some characters don’t share the typical life spans that Earth humans experience. Unusual lifespans in fantasy and science fiction can influence culture and plot considerably. We all enjoy our fantasy stories about long-lived elves, immortal dragons, or extraterrestrials who supercede death. When writing or reading about these characters, it can be hard to […]
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What is Anger in Fiction?
As one of the primordial emotions, anger has formed a significant role in humanity’s history. From righteous fury to barbaric rage, anger is a force to be reckoned with. Likened to an inferno. The flames of one’s rage can pave one’s destiny, destroying whole armies, or consuming the person in the process. How do we […]
Ethereal Seals 