¡Buenas tardes! We're right in the midst of a new week, and for some of us that means getting back into the rhythm of work, self-care, and all the usual adult responsibilities. My hope is that, no matter how busy your schedule gets, you can still find time to get your creative writing and blogging … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #16: Perfecting Act Two of Your Story
Lessons to Practice
Lessons to Practice #15: The Critical Cast of Supporting Characters
Greetings! I thank you guys and gals for your patience as things went dark on my blog for the past week; I spent the last four days moving into my new apartment. It was definitely an eventful weekend! Fortunately, I got to spend most of it with my mom, who came in to town to … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #15: The Critical Cast of Supporting Characters
Lessons to Practice #14: Nailing True-to-Life Dialogue
Hello! Did you know that I recently became a member of the Denton Writers' Critique Group? I was fortunate enough to stumble across the group's website in late January, and I attended my first meeting that very same night. My writing craft has never been stronger or more fully supported than now, and I graciously … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #14: Nailing True-to-Life Dialogue
Lessons to Practice #13: Using Art, Music, and Pop Culture References in Your Writing
There are few things more powerful than the use of other artistic works to supplement our creative writing. When used sparingly and with careful consideration, things like song lyrics, art images, and pop culture references can help bring your story alive and imbue it with a more profound sense of humanity. However, the biggest obstacle to … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #13: Using Art, Music, and Pop Culture References in Your Writing
Lessons to Practice #12: Emotionally Charging Your Scenes
Hello and good evening, faithful audience. For this next installment of my "Lessons to Practice" series, I'm taking a closer look at the way in which we bring scenes alive in order to sustain a viable, engaging, and memorable story. In my humble opinion, the most critical key to making a scene grab my readers … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #12: Emotionally Charging Your Scenes
Lessons to Practice #11: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 2 of 2)
I have a super awesome announcement tonight: this past Monday, at around 11:41 AM, I completed my first draft of book 1 in my trilogy, The Virility Project! This is by far my largest and most thematically complex work of fiction to date, and one whose idea I first conceived waaay back in early 2009. After a couple … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #11: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 2 of 2)
Lessons to Practice #10: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 1 of 2)
Hello! I hope this blog post finds you well. I'd like to thank Akaluv, The Eye-Dancers, Meher, and thesarahdoughty for stopping by and liking one or several of my Lessons to Practice posts over the past few weeks. You all help me keep my motivation alive 🙂 Last week, I briefly explored the archetypal three-act … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #10: Plotting a Hero’s Journey (Part 1 of 2)
Lessons to Practice #9: The Plot Points vs. Hero’s Journey Approach
I want to craft a stellar plot. At the end of the day, that is one of my biggest dreams: to compel readers to follow the ups and downs of my story, to take away a great deal of emotional and moral heft, and incorporate my work in some way into their own lives. However, as grand … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #9: The Plot Points vs. Hero’s Journey Approach
Lessons to Practice #8: The Compelling Protagonist
Before I begin, I'd like to apologize for not doing my usual Thursday night writing posts. I have been without internet at my town home for the past two weeks, which has made writing a bit more challenging. Luckily we should have our services up and running by tomorrow afternoon, so you can expect my … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #8: The Compelling Protagonist
Lessons to Practice #7: The Essence of Setting
Tonight I have setting on my mind. Not just its importance or its definition, but its essence. What makes a setting? Is it a specific physical location? A staging ground for the characters to interact and develop? Or the ways in which a particular place triggers our five senses and evokes our emotional response? For me, … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #7: The Essence of Setting
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