Tag Archive - writing tips

Getting to the Core of Your Characters

Leon Surmelian in his book (written forty years ago) Techniques of Fiction Writing, has this to say about creating characters in fiction: “Characterization is a complex and elusive art and cannot be reduced to exact rules or to a comprehensive statement. The more we talk about it, the more we feel has been left out, and this is necessarily so because the human personality remains a mystery, subject to obscure forces; it is a universe it itself, and we are strangers even to ourselves. . . . Characterization requires self-knowledge, insight into human nature . . . it is more than impersonation.” Continue Reading…

Creating Not Good but Great Characters

Since this blog is dedicated to help writers get to the heart of their stories, there is nothing more important than character, for your protagonist is at the heart of the story. I don’t want to get into the nuts and bolts of developing characters. There are plenty of online websites and blogs that have lessons in coming up with characters and how to make them seem real and not like wood posts. What I do want to explore, though, is a deeper and more personal approach to developing the characters in your novel. Continue Reading…

Why Counting Words May Be Hazardous to Your Health

From time to time I make a comment on Facebook about word count or I guest post or comment on another blog about it. I’m always  astonished at the emotional reaction to this topic and to my less-than-approved views on the subject.

I am pretty opinionated about word counting, and when I post (as I’m sure this will happen today as well), I’ll get comments that range from irritation to scathing anger over my view. Which fascinates me–why so many authors get their shorts all bunched up over this topic. Continue Reading…

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