Motivation and Reaction Units (MRUs) comprise the majority of your novel. They are also something writers often struggle to master. The concept is simple. Which comes first, the motivation or the reaction? Motivation is the cause (occurs outside the character) Reaction is the effect (occurs inside the character) The motive must come first. We cannot [...]
A Method for Rewriting and Self Editing
January 18, 2013 By 3 Comments
It is tempting, when you see a contest listed on a blog or website, to whip out a story and to send it in promptly. It is tempting, when you hear of a magazine’s or publisher’s call for submissions, to spin off a piece that will suit the theme and to submit it soon before [...]
Heroes
January 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
What is a hero? In writing, the hero (or heroine) is the main character of the story–the person the story is about. And we already know that a story is about someone with a problem — someone who wants something but can’t quite get it until they face the obstacle that stands in their way [...]
