Writing Lesson 2.25 – Why Your Hero Can’t Be So Darn Perfect

Some writers make the mistake of thinking that heroes must be perfect, but a too-perfect hero becomes a piece of cardboard to readers.

Writing Lesson 2.19 – Discovering the Arc

For centuries, explorers, scientists, and Bible scholars have been hoping to find the resting place and remains of Noah’s Ark. But as writers, we are on another search. We are exploring to find our story or character arc. A story without a compelling arc is unfinished. It lacks conflict. Characters don’t grow. The primary thing […]

Writing Lesson 2.16 – Write Better-Read & Review

You may have heard it said that good writers are those who read. Chances are you already love reading. Each of us has our own tastes and preferences when it comes to reading. Some love action books, others prefer a sweet romance.  And within each book genre there are many flavors, so that one action […]

Writing Lesson 2.9 – 10 Common Mistakes Writers Make

After teaching writing and critiquing many chapters for the past several years, I’ve come up with a list of the common mistakes I see in manuscripts.

Writing Lesson 2.8 – Where Motivation Lurks

What if you’ve got a time to write and a great story idea, but still the words won’t flow? Here are several ideas for jogging the story loose.