Many writers associations offer critique groups and if you've never participated in such a group, consider doing so. Although you must be willing to read and comment on the writings of other members in the group, it is well worth your time to participate in a critique group. There are benefits that come from the feedback you'll receive as well as from reading other writers' drafts. The most obvious benefit is to learn how other people perceive what you submit. You may use beta readers or … [Read more...]

Many people have a book inside their head or a strong yearning to pen a novel. What’s keeping them from putting pen to page (or finger to keyboard) and getting that book written? As a multi-published author, with over 22 books on the market, I believe the key to starting and finishing a book is conquering its greatest enemy. Fear. Particularly hostile to the aspiring novelist are the fear of people and the fear of failure. Let’s explore these two forms of fear and how to eliminate them so you … [Read more...]

I do declare… I live in Cincy but sort of moved to the South when I started to write the Consignment Shop Mysteries. I had to suddenly start thinking and living like my characters. I guess I’m a bit of a method writer like there are method actors where they live the part to get into the part. I had to acquire the taste for sweet tea, I do love fried okra so that was already in place but I no longer carry Chapstick in the back pocket of my jeans but have instead learned to wear lipstick … [Read more...]

Creating Narrative Tension by Bill Johnson Narrative tension is the tension characters in a novel feel about unresolved and unfulfilled events and needs. When characters in a story are blocked from gaining what they want, they experience narrative tension. When acting to gain something increases a character's pain (because the story/storyteller increases the obstacles) a character in a story experiences increasing narrative tension. In a nutshell, a storyteller creates a character … [Read more...]