One of the best ways to learn the craft of fiction is to read the works of great writers, those novelists who know how to offer the reader unforgettable images of new places and new people.   Here are examples of character and setting descriptions from skilled writers.   Listening to them, we'll be inspired to create vivid and enchanting descriptions

Support the show

What's the difference between an idea and plot?  It's important to know as we begin writing.  Also, readers love joyous dialogue.  Here are thoughts on how to write it.

Support the show

What in our lives made us want to write?  Here's a discussion about lighting that fuse.  Also: here are techniques for showing rather than telling about our story's setting.  And discussed also is a wonderful way to learn to write that takes little extra time or effort.  Finally, how to write dialogue when the characters are afraid.

Support the show

A main reason readers put a novel on their all-time top-ten favorites list is because they fall in love with a character.  Here's how we can create characters readers will love.  Also discussed are techniques for writing sad dialogue.  And also: how to get unstuck when writing or novel or short story.

Support the show

I've been checking out the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, and here are some impressions of its use for writers.  And: what are the benefits of identifying our novel as being in a genre?  Also, more on  those pesky dialogue tag modifiers.  

Support the show

How can we get off the dime and start writing our novel or short story?  Here are some thoughts.  Also, readers love emotional dialogue; techniques to write romantic dialogue and angry dialogue are discussed.

Support the show

Here is a strong technique for immersing readers in our settings.  Readers will think they are right there with our characters.  Also, almost all stories should have a romance, and keys to writing romance scenes are reviewed.

Support the show

Here is a strong technique to make our characters vivid and memorable for the reader.   And also: most novels should have action scenes.   The craft of writing a powerful action scene is reviewed.

Support the show

Sometimes a scene we've written just doesn't feel right.  Something is amiss but we can't put our fingers on it.  Here's a method to figure out what might be wrong and how to fix it.  Also: we can get stuck in our thinking about the plot.  Where should the story go next?  What should we add?  Here are ideas on inventing plot points.

Support the show

A terrific way for writers to find inspiration is to hear legendary sentences from famous novels.  Here are a few.  Should we fiddle with fonts in our manuscript?   And slow motion is a powerful tool for our scenes.

Support the show