Word magic.
You want to write fiction—or perhaps you’re already an author—and you have a challenge. Days and weeks go by, and you don’t write a word. It’s all too hard. You get an idea, but by the time you’ve written ten pages, it’s gone. Your plot is silly; your characters are even sillier. Here’s the thing. Although professionals tell you to … Read more
Ah, creativity. If only we could be more creative… As it turns out, a pen and paper will help with that. Handwriting has numerous benefits, not only for writers, but for everyone. Yes, writing by hand is slower than typing, and less productive. And you can’t search a physical notebook by clicking on a search icon. (You can. More on … Read more
How does creativity work? Everyone has a theory, including psychologists, neuroscientists, and researchers. When I asked ChatGPT, the Mystic Meg of our times, how does creativity work? It responded in a few hundred words, the gist of which was: “Overall, creativity is a complex and multifaceted process that involves various cognitive, neural, and contextual factors.” Yes, but if you ask … Read more
If you’re writing fiction, you need to observe everything. Not only with your eyes, but with all your senses. Start training yourself to pay attention: use your journal, and write down what you see, hear, touch, taste and smell. Here’s why: the power of your fiction is in the details. When you use detail, via a viewpoint character, readers will … Read more
Hate plotting fiction? Me too, at times. Why not do what Shakespeare did? He “stole” plots, as many, many authors do. “Stealing” your plot takes the pressure off. You can focus on building your characters and setting, and developing conflict. Plotting fiction: plots you can steal In Plotting Made Simple: The One-Hour Plotting Strategy, I outlined my usual strategy: Over … Read more