Some years ago, I took an online mystery-writing class. The one helpful takeaway for me was what I’ll call the Wheel of Tension, which moves the plot along. This is not limited to mystery writing; it works for all fiction and non-fiction. The Wheel of Tension is this: A situation … Read More
You’ve probably read books on writing fiction and found most of them only marginally helpful. And if you know of one that does more, let us know. That’s what I’m about to do. I stumbled across one that does more some months ago. I almost passed it up because of … Read More
In a recent LA Times article, “Self-made label is delusional,” Ann Friedman rails against Forbes’ labeling Kylie Jenner of the Kardashian family one of the richest “self-made women.” I agree with Friedman. Jenner was born into money. Not exactly a bootstrapper. Yes, she initiated her own cosmetics business, but think … Read More
There is a long-running argument concerning character-driven vs. plot-driven writing, where the former is called literary and the latter formulaic. Note which one gets the derogatory label that plot-driven writers abhor. Despite my work being primarily character-driven, I take the position that one cannot thrive without the other. And yet, … Read More