As a reader and beta reader, one of the things that stands out to me is when a secondary character does or says something halfway through a scene and my reaction is, "Huh. I forgot they were even there." We forget sometimes as writers that our readers don't have the benefit of watching a scene … Continue reading Roll for Initiative: Keeping Your Characters in Scene
3 Writing Lessons from Dungeons and Dragons
Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) have a lot to teach you about writing. You create characters and tell a collaborative story in real time, so of course it's good practice for your novel! Taking away the setting elements (fantasy, sci-fi, horror), you find lessons that apply to any writer in any genre. Here are the first … Continue reading 3 Writing Lessons from Dungeons and Dragons
5 Things That Make Me Stop Reading
Let me start out by saying that this is an entirely subjective post. If anyone looks up their favorite book on Amazon or Goodreads, they'll probably find a few one and two-star reviews, because everyone's taste is different. So as a reader, I don't claim that my opinions are at all universal. That said, I'm … Continue reading 5 Things That Make Me Stop Reading
The Many Right Ways to Fall in Love
As a writer, I love me some slow-burn, will they/won't they, long sighs and significant glances romance. But as a reader, I don't understand the pushback against what many call "instalove." Love at first sight. Soulmates. The characters lay eyes on each other and just know. People deride it as unbelievable, and even lazy writing. … Continue reading The Many Right Ways to Fall in Love