Too much characterization? Too little? Prioritize

Is there such a thing as too much characterization? By that, I mean, can you invest too much time into developing some characters to the point of derailing a project? I'd argue...

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Characterization and the Gift of Face Blindness

by  C.M. Keller When Laurel first talked to me about doing a guest post, one of the things she mentioned as a topic was characterization. What interested her is how often...

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Make your stories sing

Music has been a big piece of my life for as long as I can remember. My sibs and I all took piano lessons. There were school choirs, the radio, and as anyone raised in the Christian...

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Supporting writers: six tips

I'm fortunate to have great support both inside and outside writer/author circles. But that outside support didn't come simply from wishing for it. I had learn how to be open...

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My voyage to voice

During the spring of sixth grade, something very strange happened to me. Whenever I opened my mouth to speak, the sound that came out could be breathy and girlish, hoarse, or...

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Ditching "platform," embracing venue

I've invested more time in social media in the past month than ever, and yet am coming to the realization I'm doing something wrong. I really couldn't put my finger on what was...

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Encouraging, giving

When NaNo time comes around every year, I honestly get a bit blue. It seems like everyone and his brother can churn out thousands of words a day, and I just can't. I never could....

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It's your day to master tricky possessives

I've been reading more Indie authors these days, now that I'm one myself. One error I keep seeing is confusion about its/it's, who's/whose, etc. It seemed that a quick primer...

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Aspirations

Quick quiz: When I was a kid, which did I want to be when I grew up? A. An architect morguefile.com B. A teacher morguefile.com C. A magazine editor photo by Raphael...

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