4 Literary Elements to Leave a Lasting Effect on your Writing
Once upon a time, language was an art. Words and letters were manipulated to create an effect, to connect with people, and to leave lasting impressions. The things writers could do with words was beyond beauty—almost esoteric. But, one day, things changed. I’d say Walt Whitman and E.E. Cummings are to blame, but the Harlem […]
Better Storytelling: Character Foils
Characters with contrasting features that juxtapose and make the protagonist’s characteristics obvious are what we call “foils”. Is that symbolic to like the different sides of foil? Like, how one is shiny and the other is kinda grainy? 🤔 I have no idea, actually. But, I can tell you that when one character is drastically […]
Why I Handwrote My Book Manuscript
So, I finally finished my second draft of my manuscript. Wow. Congratulations. I know! I’m feelin’ pretty legit right now holding it! But, here’s the kicker: I hand wrote all of it. Why on earth would you do that? The honest answer: because I don’t have a printer and I wasn’t willing to pay 25 […]
Better Storytelling: Conflict Change
A character’s need for a change in order to progress toward a desire is what really makes or breaks a good story. What about the whole desire thing? The desire is what drives the story, yes. But how the character changes during the pivotal moment (climax) is what rounds your story. Otherwise, your story is […]
2 Things to Remember When You Review Your First Draft
Garbage. Ultimate fail. Complete and utter sh*t. Harsh. If you’re a true writer, you’ve probably thought this or similar after reading your own work—especially a first draft. You feel embarrassed, ashamed, maybe even worthless. If someone else reads it–oh man–they’d hate it! If this is the kind of work you produce, maybe it’s time you […]