Naming characters is a fun process. But before you dive in head-first, there are a few things to think about that will help you choose the very best names. Let’s break this down… Think: Time-Period If you read a lot of books from the 1800s, you will encounter names like Horace and Hester, but I […]
Mechanics
Character Assassination
I need a character for a story. Lets call him Fred. Fred is 5’11”, weighs 185 lbs and has blond hair and blue eyes. Do you love him yet? What if I tell you he has a six pack? No? Neither do I really. I mean who names their character Fred, you’d always be waiting […]
Description: More than just pretty scenery
Description is essential to your story. It is possible to write a story without any description, but it is likely that the reader will find it dry as dust. Stories are much more interesting when you have a good setting and atmosphere. Now I know everybody says to start with action, and it is true […]
Book Review: Author’s Quick Guide to Editing
Title: Author’s Quick Guide to Editing Your Book Written By: Kristen Eckstein Genre: Editing helps/Non-fiction Recommended Ages: Any Introduction: When I started reading this book, I had just started one of my final edits for a novel and I picked up this one so I could hopefully find some tips. I’m glad I did, too. […]
Atlas’ Tool Box: World Building – Don’t Get Distracted
How many of you reading this right now should be writing? If that drives you to stop reading and go write, then good (but make sure you come back when you are done please). Better would be to finish reading this and then go write. Distractions. They are the bane of the writer’s existence. There […]
Head Hopping and Point of View
The person that you write your story in will have a big effect on your Point of View. First person is whether you tell the story as if it were happening to you – I pulled up my gun and yelled “This is a stick up!” The advantage of first person is the immediacy. The […]
5 Secrets to Story Structure: A Review
Introduction: Structured story plots have been a problem for me in the past, but I never knew what to do about it, so I just kept plugging along. Then I came across this book and will not have that problem any more (as long as I follow the tips I read about). Faith BlumFaith Blum […]
This, that, and the other thing
There are words every author knows to avoid. Lists abound on the internet, software like prowritingaid.com will tell you how often you use them and even suggest how many you should cut. You will note, it does not say to cut them all. In many ways life would be easier if you could. This refers to […]
The Best & Worst Reasons for Using Scrivener for Blogging
The spiel went something like this. With exaggerated hand gestures that mimicked a rather hand-eloquent jester, my friend told me about this fabulous new program I just had to have. “It’s perfect for you!” When my skepticism refused to stay hidden as bidden, she raved a bit more. “Look, it does everything that Word does […]
Atlas’ Tool Box: World Building – Staying Consistent
World Building: Staying Consistent The world you’ve created, if only in your head for now, is the setting or stage upon which the more interesting thing happens. The more interesting thing is, presumably, your story. You have a point to make, a damsel or dude in distress to rescue, or a twist to reveal. In […]