Writing Character Motivation

For more on writing motivated characters, check out this post on the difference between internal and external motivations.   All my favorite stories are character-driven. Oh, sure, you can write an action-packed tale of car chases and dragon slaying and all the...

Internal and External Motivation

Nothing drives a story like a determined character. But this is one of those things that’s easier to say than it is to actually incorporate into writing. I thought I understood what all these writerly types meant when they said to make a “strong, motivated” character....

First Sentences

Ooh boy. First lines. There’s nothing like facing the blank page, feeling hope and nerves and excitement and fear rush through you. You crack your knuckles, set your fingers on the keyboard, and… What comes first? Usually, when I’m writing first drafts, I just start...

Word Count

In high school, I had a teacher who always gave the same answer when we asked how long to make our essays. As long as a piece of string. That is to say, make it as long as it needs to be. Which is pretty much the most frustrating answer ever. When it comes to creative...