There are two “types” of voices in a story. The author’s voice and the narrator’s voice. In this lesson, we’ll give you some tips on how to strengthen BOTH types of voices. First, let’s define “voice.” (After all, it’s essential to understand voice before you can strengthen it!) I have a best friend. Let’s […]
craft of writing
Lesson #99 – Dialogue: Beats and Tags
Dialogue is one of my favorite parts of fiction writing. Good dialogue can make a story come to life. Bad dialogue does the opposite. And no one wants their story to die a horrible death. So let’s talk about one of the ways to make your dialogue flow without readers skimming. But guess what? It’s […]
Mentors and Critiques and Edits — Oh, my!
Here is a simple and undisputed fact… As a writer, there are three things you cannot do without: (1) a mentor, (2) a critque group, and (3) a professional edit. Let’s look at each one individually. (1) You need a mentor. Why? It would be simple-minded to assume that because you love to tell stories, […]