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The Writer’s PenCase

The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters––Wrap-Up

It’s been a L-O-N-G series, but I wanted to especially focus in on different tools you can use to…
September 30, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part V

In this series, we’re looking at personalities, how to develop them, and where to look for more information about…
September 23, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part IV

If you’re writing about corporate culture or your main characters are partners or close colleagues in their jobs, the…
August 23, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
What Fuels Your Ideas?

Where do you get your inspiration? For me, it can something as simple as a “what if” question to…
July 16, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part III

Characters with personality make your readers identify and care about them. There are several ways to determine what your…
June 22, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part II

In the beginning…in creating characters, we must begin at the beginning. We’ve talked about a three-word description, and basic…
May 22, 2017
Craft, The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part I

Why is it that some characters stick in our minds? What is it about them that causes us identify…
April 22, 2017
Craft, The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part I

Why is it that some characters stick in our minds? What is it about them that causes us identify…
March 22, 2017
The Writer's PenCase, Uncategorized
Seamless Self–Editing––Part VIII

As this series draws to a close, here are a couple practical exercises you can do at home to…
February 21, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing––Part VII

This time, we’re continuing our look at self-editing with tips from Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Browne and King.…
January 22, 2017
The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing––Part VI

We all want our manuscripts to be the best they can be. In the past, we’ve relied on unskilled…
December 22, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing––Part V

Writers write because we love to use words, but let’s face it––even though we say we write for ourselves,…
November 22, 2016
Craft, The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing––Part IV

Getting published traditionally is difficult. Small publishers are more likely to accept a manuscript from a previously unpublished author,…
October 28, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing—Part III

Let’s get our manuscript “publish-ready.” Refer to last month’s post for my definition. This time, we’ll look at basic…
September 22, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing—Part II

Last month, we talked about what “publish-ready” means. This time, we’ll look at basic proofreading. Spell check in Microsoft Word or whatever…
August 26, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Seamless Self-Editing—Part I

You hear it more and more these days. What does “publish-ready” mean? How can self-editing help? #amwriting #publish-ready #self-editing For…
July 8, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Plot Twists – Part IV

We’ve been looking at crafting plot twists. #amwriting #plottwists .
June 10, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Plot Twists –– Part III

Continuing our look at crafting a spectacular plot twist, this time we’ll look in detail at a couple of…
May 19, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Plot Twists—Part II

Last time we talked about all the elements needed to create a stunning plot twist. This time, we’ll talk…
April 23, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Plot Twists – Part I

Plot Twists to what has already occurred. #amwriting #unforgettablefiction Inevitable and Surprising Inevitable: There is only one possible conclusion…
March 11, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Don’t Break Promises to Readers

Nearly two years ago, when I finished my Craftsman class with DiAnn Mills, she recommended I get a book entitled…
February 25, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Putting Fire in Your Fiction – Part I

Most fiction starts out hot, then bogs down. How can you keep the fire in your fiction so that…
January 16, 2016
The Writer's PenCase
Writing Unforgettable Fiction—Part III

This time, we’ll look at Character Struggles, and how they help make unforgettable fiction. Here’s a great way to…
December 15, 2015
The Writer's PenCase
Putting Fire in Your Fiction Part II

We’re looking at Donald Maass’ The Fire in Fiction. @DonaldMaass #FireinFiction I’m on a quest to learn more about…
November 10, 2015
The Writer's PenCase
Putting Fire in Your Fiction

The tagline to Donald Maas’ The Fire in Fiction is “passion, purpose, and techniques TO MAKE YOUR NOVEL GREAT.”…
October 30, 2015