For writers who are stuck.

There will be many trials and many errors.There will be many failed attempts.Many experiments will go wrong, while some go nowhere at all.There will be false positives and silver linings.Frustration and hours of dullness and darkness will prevail, for a time.There will be lonely, listless days and electric, sleepless nights.Stay authentic, whatever you do.Don't write …

Why Prophecy is the laziest literary device

I'll never forget waiting three years between releases of the fourth and fifth Harry Potter novels. Rumor had it, we were finally going to find out WHY the evil Lord Voldemort had tried to kill innocent Harry as a baby. That was the crux of the whole series, wasn't it? The morning of Order of the …

What inspires my stories?

When I sit down to brainstorm or outline a new book, I always start with one question: What intrigues me?Reconnecting with my younger self, I recall the stories, secrets, mysteries, and phenomena that once sparked a burning curiosity within my adolescent mind. What was forbidden and what was taboo? What was sneaky and tempting and …

How Many “Master Plots” Have I Written?

I'm looking at a fascinating book for writers called 20 Master Plots: And How to Build Them by Ronald B. Tobias (here's the link on Amazon). While scrolling through the table of contents, I realized I've used some of these themes, and thought it would be fun to list them here on my blog. The ones I …