Category Archives: writing tools

GIVING READERS THE UNEXPECTED

Have you ever come upon a road with which you were unfamiliar and did not know where it led? Did you wonder what was around the bend in the road? How many times have you bypassed such a road, opting … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, conflicting emotions, readers, unexpected plot twists, writing tools | Tagged | 1 Comment

RESEARCH BOOKS–oh my!

In my last post I offered some suggestions for research sources, so in keeping with the research theme, I’d like to focus the spotlight a little tighter. While some of the best information can be gleaned from speaking directly with … Continue reading

Posted in character's occupations, creating setting, historic details, historical fiction, Research books, Research for fiction, writing tools | Leave a comment

NAVIGATING THE RESEARCH JOURNEY

When you’re a writer, research is part of the job. But here is the thing: some writers would rather have root canal surgery than endure what they consider the drudgery of research. I, on the other hand, am one of … Continue reading

Posted in backdrop for characters, character's occupations, creating setting, historic details, historical fiction, Research for fiction, World War I, writing tools | Leave a comment

WILL YOU TELL MY STORY?

One of the most frequently asked questions I hear is: “How do you come up with your characters?” My normal answer is “My characters have to speak to me before I can get to know them, and in order to … Continue reading

Posted in ACFW Author, character photos, creating characters, fictional characters, historical fiction, Research for fiction, story board, writing tools | Leave a comment

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE–a writer’s tools

I will tell you right here that this post is NOT original. I didn’t write it, although I wish I had. I suspect it was written by a retired English teacher who was bored. Homographs are words of like spelling … Continue reading

Posted in ACFW Author, drawing for free book(s), English language, heteronyms, homographs, Sundays in Fredericksburg, writing tools | 2 Comments