Tag: writing
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Of Reversals, Plausible Endings and the Artistry of Thwarting Expectations…
“A successful resolution thwart the our expectation; it doesn’t (fully) satisfy them.”—-Peter Selgin, 179 Ways to Save a Novel: Matters of Vital Concern to Fiction Writers Reversals sit at the heart of a successful resolution. And since novels consist of a continual list of crises fostered by a string of obstacles, both physical and human…
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Of Writing, Integrity and The Company We Keep…
“When we set out to judge—ridicule pillory, condemn, sneer at or…impugn our characters–we fail at our objective. Instead of making our characters look bad we make ourselves suspect.” —-Peter Selgin, 179 Ways to Save a Novel: Matters of Vital Concern to Fiction Writers We are known by the company we keep. In the case of…
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Of Plot, Authenticity, and Knowing Who We Are…
“A story should generate it’s own actions and emotions organically…A story should be authentic…made of stuff that has never been appropriated from other forms of narrative art…other stories…movies or television. Or it has it should be sufficiently re-processed through the author’s unique sensibilities so the resulting work has its own authenticity.” –Peter Selgin, 179 Ways…
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Uncertainty, Destination, and the Need to Know…
We are ruled by uncertainty. The need to know shapes our motives, what we ask for, desire, fear and seek to claim. And so it is in writing that we encounter a somewhat safe haven. The writer has a general idea of the destination of her or his story if not, how it shall end.…
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Of Setting, Change, Action, and Dilemmas…
What creates setting, both physical and emotional? And what goes into creating a setting that stimulates a reader to feel? What is the challenge of creating a formative and transformative setting? What needs to remain static and constant in a setting? And what needs to cry out for change? These questions point out the importance…
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Of Mars in Cancer, Courts of Change, and Travels…
Every story is like a court case wherein we, the author, like an attorney, tries a case of our protagonist. Who is on trial? Is your protagonist the defendant or the plaintiff seeking judgment and damages for a wrong committed upon her or him? If she or his had been wronged then what was the…
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Radio Show | Author, Megan Chance
Novelist, Megan Chance, discusses her 4th novel, and new release, “Prima Donna.” Megan is also the author of, “Susannah Morrow,” “An Inconvenient Wife,” and “The Spiritualist.” So tune in.