Tag: fiction
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How to Give Your Characters Agency
If you are in the process of leveling up your writing skills, this is a sure sign that you are in the right place. Agents and reviewers often talk about how disconnected or disappointed they are when the characters have no agency. But what exactly does that mean? We’ll explain what it is and how…
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The Solution
Revised 4/24/2024. Originally written 10/24/2015. I don’t know how he obtained it, but I knew I never would forget. The strange liquid filled out its container in a way that seemed to defy the laws of physics. This effervescent concoction of sorts had gaps and tunnels traveling through it, and no map would have…
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Experimental Files
Revised 2/22/2024. Originally written 3/30/2015. How did this happen? Why can I not remember? I stand, facing a village, the searing heat radiating from the burning buildings pricking at my exposed skin. Fire rises through the billowing smoke, the wind carrying the scent of charred wood and flesh. Sweat forms on my brow, my tunic…
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Civilization (The Bully)
Revised 2/5/2024. Originally written 2/28/2015. She stared at the world map laid in front of her, hands outstretched on the table. The room was dimly lit, and the smell of incense and wine filled the space. Her great admiral to her left and her great general to her right, she closed her eyes in deep…
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Writing Advice and What it Means: Show, Don’t Tell
If you’re like me, you’ve probably scouted many a forum, article, and writing craft book looking for ways to improve your writing. And if you’re like me, you come across the same advice time and time again. One of the snippets that I always see and hear is the line “Show, don’t tell”. But what…
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How Much Conflict Should My Story Have? A Writer’s Guide to Conflict
Conflict. It’s what drives the plot, the characters, it gives the story meaning. But how do you determine if you have enough conflict? Focusing on one conflict makes the story one-dimensional. But when you throw in too many conflicts, well now you’ve got a mess to sort through. Let’s take a look at how to…
