Setting: Apartments
Get inspired to write an apartment setting into the world of your story.
Stage to Page: Writing Character Dynamics in Fiction
A few more ideas for fiction writers who wish to hone and enhance the dynamics between their characters
Writing Like an Editor
A few thoughts on how writers can approach their work with the editing process in mind
Facing Writer’s Block
Five strategies for dealing with writer’s block
Character Inspiration: Bookshop Owner
Independently owned by Erin Whaling, Spisherbocker Books has been operating in the Historic Downtown district of Black Diamond for a little over 2 years. As a lifelong reader, and one who loves to share her favourite books with friends and family, Erin is in her natural habitat with Spisherbocker Books.
Special Interview: Firefighter (Part 2)
A former captain shares about fire hall pranks, training, and what it’s like to be in a position of leadership over a crew.
Special Interview: Firefighter (Part 1)
An eye-opening interview with a firefighter about his experiences on the job
Setting: Cafés
Does your book include a café setting? Here are some real-life ideas you could incorporate into your story based on my own experience working behind the counter of a local bakeshop.
Stage to Page: What Can Acting Teach Us About Writing?
Here are a couple ways that theatre school made me a better writer.
Rhythms for Writing
A few considerations for healthy rhythms we can establish as writers
Discovering the Unexpected in Everyday Settings
Unexpected things are happening in the real world, every day, in thousands of different ways. Those moments make our stories—both real and imagined—richer and more compelling.
Mental Health for Writers
What are we doing to look after our mental health as writers?
What’s Your Problem? Hooking Readers with Conflict
Conflict is at the heart of every powerful story. If nothing ever went wrong for our characters, their journeys would be unrelatable, and therefore, uninspiring.
Character Inspiration: Opera Singer
Michaela Chiste shares about her life as an opera singer.
Writing Convincing Characters
Three tips that have helped me to shape my characters in fiction
Make Your Characters Specific
Specific details are the secret to good characterization – the very heart of the craft. This strategy can be applied to every single character in your story, from your main protagonist to the random guy they pass on the street on page 97.
6 Responsibilities of Good Writers
Six thoughts about using our passion and writing abilities responsibly
What Do Your Characters Do with Heartbreak?
Conflict is central to any good story. The best stories go beyond the surface-level problems and show us a glimpse of a character’s heart. What is breaking them apart inside? What is causing them agony or fear or dilemma? And more importantly, what are they doing about it?
Character Inspiration: Emergency Call Taker
Bry lives in England and works as an emergency call taker. Here, she offers some insight into a day in the life!
Setting: Ruins
“The presence of something ruined always reflects the presence of something lost. The question of what has been lost can spur incredible stories into motion.”