Category: plot

• November 8, 2023

  The truth of fiction is deeper than “fact”

  Fiction uses stories that aren’t factually or historically true to teach us deep, eternal, lasting truths about the world and human nature. This is why fiction is so powerful, so meaningful, and so necessary to human life. History and historical fact are also, of course, critical, and must be recognized for what they are. History,…
• October 11, 2023

  How much world building is worth it?

  As a writer of fantasy, this is an important question to ask. The answer will vary from series to series and writer to writer. The answer, I think, largely depends upon what your focus is. Tolkien wanted to create a large, lasting mythology. As a result, his entire corpus is world building in a very…
• September 23, 2023

  Moving a scene in my prequel made all the difference

  

  As I write this, I had a great day improving the draft I have a prequel to the Herezoth trilogy. It’s a redemption story. I love it so much! I think I love it as much as any of my other stories. It’s the first novel I’ve written since The Crimson League: The Fight for…
• September 13, 2023

  Movies can get away with being action-driven. Novels can’t.

  

  While movies and novels both tell stories, it’s important to remember that they do this in very different ways. They are two very different mediums. Movies can get away with being action-driven because they are visual. (And boy, do modern superhero flicks and other modern films try to pull this off!) An action movie can…
• September 11, 2023

  Will, Intellect, and Empathy/Emotion

  

  I read in a book by Peter Kreeft that there are three dimensions to the human heart considered in the deepest, fullest, most inclusive sense: the human power of the will, the intellect, and our emotions. All can guide us. All clamor for attention. I was FASCINATED when he mentioned various literary trios who tend…
• September 9, 2023

  On prequels and plot armor

  

  The prequel to my trilogy is still in developmental editing stages, but writing it was an interesting experience due to the issue of plot armor. If you’re not familiar with the term, “plot armor” describes a scenario where readers/viewers know a character MUST survive a scene or even an entire story due to outside circumstances–the…
• August 23, 2023

  Thoughts on killing off characters

  

  The first character I ever had die on me in the middle of a story was Beth March. I’m still not sure I’m over it. I loved Beth SOOOO much! That said, both as a writer or reader, I’m not averse to killing off a character or two, if it’s done the right way. (Obviously,…
• August 21, 2023

  Side characters don’t consider themselves side characters

  Today’s post is something that once wrote about on my old blog, but that was a decade ago. It’s lost in the cyber void now, and I have a different spin to put on it. Today I have two things for authors to consider when creating those side characters we all love: Side characters don’t…
• August 19, 2023

  Thoughts on Part II of a Trilogy

  

  I was watching a video recently about The Lord of Rings that mentioned that the main goal of part II of a trilogy is to get from part A to part B (setting up the big finale). In part, I think that’s true. Part II of a trilogy, of course, should also be its own…
• August 14, 2023

  Successfully writing and editing a novel takes a marathon mindset

  

  Now, for most people, especially people who have written or are trying to actually write a novel, this is intuitive and rather obvious. Still, I hold it can be very useful to break down the obvious things that we seldom take the time to pick apart and analyze. There is wisdom there. Reminders. motivations. So,…