Living and Writing With Depression
This post is going to be a little different than most. I didn't plan this post out ahead of time. This is all coming straight from my head to the page.
I don't talk about myself much on the blog, but you should know that when I was 19, I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. That was a long time ago, but I still struggle everyday. My Bipolar Disorder is pretty stable right now but the Borderline disorder makes every day a chore.
Writing Quotes To Inspire and Guide You (part 4)
I love quotes. I've been collecting them for years. There's just something about these compact bits of inspiration or advice that really appeals to me. I collect quotes that speak to me, teach me something, or motivate me in some way. But most of all, I collect quotes that help me feel a little less alone. Hopefully, you'll find something here that makes you feel the same way.
Using Point of View Correctly
Anyone can tell you that good writing flows easily from beginning to end without reminding the reader that there is a writer behind the words. Unfortunately, many beginning writers sometimes ruin that flow by constantly reinserting their point of view character back into the narrative. Once you've moved the reader into the story, you don't want to yank him out again by placing your character in every sentence.
Kristen Johnson Ingram, an author of over twenty books and instructor for WritersOnlineWorkshops.com, calls this the "viewpoint intruder."
How To Create Unique Characters
I'm in the character creation stage of a new story so as part of my series on new beginnings, I want to go over some great brainstorming tips I found. Today, I'm going to share something from one of my favorite books on writing, The Art and Craft of Storytelling: A Comprehensive Guide to Classic Writing Techniques, by Nancy Lamb, where the author reminds us that our challenge as writers is to "create a character that lives and breathes on the page, a character that laughs and cries and makes the reader feel those emotions." She tells us:
When you approach your characters, remember it is not only the hero that must stand out. All the characters in your story, major and minor characters, should occupy a unique place in your own imagination in order for them to occupy that same status in the reader's imagination.
Get Your Act(s) Together
The Three-Act Structure
Today I want to talk about an important part of novel writing: the three-act structure.
It may sound like a boring topic but if you want to learn about the real craft of writing, you have to learn about story structure. Why? Because the further your story deviates from structure, the less likely you will be able to connect with your readers.
Some Rules For Writing Dialogue
Hey, guys! How have you been doing lately? Are you working hard, or hardly working? HAHA Well, in my case, I've been struggling to work. I have depression and other mental health issues that interfere sometimes. It feels like pulling teeth just trying to get anything done. So, this week is going to be a quick, yet important post.
Eight Ways To Structure Your Story
Structure is nothing more than a way of looking at your story material so that it is organized in a way that is both logical and dramatic.
- Jack M. Bickham
I recently started a new writing project and I know that the idea is bigger and more complicated than anything I have every done before. I knew that I needed to get organized or it was going to be a complete mess.
Distinguished Author Nancy Lamb wrote about story structure in her book The Art and Craft of Storytelling. She reminds us that structure isn't a prefabricated box that you cram your story into. It is more like a flexible framework that helps you move through your narrative without losing your way.
(Even More) Quotes to Inspire and Guide You
Like most writers, I am a voracious reader, and I am always writing down my favorite quotes. So, as you can imagine, I've collected quite a few over the years. I've shared some of my favorites here on the blog before. You can find them here, and here, if you care to look.
For this week, I've pulled together another collection of quotes that I love. Some provide helpful tips and advice but I also love the ones that let us know that, as writers, we're not alone. That other writers go through the same things we do. That they experience the same insecurities and fears we do.
So, here we go!
Crafting A Successful Opening Chapter
Not long ago, I pulled out a piece of writing I'd started over a year ago that I had abandoned shortly after realizing it just didn't work. I thought maybe taking another look at it, so long after I had actually written it, would help me see it in a new light.
I started to read and quickly realized what the problem was. I didn't start the story in the right place.
First-Person Point Of View: Advantages and Disadvantages
Hello, everyone! I hope you're having a good week so far.
Today I'd like to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of using first person point of view.
What makes me want to go over this? Well, I've mentioned before in other articles that I always prefer third-person point of view. So the other day, I was kind of annoyed to find another young adult novel I wanted to read was written in first person. There's a lot of them, young adult novels written in first person, in case you haven't noticed. So I figured, if so many authors choose it, there must be something good about it. So I decided to look into it more and what I found is that there are some advantages to first person point of view and some disadvantages.
Understanding Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
Hello! Welcome to the all new The Beginning Writer site! I am so excited to be back! I have worked long and hard to bring you the best site and the best help that I can give you. Along with the new site design, starting today, you will find new articles here every Wednesday. If you sign up for my email list, you'll get an email from me on Fridays full of links to other blogger's articles that are helpful to beginning writers. So let's get started!
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