Well. Spring Break is just about here, which means extra writing time! Today, I have a very fun post about my favorite type of character. If you've spent any amount of time reading fandom blogs, you know how much fans love villains. Don't ask me why; it's just a fact that we love to fangirl … Continue reading How to Write an Unforgettable Villain
Readers
The Pitiable Antagonist
Gollum. The Phantom of the Opera. Draco Malfoy. Severus Snape. What do all of these have in common? They're all antagonists, of course. And, probably, we have another emotion associated with them besides hate. Sometimes, we love to hate the villain (Umbridge, anyone?). If they're evil enough, we might love being terrified. Occasionally, we might … Continue reading The Pitiable Antagonist
The Truth About Clichés
I've been thinking a lot lately about clichés. Writers are told to avoid them like the plague. They are a horribly awful very bad idea. A big no-no. Clichés are a sign of lazy writing, amateur writing, and all sorts of other writing that you'd never want to associate with. Think of the young, orphaned, … Continue reading The Truth About Clichés
#NaNoPrep: The Do’s and Don’ts of NaNoWriMo
I hate lists of do's and don't's. In fact, I hate writing rules in general. So it seemed logical for me to type up a list of rules about what to do and what not to do during NaNoWriMo. Actually, I had a lot of fun writing this. Every item on this list is something … Continue reading #NaNoPrep: The Do’s and Don’ts of NaNoWriMo
In Honor of Tolkien
Hi everyone, I'm really sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Maybe I'll tell you about my Camp NaNoWriMo adventures sometime, but today I have something special to write about. Apparently there's this thing going around where lots of bloggers write Tolkien-related posts in honor of the release of The Fellowship of the Ring on July … Continue reading In Honor of Tolkien
Fear (and an exciting book announcement)
I must admit, I was a little scared to post this. Fear is almost always a part of the writing process. What-ifs are a very common form of writing-related fear: "What if I fail?" "What if no one likes it?" "What if I don't meet my deadline?" I've asked myself all of these questions before. I'm … Continue reading Fear (and an exciting book announcement)
The Role of Humor in Books
Fred and George. Mrs. Bennett. Pippin and Merry. The Thenardiers. Jar Jar Binks. The Dowager Countess. Everyone loves them. Who are they? They're the comic relief characters, of course. Oftentimes they come in pairs - this is known as the comic relief duo. Humor plays an important part in all stories, whether the story itself … Continue reading The Role of Humor in Books
Evil: Villains and How They’re Presented
Hi guys! Whose life is super busy right now? Mine is. That's why I haven't been able to post anything for... yikes, a long time. ANYWAY, I finally have this month's Monthly Theme planned out. This month's them is Evil, and I'll tell you why. Next month is Easter. So, next month I'm going to … Continue reading Evil: Villains and How They’re Presented
An Analysis of a Story
Today I'm going to talk about what makes a good story. No, I'm not going to discuss the roles of the protagonist/antagonist; I'm not going to talk about a good plot, setting the stakes, introducing conflict, or what makes a compelling character arc; I'm not going to talk about how to create a truly magical … Continue reading An Analysis of a Story
For His Glory Alone 