You have completed the first draft of your story. If you’re working toward publication, you probably know this was just step 1. (My post on From Draft to Done can help you understand the process.) Today’s topic comes to you courtesy of writer-me, who finished the first draft of her novel last week during writingContinueContinue reading “4 Self-Editing Tasks”
Author Archives: Lara Zielinsky
Irreplaceable Characters
What made me think about this column is the surfeit of remakes that regularly roll through movies and TV executive offices. And are occasionally exercised in fandoms. I had to put my foot down in a recent discussion that there was no way to remake one particular 1980s TV show because it was so utterlyContinueContinue reading “Irreplaceable Characters”
tone and ‘tude
(sorry so late; this will also be the only newsletter this month. ~LZ) Flaubert is absolutely correct about the writer. Now, consider this axiom: What your characters do and say will show readers what they believe. Carefully choosing your descriptive words will create the tone and ‘tude (attitude) of your story. We’ve all read aContinueContinue reading “tone and ‘tude”
Plotting Subplots
(apologies for my tardiness) Life is rarely, if ever, lived in a straight line from setting a goal to achieving it. First, the plan itself can suffer setbacks, a shift to another path to the same goal, or even retrenching and starting over with an entirely new goal in mind. But even on a longContinueContinue reading “Plotting Subplots”
Writing through conflict
The meat of any story is the scenes showing the conflicts and obstacles that the main character(s) face as they try to reach some sort of end point that they can be happy with, or satisfied by. Sometimes they have fully envisioned it, mapped every step it will take to get where or what theyContinueContinue reading “Writing through conflict”
The first turn
Note, while I discuss this as the inciting incident and not the beginning page of your story, several genres do begin their storytelling here, in medias res (in the midst of things). Trouble has found the main character. The normalcy of the character that you established in the beginning page is disrupted. The cop whoContinueContinue reading “The first turn”
More setting
Previously, I discussed the sensory details part of building your setting. Time (and season) Of course, that is not all that setting is. Setting is also the time (of day for scenes; season or year for stories) things are happening, too. Inasmuch as the weather or anniversaries or daily patterns impacts the character you shouldContinueContinue reading “More setting”
Setting up
To continue my previous topic of starting at the beginning with your stories, I’m going to talk today about setting up your setting. probably my favorite cartoon of all time, Snoopy spent decades trying to write his story. Setting is the place where your story takes place: New York, Paris, a loft in Soho, aContinueContinue reading “Setting up”
Starting at the beginning
Happy new year, everyone. Welcome to 2025. Let’s start at the very beginning… What comes first when you set out to write a story? The characters or the plot? Do you say something like “I’ve got this rich playboy…”? Or do you say “There’s this company taking over another…”? For more guidance how to begin,ContinueContinue reading “Starting at the beginning”
2024 Year in Review
My fourth official year as a business was my busiest yet. As is my habit, I like to review how I did. My metrics are income on some level, but also, I like to assess how many projects came from new clients and how many from returning clients, and to consider how any sales, discounts,ContinueContinue reading “2024 Year in Review”
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