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”
Tag Archives: planning to write
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”
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”
June 2024
Sections Writing Advice Editing Advice Service Availability Writing Advice Last month we talked about STORY GOALS. And then I gave you some homework, to list steps that would be things the main character would have to accomplish to reach their story goal. These step goals become something I call SCENE GOALS. A character enters aContinueContinue reading “June 2024”
May 2024
Welcome back! ~ LZ Sections Writing Advice Editing Advice Service Availability Writing Advice This month, I’m continuing the topic of developing your plot by expanding on something I mentioned last month, the STORY GOAL. tldr; the STORY GOAL is NOT what the AUTHOR wants to have happen, but what the CHARACTERS – particularly the MAINContinueContinue reading “May 2024”
Newsletter Relaunch
Navigating to a new newsletter plan. My quarter 1 business analysis found that paying for my newsletter wasn’t as cost effective as it could be. So I’ve migrated my few subscribers (thanks to all of you!) to my website. I still won’t deluge you with content, only sending out a newsletter/post once a month. ~ContinueContinue reading “Newsletter Relaunch”
Preptober week 4
This final week before the rush begins, take a writing break and crack open some other aspects of creativity: visuals. This week you’re going to do some “manifesting” by creating marketing materials. Write your book pitch Focusing on the big things about the story idea that excite you (and thus will excite readers), write theContinueContinue reading “Preptober week 4”
Preptober week 3
This week you’ll be writing – short things that are part story, part summary, all background. This week is about setting the main character(s) in your mind. Turn them around and over and about in your hands to see them from all sides. You’re going to write a “now” story about the characters in November.ContinueContinue reading “Preptober week 3”
Preptober Week 2
You should be coming to the end of the first book you’ve read this month and writing a review of it. You can publish that review, or keep it for yourself. That’s entirely up to you. For week 2 we’re going to focus the second half hour of your set-aside time on BRAINSTORMING. To writeContinueContinue reading “Preptober Week 2”
Preptober Checklist
Use this checklist as a way to do the first thing on it: ESTABLISH A ROUTINE. If you work on ONE checklist item each time you sit down during October, you will gather together all the things (tangible and intangible) you will need to successfully write 50,000 words of a novel during November in NationalContinueContinue reading “Preptober Checklist”
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