Here’s our biggest tip for beginning writers.
Ask yourself this question:
WHAT MAKES A STORY MEMORABLE?
It’s change. It’s how the hero of the story enters that story with something broken inside them. All the things that have happened before your story starts – the back story – has set up the hero needing to achieve something or needing to change something inside of themselves.
ET was a movie about an alien, but the reason it was so amazing was because it was a movie about a family in pain, a family that needed to believe in magic and love again. ET gave them that.
So, when you’re writing your book, think about the backstory of your character, what it is that put her/him/them in this place and what they need to do to change themselves or their world.
That’s what the heart of a story is.
That’s what makes it memorable. The internal change.
DOG TIP FOR LIFE
Don’t be afraid to evolve. New places, new experiences, new life paths, are all ways to become something and someone better.
WRITING TIPS OF THE POD
- Have Fun – Don’t write unless you love it or can’t live without it
- Remember That Your Characters and Their Journeys Matter
- Cut out Extra Scenes
- Don’t Try to Write Like Anyone Else
- Edit Like A God – Cast out all that doesn’t belong
- Don’t Worry About Being Successful – Worry about the story.
SHOUT OUT
The music we’ve clipped and shortened in this podcast is awesome and is made available through the Creative Commons License. Here’s a link to that and the artist’s website.Who is this artist and what is this song? It’s “Night Owl” by Broke For Free.
Please like, subscribe, share it on iTunes, Stitcher, anywhere. <3
We all appreciate it.
WRITING NEWS
I’m heading to Montreal this week and the Houston and Virginia Beach pretty soon to promote my picture book biography of Moe Berg. It’s called The Spy Who Played Baseball.
And I’ll be in Freeport, Maine September 28 as part of a Nerdy Evening of Kidlit writers!
ENHANCED, the follow-up to FLYING is here! And it’s out of this world.
The last TIME STOPPERS BOOK is out and I love it. You should buy it.
HOW TO GET SIGNED COPIES:
If you would like to purchase signed copies of my books, you can do so through the awesome Sherman’s Book Store in Bar Harbor, Maine or the amazing Briar Patch. The books are also available online at places like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
For signed copies – email barharbor@shermans.com for Sherman’s or email info@briarpatchbooks.comand let them know the titles in which you are interested. There’s sometimes a waiting list, but they are the best option. Plus, you’re supporting an adorable local bookstore run by some really wonderful humans. But here’s the Amazon link, too!
ART STUFF
You can buy prints of my art here. Thank you so much for supporting my books and me. I hope you have an amazing day.
