A guest post by Kirsten Foster. Tell me if this sounds like you: You’ve been working on a project for months now, whether that be a song, a story, a drawing, or any hobby. You were so excited to work on it in the beginning, but now you find yourself dreading to look at yourContinue reading “Taking Breaks: The Key We’ve Been Missing?”
Category Archives: Storytelling Tips
Letting Go of Counting Minutes
As I finished my composition degree, the pressure of the large assignments and looming deadlines drained my creativity. I started dragging my feet to work, and bribing myself to get homework done. I was burning out. But how could I take a break with so many deadlines looming? And without taking a break, how couldContinue reading “Letting Go of Counting Minutes”
Four Things I’ve Learnt while Writing a Musical
The Piper’s Mountain (book by Evangelyn Hill) finished just over a month ago! (My work ethic is still recovering hehe.) That project stretched me and pushed me, and the difference between my music before and after is striking. (You can hear for yourself below!) While I’m still growing as a composer and as a writer,Continue reading “Four Things I’ve Learnt while Writing a Musical “
What Next? Continuing a Romantic Arc in Your Sequel
Congratulations! You made it through the first book! And your characters are so cute together :3. So… what happens next? Sequels are tricky, because there’s so much comparison between your first book and your second. If they need to be bigger than (and not just on par with) book one, what does that mean forContinue reading “What Next? Continuing a Romantic Arc in Your Sequel “
The List of Forbidden Tropes
I decided while packing Uber orders at work today that instead of trying to sound intelligent in today’s blog post, I’d just write out my thoughts conversationally and hope that even if it’s not informative, it’s at least encouraging. Six weeks ago, I started this blog post with a list of tropes I don’t likeContinue reading “The List of Forbidden Tropes”
Writing Romances that Last Beyond the Book
Some fictional romances feel fictional. Reading them is like watching a badly-performed theatrical performance, where the characters fall in love, sing endlessly about how they would die for their lover, but all the way through you get the sense that the actors don’t like each other. All through the book, you get the sense thatContinue reading “Writing Romances that Last Beyond the Book”
The big picture of romance
What would you say is the point of romance? Note, I’m not asking the point of sex, but of romance. Having a crush on someone, someone having a crush on you, the wondering and dreaming, wooing and dating, the proposal and wedding day, and every day after that. What’s the point of it? Is itContinue reading “The big picture of romance”
Introducing a new series: Writing Romance Effectively
Who are your favourite fictional couples? Why do you love them so much? In some novels, watching the main characters go from hating to tolerating, working with to admiring, liking to loving, is a joy. As they slowly fall in love, we also fall in love with them and their relationship. A good romance feelsContinue reading “Introducing a new series: Writing Romance Effectively “
Read a Life’s-Worth of Good Books
Ecclesiastes 12:12 says “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (ESV) Part of that verse: Of making many books, there is no end rings in my head as I hear of new books being published, of old booksContinue reading “Read a Life’s-Worth of Good Books”
The best writing tool you own
What tools do you use for your craft? What do you write, or sketch, or compose on? I’m so tech-reliant these days. When I was a child, we had a two-hour screen-time limit per day, and honestly, I can’t remember what I did with the other hours! Now that I use my computer for work,Continue reading “The best writing tool you own”
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