Keep It Brief

I’m getting ready to send some sample chapters of a mystery story to a publisher who also wants a synopsis of the rest of the book. A lot of writers are intimidated by the word synopsis, but it is actually not too hard to do. A synopsis is a short summary of each chapter of [...]

Need Inspiration? Take a Walk!

My family and I took a walk around the neighborhood the other day after dinner. We walked a good 2 1/2 miles round trip. There were lots to see and hear. People watering their lawns. Dogs barking from behind tall fences. Fruit trees filled with ripening fruit. Wonderful scents of blossoming flowers. And even though [...]

Building a Resource Library

It’s a good thing I like to read because part of my research for any project involves going through lots and lots of reading material. I try to purchase many of these resources to build my own library. For my ongoing research for early America, I have retained over 50 books. I probably have at [...]

Building a Good Character

A story needs good characters to carry it along, that’s why it’s important to take time to develop your characters before you begin. Take out a sheet of paper or a few index cards. Decide what type of person he/she will be: antagonist, protagonist, etc. Then work on a name. I often pick up a [...]

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