Characters are obviously vital to any story and while some aspects of a good story or novel can be endlessly talked about, characters are something that have so many levels and pieces, are so varied and unique, that they can’t be put into a simple category.  However, there are some universal pieces of a character that are always better than others, and while we may have covered some of this in previous articles, it’s worth repeating. Characters must be unique, driven by motive, and understandable. Obviously, you want a unique character, which if you take the time to think about your characters, can be accomplished without needing a divine muse…

In any story you have a few elements that are vital.  Obviously, the first of these elements is the character.  This can be anything from a cast of lovable folks to an anti-hero you don’t really like but want to succeed or it can even be someone so absent from a story that all you know is they’re telling it.  A character can be a human, alien, a sock, or anything you can imagine but they cannot be dull or flat. Characters are so fun to write but they’re difficult to create sometimes.  People tend to categorize people and that can bleed into writing, and as a result, you get…

While I’ve been talking about writing fiction over the past three weeks, and where to get started, I wanted to take this week to speak more broadly about simply writing.  There are different styles and types of writing so even if you aren’t able to create some great work of fiction, there are other writing avenues worth exploring and you may find many other benefits beyond creating a fun story. A novel, short story, or even a poem can allow for great levels and opportunities for expression.  While new writers might not want to attempt to create a book on the level of something like War and Peace, there are…

When writing a novel or short story or poetry, there’s always the blank page and in this little series we’ve been looking at some things to do and consider before or as you begin.  While we’ve talked about writing what you know and figuring what you want to write by just starting or mapping it out, there is another place to begin, and it may be one of the most important.  It’s important to embrace one thing if you want to write: consistency. Countless writers have had their quirks and habits when it comes to writing.  Some people set page limits per day, time limits, a specific amount of chapters,…

Last week we started a series about writing fiction and briefly looked at where to begin.  While the creative process is different for everyone, there are many basics when it comes to storytelling and writing fiction.  And there are a few camps on where one should start, be those who think you should just start writing while others think a little (or a lot of) planning is in order.  Also, there’s another adage that often pops up that new writers may hear. The old “write what you know” is something that it often repeated to writers who may not have an idea of what they’re doing when it comes to…

A blank page sits in front of anyone who wants to write a story, novel, or poem.  Also, that page doesn’t care if you’re serious and looking to make a career out of writing or if you’re just looking to create something only you’ll read like a fanfic that crosses over Twilight and Star Wars. *shutter* So, as with most work, you have to start somewhere and there are a few different thoughts on this when it comes to fiction.  Depending on what you’re writing, you may just start bleeding words onto the page while other works may call for some planning and mapping out.  Yet, even in these cases…

Part of the magic of a library is the opportunities it provides.  Your local library has classes and events aplenty but over the remainder of the year, we want to look at the art–the craft–of writing fiction.  I would first encourage you to look for writing groups in your area, either at a library or local college for courses or classes. Also, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive look at writing but just an introduction to this series.   When I was in college, I studied Creative Writing, and as an English major I am obviously now fabulously wealthy, brilliant beyond words, and highly esteemed in modern society.  Obviously.…