Hey, there! I know it’s only Tuesday, but today I am doing something a little different. I know that I’m tough with you guys about trying new things. What is it I say? “Nothing great happens in the comfort zone.” Wait. I probably poached that off NYTBSA Bob Mayer. Anyway, the sentiment remains. We don’t …
Feb 27 2012
What "Finding Nemo" Can Teach Us About Story Action
Storytelling is in our blood, it binds us together as humans. On some intuitive level, everyone understands narrative structure, even little kids. All good stories have a clear beginning, middle and end. Ever try to skip parts of a story with a toddler? Even they can sense on a gut level that something is wrong …
Feb 24 2012
Finding Inspiration from Unlikely Sources
Happy Friday! I have a real treat for you guys, but, first, let’s have a quick chat. Be honest. We writers wear a lot of hats. We, of course, have the Writer Hat, but then comes the Mom or Dad Hat, the Employee Hat, the Maid Hat and Taxi Driver Hat, the Therapist Hat, …
Feb 20 2012
The Seven Deadly Sins of Prologues
To prologue or not to prologue? That is the question. The problem with the prologue is it has kind of gotten a bad rap over the years, especially with agents. They generally hate them. Why? In my opinion, it is because far too many writers don’t use prologues properly and that, in itself, has created …













