Back to Basics on Backstory

Back to Basics on Backstory

My mission as a book coach is to help writers write the best books they can, which means paying attention to: the macro elements (the story or argument the book makes) the micro elements (the words on the page) the emotional realities of the writing life (the habits...
Mastering the Art of the Scene

Mastering the Art of the Scene

Not too long ago, I was working on a client’s novel-in-progress and noticed a recurring pattern: at the end of every chapter, the story stopped abruptly, sometimes even in the middle of a conversation. One character would ask a question and the other would simply not...
A Little Lesson in Dialogue

A Little Lesson in Dialogue

My mission as a book coach is to help writers write the best books they can, which means paying attention to: the macro elements (the story or argument the book makes) the micro elements (the words on the page) the emotional realities of the writing life (the habits...