By PJ Parrish Many moons ago, when I was just starting out in this crime writing business, I wandered into a workshop at SleuthFest. That day, all I was looking for was a reason to not lurk alone in the … Continue reading
By John Gilstrap I enjoy speaking to crowds. I like the immediacy of it, the direct interaction with the audience. I’ve previously shared tips and insights on how to deliver more memorable presentations (memorable in a good way–not the way … Continue reading
Character Based Transitions Terry Odell As this is my last post here before TKZ takes its annual holiday break, I’d like to wish everyone my best wishes for a happy holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. And if you … Continue reading
by James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings. Ours was a joy, all of us together, including the three grandboys. I greeted them as they pulled up to the house. They tumbled out of the car … Continue reading
Characters need personal growth to achieve their goals. If the character seeks to improve themselves in some way — at work, in relationships, or spiritually — or defeat the villain, their fatal flaw will often sabotage early efforts. Who they … Continue reading
When Characters Get Together Terry Odell As writers, we spend a lot of time with our characters. But what do they think of us? When I finished writing FINDING SARAH, the characters, Randy and Sarah, wouldn’t leave me alone. I … Continue reading
A full circle moment occurs when life provides clarity about the past. The journey begins with an often harrowing event, we endure trials and tribulations along the way, then end up right where we started. Only now, we have the … Continue reading
“You can never know enough about your characters.” —W. Somerset Maugham * * * In his work Aspects of the Novel, E.M. Forster introduced the concept of round and flat characters (i.e., three-dimensional and two-dimensional.) Round Characters Basically, round characters are … Continue reading
In today’s Words of Wisdom, James Scott Bell gives us advice and an example of how make trouble for our hero in the midst of an ordinary day. Claire Langley-Hawthorne shares her approach in coming up with names for characters. … Continue reading
Where Does My Book Belong? Terry Odell Back in the days before I even gave writing a passing thought, my reading tastes ran to mystery and science fiction. Later, when I was toying with writing an original piece, I headed … Continue reading