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 James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell At the turn of the last century, the Second Industrial Revolution was well underway (dating roughly from the mid-19th to the mid-20th). Demographics moved from rural to urban. Cities swelled. And men faced a real … Continue reading
by Debbie Burke Today’s post is an excerpt from my new book, The Villain’s Journey-How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate. While a power drill is a gruesome staple in horror and slasher films, we’re going to take a … Continue reading
by James Scott Bell @jamesscottbell “Everybody talks about the weather,” Twain wrote, “but nobody does anything about it.” Yes, and everybody talks about Artificial Intelligence, and nobody can do anything about it. It’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere. It’s Skynet, … Continue reading
As writers, we’ve all seen, heard, tasted, felt, and smelt the buzz around AI tools—particularly ChatGPT—being able to crank out content at lightning speed. But that’s not what serious writers care about. We don’t want robotic fluff, and we sure … 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