Author: Michelle

A to Z Blogging Challenge: M is for Movement

A to Z Blogging Challenge: M is for Movement

Posted by | Apr 18, 2018 | ,

M is for Movement Today’s post is about movement, namely how a character might move through a scene (from one location to another), and how a scene might move to a new location within a chapter. It will also cover the montage technique, which is commonly used in screenplays but can work in fiction too. As a developmental editor, one of the things I like to do is find an author’s favourite words and phrases (crutch words). Once they come to my attention, the rest of them might just as well have been writing in neon, flashing ink (or print),...

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A to Z Blogging Challenge: L is for Life experience (aka how to tackle backstory)

A to Z Blogging Challenge: L is for Life experience (aka how to tackle backstory)

Posted by | Apr 16, 2018 | ,

L is for Life experience (aka, how to tackle backstory) Every character – from those in the starring role(s) to the lowly alien with a brief appearance on page fifty-six of book three – has dreams and aspirations. As in real life, our life experience (backstory) contributes towards the person we are today, and the same holds true for characters. Who they are now, and where they want to be, depends on their life experience, dreams, and aspirations. These are the elements that drive a character forward, that dictate their choices and behaviour.  Some characters will achieve their goals, others...

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A to Z Blogging Challenge: K is for Knots, crinkles and plot holes

A to Z Blogging Challenge: K is for Knots, crinkles and plot holes

Posted by | Apr 14, 2018 | ,

K is for Knots, crinkles and plot holes I had to get a little creative choosing my subject for today, K is such a difficult letter to find a topic to write about, so I thought it would be a good idea to look at some of what I do as a developmental editor and offer suggestions on how to avoid some common pitfalls surrounding plots and inconsistencies. What does a developmental editor do? Developmental editing is one of the earliest stages that a writer might wish to engage a professional editor. Some authors will hire a developmental editor with...

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A to Z Blogging Challenge: J is for Journals and notebooks

A to Z Blogging Challenge: J is for Journals and notebooks

Posted by | Apr 13, 2018 | ,

J is for Journals and notebooks Sometimes it is hard to find inspiration to write a story or know how to tackle a particular scene, which is where journals and notebooks come into play. Every writer should have (at least) one. It doesn’t need to be a paper notebook, you might like to capture your thoughts on your phone’s camera or notepad function, or in a blog of your own, perhaps even Pinterest if images are part of your creative process. Your writer’s notebook(s) comes in many forms. Whichever yours takes, it will be a continual work-in-progress – a one-stop...

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A to Z Blogging Challenge: I is for Imagery

A to Z Blogging Challenge: I is for Imagery

Posted by | Apr 13, 2018 | ,

I is for Imagery I don’t know about you, but when I’m reading a book, I love to ‘see’ the world I’m being immersed into. My genres of choice are – surprise, surprise – science fiction or fantasy. Both of these genres require a substantial amount of worldbuilding, but it isn’t just the landscapes or spaceships I want to see. I want to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell what the characters do, and I want to feel their pain and share their joy. I may only be a casual observer to a story, but the books I enjoy...

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