The Inquisitive Inkpot
Exploring Tales and the Art of Telling
Tag: writing
Transported: When Historical Fiction comes off the Page
Bringing a character to life is a challenge of its own, but bringing an entire era to life—that takes another kind of artistry. My most recent experience of historical fiction reminded me once again of why I love the genre: when done right, it… Continue Reading “Transported: When Historical Fiction comes off the Page”
The Spectacular Hack that Recently Revolutionized my Writing
You can’t buy talent, but you can buy migraine-free writing. In case you missed my post bemoaning the woes of the contemporary writer, I can bring you up to speed in one sentence: screens hurt my eyes. Not just my eyes, but plenty of… Continue Reading “The Spectacular Hack that Recently Revolutionized my Writing”
The Exile: The Story behind the Story
Recently a contact from my alma mater reached out to interview me about The Exile, my first published novel. Fellow Hillsdale College alumna Gianna Marchese, the Editor in Chief of the Student Stories Blog and the college’s Social Media Coordinator, took the time to… Continue Reading “The Exile: The Story behind the Story”
The Secret Recipe to Great Blog Posts
WARNING: If you have no palate for satire, read no further. What you are about to read is a collection of the four unspoken, yet ubiquitous, components that are essential for writing unrivaled, mind-blowing blog posts. As someone who has been blogging for a… Continue Reading “The Secret Recipe to Great Blog Posts”
The Reluctant Screen-Writer
Whether we like it or not, most of us today are screen-writers. Not that we all compose scripts, no, not that kind of writing. What I’m talking about is the fact that, regardless of what medium we are writing for, we have been compelled… Continue Reading “The Reluctant Screen-Writer”
A Writer's List of Virtues
Everyone has a theory of what it takes to be a successful writer. That’s all well and good, but first we have to define “success,” don’t we? I mean, one person may churn out melodramatic teenage vampire novels, while another compiles decades of life… Continue Reading “A Writer's List of Virtues”
Perfectionism and Publishing
If any writer knows that revision is necessary, then he also knows the final product will be imperfect. “Final” draft does not mean “perfect” draft. This becomes especially (nay, painfully) clear when you see one of your works in print. Take it from me—I… Continue Reading “Perfectionism and Publishing”
Worth Your Salt?
If there’s one thing writers know, it’s that adjustments are inevitable. In reality, this goes for everyone, not just writers. But what’s interesting is that there’s a special term for this in writing—revising. Okay, that’s not the interesting part. The interesting part is that… Continue Reading “Worth Your Salt?”
Closing the Deal (and the Book)
If a writer can sell a lead character to an audience for the entirety of a story, he’d better not give them what they expect at the close. Sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? What buyer wants to walk out of a store dissatisfied? While this… Continue Reading “Closing the Deal (and the Book)”
How to Sell a Lead
Unlike most types of sales, this one involves no transaction. The agreement is unspoken, and is measured only by the customer’s insatiable desire for more. It’s the sale of a lead character. Last week we talked about the two different strategies to hooking readers,… Continue Reading “How to Sell a Lead”
