This week at the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn talk transitions. What are the good, bad, and better ways to keep your readers reading past narrative breaks? We want to create bridges over that white space, whether it’s a scene, chapter, or part break, no matter who, when, or where shifts on the other side
Alida shares 6 personal writing tips she’s learned that will get you over the hurdles that make it hard to write your story on today’s Story Works Round Table.
Should you have your theme in mind when you start the book? Is there a formula that Talia follows for her particular books? And how did her writing turn into activism? Talia’s message for all of us is to take advantage of the opportunities that you are given.
What inspires writers to create a story? How small can that spark of inspiration be? Once you have the inspiration, you must also have the courage to write that story! We talk about how to write your way through a story, with only the destination in mind. And how to correctly use creative license in historical fiction.
Why is description so important? And why should we focus on it, both in our first draft, and the subsequent ones? How does writing in a flow state change your ability to describe as you draft? How can you revise in description? And when should you step away from your draft in order to craft it? In the end, don’t let lack of description stop forward momentum. You can, and should, fix it later!
How is the story behind the Third Daughter relevant to today’s world? Why did Talia take the story into the past rather than the present? Did the publisher object to the content of the book? And how can you keep it relatable to the readers, despite the content?
How did Talia come to be an author? And what inspired her to write The Third Daughter? How did fact and imagination merge? And what sources did Talia find to flesh out the Third Daughter?
Why should we talk about world-building with religion? Should your characters have a belief system? And how can you use it to create rich depth for your world and your character motivation? How should you present it in your work? And how can you make it natural to your world and your characters?
What is an endnote and why are we talking about it? How is it different from a resolution? Or the end of a scene or chapter? How can you use a “full circle” moment to really make your endnote powerful? And why should you craft it before you even get to the end of your story?
This week, we check out an episode from the library, formerly published as video-only episode 20. Ever wonder what goes into translating a novel? How translators work with a text? What role, if any, the author of the original plays in the translation? Are you...
What is a writing tic? And is it always a bad thing? We talk about throat clearing, voice issues, using filter words, and having a POV stranglehold. All of these are things you want to fix in revision, but having them isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as you recognize them. And what you do after you recognize them can change your writing behaviors for the better!