If you’ve wondered whether the story you’re writing should be in present tense or past tense, you’re in good company. The short answer is: do whatever feels right for you and your story. Since that’s about as helpful as a crocheted bicycle, however, I decided to dive a little deeper into the debate. Read about […]
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The Hidden Value of Critique Groups
When you think of critique groups, you probably assume (hope) that they’ll give you some constructive feedback to improve your scene, chapter, or story. But did you know that’s only half of the benefit you can gain from a critique group? And it’s not even the most important half. I’m blogging about this over on […]
Bad Starts to Good Stories – On the RMFW Blog
Opening pages are the gateway into your story. If those opening pages don’t grab your reader (or agent or editor), they’ll slam that gate shut and move on to the next book. You won’t get a second chance to hook them again. But openings are hard, usually because we draft them before we truly understand […]
Are Your Settings Fading into the Background? – On the RMFW Blog
In your stories, settings can and should be doing more for you than just establishing time and location. Settings can help enhance your characters, set the atmosphere and tone of a scene or entire book, and ratchet up the tension and conflict. I show how on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers blog this month, in […]
Breathing Life into Lackluster Beginnings
By Kelley Lindberg Beginnings. They aren’t easy. You’d think they’d be. After all, that’s where every story starts. How hard can it be, really? You just jump in a start telling the story. But many potentially good stories are stabbed through the heart by the dull wooden stake of a lackluster beginning. The problem with […]
Are Your Settings Stuck In a Rut?
by Kelley Lindberg As humans, we often fall into ruts. We go to the same place for lunch more than we should admit. We read the same types of books and watch the same types of TV shows. We shop at the same stores and rotate through the same recipes for dinner every week. […]
