by Suzanne Lieurance 2024 is half over in a few days, and here are some of the best children’s picture books published so far this year. If you’re writing children’s picture books yourself, reading these will help you keep up with the current market, so you know what editors have been looking for in the…
by Suzanne Lieurance Writing a novel can be both an exciting and daunting task, but there are several strategies to make the process more enjoyable and less intimidating. Here’s what one author did to make the process less scary and more fun. Alex’s Journey to Becoming a Novelist Once upon a time, there was an…
by Suzanne Lieurance In summer, we see all sorts of weather, from intense heat to tornadoes, hurricanes, and droughts. This week’s creative writing prompts are all based on summer weather. Use one prompt each day for some, fun, daily writing practice. Summer Weather Writing Prompts Monday’s Prompt – A Summer Storm Describe the experience of…
by Suzanne Lieurance A throughline in any novel refers to the main thread or storyline that holds the various elements of the story together and gives it coherence and direction. Essentially, the throughline is what makes the story feel like a unified whole rather than a series of disconnected events. Here are Some Examples of…
by Suzanne Lieurance Writers are told to develop their author voice, then they are told their characters must have strong voices. It can all get a bit confusing, yet the difference between author voice and character voice is important in literature. What is Author Voice? The author’s voice is the unique style, tone, and perspective…
by Suzanne Lieurance Onomatopoeia is a literary device where words phonetically imitate, resemble, or suggest the sound that they describe. These words evoke the actual sound associated with the object or action they refer to, creating a more immersive and vivid experience for the reader or listener. Examples of Onomatopoeia Animal Sounds: Woof: The dog…
by Suzanne Lieurance Editors hate seeing the same tired, old similes and metaphors. They are trite and indicate the writer has been lazy instead of coming up with new ideas. Creating fresh similes and metaphors can add depth and originality to your writing and please editors and readers alike. Here are some tips to help…
by Suzanne Lieurance A throughline refers to a consistent thread or element that runs through the narrative, tying together various elements of the story. It can be an object, a character’s goal or motivation, a recurring event, or an overarching plot element. Here are some common types of throughlines with examples: #1. Character Throughline This…
by Suzanne Lieurance Summer officially begins later this month, so here are seven writing prompts about the start of summer—one for each day this week: #1. The Enchanted Lake. As the summer solstice approaches, a hidden lake in your town begins to glow with an otherworldly light. Legend has it that the lake reveals secrets…
by Suzanne Lieurance Character arcs show how a character changes or stays the same throughout a story. These changes can be positive, negative, or static, depending on how the story’s events affect the character from start to finish. Here are the three basic types of character arcs: 1. Positive Arc (Transformational Arc). This is where…
by Suzanne Lieurance Many new writers ask, “What is a story arc?” That’s easy to answer. A story arc is simply the way a story develops and changes over time. It includes the events and stages characters go through, usually starting with a beginning, followed by development, a climax, and a resolution. Story arcs can…
by Suzanne Lieurance If you write fiction, you probably know that one way to make your stories come alive for your readers is to include plenty of sensory details. But, that is often easier said than done, so here are some ways to create a variety of sensory details in your stories. Sight #1. Create…
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