Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 69

3 Things About Writing Scenes

Yesterday I was reading Kat Caldwell’s newsletter and I was surprised at what she had to say about scene length. A scene should last no more than 20 minutes in the world of your story. That seemed oddly specific so I Googled how long a scene should be. Talk about something that was monumentally useless. … Continue reading 3 Things About Writing Scenes →

Author’s Bio: Make Sure You Bio Is All about You

For years, I loathed writing the brief bio found in each of my books. At best, I have 50 words. At worst, two or three sentences. But I had a breakthrough the day I got an e-mail from my editor. The publisher needed my bio “right now.” They hadn’t asked for it with the rest … Continue reading Author’s Bio: Make Sure You Bio Is All about You →

Setting vs World Building

I was following a bit of research down the rabbit hole that is the web when I stumbled up on a post by Janice Hardy. “The Difference Between Setting and World Building.” Curious, I started to read but these two paragraphs brought me up short: “Setting is the location in which a scene (or book) takes … Continue reading Setting vs World Building →

Easter Eggs in Cozy Mysteries?

Recently I saw Robin Yeatman’s Writer’s Digest post easter eggs and started wondering about easter eggs in cozy mysteries. Sadly, most of what I found were cozy mysteries featuring Easter. Not those Easter Eggs! If you aren’t sure what an easter egg is, they are little nuggets set into a book or movie as prizes … Continue reading Easter Eggs in Cozy Mysteries? →

Pantser, Plantser or Plotter?

I have to admit that I really like this jokey chart. Take a minute to look it over. Where do you fall in the ways of writing alignments? I’m something of a chaotic plotter. I plot. Vaguely. For those of you who don’t already know, I’m chucking my mystery draft in the proverbial bin. Nah, … Continue reading Pantser, Plantser or Plotter? →

3 Things to Remember about POV

POV or point of view is the viewpoint from which your story is told. In first person, the narrator is the person telling the story and the person the story is about. I spun the dial on my lock and struggled to remember the combination. I hadn’t used my own locker since Kara let me … Continue reading 3 Things to Remember about POV →

Realistic Representations of Historical Characters

Earlier this week I read K.M. Weiland’s blog post on writing historical fiction. One of the things that Weiland discussed was creating characters that are true to their times. As Weiland put it, “Things that seem abhorrent to us  now may have seemed holy to our ancestors, and things that would have shocked or shamed our … Continue reading Realistic Representations of Historical Characters →

When Your Antagonist Isn’t Human

So many of the books on story assume that your point-of-view character is facing an external struggle against a human antagonist. These books are full of all kinds of advice on how to create the perfect villain for your character to face. More often than not, I’m left shaking my head. That’s because so often … Continue reading When Your Antagonist Isn’t Human →

Different Types of Children’s Books

I realized that it’s been a while since I wrote about the different types of children’s books. Whether you are a brand new writer or a veteran, every once in a while you pick up a book and wonder, “What is this?” Here are a few types of books that you might encounter out in … Continue reading Different Types of Children’s Books →

Not All Stories Have a 3 Act Arc

Whether you are writing a novel-length manuscript or a picture book, your narrative has to have a pattern. The one we are most familiar with is your typical narrative arc. Not sure what I mean? Think of your three act structure. Your action rises throughout Act 1 and continues to rise throughout Act 2. In … Continue reading Not All Stories Have a 3 Act Arc →