Sue Bradford Edwards's Blog, page 72

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 →

Picture Book Scenes

When you draft a picture book, it is tempting to write out your manuscript like any other story. You double space the text. You have one-inch margins. And you write. Sure, you probably keep an eye on the wordcount. After all, picture books texts tend to be short. Only when you are done do you … Continue reading Picture Book Scenes →

The Shadow Behind the Story

Earlier this week, I read a post on Melissa Ostrom’s blog about the secret story behind the story. She explained that she read this in a review by novelist Gustavo Martin Garzo. Garzo wrote that in literature “there should always be a secret story behind the more obvious one, and that as you read, the … Continue reading The Shadow Behind the Story →

When You Query, Be Specific

Writing a query letter is one of those tasks that leaves many writers frustrated and uncertain. It is good enough? Will it grab their attention? One of the most important things you can do when penning your query is to make it specific in these areas. Why This Agent? Although I haven’t counted, I feel … Continue reading When You Query, Be Specific →