Victoria Grefer's Blog, page 2
August 5, 2015
10 Reasons Writers Should Read Something From the Fantasy Genre (Part 2)
Yesterday I started naming ten reasons every writer could benefit from adding some fantasy to his or her reading list. Now, I know I’m biased. I don’t deny that. But fantasy literature really can teach us a lot about pacing, … Continue reading →
August 4, 2015
Ten Reasons Writers Should Read Something In the Fantasy Genre (Part 1)
The fantasy genre is important. Now, maybe I’m biased as a fantasy writer, but I do believe that. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Harry Potter/ contemporary fantasy person, or more of a Middle Earth/ classic fantasy fan. If you … Continue reading →
August 3, 2015
Ten Things “Lord of the Rings” Teaches About Writing (Part 2)
This is part 2 of a list of lessons Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” holds for authors. You can read part one here. FOIL CHARACTERS CAN FEEL FORCED IN CERTAIN GENRES BUT WORK WELL IN OTHERS, LIKE FANTASY (AND SCI-FI) … Continue reading →
August 2, 2015
Ten Things I Learned From “Lord of the Rings” (Part 1)
I last read “Lord of the Rings” ten years ago, so I’m due a reread. But I remember the stories well, perhaps thanks to the movies more than anything else. Most especially I remember the contrasts, the changes from the … Continue reading →
August 1, 2015
5 Ways to Name a Character
As any reader or author could tell you, a character’s name can be very important. Maybe that’s why in my personal experience, naming a character is one of the most stress-inducing and difficult parts of writing fiction. Sometimes a character’s …
July 31, 2015
Why “Don Quixote” Teaches Us to Think Outside the Narration Box
Today I am continuing a two-part reflection on why authors (or anyone interested in the art of narration) should read “Don Quixote.” Yesterday’s post was about “Don Quixote” as the first modern novel and the complexity of its levels of … Continue reading →
July 30, 2015
Narration, Narratology, and Why Every Author Should Read “Don Quixote”
“Don Quixote”by Miguel de Cervantes is one of my favorite books of all time. It is considered the first modern novel, a wonderful read that you can interpret on various levels, and a must-read for authors (at least in my … Continue reading →
July 29, 2015
Why I Try Not To Take My Writing Too Seriously
There is SO much that goes into trying to make a career as an author. In my case, which I doubt is unique, there’s: Blogging and promoting my blog Deciding whether I want to seek an agent or continue to self-publish I … Continue reading →
July 28, 2015
The two paths to uncovering the depths of your characters
There are two major ways I think authors discover who their characters really are. This holds true whether you are a planner or whether you just write and see where the story and its players take you. While we as … Continue reading →
July 27, 2015
FOR AUTHORS: 20 questions to get to know your characters
It’s not always easy to get to know a character. In my experience, sometimes I know right away who a character is, and what makes him or her tick. I know what certain characters want, and what matters to them, and … Continue reading →
