The Writer’s Craft – Changing with the Times

(Pensacola, Florida; June 2, 2022,) – Characters must change with the times, or else they and their relationships become stagnant structures contemptuously consigned to the compost pile of failed creative ideas. However, as related to my recent column on Keeping Characters Consistent (https://sparks1524.com/2022/04/27/the-writers-craft-keeping-characters-consistent/), the challenge of ensuring your characters stay in character, even as they … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Changing with the Times

The Writer’s Craft – Blocking Writer’s Block

(Pensacola, Florida; May 5, 2022,) – Writer’s block is the bane of all writers, a devious felon sneaking up on unsuspecting authors and unapologetically stealing their ability to put pen to paper. Creative disruptions are something we all deal with when trying to develop our next (or even our current) project. We’ve all been there … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Blocking Writer’s Block

The Writer’s Craft – Keeping Characters Consistent

(Pensacola, Florida; Apr. 27, 2022,) – This week I celebrate the publication of And So It Begins, my third Accidental Detective novel! Available in paperback and ebook format on Amazon, this story opens in late 2018 with the newly-retired Isaac Shepherd adjusting to life after the Navy…and then his memories whisk the reader back to … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Keeping Characters Consistent

The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding, Part 4: Retcon City!

(Pensacola, Florida; Mar. 22, 2022,) – The privilege of worldbuilding is both a joy and a burden, an eagerly anticipated part of writing that storytellers relish, but one that requires good organizational skills in addition to a powerful imagination. A systematic approach to worldbuilding can prevent your sanity from taking flight, leaving you a frustrated … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding, Part 4: Retcon City!

The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding, Part 3: Organizing Original Organizations

(Pensacola, Florida; Mar. 15, 2022,) – Worldbuilding is an incredible unique opportunity allowing writers to turn fantasy into reality, bring new characters to life, and draw their readers into a land of adventure, excitement, romance, and danger. Developing your characters’ backstories is important, but it’s not something done in a vacuum of isolation. Those characters … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding, Part 3: Organizing Original Organizations

The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding 2: Building Biographical Bastions!

(Pensacola, Florida; Feb. 23, 2022,) – Worldbuilding is a uniquely wonderful opportunity for a writer to enlarge the glorious tapestry of the literary world with exciting and heretofore unknown characters and stories. However, worldbuilding can seem like a daunting challenge. The first step needed to keep this process within manageable limits is to figure out … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding 2: Building Biographical Bastions!

The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding Part 1; Getting Construction Permits

(Pensacola, Florida; Feb. 11, 2022,) – The great news about getting building permits for your fictional world is that you have to visit no government offices, nor pay any taxes or fees! Worldbuilding is a part of writing that is uniquely yours. You’re creating an entire mythology for your story, meaning you have an opportunity … Continue reading The Writer’s Craft – Worldbuilding Part 1; Getting Construction Permits