Have you ever felt like the story you're writing just isn't flowing naturally? Maybe you're unsure about some dialogue or a part of the plot. Whatever it is, when you begin to wonder, "Is my story contrived?" you know you're in trouble! The last thing any writer wants to do is put out a cheap, … Continue reading 5 Signs Your Story Might Be Contrived (And How to Fix It!)
fiction
Breathing Life into Classic Tales: A Guide to Adaptation
I've always loved fairytales; that's what happens when you grow up watching (and rewatching, and rewatching, and rewatching...) Disney classics. I was writing stories as soon as I learned how to hold a (sparkly pink glitter) pen, but surprisingly, fairytales didn't influence my writing much until my dad gifted me a massive book of fairytales … Continue reading Breathing Life into Classic Tales: A Guide to Adaptation
Emotional Writing 101: How to Connect with Readers on a Deeper Level
Writing isn't intuitive. Sure, I think that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, but even the best of writers don't know it all. We all need to learn, and one of the most foundational concepts of writing that we will be practising for the rest of our lives is writing with emotion. It sounds … Continue reading Emotional Writing 101: How to Connect with Readers on a Deeper Level
Surrounded: A sci-fi flash fiction story
No. 45/100 flash fiction stories Lyra could smell that it was hopeless. Yes, smell. You didn’t have to be around too many Drin in your life before you recognized their distinct smell, but after Lyra’s extensive experience with (read: harassment by) the creatures, she could detect just how many there were by the sheer smell … Continue reading Surrounded: A sci-fi flash fiction story
“Is it okay to like bad stories?”
As someone who pushes relentlessly for better storytelling in the world, this is a question I get asked quite often. Sometimes, people ask it as a trick question—if I say yes, then they ask why good storytelling is so important. If I were to say no, they would inevitably find out that there are "bad" … Continue reading “Is it okay to like bad stories?”
Reblog: Don’t Cancel Your Own Story by CherylW
If at all possible, finish your posted works. I know, real life can put the whammy on all good intentions so here are some tips on how to avoid abandoning in-process stories. Don’t Cancel Your Own Story — CherylW Whether it's Kindle Vella, one of the many serialised fiction apps/sites, blog posts, or even fanfiction, serialised … Continue reading Reblog: Don’t Cancel Your Own Story by CherylW
The Perfect Beach Day: A flash fiction story
While going through some old stories, I was so taken by this little snippet I wrote a few years ago that I knew I had to expand on it a bit. Enjoy! . . . Mia always forgot just how stale the everyday air she breathed was until she stood on the beach. No, it … Continue reading The Perfect Beach Day: A flash fiction story
Writing Wins from Star Wars: Visions
Star Wars: Visions is one of the coolest ideas the Star Wars franchise has ever come up with. It allows people all across the world to make Star Wars their own while showcasing their talents to a huge audience—how amazing is that? I liked the first season of Visions, but not enough to write anything … Continue reading Writing Wins from Star Wars: Visions
How Not to Write a First Draft
When it comes to writing first drafts, there's ultimately no right or wrong way to do it as long as you have a finished draft at the end of it. I believe that because we're all different, we all have different ways of achieving our writing goals. That being said, we can adopt some bad … Continue reading How Not to Write a First Draft
Ageless: A flash fiction story
Original version posted on October 10, 2020 I remember the days of horses. Then the clatter of carriages. Now, the cars that fill the air with smoke. I’ve been here for a long time, you see. I don’t quite know how long. All I know is as the sun rises each day, the world is … Continue reading Ageless: A flash fiction story
The Story Canvas 