What makes a good story? Is it the descriptions? Is it the characters? Or is it the plot? All of these things contribute to making a good story, but it will fall flat if it's not structured like a story. There are several different ways you can lay out your plot, from the Pixar model … Continue reading Writer’s Retreat: Story Structure
Category: Writer’s Retreat
Writer’s Retreat: Marketing a Book
What happens after you write your book? A whole lot, if you want to get your book into the hands of readers outside your personal circle. It's more than a good story, it's how you go about marketing the book. If you go the traditionally published route, the process is much easier. Those companies handle … Continue reading Writer’s Retreat: Marketing a Book
Writer’s Retreat: Character Design
Good characters will make or break a book. It can be set in an amazing world and have a the best plot ever, but if the characters are flat, your book will be too. That's why it's important to design your characters in both word and action. Each character should have a unique voice. The … Continue reading Writer’s Retreat: Character Design
Writer’s Retreat: Publishing Process
Self-publishing can be easy - but that's usually if you aren't doing it right. But seriously, it doesn't have to be a scary process. We want to make sure you can get your book out there with as few hitches as possible, while still making it marketable. Ley Esses broke down each step in the … Continue reading Writer’s Retreat: Publishing Process
Writer’s Retreat: Editing
It's a trend we've seen too often in self-published works. A trend that's hurting the outlook on the industry as a whole. Too many new authors are neglecting the editing process. Editing is an essential part of eventually becoming published, even if you choose to self-publish. Too often, new authors let their fear of critique … Continue reading Writer’s Retreat: Editing
Writer’s Retreat: Cover Design
Covers really do make or break a book's success. As much as people like to say "don't judge a book by its cover," that's exactly what we do. We'll pick up books with covers that look interesting or amazing, and we'll shun books with boring or confusing covers. There are also lots of things to … Continue reading Writer’s Retreat: Cover Design
Writer’s Retreat: Worldbuilding
Presentation from the AspenHouse Writer's Retreat. Leigh Hull discusses the basics on how to create a world that readers will find both realistic and fantastic.
